D&D 5E (2024) Predict WotC's 2026 D&D releases

[Eyes of Nine]

It’s highly unlikely any of those games will be able to eat into D&Ds market share in any noticeable way.

Until shows like Stranger Things start referencing Daggerheart instead of D&D, those games just won’t penetrate popular culture to the point where the sales are affected.

The only thing that could kill D&D is D&D at this point, and they haven’t come close to killing the brand yet, despite what people online might have you believe.

Wait you are saying if D&D didn't release anything for a year, their sales would stay the same? I was responding to a post that was a hypothetical about D&D not releasing anything this year. That other brands would gain market share. That's different from "killing D&D". I mean, D&D didn't die when Pathfinder was number one, but Pathfinder did become number one for a while. For a while when Wotc wasn't releasing any D&D

 

[Eyes of Nine]

The fact my local game store (biggest in the area) doesn't carry any of those except Daggerheart but has a whole wall of D&D stuff anecdotally disputes that. Certainly not enough to disrupt production.

You are talking about something else - maybe you meant to respond to someone else's post?
I was suggesting if WotC didn't release any new D&D for a while, other games would gain mindshare.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

I think the more likely explanation is that with the Tariff hiccups and delays on getting the last few books out, they don't want to announce anything until they're sure they have firm ship dates.

This makes sense. Better to not announce anything, to "build" anticipation, than promise something and have to shift dates.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

You are talking about something else - maybe you meant to respond to someone else's post?
I was suggesting if WotC didn't release any new D&D for a while, other games would gain mindshare.

Which may be why we have a bunch of 3PP stuff on DDB. They may not be WotC written, but they are for WotC’s game in WotC’s storefront. Ergo they retain official D&D mindshare.

I expect WotC aren’t likely to go for more than six months without an official product though. But that needn’t be announced for another month.

 

[mamba]

Which may be why we have a bunch of 3PP stuff on DDB. They may not be WotC written, but they are for WotC’s game in WotC’s storefront. Ergo they retain official D&D mindshare.

it’s better than nothing, but I doubt it helps them as much as official releases do

 

[Paul Farquhar]

it’s better than nothing, but I doubt it helps them as much as official releases do

It’s better than putting out poor quality products, delayed products, or unaffordable products.

 

[mamba]

It’s better than putting out poor quality products, delayed products, or unaffordable products.

I am not so sure on poor quality or delayed… neither is ideal, but they had both in the last two years or so and I am not aware of much of an impact of either

I also have no idea why their products would suddenly become much more expensive / unaffordable

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I also have no idea why their products would suddenly become much more expensive / unaffordable

Rapidly rising printing costs plus tariffs.

 

[Echohawk]

Which may be why we have a bunch of 3PP stuff on DDB. They may not be WotC written, but they are for WotC’s game in WotC’s storefront. Ergo they retain official D&D mindshare.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but I count nineteen "partnered" releases on DDB during 2025, compared to the five announced for Q1 2026. That's about the same pace. I'd expect a more aggressive rate of partner titles for Q1 2026 if WotC was indeed trying to use those as a substitute for their own releases.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I'm not disagreeing with you, but I count nineteen "partnered" releases on DDB during 2025, compared to the five announced for Q1 2026. That's about the same pace. I'd expect a more aggressive rate of partner titles for Q1 2026 if WotC was indeed trying to use those as a substitute for their own releases.

WotC would typically release one product in 1st quarter. We have 5 3PP on DDB. That is way more aggressive.