D&D's Lack of 2026 Announcements Actually Follows Precedent

Dungeons & Dragons fans seem to have short memories based on the number of speculative articles wondering why Wizards of the Coast hasn't announced any new books for next year. Over the past few weeks, various D&D blogs have speculated about the lack of 2026 announcements. Yes, Wizards of the Coast has underwent some internal turmoil this year, with a number of higher-ups tied to D&D leaving the company and replacements only named relatively recently. And yes, Wizards of the Coast was also hit by a series of delays for various books, with Eberron: Forge of the Artificer bouncing from a summer 2025 release to December due to a printing defect. However, neither of these are likely the reason why Wizards hasn't announced their 2026 slate. In fact, all one has to do is look at the timing of the 2025 announcements to take a deep breath.

Entering 2025, Dungeons & Dragons players only knew of one confirmed release - the 2025 Monster Manual tied to the core rulebooks. A D&D Direct in August 2024 revealed some rough timelines for two other D&D products, but specifics weren't revealed at that time. The rest of the 2025 D&D slate was announced at an embargoed press conference held at Wizards of the Coast's Renton headquarters in January 2025. Most major nerd press outlets, including EN World, were invited to the event. At the event, Dragon Delves, Eberron: Forge of the Artificer, and the Forgotten Realms books were all announced, as was the Starter Set box. The Stranger Things book was also teased as a "mystery" product.

Based on Unearthed Arcana playtests, it appears that the 2026 books will include a Dark Sun book featuring a new Psion class (the first new D&D class in over five years) and a book featuring several arcane subclasses. Wizards has also yet to release a campaign adventure based on the 2024 ruleset. However, the lack of any announcements shouldn't be concerning at all, as this is precisely what Wizards did in 2025 as well.

We'll also point out that D&D has a relatively new marketing manager (Blain Howard, who replaced Greg Tito) and a new PR firm (Tara Bruno PR, replacing 360 PR) for the D&D tabletop group, so any lack of announcements such as the lack of a D&D Direct may be tied to a retooled marketing strategy rather than any other prognosticator of other factors.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

The worst part of it is there's no way to predict it. WotC can't warn you about it, because they don't know anything about it. It's quite literally dependent on if a single person at the border agency flags it or not, which they do seemingly on a whim. Someone else's shipment from WotC in the same place as HT might not have had that charge. HT might not have it the next time they place an order with WotC.

It's pretty random.

 

[Parmandur]

It does, though - and @Henadic Theologian is speaking from direct experience of being charged an extra, unexpected fee, when receiving product directly from WotC.

However, it's actually the "fault" of the shipping companies (combined with the Canadian border agency) and has very little, AFAICT, to do with WotC or how they designate the books on Amazon.

IF the Canadian border agency asks, the shipping company (doesn't matter these days AFAIK if it's Canpar, FedEx, UPS, Purolator, or whatever) to fill out "extra paperwork", that company charges the final destination a fee. A far too expensive (IMO) fee.

So if the border reasonably asks "Did WotC charge GST on HT's shipment of FRHoF & FRAiF?" It doesn't matter if the answer is "Yes", but it's probably "No", as WotC isn't Canadian and doesn't GAF about Canada's GST. So (let's say UPS) charges HT $25 for the "Service" of then also charging the (let's say) $11 worth of GST that HT didn't pay on his FR Ultimate Bundle. So he pays $160 USD (plus $64 exchange to get it into CAD) plus whatever WotC charged in shipping $30?), plus the exchange on that, plus $36 CAD in "Surprise!" fees at his door before they'll hand it over. Possibly worse. You'd have to ask HT if there was something I'm missing. Like possibly counter-tariffs.

It's really easy to blame WotC - I know that I won't buy anything from them for the same reason, nor frankly any other US company if I can avoid it. But I've learned that it's not really their "fault". It's how stupid cross-border shipping has become.

I worked in e-commerce for a large company for a while that had a fair number of Canadian customers...it's not fun, and honestly for a given American corporation the motive to really understand it is unfortunately low.

 

[Mistwell]

Yep and it most me alot because they did that which could cost them future business from me because they did so. Books would have been duty/tarriff free, games aren't, they didn't think it through at all.

How they categorize it for Amazon has zero to do with how it is characterized for tariffs. The US Government does not care how you categorize it elsewhere. If it's made of paper and looks like a book, they tariff it like a book.

 

[Mistwell]

I'm also unconvinced that the classification within Amazon impacts the classification for tariffs.

It's still a physical book when Customs looks at it.

It unquestionably does not impact tariffs into the US. This is one of the rare few areas where I speak with pretty good authority. You cannot alter you tariff classification. You get no choices, can do nothing to influence in any way what the US Government considers your product. If they think it's a book, it's a book. If they think it's a game, it's a game. How you register it really has almost zero impact, other than possibly delaying things if the US Government has to reclassify it to suit their opinion.

 

[bedir than]

Well, he is speaking from experience, because he got hit with non-book tarriffs when he bought the Forgotten Realms books direct from WotC in Canada.

Except @FitzTheRuke points out that it has nothing to do with the Amazon classification.
It's all about the convoluted and irrational tariff war being nearly impossible for people doing the actual processing work to figure out what things mean.
While it's possible a few people are checking Amazon to figure out what to charge it's much more likely they don't check. D&D is a game in popular parlance and now that the US started a tariff war it's impacted as such without regard for the actual laws.
Hasbro and Amazon aren't to blame.

To be clear, I'm not suggesting that there isn't a fee, tariff, tax or other charge.

I'm saying it has absolutely nothing with Hasbro asking Amazon to reclassify the D&D books.

 

[Mistwell]

It does, though

No. It does not. At least, not for the United States, where WOTC imported the item into.

- and @Henadic Theologian is speaking from direct experience of being charged an extra, unexpected fee, when receiving product directly from WotC.

That's another nations classification system. For the United States, the Government decides what it is. And I am willing to bet the other nations classification system also doesn't care how you classified it to Amazon.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

No. It does not.

Wait, when did I say that it does? (Checks back)

Huh. Strange how I said that it does and then went on to explain how it doesn't. Sometimes I just don't seem to type what I'm saying in my head.

 

[dave2008]

Wait, when did I say that it does? (Checks back)

Huh. Strange how I said that it does and then went on to explain how it doesn't. Sometimes I just don't seem to type what I'm saying in my head.

Happens to me all the time!

 

[Henadic Theologian]

How they categorize it for Amazon has zero to do with how it is characterized for tariffs. The US Government does not care how you categorize it elsewhere. If it's made of paper and looks like a book, they tariff it like a book.

I'm Canadian I got hit by Canadian tarriffs not US (we counter tarriffed unlike most other countries). So I take some comfort it at least went to the Canadian government.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

How they categorize it for Amazon has zero to do with how it is characterized for tariffs. The US Government does not care how you categorize it elsewhere. If it's made of paper and looks like a book, they tariff it like a book.

It does matter, because somethings are still protected from tarriffs by CUSMA, books are one of them.