D&D 5E WotC Announces An Impending Announcement: New Setting, Storyline

Early this week, WotC announced on Twitter that today there would be some kind of announcement on their Twitch channel. Those who heard that announcement and tuned in were treated to an announcement that the new storyline will be announced at a live event in June.

The press release announcing the impending announcement also mentions a new setting, as well as the storyline, so it sounds like it might not be set in the Forgotten Realms (or maybe is in a new region - to 5E - of the Realms, such as Icewind Dale). The adventure and the setting might be the same thing, or they might be completely different things. Recently, WotC has released a bunch of settings: Eberron, Ravnica, Wildemount, and the upcoming Theros.

Fans of D&D will learn all about the new setting and storyline

The new storyline specifically will be revealed at 12pm PST (8pm GMT) on Thursday, June 18th.

The June event will raise money for Comic Relief, and will feature celebrities including Brandon Routh (Superman), and will preview the brand new storyline. It takes place June 18th-20th. Other names involved include Felicia Day, Deborah Ann Woll, Amy Acker, David Harbour, Matthew Lillard, and more.

​

 PRESS RELEASE

---

RENTON, WA – May 21, 2020 – People all over the world continue to stay safe by staying home, but that doesn’t mean the adventuring has to stop. Dungeons & Dragons is more popular than ever because it allows people to weave compelling stories together even when they’re physically apart through online videoconferencing. Now, Wizards of the Coast brings the stars to this virtual table with D&D Live 2020: Roll w/ Advantage. An amazing cast of characters led by expert storytellers preview the latest D&D storyline with live gaming sessions, all while raising money for Red Nose Day to help the most vulnerable children across the US and around the world, who have been so affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.The adventure begins 10:00am PT on June 18, 2020 and will run through June 20, 2020 at dungeonsanddragons.com.

D&D Live 2020: Roll w/ Advantage features big personalities playing elves, wizards and fighters to accomplish quests using their imaginations. Funny people like Brian Posehn, Kevin Sussman and Thomas Middleditch will work together to solve problems or, more likely, cause some hilarious new ones. WWE ® Superstars Xavier Woods ®, Tyler Breeze ®, Ember Moon ®, Alexa Bliss ® and Dio Maddin ® will contend with beefcake destroyer Jeremy Crawford, a.k.a. Principal Rules Designer for D&D. Deborah Ann Woll will lead a group of actors in improvising a way to help people in a fantasy world not that different from ours. And principal D&D writer Chris Perkins takes players

Fans of D&D will learn all about the new setting and storyline as well as accompanying new products plus tons of unique gameplay available on June 18, 2020. D&D Adventurers League has four new short adventures everyone can enjoy. By donating a small amount to Red Nose Day, fans will have access to sign up for D&D sessions with players around the world! During #DnDLive2020, fans will also be able to choose the character best suited to help the region through Reality RP, a mashup of fantasy storytelling, community engagement, and reality television.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

They will likely provide a barebones hint at the final product of the year, as with Eberron last year, bit no full on announcement seems likely.

There could be a fourth book this year, but I doubt it, as last year had 5 books, there's the pandemic this year, and other bits of information.

 

[Parmandur]

There could be a fourth book this year, but I doubt it, as last year had 5 books, there's the pandemic this year, and other bits of information.

Well, we'll see. They have an Adventure storyline coming, and the UA tests are for something. The printing shouldn't be that far behind by the end of the year.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Well, we'll see. They have an Adventure storyline coming, and the UA tests are for something. The printing shouldn't be that far behind by the end of the year.

Depends on how long the pandemic/shutdown lasts. If things get bad again, and they have to delay more books, I could see them pushing back a possible 4th book to next year. They have been playtesting a lot of subclasses and spells, many of them plane-related, and I think these will be in a Plane-Manual themed book, but I don't know how likely it is that we'll get it by the end of the year. Planescape isn't really a setting, either, but does contain information for extraplanar adventures.

 

[Mercurius]

There could be a fourth book this year, but I doubt it, as last year had 5 books, there's the pandemic this year, and other bits of information.

