D&D 5E Revising Classic Settings

[Sithlord]

The issue isn't that "slavery is controversial". It isn't, it's pretty unanimously considered a bad thing. The issue is, parents tend not to consider it appropriate subject matter for the early teens who are Hasbro's core target audience.

It's easy enough to add "R rated content" at home. It's a lot harder to take it out of print books you are buying for your 12 year old child.

I don’t even think they can publish a d&d game on how most teenage boys play d&d. I know when I was teen they wouldn’t be allowed in public.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I don’t even think they can publish a d&d game on how most teenage boys play d&d. I know when I was teen they wouldn’t be allowed in public.

Sure. But it's usually parents who buy the books and decide what is appropriate, not the children. WotC want a wholesome image, whatever immature kids get up to when unsupervised.

 

[Mind of tempest]

That this convo has been derailed by a debate on slavery for 175+ replies of its 226 total replies is a big warning sign that slavery is controversial. Shocker!
And if that's happening in a place full of grognards who know Dark Sun and love it, then the reaction among younger fans without the nostalgia will be that much more dramatic. And likely angry.

Dark Sun just ain't a good idea right now. Not without removing slavery from most lands. Which they could do. It'd be a smaller change than what they're doing to Ravenloft.

the question would then be what settings they can bring back the others are super similar to what we already have and no longer have the selling points they used to.

 

[Disgruntled Hobbit]

the question would then be what settings they can bring back the others are super similar to what we already have and no longer have the selling points they used to.

I don't think it matters their old selling points matter anymore.

There are more new players than old now.
Based on the released demographics, 55% of DnD players wouldn't have been old enough to play during the 2nd Ed setting boom. And 70% would have been 15 or less in 2000 when 3rd Ed was released.
Any setting book they release has to appeal to that 70% of players who have no nostalgia rather than the sub-percentage of the the 30% who were old enough to remember 'n' love Spelljammer and Mystara.

They could do anything and if they market it right and make it cool enough, people will buy. They could turn Birthright and Hollow World into hit settings now.

 

[jmartkdr2]

the question would then be what settings they can bring back the others are super similar to what we already have and no longer have the selling points they used to.

The other option is to create new settings, which don't have any baggage. They lose out on nostalgia but I don't know how much of a loss that really is.

The real loss, from the accounting perspective, is that they have an asset (IP) that isn't doing anything, which isn't a loss but is a waste.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I don't think it matters their old selling points matter anymore.

There are more new players than old now.
Based on the released demographics, 55% of DnD players wouldn't have been old enough to play during the 2nd Ed setting boom. And 70% would have been 15 or less in 2000 when 3rd Ed was released.
Any setting book they release has to appeal to that 70% of players who have no nostalgia rather than the sub-percentage of the the 30% who were old enough to remember 'n' love Spelljammer and Mystara.

They could do anything and if they market it right and make it cool enough, people will buy. They could turn Birthright and Hollow World into hit settings now.

they could make them hit settings but they would have to know how to sell them which I am not certain of, plus getting people to care about a setting book means they have to add a mechanic system that dm's might want or races, classes and items that player want and we are running out of those fast as with out proper setting support they get supper similar super fast.