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.

 

[Hexmage-EN]

A WotC Tal'Dorei setting book would be interesting if it takes place in a later era. The first book from Green Ronin took place one year after the end of Campaign One, the Wildemount book takes place 20 years later during Campaign Two, and as of Exandria Unlimited there's been another 10 year time skip. Seeing a book detailing Tal'Dorei thirty years later would be a treat to see how much has changed.

 

[overgeeked]

A deal fell off between Hickman/Weiss and WoTC (they sues them) so i doubt Dragonlance is one of them. Looking at other classic campaign setting IP, Greyhawk has been left untouched since 3E so i doubt. I'd place my bet on Spelljammer, Planescape and revisiting Ravenloft. As for MtG i have no clue....

Another Ravenloft book? Didn't they literally just put out a big Ravenloft book? The top picks are Forgotten Realms, Planescape, Dark Sun, and Spelljammer. According to that survey they did a while back.

Planescape, Dark Sun, and Spelljammer are the big three that I'd like to see brought over to 5e, though a silly part of me would be ecstatic at Nentir Vale or Council of Wyrms. Dragonlance is actually the only one of the popular options I have little to no interest in.

As far as returning to an already established 5e setting, there are hints at another Exandria book though I'd also love another Eberron book.

I'd be over the moon for a proper Nentir Vale book.

 

[overgeeked]

A WotC Tal'Dorei setting book would be interesting if it takes place in a later era. The first book from Green Ronin took place one year after the end of Campaign One, the Wildemount book takes place 20 years later during Campaign Two, and as of Exandria Unlimited there's been another 10 year time skip. Seeing a book detailing Tal'Dorei thirty years later would be a treat to see how much has changed.

I doubt that will happen. Matt's got so much on his plate just prepping Campaign 3, and the setting evolves as it needs to based on the game they play. So just doing a setting book that's not connected to the game doesn't really make sense. We probably won't see another Exandria book until a fair chunk of time into Campaign 3. I for one really hope C3 is set in Marquet, Matt's Arabian Nights analog.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I doubt that will happen. Matt's got so much on his plate just prepping Campaign 3, and the setting evolves as it needs to based on the game they play. So just doing a setting book that's not connected to the game doesn't really make sense. We probably won't see another Exandria book until a fair chunk of time into Campaign 3. I for one really hope C3 is set in Marquet, Matt's Arabian Nights analog.

it would likely not happen till matt sees a bit of a break in the time of production but it is one of the more likely options.

 

[darjr]

@darjr There are some alternate possible explanations, but this is what is on D&D Beyond site right now for anyone to read:

{"id":32,"name":"TCS","description":"Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting","sourceCategoryId":1,"isReleased":false,"avatarURL":"https://media-waterdeep.cursecdn.com/avatars/","sourceURL":""},

https://www.dndbeyond.com/api/config/json

I can’t do it now, but take a look at the ids. I suspect it’s lower than later released books making it an older attempt at adding the green ronin book. BUT I can’t verify that at the moment and even if the ids line up it’s just a guess.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I wouldn't be too surprised if Hasbro boughts the settings created by 3PPs but these will want to keep their creative freedom all the possible time.

The bets should be the "alpha" lines, the most popular in the past: Dark Sun, Dragonlance, Planescape...and Greyhawk, Spelljammer or Mystara. But these settings have to show or offer something couldn't be imitiate by others. Some lines are easy to be recovered with the lore but special gameplay could need a lot of time and work, for example the psionic powers for Dark Sun.

WotC needs a plan for the future metaplot(s).

 

[overgeeked]

it would likely not happen till matt sees a bit of a break in the time of production but it is one of the more likely options.

Oh, I think it will definitely happen. Just not for awhile yet.

I can’t do it now, but take a look at the ids. I suspect it’s lower than later released books making it an older attempt at adding the green ronin book. BUT I can’t verify that at the moment and even if the ids line up it’s just a guess.

It's also the exact name of the older Green Ronin book which doesn't fit the naming conventions of 5E at all. So yours is the likely explanation.

 

[overgeeked]

WotC needs a plan for the future metaplot(s).

The less metaplot the better.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

I can’t do it now, but take a look at the ids. I suspect it’s lower than later released books making it an older attempt at adding the green ronin book. BUT I can’t verify that at the moment and even if the ids line up it’s just a guess.

I don't know enough about source URLs to confirm this, but it looks like this was embedded before Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes was, so it would be a very old attempt indeed.

 

[Parmandur]

@darjr Yeah, that's a pretty reasonable probabibility...but it still wouldn't surprise me if WotC and Critical Role are revising it for a reissue to.update the timeline, etc.