I think there's a good chance that there will be a fourth book, one in September or so (Icewind Dale), and one in November. Consider the months books have come out (not including Tyranny re-print):

2020: 3, 7, ?
2019: 5, 6, 9, 11
2018: 5, 9, 11, 11
2017: 4, 9, 11
2016: 3, 9, 11
2015: 4, 9, 11
2014: 8, 8, 9, 11, 12

Now I know things are wacky due to Covid, but consider that they've never not come out with at least one book in both September and November. Covid shouldn't stall the writing and art of books three and four, but it presumably stalled the printing and distribution of Theros. But considering that things are opened up a bit more now, I don't see why they wouldn't print the 4th book as planned, to keep the product mill going.

And of course the reason they've always published a book in November is because it is before the holiday season. I doubt Icewind Dale is getting pushed back that far, so I just don't see them not having another product slotted in for Nov.

 

[Mercurius]

Depends on how long the pandemic/shutdown lasts. If things get bad again, and they have to delay more books, I could see them pushing back a possible 4th book to next year. They have been playtesting a lot of subclasses and spells, many of them plane-related, and I think these will be in a Plane-Manual themed book, but I don't know how likely it is that we'll get it by the end of the year. Planescape isn't really a setting, either, but does contain information for extraplanar adventures.

Whatever they have planned for later this year, I don't expect the Planes until next year, with Dark Sun and psionics in 2022. Just a hunch, though.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Whatever they have planned for later this year, I don't expect the Planes until next year, with Dark Sun and psionics in 2022. Just a hunch, though.

They started playtesting subclasses for this "Xanathar's 2.0/Planescape" book in August of last year. That'd give them about 5 quarters to develop the subclasses to a point where they could put them in the book if it were to come out at the end of this year. That's basically the same timescale for XGtE, and I'd assume this Psionics stuff is for Dark Sun, in early to late 2021.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

And of course the reason they've always published a book in November is because it is before the holiday season. I doubt Icewind Dale is getting pushed back that far, so I just don't see them not having another product slotted in for Nov.

Yeah. I don't know. The future of the pandemic can't be accurately predicted. A second wave could force another lockdown, delaying a possible 4th book.

 

[Mercurius]

They started playtesting subclasses for this "Xanathar's 2.0/Planescape" book in August of last year. That'd give them about 5 quarters to develop the subclasses to a point where they could put them in the book if it were to come out at the end of this year. That's basically the same timescale for XGtE, and I'd assume this Psionics stuff is for Dark Sun, in early to late 2021.

OK, fair enough. That would be great, as I'm really looking forward to the planes. That said, I wouldn't expect Dark Sun and psionics until a year or so after the planes. If we really do see a planes book up next after Icewind Dale, then I could imagine something like the following:

Fall 2020: Icewind Dale
Late 2020/early 2021: Manual of the Planes
Spring 2021: Planes adventure
Fall 2021: Magic setting, Realms story arc

Spring 2022: Xanathar 2 (with psionics)
Summer 2022: Dark Sun campaign book, Dark Sun adventure
Fall 2022: Magic setting, Realms story arc

I'm not predicting that is exactly how it will turn out, but just that type of sequence.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

The holiday books so far (the ones release in November) have been:
2014 Rise of Tiamat
2015 SCAG
2016 Volo's
2017 Xanathar's
2018 Ravnica
2019 Eberron

I could see a Planes book coming in Nov 2020. Would add a lot of options to the game, which the last 5 have all done as well.

 

[Burnside]

I think there's a good chance that there will be a fourth book, one in September or so (Icewind Dale), and one in November. Consider the months books have come out (not including Tyranny re-print):

2020: 3, 7, ?
2019: 5, 6, 9, 11
2018: 5, 9, 11, 11
2017: 4, 9, 11
2016: 3, 9, 11
2015: 4, 9, 11
2014: 8, 8, 9, 11, 12

Now I know things are wacky due to Covid, but consider that they've never not come out with at least one book in both September and November. Covid shouldn't stall the writing and art of books three and four, but it presumably stalled the printing and distribution of Theros. But considering that things are opened up a bit more now, I don't see why they wouldn't print the 4th book as planned, to keep the product mill going.

And of course the reason they've always published a book in November is because it is before the holiday season. I doubt Icewind Dale is getting pushed back that far, so I just don't see them not having another product slotted in for Nov.

There are reasons besides printing and distribution logistics that there might not be a 4th book this year. We look to be entering a global recession or even depression. The market for these books may not be what it was. Also, if I'm WotC I'm doing everything I can to pivot towards digital content right now and thinking specifically about tools and adventures for online play as my #1 focus. I think publication patterns for previous years are completely out the window when it comes to predicting 2020.