How much support are WotC's settings going to get?

[glass]

We know (right?) that WotC are publishing one setting a year, starting with FR in 2008 and generally assumed to be followed by Eberron in 2009. I am curious though about what is going to happen after that in 2010, 11, 12; will all 5 settings out by then be fully supported? Seems unlikely, given the nature of TSR's demise. So what then?

Will they continue to support Eberron and FR and make the rest of them setting-book-only? Maybe with a little support on D&DI. Will they stop supporting each setting a year after it comes out (or two or three)? Maybe support could be adventures only for some settings?

Has anyone seen any titbits I have missed? Or care to speculate?


glass.

 

[Stogoe]

I'm going to go ahead and say that we'll probably see a new setting after Eberron rather than rehash TSR's old settings. At least I hope so.

 

[Cadfan]

My speculation is that WOTC may intend to publish one setting a year, but they do NOT intend to publish one setting a year, every year, forever until the sun burns out.

 

[M.L. Martin]

My guess is that, outside of the Realms and Eberron, we'll get one-shot books or short product runs (2-5 books) for each setting, then it'll be retired. This seems to play to the strengths of having multiple campaign settings--they can help to keep the game fresh and interesting, and broaden the player base--while minimizing the weaknesses--by their nature, they typically don't sell as well as core books and thus can draw off resources disproportionate to their benefits if they don't maintain sales or help grow the audience for the core.

White Wolf looks like they're having success with a similar model, and if something really takes off, you can extend it for a little while without having fans expect 6-8 books every year.

 

[Glyfair]

I'm going to go ahead and say that we'll probably see a new setting after Eberron rather than rehash TSR's old settings. At least I hope so.

I agree with this. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see 2011 with a rehashed setting.

I also wouldn't be surprised to see the 2010 setting be new, but be based on an old setting's concepts. For example, maybe the setting will be based on warring kingdoms and intrigue ala Birthright, but with a less traditional background (the biggest criticism I've heard about Birthright is that it is basically "just another medieval setting").

 

[M.L. Martin]

I'm going to go ahead and say that we'll probably see a new setting after Eberron rather than rehash TSR's old settings. At least I hope so.

I don't know--Ravenloft has had novel rereleases that have done well enough for them to produce new novels, so it's possible they'll revive that. However, with the new novels being Earth-connected in timeframes ranging from medieval to early Victorian, I still think there's a high probability they'll leverage it for d20 Modern/Past 2E.

Dark Sun novels are going to be reprinted starting this fall as well, so that's another possibility if those sell well enough.

 

[Ranger REG]

I'm going to go ahead and say that we'll probably see a new setting after Eberron rather than rehash TSR's old settings. At least I hope so.

I hope not. No new setting. No setting search contest for at least 5 years after the 4e release.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

My prediction

2008 - Forgotten Realms
2009 - Eberron
2010 - FR - Zakhara (or some other location)
2011 - Eberron - Xen'drik
2012 - Bra'nd Newsettyng

 

[Ranger REG]

My prediction

2008 - Forgotten Realms
2009 - Eberron
2010 - FR - Zakhara (or some other location)
2011 - Eberron - Xen'drik
2012 - Bra'nd Newsettyng

You think WotC is going to forget/ignore Dragonlance?

 

[Glyfair]

My prediction

2008 - Forgotten Realms
2009 - Eberron
2010 - FR - Zakhara (or some other location)
2011 - Eberron - Xen'drik
2012 - Bra'nd Newsettyng

I think that any subsetting has a close to zero chance of being a "campaign setting" release any time soon. I wouldn't even want to see Xen'drik released as a setting. Keep it as part of Eberron within its campaign support.