5E's initial success was largely due to bringing back the GenXers that had abandoned D&D (either long ago or during 4E). It has only really been since the pandemic since the polls we see sometimes have really shown major growth in younger millennials and GenZ adopting the game in droves. Sticking with the design philosophy and designers that made 5E successful over a decade ago is probably not a strategy that will continue to produce success.
I would actually be interested in a new set of polls about demographics. I think it has been a couple years since WotC put out their last one.
Counter argument woukd be 5.0 success was because of its design. Any drastic deviation from it will alienate its fan base.
I run into the younger players pretty much weekly at the store we go to. Actually talked to some yesterday. They were playing 2014. Level 1 new campaign.
They're basically playing the same way virtually every group I've seen since 3E has played. More or less casuals, group of friends just doing whatever.
They don't care to much about builds at least to the extent we can here.
5.0 biggest D&D ever and I suspect a lot have not actually switched to 2024 yet. Talking about D&D elsewhere you have to specify what one you're talking about.
2014 version may have trained a new generation of grogs. They like what 2014 us offering. 2024 leans more towards the hard-core fans imho which might alienate the casuals.
It's also the highest powered D&D phb ever imho. 3E had issues but it was mostly higher level theory crafting using non core books.5.5 you can blunder into things reasonably low level. Not to same extent as 3.5 Druid but that was kind if the exception and few people played druids anyway.
3E, 4E wouldn't work these days even of revamped presentation and modernized. To complex.
I was asked about will 5.5 succeed as others are aware it's not universally loved. They dropped money on it.
Said IDK I suspect it will last less than 10 years but longer than 3 or 4. If it pulls a 3.0 or 4E we have a fairly definitive result.
Basically be very careful about making assumptions about what new players actually like especially if you don't have much experience interacting with them.
I'm running more beer and pretzels mode for them for most part. Boss fights o can go 3.5 mode bit o don't go to far down that hole. I have 3 groups only 2 players are veterans.
