Wizards of the Coast Re-Registers Dark Sun With USPTO

Wizards of the Coast recently filed an application to register Dark Sun in the US, a sign that D&D could be bringing back the campaign setting in the near future. The trademark claim was filed on October 13th, 2025 and is poised to replace a previous trademark that was cancelled by the USPTO in 2024. The trademark, like most involving D&D properties, covers both "downloadable electronic games," "games and playthings," and "entertainment services." Similar active trademarks exist for other D&D campaign settings such as Spelljammer and Forgotten Realms, although neither of those have lapsed in recent years.

We'll note that, as the previous Dark Sun trademark lapsed a year ago, this could be a case of simple paperwork, or it could be the latest sign that a Dark Sun product is eminent. Earlier this year, Wizards released an Unearthed Arcana for the Psion class and several subclasses that all but spelled out a return to the setting, complete with mentions of sorcerer-kings, gladiatorial fights, and preservers and defilers.

 

[Kurotowa]

The biggest issue I see is that all 2E settings share a single unifying aspect: they broke the rules of 2E to deliver a truly different experience. 5E designers don't want to do that, cf Crawford's maxim of "D&D is D&D".

I mean... you're not wrong, but if you take a step back you can totally see where Crawford was coming from.

The 2e ethos of setting differentiation was subtraction. Start with the PHB and slice away a bunch of standard races and classes that aren't available in this setting. Then add in a mix of new stuff that was so specific it only applied to that setting and no where else. Bam, highly distinctive setting identity.

But this came at the cost of sub-dividing the market and depressing sales. Why buy a half dozen supplements for a setting you'll never use? Why buy the new player option book if two-thirds of it are disallowed? The Crawford maxim means that everyone wants to buy the new Xanathar's Guide or Tasha's Cauldron because you're confident you'll be able to use it in most campaigns. If you want to get setting specific books there's only one or two of them for a line, and a lot of the player options are still widely applicable.

D&D is D&D, and your books just work. That's how you build line strength and reliable sales. There's a bit less setting differentiation, but you're not trying to create fans of a particular setting you're trying to create fans of D&D. Settings with metaplots are out of style and so many people use homebrew worlds anyway. Better to go with what the community wants.

 

[jayoungr]

They also went even farther with Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft and removed or rewrote a number of darklords and domains for the same reasons. They’ve tackled this stuff before.

And that's what's going to make fans of the setting scream, if they do it again. People seem to have very strong feelings about Dark Sun.

Old grogs are not the only sides in this game.

That's why I said WotC would get flak from both sides.

Dark Sun has lots of interesting elements that could appeal to newer players who don’t care about the original, including the massively exaggerated whiff of controversy.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

OK, the 5e DS maybe is not for the "old guard" but for the next generation of players but at least thanks unlocking in DM Guild there is some opportunity the old metaplot to be continued.

I would like to know how would be cerulean wizards, Athasian necromancers and shadow wizards, whose energy source is different.

Other point is the totem spirits in Athas. Should a totem barbarian be allowed in DS? Should the favored soul, the sorcerer subclass who can cast divine magic be allowed in DS?

I hope the future DS was designed to allow space for incarnum soulmelders (at least the totemist shaman) and martial-adepts in the future.

* The cult of Thoon (3.5 Monster Manual V) could be a potential invader faction, and the zerns (fleshwarper aliens) from 3.5 MM IV.

* Should werevernims/entothropes to be allowed in DS? Something close to the pakubrazi creatures.

* Whe should see some future UA article about "psionic" PC species: elans, xephs, maenads, dromitas, synads, shardminds... maybe also the fraals?

* I have got a new theory. We could see a future 5e version of Gamma World. Let's say it would be like a magitek version of Gamma World, maybe with crossbows that reload itself thanks magitek motors or artifificial muscles instead firearms.

 

[TiQuinn]

And that's what's going to make fans of the setting scream, if they do it again. People seem to have very strong feelings about Dark Sun.

