WotC WotC Removes Release Dates From Promo Images For 2024

On Friday, WotC shared a bunch of images of 2024's D&D releases, which included release dates for each book.

• 2024 Core Rulebooks (May 21st)
• Vecna: Eve of Ruin (May 21st)
• Quests from the Infinite Staircase (July 16th)
• Making of D&D (June 18th)

The images were initially shared during a panel at PAX Unplugged, and were shortly after shared widely on the official D&D social media outlets.

However, a few hours later, all those images were removed from WotC's social media, and were later replaced by images without the release dates.

Additionally, the '2024 Core Rules' image was replaced with a caption saying '2024 Player's Handbook'.

It's not clear why they were removed, whether those release dates are incorrect, or if they simply weren't supposed to be shared yet. But since we shared those images too, we should note that it's possible the dates we shared might not be set in stone. More info if and when we have it!

 

[Scribe]

It is certainly amusing and makes for a lot of fun jokes but I don’t think it is a general sign of competence. I work for one of the largest companies in the United States and you would be surprised at the typos and errors I see in presentations, SOPs, public releases etc. it is the nature of having a lot of moving parts and time pressures and generally not a sign of general competence. All big companies suffer from this and many small too.

This is something I have to point out to people all the time.

Those massive corps? Governments? Hospitals?

It's not like it's a different caliber of employees. It's us. Humans. People need to stop thinking that they are some Tier above.

 

[Parmandur]

Sure, but the ol' sniffer says that we won't see THAT until 2025. Maybe late 2024. It just seems to me to be something that would come AFTER the books rather than before. This is, however, such speculation that the sniffer doesn't have a lot to go on, so I don't stand by its sussings with any conviction. (Unlike the dates-thing!)

Also, I just checked: the Basic D&D Rules document dropped on July 3rd, 2014, over a month before the PHB hit store shelves. That was an important initiative, and they kept updating it till late 2018. Having a generally available, free cut down version of the rules is something important for marketing the new Edition.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

This is something I have to point out to people all the time.

Those massive corps? Governments? Hospitals?

It's not like it's a different caliber of employees. It's us. Humans. People need to stop thinking that they are some Tier above.

If there are people still walking around thinking that world is run by People+, they must have skipped the last decade or so.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Also, I just checked: the Basic D&D Rules document dropped on July 3rd, 2014, over a month before the PHB hit store shelves. That was an important initiative, and they kept updating it till late 2018. Having a generally available, free cut down version of the rules is something important for marketing the new Edition.

Yeah, I remember that. But the difference here is that THAT already exists. They don't really need to do it again. Maybe they will, but I think we're more likely to just get previews and stuff.

 

[mamba]

Still better ran (managed) than TSR…

that is not a high bar to clear

 

[mamba]

I was actually really surprised to see that they had put a single release date for the entire set of three core rulebooks. In an interview one of the WotC principles said that the entire print run of all three rulebooks was too large to be done at once. And in the past when new editions were released, the core rulebooks were released on a staggered schedule.

based on what they said in the video, these will be staggered too, with the PHB coming first (and DMG last I believe)

 

[Demetrios1453]

If there are people still walking around thinking that world is run by People+, they must have skipped the last decade or so.

The expectation of perfection by a notable subset of people, and their inability to forgive when perfection is (inevitably) not achieved are among the greatest drivers of conflict, not just today, but in all times.

 

[mamba]

Hey, whoa, new thought: they didn't put out a date for the PHB, MM, or DMG: maybe that's roughly when they plan yo release the Core Rules.

That is...the new SRD.

Now that seems highly doable.

I doubt the SRD is being released before the actual books, or that this has a date assigned

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah, I remember that. But the difference here is that THAT already exists. They don't really need to do it again. Maybe they will, but I think we're more likely to just get previews and stuff.

UT if they want to put the 2014 material on D&D Beyond into Legaxy along with Volo's & MToG, they have to flip the switch eventually. And when the rules are ready seems the time to do it. I think we will see the free version of the rules available through Beyond change over in Msy, woth print coming in the following months

 

[Parmandur]

I doubt the SRD is being released before the actual books, or that this has a date assigned

Why not? It ties into their digital offering that has ovet 13 million users, so they can get to people faster than print can. As soon as the rules text is finalized, they can push the free version easily now