D&D 5E If WotC is outsourcing official 5E material to 3PP, What is WotC working on?

DragonBelow · Jan 3, 2015

Kobold Press did (the writing for) Hoard of the Dragon Queen and Rise of Tiamat. Sasquatch Game Studio is doing the Elemental Evil books; to me, this means WotC's writting staff must be busy with something else. What could that be?

DB

CapnZapp · Jan 3, 2015

WotC is a small operation these days, much smaller than what everybody think.

pukunui · Jan 3, 2015

They're busy writing story bibles, working on options like the Battlesystem mass combat module, overseeing the production of the content they've contracted out, and so on. They're probably also busy reviewing the core rules in anticipation of their first rule review survey at the moment.

Scrivener of Doom · Jan 3, 2015

I wonder if they're working on ideas that could be thrown to screenwriters in the event that WotC secures the movie rights? That may even be considered part of the work they're doing on story bibles.

Nebulous · Jan 3, 2015

Monster Manual 2?

Beleriphon · Jan 3, 2015

CapnZapp said:
WotC is a small operation these days, much smaller than what everybody think.

What was it the last time we got an update? 15 or 16 people half of whom are working on the licensing side of things?

Nebulous · Jan 3, 2015

Beleriphon said:
What was it the last time we got an update? 15 or 16 people half of whom are working on the licensing side of things?

That's what i remember hearing. Trapdoor Games was at least AS large or bigger staff-wise than WotC.

Remathilis · Jan 3, 2015

Mearls said that they were taking a break after the DMG was done, but they'd get working on things in the new year.

On their table, of course is the following:

1.) Legends & Lore columns for Battlesystem, races, and other cut material
2.) Fan-kit and/or OGL
3.) Coordinating the Elemental Evil storyline release in March
4.) The next set super-secret rule book (Forgotten Realms campaign guide, etc) for Gen-Con release
5.) Story Bibles for future adventure paths

TrippyHippy · Jan 3, 2015

Cooking up licenses for more companies?

I’ve always maintained that the profit margin for WotC in the D&D brand lies not within the game sales itself - that’s peanuts compared to other gamelines these days - but in the spinoffs. These could be boardgames, miniatures, cards, books, online games, TV shows and movies possibly.

In my view, if they get it right, they should go back to the idea of an open source license - but more stridently controlled than 3E, so that 3rd parties strictly write D&D adventures and settings rather than effectively create their own gamelines and alternative rules. WotC could produce some ‘official’ adventure paths or classic settings (Forgotten Realms, Ebberon, Dark Sun, etc) occasionally, but otherwise just keep promoting the sales of the 3 core rule books to new markets brought about by increasing brand awareness from things like books, TV shows and movies.

We don’t want rules bloat in this new edition, if possible, so having Player’s Handbook 2, 3, 4…..etc, would be a major, major turn off.

TerraDave · Jan 3, 2015

Remathilis said:
Mearls said that they were taking a break after the DMG was done, but they'd get working on things in the new year.

On their table, of course is the following:

1.) Legends & Lore columns for Battlesystem, races, and other cut material
2.) Fan-kit and/or OGL
3.) Coordinating the Elemental Evil storyline release in March
4.) The next set super-secret rule book (Forgotten Realms campaign guide, etc) for Gen-Con release
5.) Story Bibles for future adventure paths

I think they have basically confirmed everything but 4. And if there is one, it could be a setting or monster book (or both, I suppose).