D&D (2024) What happens if One DnD fails?

[Frozen_Heart]

So the worst (for WotC and Hasbro) happens. One DnD launches and instantly makes 4e look like a record success. Meanwhile all the players just continue quietly playing 5e instead.

This is a question which has been on my mind since before the OGL disaster, as pretty much every single person I've talked to plans to just keep on playing 5e rather than switching to One DnD.

Do WotC/Hasbro double down on it and keep pushing it hoping for it to eventually become popular? Do they do a 4e and try to push out a replacement edition as fast as possible? Do they try to force people to switch by removing all the 5e tools from DnD Beyond?

Or do the higher ups at Hasbro just decide the brand isn't possible anymore, and throw the entire thing into the bin of dead IPs?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

So the worst (for WotC and Hasbro) happens. One DnD launches and instantly makes 4e look like a record success. Meanwhile all the players just continue quietly playing 5e instead.

is there a reason to take a pot shot at 4e (all we know is it was the 2nd best selling version of the game, and that it ALSO was teh only time that a trusted (by community) partner put out a continueation of the most resent edition...

now for the main question, nothing.

Nothing happens if it fails, not that I am even sure what failure means... it's the 50th anniversary they could sell us anything and make a profit.

D&D movies, TV shows, Coloring Books and Video games go on. We, the community lose.

maybe we see 6e/7e/19e a bit sooner (and hopefully is based on a fixed 4e with way less hp)

 

[Composer99]

I don't think OneD&D will fail.

I hope (though I cannot be too optimistic) that OneD&D doesn't do as well as WotC/Hasbro wanted it to do, and that this under-performance can be traced back to their shenanigans.

Edit: To engage with the premise of the thread, though, I think if OneD&D were to crash and burn - not merely "disappoint shareholders", but actually bomb, game line, merchandising, subscription service, and all - then I think that would lead to Hasbro killing support for the game line (if not wider merchandising) until they felt brand nostalgia had grown enough to make a reentry into the market worthwhile.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

Nothing happens if it fails, not that I am even sure what failure means... it's the 50th anniversary they could sell us anything and make a profit.

'Failure' here just means most players choosing to stick on the prior edition rather than moving to the new one.

And what do you mean 'nothing' happens. 'Something' happens even if the edition is a record success with 100% of all DnD players migrating over. That 'something' being they continue to put out OneDnD products and stop printing new 5e products.

 

[aco175]

If the roll out is a 3.0 to 3.5 and not a 4e to Essentials it will flip the players over time. The players will want the new options and the DMs may want the corrected rules and the nerfs on certain things. If it is a 6e and not a 5.simething, then who knows.

 

[Scribe]

So the worst (for WotC and Hasbro) happens. One DnD launches and instantly makes 4e look like a record success. Meanwhile all the players just continue quietly playing 5e instead.

This is a question which has been on my mind since before the OGL disaster, as pretty much every single person I've talked to plans to just keep on playing 5e rather than switching to One DnD.

Do WotC/Hasbro double down on it and keep pushing it hoping for it to eventually become popular? Do they do a 4e and try to push out a replacement edition as fast as possible? Do they try to force people to switch by removing all the 5e tools from DnD Beyond?

Or do the higher ups at Hasbro just decide the brand isn't possible anymore, and throw the entire thing into the bin of dead IPs?

They carry on with the new generation of players.

Their profit margins now, are grossly higher than they ever have been. They can absorb this blow to their reputation and integrity.

There are enough people who will buy anything they put out, will cheer loudly for anything they do, and will consume anything and everything while asking for the next helping before they swallow what they have.

This isnt an edition issue, its their rep that's been destroyed thats all, and as we have seen on this forum alone, there are many who do not care, as long as they get their D&D fix.

 

[Malmuria]

A different question might be: what happens if “dnd” as an IP and lifestyle brand fails? As in the movies, tv shows etc are not as popular as they expect? They may find out soon that dnd is not marvel or lord of the rings.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

'Failure' here just means most players choosing to stick on the prior edition rather than moving to the new one.

every edition change some change early, some come around later and some never update.

And what do you mean 'nothing' happens. 'Something' happens even if the edition is a record success with 100% of all DnD players migrating over. That 'something' being they continue to put out OneDnD products and stop printing new 5e products.

I can only think of 1 example of a system going back... new world of darkness going back for the V20/V5
so what happens is the same thing that always happens... new D*D books come out... the speed and what t hey are may change, but no there is not "OMG" levewl of fail

 

[delericho]

OneD&D doesn't really matter. What matters are the movie (and, to a much lesser extent the TV show) and D&D Beyond subscriptions. Hasbro are betting big on both of these, so if they bomb...

I think the answer is that they'll put D&D into their Vault of Dead IP, where it will be forever studied by Top Men.

(And since this would be the second time they've tried to make D&D huge, and the second time it's blown up in their faces, I doubt we'd see a third chance.)

 

[Lanefan]

OneD&D doesn't really matter. What matters are the movie (and, to a much lesser extent the TV show) and D&D Beyond subscriptions. Hasbro are betting big on both of these, so if they bomb...

This is my current theory. 5.5e in itself is almost irrelevant. They're betting big - way too big, IMO - on the movie, and maybe the TV series.

I think the answer is that they'll put D&D into their Vault of Dead IP, where it will be forever studied by Top Men.

Would they? Dead IP doesn't make anyone any money.

Or would they sell the franchise, and at least make some money on it that way as a one-shot?

(And since this would be the second time they've tried to make D&D huge, and the second time it's blown up in their faces, I doubt we'd see a third chance.)

Is it ironic that the one time it did get huge under their stewardship wasn't really because of anything they did?