Dungeons & Dragons Will Announce New Products at Gen Con, Modules Returning to Game

Wizards of the Coast plans to use Gen Con as a launching point for future products. During a press briefing at Gary Con on Thursday, Head of D&D Franchise Dan Ayoub said that they would be announcing the product tied to the Season of Champions at Gen Con this year. Additionally, starting at Gen Con in 2026, D&D will also announce the roadmap for the upcoming year at the convention, which will include announcements of upcoming Seasons, announcement of new products, and other "stuff" tied to the season.

Ayoub told the press briefing that early feedback for the seasons have been "fantastic," so it appears that this will be the standard moving forward.

Later in the press briefing, Ayoub noted that the lengthy delay in announcements was due to a combination of internal reorganization for the D&D team and a shift in which products would be released in 2026. He also said that adventure modules will be returning to Dungeons & Dragons as part of the new Season models, although it's unclear whether this will be through the D&D Encounters program, Adventurer's League, or through some other kind of unannounced product.

 

[Parmandur]

Seems like the only way to make it economically viable. It may mean Deadfall gets online-only prequel and sequel modules.

They have said there is physical material being provided to retailers for DMs to run games in store...but realistically, if they are going to do a lot, digital of some sort seems inevitable

 

[crazy_cat]

Digital, with a POD option via the DMs Guild?

 

[Eyes of Nine]

I wonder when WotC is going to announce they have purchased Wolves of Freeport (parent company of DriveThru and Roll20)?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

They have said there is physical material being provided to retailers for DMs to run games in store...but realistically, if they are going to do a lot, digital of some sort seems inevitable

Some sort of limited print run for organised play seems possible, since they aren't actually looking to profit directly from sales.

 

[Vael]

More modules sounds good to me, depending on how it's implemented and costed

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Some sort of limited print run for organised play seems possible, since they aren't actually looking to profit directly from sales.

They did that a lot during 4e, and it was great.

They could be planning to make "self-made" anthologies. Or perhaps just organize the print books in that fashion, even if they amount to a similar product to the 5e APs - simply making them more explicitly modular.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

They did that a lot during 4e, and it was great.

They could be planning to make "self-made" anthologies. Or perhaps just organize the print books in that fashion, even if they amount to a similar product to the 5e APs - simply making them more explicitly modular.

And better quality! If they are also intended to be sold digitally on DDB, that might pay for more effort to be put into them.

 

[bedir than]

Dan Ayoub: This will be released physically.

People of ENWorld: It's only going to be digital.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

And better quality! If they are also intended to be sold digitally on DDB, that might pay for more effort to be put into them.

As an aside, the recent discussion of the D&D Schedule "moving around" makes me think that there is a lot of weight behind your idea of Dragonlance replacing Dark Sun for 2026 Q4 and DS waiting until spring 2027. I guess we'll find out at GenCon.

 

[djotaku]

Between WotC releasing the general 2026 schedule and Paizo releasing their 2026 catalogue, it's an interesting tension between pre-announcing and waiting for GenCon