D&D 5E WotC: 5 D&D Settings In Development?

WotC's Ray Winninger spoke a little about some upcoming D&D settings -- two classic settings are coming in 2022 in formats we haven't seen before, and two brand new (not Magic: the Gathering) settings are also in development, as well as return to a setting they've already covered in 5E. He does note, however, that of the last three, there's a chance of one or more not making it to release, as they develop more than they use.

Two classic settings? What could they be?​

So that's:

• 2 classic settings in 2022 (in a brand new format)
• 2 brand new settings
• 1 returning setting

So the big questions -- what are the two classic settings, and what do they mean by a format we haven't seen before? Winninger has clarified on Twitter that "Each of these products is pursuing a different format you've never seen before. And neither is "digital only;" these are new print formats."

As I've mentioned on a couple of occasions, there are two more products that revive "classic" settings in production right now.

The manuscript for the first, overseen by [Chris Perkins], is nearly complete. Work on the second, led by [F. Wesley Schneider] with an assist from [Ari Levitch], is just ramping up in earnest. Both are targeting 2022 and formats you've never seen before.

In addition to these two titles, we have two brand new [D&D] settings in early development, as well as a return to a setting we've already covered. (No, these are not M:tG worlds.)

As I mentioned in the dev blog, we develop more material than we publish, so it's possible one or more of these last three won't reach production. But as of right now, they're all looking great.

Of course the phrase "two more products that revive 'classic' settings" could be interpreted in different ways. It might not be two individual setting books.

 

[Parmandur]

I think that they aren't MtG yet. Meaning, they will be new to both, but released at the same time. Much like Strixhaven.

I'm very doubtful WotC will release a new setting for D&D and not use it as a them in a MtG cardset. I do believe they would release a new one at the same time.

I think that line rules out locations like Innistrad, Dominaria, Kamigawa, etc... worlds from MtG that are already released.

I mean, there's not any particularly compelling reason to not pool world design resources between Magic and D&D.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

South Asia has been woefully neglected as a region in inspiring D&D products, especially in comparison to its neigbors to the west and northeast...

FR, Planescape, and Ravenloft are the only D&D settings with South Asian elements (including Hinduism).

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Yes, although I was referring to Magic planes. We've seen one in 2018, 2020, and soon in 2021. So I'm wondering if they are, as I suspect, going to a one-a-year model.

On the other hand, that would mean that we'll see three settings next year, two classic and one Magic. This would mean that they're probably going to up the total book count from five to six, as I don't see them only producing two non-setting books.

It may also be that the "new format" is a hybrid that more strongly emphasizes adventures. I suspect they might go with a box set, which suits both Dark Sun and Planescape.

Or it could be that we won't see a Magic setting in 2022, that they're thinking more like two every three years. Who knows.
-

Well, I'm thinking that the "new" settings are technically going to be in MTG too... they will just be new to MTG, much like Strixhaven is. Still, I find a new MTG setting for next year unlikely, as there will likely be two classic settings released next year (and that would mean 3 setting released that year, seems like too many).

 

[Parmandur]

I don't consider a setting that was released for 4E as one being "revived". so it would have to be something not getting an edition update since 3E, maybe even 2E, to be a classic setting being revived. Now, the revisiting a setting could be something updated as recently as 4E.

Dude, 4E is old now. A significant amount of playerswere tiny children or weren't even born when 4E was in print.

 

[Faolyn]

Makes me think of a cross between Spelljammer and SilverHawks.

Wow. That took me back.

 

[overgeeked]

Wasn't there a writer on Van Richten's who said he was working on another project for WotC? He wrote the India-themed Domain of Dread. So it very well could be an India-themed setting as one of the new ones. That's would be amazing if true.

Yeah.

Ajit George. He's retweeted Ray's thing about the new settings. I can't find the tweet Ajit made about working on another project with WotC, but he did.

 

[lyle.spade]

I would love to see an adventure set in Eberron. I don't care about any of the other settings at all.

 

[Zaukrie]

I mean, I LOVED the point of light setting from 4e, but no way that's coming back. If so, I've already started updating the chaos scar....

 

[Mercurius]

Well, I'm thinking that the "new" settings are technically going to be in MTG too... they will just be new to MTG, much like Strixhaven is. Still, I find a new MTG setting for next year unlikely, as there will likely be two classic settings released next year (and that would mean 3 setting released that year, seems like too many).

Yes, agreed, unless the "new format" is different enough to allow for it. Meaning, if it was less setting-centric and more (say) adventure-centric, like a War of the Lance adventure path that only used Krynn as background, rather than explicating the setting itself. Sort of like Tomb of Annihilation, but Dragonlance.

 

[imagineGod]

Wasn't there a writer on Van Richten's who said he was working on another project for WotC? He wrote the India-themed Domain of Dread. So it very well could be an India-themed setting as one of the new ones. That's would be amazing if true.

That is the only book, I would purchase big time, a fantasy setting of Mythic India.