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WotC revealed that the new core rulebooks would definitely not be available in May of this year, as reported in the (withdrawn) infographics released by WotC on social media and at last year's Pax Unplugged 2023 panel.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

 

[Parmandur]

I'm more excited about the documentary being directed by Joe Manganiello and Kyle Newman, backed by Hasbro and eOne, that is supposed to be released this year for the 50th anniversary.

I'm not sure how well a "50th anniversary" box set or book set works for D&D given how different each edition is.

They do have that big OD&D book coming down the pipeline.

 

[MNblockhead]

They do have that big OD&D book coming down the pipeline.

Ah, I missed that. "The Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons, 1970-1976" seems like it will be a must buy for me.
Also, googling this, I also found out that MIT Press has published a book of essays "that explores and celebrates the game's legacy and its tremendous impact on gaming and popular culture." Fifty Years of Dungeons & Dragons (https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262547604/fifty-years-of-idungeons-and-dragonsi/). I pre-ordered the Kindle version. I'm a sucker for D&D history.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Time to update the ENWorld sidebar indicating the core books have a 2024 May release date?

 

[Stalker0]

But that would take too long to implement and 2024 sales would suffer. They need the money in 2024. Because stockholders.

Dnd nerds are crazy. Give us the online books, we could sniff out 90% of tbr errata needed in two days if that was what it took.

So it’s really just how fast wotc could incorporate it

 

[Hatmatter]

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.

I am not quite sure what makes the planning so poor, Albucat...is it merely people's impatience? I mean, they are working on the books, which they are aiming to release in 2024. Why do we need to know the month or day that they are coming out way in advance before they are ready to announce the release date? It does not strike me as poor planning, merely that they are working on the books -- likely trying to do the best that they can -- and they will announce a release date when they are certain they can hit it. They probably have a good idea internally what their target date is.

 

[SteveC]

The general sense that I have been getting once that May release date was disavowed was that things are being delayed. And that made me wonder if that means there's going to be another printing for the 2014 books. Even more than that, I wonder what WotC is going to do to make money this year. In 2023 there was this amazing success of BG3 and still we've seen that Hasbro as a whole was having difficulties.

So what does WotC have on deck for 2024 if the new books are coming late in the year or not until 2025?

 

[Henadic Theologian]

The general sense that I have been getting once that May release date was disavowed was that things are being delayed. And that made me wonder if that means there's going to be another printing for the 2014 books. Even more than that, I wonder what WotC is going to do to make money this year. In 2023 there was this amazing success of BG3 and still we've seen that Hasbro as a whole was having difficulties.

So what does WotC have on deck for 2024 if the new books are coming late in the year or not until 2025?

Besides Vecna and Infinate Staircase, a some small free (I think they are free) advantures, maybe a setting book?

If we aren't getting another Bastion UA and we already know we aren't gettin snymore PHB UAs, then maybe a setting book, like for FR which was strongly hintef at by Ray Winninger when he was the boss.

 

[Zaukrie]

I am not quite sure what makes the planning so poor, Albucat...is it merely people's impatience? I mean, they are working on the books, which they are aiming to release in 2024. Why do we need to know the month or day that they are coming out way in advance before they are ready to announce the release date? It does not strike me as poor planning, merely that they are working on the books -- likely trying to do the best that they can -- and they will announce a release date when they are certain they can hit it. They probably have a good idea internally what their target date is.

Big corporations that don't know when they are releasing massive products have poor planning. That's not even debatable. It's stuff you learn in first year business school.

 

[marimbaguy715]

Big corporations that don't know when they are releasing massive products have poor planning. That's not even debatable. It's stuff you learn in first year business school.

You're assuming they don't know when they're releasing the books. They probably do, or at least have an internal target date they haven't shared publicly.

The only real naughty word-up from WotC was their Social Media department tweeting out an incorrect date. It's an embarassing communication error, but that's about all it is.

 

[Hatmatter]

Big corporations that don't know when they are releasing massive products have poor planning. That's not even debatable. It's stuff you learn in first year business school.

But my question, Zaukrie, is getting at why is the absence of a release date now indicative of poor planning? I mean, the books are going to come out when they are ready, no doubt in time to honor the anniversary in some capacity. They will receive more-than-adequate announcement at a time that Wizards of the Coast think is sufficient to promote them and when they are certain they can actually hit such a date given all the various minutiae of publication.

Why on earth is it poor planning that a bunch of nerds on Enworld have not been informed of the release dates in February? I simply do not follow. It merely sounds like impatience to me....which is understandable. I am looking forward to the books...but in this case, it seems like blame is also being aimed at Wizards of the Coast...which seems a bit like scapegoating to me. If we're impatient for the books, we can own up to that..we don't have to always create a villain.