WotC Ray Winninger Steps Back From WotC

Former leader of the D&D team Ray Winninger has announced his departure from WotC, having "accomplished the ambitious goals we set". Dan Rawson was announced the new head of D&D earlier this month, leading many to speculate about Winninger's departure.

"Sorry for the radio silence; I'm in the midst of a SORELY needed Long Rest. I have indeed left WotC, having accomplished the ambitious goals we set when I took over the D&D team.

Shepherding D&D was an honor and a privilege, but I'm looking forward to slowing down and getting back to a list of personal design projects. (Gamers, you haven't seen the last of me!) Most of all, I look forward to following D&D as a fan again.

Proud of the team I left behind; D&D is in very good hands: @JeremyECrawford, @ChrisPerkinsDnD, @DroidsForSale, @dtovar77, Liz Schuh, Kate Irwin, Trish Yochum, @aquelajames, @FWesSchneider, @MakenzieLaneDA, @amandahamon, Emi Tanji, Bree Heiss, @doctorcomics. @justicearman

@RPGRonLundeen, @BillBenham2, Rob Hawkey, Ben Petrisor, @Dan_Dillon_1, @EytanBernstein, Adrian Ng, Janica Carter, @chrislindsay, @TrystanFalcone, @mattchucole, Bob Jordan, @christulach, Natalie Egan, Hilary Ross, Carl Sibley. Thanks for being such great adventuring companions."

 

[GMforPowergamers]

With 4e I went to subscription because it was cheaper than the character-facing-hardcover-of-the-month club, and already had the copious errata. But with the publishing schedule of 5e the amount of character-facing content would be about 1/5 or less, so say I'd be willing to pay 1/5th of the 4e price. But somehow I dont' think $2 a month for everythign they ever publish is in the cards.

i do wonder, would INCREASING the player facing content back to 1 book a month change that... I can't believe they have the staff to handle that with any quality.

 

[LordEntrails]

I worry about digital subscriptions and D&D moving to a DDB only approach. But so far FG remains strong with WotC, and the more D&D sales FG makes the stronger that relationship remains. Which means no subscription model, no rigorous digital logic enforced in the rules or inability to house rule and I get to do one-time purchases for all my D&D content.

 

[aco175]

If I'm going to buy a subscription, I want Dragon and Dungeon once again- at least like it was in their 4e last days.

 

[Blue]

i do wonder, would INCREASING the player facing content back to 1 book a month change that... I can't believe they have the staff to handle that with any quality.

I'm going to step lightly here, because I don't want to seem like this is edition warring.

The book-a-month publishing schedule of the 3ed, 3.5ed and 4e eras required many books in the pipeline at once, from a lot of freelance talent oversaw by the in-house talent. Material in different books in the pipeline wasn't playtested against other things in the pipeline, leading to some rather powerful combos. The high rate of publishing lead to more chances for power creep. While there was a lot of great material, there was also a lot of average material, and some that didn't rate that high. It lead to a lot of bloat. Finally new material would very rarely get any ongoing support. For example, if a new spell came out it would rarely be put on spell lists from classes/prestige in splat books.

For my personal tastes, I like the slower publishing rate of 5e. I believe it has also been a commercial success - each book takes the same design&development, editing&layout, art, publishing, distribution costs, but the 5e books have bee better sellers for the same outlay. (And it might even be less-per-unit outlay if they could do larger print runs.)

 

[Haplo781]

I'm going to step lightly here, because I don't want to seem like this is edition warring.

The book-a-month publishing schedule of the 3ed, 3.5ed and 4e eras required many books in the pipeline at once, from a lot of freelance talent oversaw by the in-house talent. Material in different books in the pipeline wasn't playtested against other things in the pipeline, leading to some rather powerful combos. The high rate of publishing lead to more chances for power creep. While there was a lot of great material, there was also a lot of average material, and some that didn't rate that high. It lead to a lot of bloat. Finally new material would very rarely get any ongoing support. For example, if a new spell came out it would rarely be put on spell lists from classes/prestige in splat books.

For my personal tastes, I like the slower publishing rate of 5e. I believe it has also been a commercial success - each book takes the same design&development, editing&layout, art, publishing, distribution costs, but the 5e books have bee better sellers for the same outlay. (And it might even be less-per-unit outlay if they could do larger print runs.)

Welp, get ready for history to repeat itself, because subscription services require a steady stream of content.

 

[Blue]

Welp, get ready for history to repeat itself, because subscription services require a steady stream of content.

From their hiring practices I'm with you that there's going to be a big digital/software push. And from the stockholder meeting comments about a billion-dollar-brand, when estimates I've heard are currently just a fraction of that, I do expect increases in expenses and more diverse offerings.

But what I do see yet is any hard evidence that it's going to be subscription vs. the piecemeal model that the various (successfully) VTTs have adopted today.

Subscription is one valid read of the path they are traveling, but not yet the only one.

 

[darjr]

Hardback Dungeoncraft? Yes please!

 

[bedir than]

From their hiring practices I'm with you that there's going to be a big digital/software push. And from the stockholder meeting comments about a billion-dollar-brand, when estimates I've heard are currently just a fraction of that, I do expect increases in expenses and more diverse offerings.

But what I do see yet is any hard evidence that it's going to be subscription vs. the piecemeal model that the various (successfully) VTTs have adopted today.

Subscription is one valid read of the path they are traveling, but not yet the only one.

Another valid path is movie, tv shows, books and more varieties of games (all things except the tv shows releasing within the next six months).

 

[Zaukrie]

Yeah if you bring 5e to an official VTT you're giving up the flexibility of "just make a ruling at the table" which is basically the chewing gum holding the entire system together.

How? I mean, if the DM is in control, like other VTTs, they can do what they want.

 

[Zaukrie]

Another thread of doom and gloom.