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.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Contrary to popular myth, the reason for that was technical - psionics.

All the surveys about ranked setting popularity are popular myth?

 

[vdgbbgfrgvgh]

People shout at WotC when they do anything new. Or anything old.

"People" shout a lot of different things because "people" are all different and never univocal.

 

[vdgbbgfrgvgh]

Or anything

Criticism will always exist. This is obvious to the point that stating the fact is pointless.

 

[Morrus]

"People" shout a lot of different things because "people" are all different and never univocal.

Sure. I would never suggest otherwise.

 

[pukunui]

Settings with metaplots are out of style …

FR still has a bit of metaplot. The newest books advance the timeline to 1501 DR, and they make mention of events from pretty much every FR adventure released since the D&D Next adventure.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Speaking as someone who has been a long time fan of Ravenloft going back to the 2e box set, and loved the updates from the Van Richten's Guide, I think that's a crock.

Did you not read the rest of my post that said that the people who liked old Dark Sun and also liked the new Dark Sun were rare? That means some of you do in fact exist.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Yeah I also refute that argument. They have done plenty of great remakes. Everyone said 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.

Remember... I didn't say people who liked both didn't exist... I said you were rare.

Right now there are two of you who are thinking you will like old DS, as well as old DS. So let's count up how many people complain about the new DS book if/when it gets released to see just how rare you actually are.

 

[TiQuinn]

Did you not read the rest of my post that said that the people who liked old Dark Sun and also liked the new Dark Sun were rare? That means some of you do in fact exist.

I refute that this is a rare occurrence, and you have no proof to the contrary. You only have your opinion.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I refute that this is a rare occurrence, and you have no proof to the contrary. You only have your opinion.

WHAT?!? OPINION?!? ONLY MY OPINION?!? How do you know that? Where's your proof that it was only my opinion?!? Huh? HUH?!? I think that's only your opinion that it was only my opinion! Which means that both opinions cancel each other out and thus my post becomes irrefutable fact! REFUTATION DENIED!!!!

 

[TheSword]

Remember... I didn't say people who liked both didn't exist... I said you were rare.

Right now there are two of you who are thinking you will like old DS, as well as old DS. So let's count up how many people complain about the new DS book if/when it gets released to see just how rare you actually are.

Thing is the people who like WotC remakes aren’t rare. They’ve made an art of recycling and remaking their own IP. They’ve been exceedingly successful at it. Happy to be proved wrong though because either way I get a product I can use.

Honestly the things seem to worry about with remakes don’t bother me at all. In the same way I don’t need to fret about orcs working as ferrymen on banks of the Ashaba, I don’t have to worry about slavery or Muls.

Im interested in what WotC does to inspire me to play Darksun in 5e. I’m confident I won’t be disappointed… because I haven’t in the last 11 years.