Some people. Some people have strong feelings about every setting TSR or WotC ever published, and some people are willing to consider new takes on established material. I think this putting everyone in the same box stuff is bogus.

 

[God]

WotC: "What does everyone want for breakfast?"
P1: "Corn flakes!"
P2: "Corn flakes are boring, I want Cocoa Crispies!"
P3: "And Froot Loops!"
P4: "But I need Raisin Bran or I won't be regular."
P5: "Froot Loops suck, I want Cap'n Crunch or I'm not eating."
P6: "Oatmeal is more traditional, not to mention filling, so maybe stick with a classic?"
WotC: "OK! We're going to pour all of those into one big bowl, because it would be wrong not to cater to each of your individual preferences. Then slop on some MtG, er, milk, and let it all mix together into a sugary, flavorless gruel. Eat up!"

[Goes back to his crisp, classic Dark Sun original boxed set and chews happily.]

 

[Paul Farquhar]

And that's what's going to make fans of the setting scream, if they do it again. People seem to have very strong feelings about Dark Sun.

The fans of a setting scream every time a new version is released. But they are a small number of loud voices. I think people have strong feelings about the possibility of Dark Sun. But I don’t think it’s more popular than other classic settings. Certainly not Greyhawk or the Realms.

That's why I said WotC would get flak from both sides.

So long as it’s good, like the new FR books, the vast majority of players will be happy.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The fans of a setting scream every time a new version is released. But they are a small number of loud voices. I think people have strong feelings about the possibility of Dark Sun. But I don’t think it’s more popular than other classic settings. Certainly not Greyhawk or the Realms.

Yeah, there's a reason it was in line behind the Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Spelljammer, Planescape and the World of Greyhawk.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Yeah, there's a reason it was in line behind the Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Spelljammer, Planescape and the World of Greyhawk.

Contrary to popular myth, the reason for that was technical - psionics. As soon as they switched how they evaluated popularity so that the proposed psionics system wasn’t rejected out of hand they shadow-announce Dark Sun.

 

[TheSword]

Anyone who likes or dislikes Dark Sun should not want a 5E Dark Sun.

If you don't like Dark Sun... nothing in the new books would be so different as to give you a different opinion on the setting. You still won't like it.

If you do like Dark Sun... things will be changed just enough to fit a 21st century design paradigm that will go against a number of things you like about Dark Sun. And you thus won't like it.

Thus none of these people should be waiting or hoping for a 5E Dark Sun.

The people who will like Dark Sun will be the people who know little to nothing about the setting, have no preconceived notions about it, and will just read an interesting setting design style unlike anything else they have seen produced by WotC for 5th edition. It'll be new and different and for some people very, very intriguing.

That's who a potential new book will be for. And if by some random wild chance someone who does know original Dark Sun actually finds the new 5E Dark Sun book interesting and cool (despite the changes it invariably will have)... they can consider themselves unbelievably lucky. Because those folks seem to be rare.

Yeah I also refute that argument. They have done plenty of great remakes. Everyone worried that Planescape would be terrible and the two biggest complaints were that there was too much cardboard in the box set and it didn’t cover enough of the (infinite) multiverse. Neither of which were particularly problematic.

All the remade campaigns (Curse of Strahd, Tomb of Annihilation, Princes of the Apocalypse, Storm Kings Thunder) were well done.

Eberron is well done; Forgotten Realms is well done; Ravenloft is well done

Even the recent UA looks like they did a good 2nd draft job of capturing the mechanics for Dark Sun.
There is literally nothing I have seen that would lead me to share your pessimism.

 

[Chaltab]

how did 4e do it, did they rework classes and races? No idea, but I doubt it

They didn't change races mechanically, just gave them their Athasian lore.

Classes, they basically said no Divine Classes are allowed and all Arcane casters got a special ability that let them choose to defile to make their spells more powerful. Since 4E classes are already super modular with their abilities it was easy enough to shave the corners off a square peg and stick it in that round hole.

With 5E it's a bit more difficult since there are so many ways to dabble in Arcane spells.