RangerWickett said:
Um, guys, this is ENWorld, and you think that such an update is being planned and none of the people in charge have heard about this supposed update? That's preposterous! WotC isn't doing this for at least another year or two. If they were, we'd hear it here first.
Yeah, but it will happen sooner or later. I'm sure WotC's business planning department is projecting that about 40% minimum of their 3E installed base customers will upgrade to new core books within the first 12 months of release.
The rules changes will be minor. Some clarifications & simplifications based on current errata lists and the letters to the "sage" - probably very light on totally new material ( but there WILL be some from splatbooks/internet/Dragon mag ) or actual changes.
Bottom line is that WotC needs D&D to generate more revenue. The Star Wars revised core rule book experiment
was a success - ( Not for ME though... )
I'm sure future products after the revised books come out will not "require" the new books.
For D&D to be a viable, sustaining and profitable segment of WotC/Hasbro, they need more core book revenue, and sales have slowed considerably.
So if the revised rule books keep 4E away for another 4+ years after their release, and I can still use all my d20 stuff without modification, I'm a happy camper whether I buy them or not.
edit: for obvious spelling error