D&D (2024) So what's with 2024 and beyond?

[Mirrorrorrim]

You mean like exactly none of the prior edition numbers made sense?

Wizards of the Coast can and should feel free to call their new launch of the core books whatever the Hell they want. Fans of the game are still going to call it Sixth Edition.

I'm a fan and I'm not going to call it Sixth Edition.

And is it really going to be "fans" that call it Sixth Edition? Or is it more likely that detractors will use that term as a part of opposing Wizards' claims that it is still 5th Edition?

 

[Parmandur]

I'm a fan and I'm not going to call it Sixth Edition.

And is it really going to be "fans" that call it Sixth Edition? Or is it more likely that detractors will use that term as a part of opposing Wizards' claims that it is still 5th Edition?

TBH, whatever language WotC used in constant marketing will be what gets used. Not sure where people get the idea that sort of marketing isn't effective.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I'm a fan and I'm not going to call it Sixth Edition.

Of course not. It's 5.5.

 

[Vaalingrade]

More of a priority thing - creatives are generally aware of the sacrifices they're making.

And often are the sacrifices. The suits make them do something stupid, then let the fandom hold the creatives responsible.

 

[Clint_L]

They're going to call it something. I think it's too soon for us to know what the consensus would be. We've seen plenty of folks trying to make "fetch" happen, but none of the attempts have worked so far.

They've already told us what they are going to call it: D&D.

 

[Clint_L]

I'm a fan and I'm not going to call it Sixth Edition.

And is it really going to be "fans" that call it Sixth Edition? Or is it more likely that detractors will use that term as a part of opposing Wizards' claims that it is still 5th Edition?

It'll be grognards, mostly. But not all of us.

I think we hardcore old-timers forget that a huge number of folks, probably the majority who play the game by now, never experienced anything but 5e, and a lot of them don't even know/care that there have been other editions that played substantially differently. And if you use DnDBeyond the existence of previous editions is basically meaningless. TSR warped the definition of "edition" to mean "time to replace all your books and help us stay financially solvent for a few more years" but this is ultimately a dead end strategy and WotC are smart to walk away from it.

Maybe in a few years or decades they'll be able to use the word "edition" in the way it normally functions in publishing. But they have to get that stank off it first.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

They've already told us what they are going to call it: D&D.

That's the corporate label. When the fans are discussing differences between rulesets -- which makes up a huge portion of D&D discourse online -- there will need to be some way of shorthanding the 2024 printing. We just don't know what everyone will settle on.

 

[darjr]

It's worth remembering, that wasn't a marketing strategy, that was a legal settlement-- that WotC bought off in 1997.

I believe it was originally a way to avoid paying Arneson royalties for Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. The settlement didn't come till later. link

 

[Parmandur]

That's the corporate label. When the fans are discussing differences between rulesets -- which makes up a huge portion of D&D discourse online -- there will need to be some way of shorthanding the 2024 printing. We just don't know what everyone will settle on.

I've been using '24 rules, and I have a feeling that is sticky. It has the distinct benefit of being absolutely true outside of any marketing scheme or idealogical lens: these are rules for D&D coming out in '24, full stop. And it can worl backwards, to compare the '74 rules to the '81 or '83 rules, and so on.

 

[Osgood]

Do people not remember the acrobatic marketing D&D engaged in trying to avoid Fifth Edition being called Fifth Edition? Has nobody noticed that none of your 5e D&D books have "Fifth Edition" on the cover, and wondered about that?

It's going to be Sixth Edition, whether they like it or not, and I suspect they'll still be trying the same tactic when it's time for Seventh.

Because the edition has always appeared on the front cover of every other edition, right? Except 1E of course. Oh, and 3.0. And 4E. Or any iteration of Basic D&D. Actually, only 2E and 3.5 have had the edition on the front cover. Pure Mandela Effect.