D&D (2024) D&D 2024 Core Rulebooks: 'We'll Still Be Working On Them In May'

In a recent Unearthed Arcana video, Jeremy Crawford at WotC revealed that the new core rulebooks would definitely not be available in May of this year, as reported in the (withdrawn) infographics released by WotC on social media and at last year's Pax Unplugged 2023 panel.

I just want to confirm with you and as well with everyone watching this video - that is definitely not the release date. That was never the release date. In fact, we will still be working on the books in May.

 

[Albucat]

‘Announcing’ isn’t the same as ‘starting work’. They usually announce stuff 3 months in advance of release after something has been in development for a year or more. 5E was certainly underway long before they announced it.

Definitely true, but it still seems like some egregiously bad planning. As others said above, it does feel like a video game release cycle in its messiness and confusion.

 

[Clint_L]

The important thing is that we have just enough information to jump to conclusions and then write snarky comments based on our own assumptions.

 

[Retreater]

The announcement that they're not going to be releasing them in May helps ease my mind. If these books are going to last another decade or so, I'd like the team to take their time.
It's not like we don't have a game in the meantime.

 

[Morrus]

The announcement that they're not going to be releasing them in May helps ease my mind. If these books are going to last another decade or so, I'd like the team to take their time.
It's not like we don't have a game in the meantime.

What makes you say they haven’t been taking their time? They could have started work on these 8 years ago for all we know!

 

[beta-ray]

Definitely true, but it still seems like some egregiously bad planning. As others said above, it does feel like a video game release cycle in its messiness and confusion.

There was some confusion because of the error in putting out the May release date… but what else was messy and confusing about it? There were no other release dates mentioned.

 

[Parmandur]

If they're still working on them in May, that suggests that a Gen Con release is probably out. Even getting them out in time for the holidays seems like it'd be fairly tight...

Not really: 2 months is the turnaround for WotC at the printers, normally. I doubt they care about Gen Con particularly, but finalizing the PHB in May would fit for an August/September release.

 

[Parmandur]

If my notes are correct, there were seven things they announced at Pax Unplugged. Immediately afterward, they said the dates given were wrong, but they'd all still come out in 2024. But it's hard to imagine them releasing seven books in, say, the Sept - Dec timeframe. Unless maybe the Vecna book comes out before the new rulebooks? IDK. I'd love to get an official update.

• 2024 Player's Handbook
• 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide
• 2024 Monster Manual
• Vecna: Eve of Ruin
• The Making of Dungeons & Dragons (1970-1976)
• Quests From the Infinite Staircase
• Descent Into the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth

No reason to assume the Adventures will wait on the new Core, since they are all backwards compatible anyways.

 

[Retreater]

What makes you say they haven’t been taking their time? They could have started work on these 8 years ago for all we know!

I'm just going by what the design team is saying. If they are saying the game's not ready, then I want them to take the time they need to be happy with it.

 

[MockingBird]

There weren’t big tie ins to either Baldur’s Gate 3 or the movie.

I think they have disadvantage on opportunity attacks.

Thaumaturge.

Descent to Avernus was a tie in with BG3

 

[Zaukrie]

Pretty disappointing, from a marketing perspective. This is the 50th bday of the game.....and they are doing a rules update, and we won't see it until the second half of the year. Makes selling a lot of stuff for the 50th kind of hard. Sure, we'll get a nostalgia making of, but whatever.

I was really hoping for a big year long celebration. We are in February, and they've done nothing yet to celebrate. It's kind of baffling that they aren't doing stuff every 2-4 weeks to celebrate and hype stuff up. Like, really baffling from a marketing perspective.