D&D 5E 5E: Planning to Last?

[hbarsquared]

I think this goes without saying, but I am hoping that the current designers are at least thinking about this issue...

I want to see 5E D&D Next last. I definitely understand that this will depend on sales figures, quantifiable success, the ups and downs of the market... But I would like to see the next iteration last at least 10 years.

3.5 was annoying, and the entirety of third edition lasted, what, seven years? (~2001-2008). 4E at four years? I hope part of the design is building something that will last. Something that won't create bloat or thousands of overwhelming options within a few years. Something that they can add onto for a long time to come, while still making money.

I hope the designers have said to themselves, "Okay, after we release these twenty books in the first two years, what can we continue to offer that will 1) not overwhelm, 2) not change the core system, 3) be interesting and useful, and 4) make money?"

The "modular" nature of the system, so far, seems promising. It means they can continue to release material that offers options on how to play the game, rather than just more options for doing the same thing.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I imagine they are thinking quite a bit about it.

The fundamental problem of D&D from a business perspective is that the more you (the customer) get into the game, the more time you spend on it, and the better you are at it, the less money you are likely to spend on it.

Also, the better the quality of product that is out there, the more it will stand the test of time, and the less likely anyone who owns it is to buy a new version.

I don't know that anyone will ever be able to change those things, which is why the game will always be tough to make money with.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Given that people still play OD&D, 1E, etc ... I think it's safe to say it will last.

Oh, you mean you want it published for a long time? I agree with that, though 3.XE (3E + 3.5E + Pathfinder) is 12 years old and counting and still in publication.

 

[Wiseblood]

If they try to support multiple settings like they did back in the day, will they fail to make money? Since they are trying to support multiple depths of tactical play, wouldn't it make sense to have multiple flavors? If you ask me this idea is supported by the spaghetti sauce lecture.

 

[Sunseeker]

Last?

As in be the only D&D in production for the next decade?

Last...as in still being played a decade from now?

I think no matter what, the latter will happen.

I think from a marketing perspective, it's somewhat unreasonable to expect a product to last that long. Glut, splat, power creep, ect... is always the demise of gaming systems that don't get "renewed" at some point. Even WOTC's golden goose MTG gets a power-level restart every block, as well as with multiple styles of play is capable of keeping modern power creep from obliterating less powerful cards.

 

[Mattachine]

By the way, 5e isn't supposed to be finished and released until 2014, right?

 

[slobster]

If WotC is satisfied with producing a niche product with limited returns but an active customer base that spends some, but not a lot, of money on occasional supplements, then 5E could last for a while. If WotC accomplishes the improbable and manages to make the online subscription model work for a pen and paper RPG, maybe with a paid online tabletop, then it could last a while.

More likely, at a certain point the sales for 5E will begin to drop off and the inevitable next edition will come out. But maybe we are all too cynical (I think we are about cynical enough).

EDIT: I forgot to say that I think it's entirely possible, if 5E doesn't meet whatever fiscal targets Hasbro has set for it, that 5E is the last iteration of D&D Hasbro puts out for a good long while. Whether they sell off the property or simply shelve it for some other time I have no way to predict.

 

[kitsune9]

5E will last as long as WotC considers it a viable product. Every edition goes through a product cycle - introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. Whenever 5E hits the decline phase, then WotC will have to look at doing something to alter the cycle by either work on 6E or try to breath some life into 5E to stave off decline.

 

[hayek]

the online subscription model is the only thing that could change the inevitable short life-span of editions... wotc won't have to cram more splat into the game (i.e. publish a new book every month) until its unplayable if they can just get subscription $'s every month from everyone who plays

 

[drothgery]

No WotC RPG, ever, has stayed in print for more than 5 years without a major update and new core rulebook (the smallest updates were from 3.0 to 3.5 and Star Wars OCR to RCR, but those were still somewhat significant). I really don't think WotC knows how to make money on a game for longer than that. There's a few years worth of straightforward expansion materials to produce, and a few settings, and then if they haven't already moved on they get to publishing niche and experimental stuff which they either hope will catch on and/or are trying out ideas for the next edition. That's the way WotC works.