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]

They aren't going to update a small part of FR again, the was a big part of the original mistake that angered fans, no They will do Faerun wide at minimum.

I wouldn't expect any modern Setting book to be as detailed a deep.dove as the 3E FRCS, more like the Ebereon book.

 

[Parmandur]

It would be fine if they did concentrate in giving some detail in one region (which would almost certainly be Cormyr/Sembia/Dalelands/Moonsea), just as long as they don't fob off the remaining areas of the setting with a paragraph or two, as SCAG did (although they could say "For more detail on the Sword Coast region, see the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide", to save some room). Do like Eberron and Ravenloft did, and give like 2 - 4 pages to each country/region outside the core zone, and that will be fine (and 2 - 4 pages to cover each of the main areas outside Faerun, if they care to enter that potential minefield).

I'm curious what the "city of adventure" that would get its own chapter (as Sharn did for Eberron) would be in this case though? None of the cities in the region quite have the cachet that Waterdeep, Baldur's Gate, or Neverwinter have. Suzail? Westgate? Raven's Bluff? Maybe they would go the opposite way and give us a "village of adventure" with Shadowdale...

I could see an "Inner Sea" book, that included a deep dive into the Dalelands (remember, the two core home games the FR are rooted in, one in Waterdeep, the other in the Dalelands).

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Just to nip in here and say the new format for at least one of them I expect to be a serial AP, like the Paizo APs. 6 volumes, one every 2 months - Jan, March, May, July, Sept, November.

 

[Maxperson]

What the heck does "In a brand new format." mean? And wouldn't those also be returning settings?

 

[Parmandur]

Just to nip in here and say the new format for at least one of them I expect to be a serial AP, like the Paizo APs. 6 volumes, one every 2 months - Jan, March, May, July, Sept, November.

Qell, first, I wouldn't expect WotC to pursue a serial format again, considering the nature of the modern market. Second, this is aboit Settinga, not Adventure products.

 

[darjr]

Qell, first, I wouldn't expect WotC to pursue a serial format again, considering the nature of the modern market. Second, this is aboit Settinga, not Adventure products.

Yes, and yes.

But I think their comment is the first plausible swag of what they mean by new format. Maybe.

 

[Parmandur]

What the heck does "In a brand new format." mean? And wouldn't those also be returning settings?

Pretty unclear: the returning distinction is that there are 2 Settings being worked on from past Editions, and a separate Setting already published in 5E being revisited in a new product. Plus two all new, complete original Settings. The format comment.is opaque and probably intentionally. The important point is that it is a print format.

 

[Demetrios1453]

I could see an "Inner Sea" book, that included a deep dive into the Dalelands (remember, the two core home games the FR are rooted in, one in Waterdeep, the other in the Dalelands).

A good 60 - 70% of my 2e FR games, both played and DMed, were based either in the Dalelands or in Cormyr. And I know I'm not alone in that. That is why their cursory treatment in SCAG rankled so much.

 

[Parmandur]

A good 60 - 70% of my 2e FR games, both played and DMed, were based either in the Dalelands or in Cormyr. And I know I'm not alone in that. That is why their cursory treatment in SCAG rankled so much.

It seems based on certain textual hints in the SCAG that they had considered doing regional books for other regions, and had even split the map up accordingly.

 

[darjr]

Just to nip in here and say the new format for at least one of them I expect to be a serial AP, like the Paizo APs. 6 volumes, one every 2 months - Jan, March, May, July, Sept, November.

It could definitely up the book count.