D&D 5E Anything new on release dates? (As of May 8)

[Mercurius]

I've been out of the loop for a couple months - the last I heard was "BarnesandNobleGate", which was July 15 for the starter product and Gen Con for the Player's Handbook. A couple questions:

Have these dates been confirmed or denied?

If the starter set is really coming out in just two months, why haven't they officially announced it yet? It seems that they'd be wanting to roll out the hype machine if they really are coming out with the first product for a new edition in just two months.

 

[Morrus]

Nope, nothing since then.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

Wasn't there a suggestion that perhaps the core products - PHB and whatnot - would come later and that Tyranny of Dragons would be the first full release of the rules?

(This is very much a question on my part. This is what I vaguely recall but I have no idea of source or accuracy.)

 

[DMZ2112]

As far as I know, Scrivener, that assumption springs entirely from the B&N leak.

We know Tyranny will be standalone, and we have weak confirmation of a PHB and a DMG. The order of things is pure conjecture at this point.

 

[fjw70]

Wasn't there a suggestion that perhaps the core products - PHB and whatnot - would come later and that Tyranny of Dragons would be the first full release of the rules?

(This is very much a question on my part. This is what I vaguely recall but I have no idea of source or accuracy.)

I think you are right. I think was said in the Pax East panel Q&A.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

[MENTION=78752]DMZ2112[/MENTION]: It is strange that we only have conjecture at this point considering we are but three months away from GenCon. But I am sure WotC knows what they are doing....
[MENTION=80924]fjw70[/MENTION]: Thanks for solving that mystery: I think it did come out of a vague or even faulty recollection of the Pax East panel.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I've got a feeling we will get an announcement relatively soon. Nothing objective to back that up.

 

[DMZ2112]

@DMZ2112: It is strange that we only have conjecture at this point considering we are but three months away from GenCon. But I am sure WotC knows what they are doing....
@fjw70: Thanks for solving that mystery: I think it did come out of a vague or even faulty recollection of the Pax East panel.

The Escapist article is the best recap of the PAX East panel I know of and it does not mention timing at all except to say "soon."

There's been a lot of scuttlebutt about this on this forum and elsewhere, and for the sake of argument, here's what I think:

July 10.

On or about July 10, San Diego Comic Con's schedule goes online. If Wizbro is serious about this multimedia thing, it will show up there in big bold print.

I don't think it is particularly unusual that there is a near-total media blackout on D&D Next right now. They want this thing to hit fans and non-fans like a South Pacific atomic test. And I think they have enough clout and control to maintain the necessary secrecy through the release of the GenCon schedule, tomorrow. But San Diego Comic Con doesn't give a sh*t.

July 10 will be the first trumpet, and product will follow quickly thereafter.

 

[Mercurius]

But I am sure WotC knows what they are doing....

I've got a feeling we will get an announcement relatively soon. Nothing objective to back that up.

Well it is simple common sense, isn't it? I mean, there has to be SOME time between announcement and actual release. Two months seems minimal, even less than minimal, as retailers will want time to build up hype and plan events around the release.

I don't think it is particularly unusual that there is a near-total media blackout on D&D Next right now. They want this thing to hit fans and non-fans like a South Pacific atomic test. And I think they have enough clout and control to maintain the necessary secrecy through the release of the GenCon schedule, tomorrow. But San Diego Comic Con doesn't give a sh*t.

July 10 will be the first trumpet, and product will follow quickly thereafter.

I'm not a marketer, nor have I studied product releases but I do think it rather unusual that there isn't at least a three month period between announcement and actual release date. See what I said above to Sword of Spirit - there are many reasons for people to know a few months in advance when the actual release date. Imagine if you are a game store owner - don't you want to know and plan an event accordingly? And if you're WotC, don't you want retailers to hype your product as much as possible?

 

[delericho]

We know Tyranny will be standalone, and we have weak confirmation of a PHB and a DMG. The order of things is pure conjecture at this point.

IIRC, the covers for the PHB and DMG (maybe just the PHB?) were shown at GAMA. So that would seem to be fairly solid confirmation of those books.