D&D 5E 5E Product Chart - Updated 4/21/22

[ersatzphil]

Ah - I just caught that “D&D: Onslaught” was developed in house by WotC and is releasing in September. Maybe we really aren’t getting a big adventure in September…

 

[Mercurius]

Ah - I just caught that “D&D: Onslaught” was developed in house by WotC and is releasing in September. Maybe we really aren’t getting a big adventure in September…

If we got a surprise product in Sept, I doubt it would be a big adventure - they've already got three adventures slated (Netherdeep, Radiant Citadel, and Dragonlance), two of which look like story arcs ("big adventures"). This is the first year they've releases three adventure books, and I highly doubt they'd go from two to four.

 

[Mercurius]

Sure, but it would be strange for WotC not to announce or tease such a product now. It's not typical for them to announce a book, and then announce a book that's coming before a previously announced book.

They usually announce in the same order as they intend to release. So if there is another book, it's very likely coming after Dragonlance, not before.

Yes, agreed.

Another point against a mystery product: There's no obvious, or even kind of obvious, candidate.

I mean, Dark Sun or Planescape would be more "fanfared." They are really hyping Spelljammer and Dragonlance as huge releases, and I doubt they'd over-saturate with another classic setting.

And a new or Magic setting? Also doubtful, given that they seem to still be deciding which new setting(s) to go with, and a new magic setting is probably more likely for 2023, based on the previous timeline of one every year and a half plus.

And a splat? That would be MotM - already done for the year.

I can't think of anything else that is even a dim candidate to slip in there.

 

[ersatzphil]

If we got a surprise product in Sept, I doubt it would be a big adventure - they've already got three adventures slated (Netherdeep, Radiant Citadel, and Dragonlance), two of which look like story arcs ("big adventures"). This is the first year they've releases three adventure books, and I highly doubt they'd go from two to four.

I suspect you're correct, I just remain amazed to see them abandon that part of their release schedule.

edit: Does anyone remember which month(s) Rime and Witchlight were originally announced in?

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

Sure, but it would be strange for WotC not to announce or tease such a product now. It's not typical for them to announce a book, and then announce a book that's coming before a previously announced book.

They usually announce in the same order as they intend to release. So if there is another book, it's very likely coming after Dragonlance, not before.

They announced Witchlight and Strixhaven at the same time, then announced Fizban a month later, despite it being released between the other two books, so it's not unprecedented that they might have something else they're keeping in their back pocket for the time being.

 

[Mercurius]

Now what about 2023?

My guess is that we see one classic setting (as announced) and that will probably be Planescape, in a format similar to Spelljammer - and also to continue with the "cosmic" tone. As with Spelljammer, it will be preceded or followed by an anthology of some kind that is vaguely relevant, like Radiant Citadel is to SJ.

I think we'll also see a Magic setting, possibly Kamigawa as Parmandur suggested.

And perhaps later in the year, we'll see a new setting, although what that will be is anyone's guess.

And the splat? Who knows, but my guess is a Manual of the Planes.

Finally, some kind of story arc - either critical role (maybe focused on another continent, and thus a setting-adventure hybrid) or something in or starting in the Realms.

And then something else ala the DL battle game.

So my predicted 2023 lineup is, in no particular order:

• Sigil slipcase set
• Planar adventure anthology
• Manual of the Planes
• Magic setting (maybe Kamigawa)
• New setting (?)
• Story arc - FR based?
• Other - board game/hybrid

 

[ersatzphil]

Sigil slipcase set
Planar adventure anthology
Manual of the Planes

Be still my heart.

 

[Mercurius]

Not to run on too long, but a bit more...

One of the biggest questions in my mind, as far as the future release schedule is concerned, is how they are going to fit in all of the hypothetical settings they might publish without going beyond two a year. If I were to guess, I could categorize them like so:

Huge likelihood/almost definite:
A new setting
More Magic settings
Planescape/Sigil/something planar

Significant possibility:
Dark Sun
Forgotten Realms setting book
Exandria expansion
Another new setting

Some possibility:
Greyhawk

I consider everything else--Mystara, Birthright, etc--as being somewhat possible, but not before the above.

Meaning, even ignoring Greyhawk, that's six or or more settings -- more if you consider multiple Magic and new settings. Even if we slot in two a year, we get through six by 2025, but that doesn't account for multiples, and I see them publishing at least one new Magic setting every other year, and possibly more than one new setting in that time-span. If so, that would be eight settings in three years.

Could they eventually--perhaps as soon as next year--publish three settings in a year? That seems possible, especially if they go with the "new format" and adventure-setting hybrid approaches, like we're seeing with SJ and DL.

 

[Mercurius]

Be still my heart.

Not to temper your heart, but as I wrote that I had the thought that it is unlikely that we'd see three planar products, one after the other - or even in the same year. But it is also hard to imagine how they'd adequately cover the planes with just two - unless those two were the Sigil and MotP products, and the Sigil adventure could be the anthology. I think that's actually more likely.

 

[Parmandur]

Yes, agreed.

Another point against a mystery product: There's no obvious, or even kind of obvious, candidate.

I mean, Dark Sun or Planescape would be more "fanfared." They are really hyping Spelljammer and Dragonlance as huge releases, and I doubt they'd over-saturate with another classic setting.

And a new or Magic setting? Also doubtful, given that they seem to still be deciding which new setting(s) to go with, and a new magic setting is probably more likely for 2023, based on the previous timeline of one every year and a half plus.

And a splat? That would be MotM - already done for the year.

I can't think of anything else that is even a dim candidate to slip in there.

I think a Magic Setting book this year just got much more likely: we have 3 Adventure books, and a Setting slipcase. Kamigawa or New Capena also have, like, no crossover conceptual space with Spelljammer or Dragonlance.

As to the current spread, look at it like this, because things how WotC sees it and reports it to their corporate side:

• Call of the Netherdeep: Winter or Fiscal Q1
• Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel: Spring or Fiscal Q2
• Spelljammer: Summer or Fiscal Q3
• Dragonlance: Fall or Fiscal Q4

A major tent pole for the TTRPG in every Season and Fiscal Quarter. Monsters of the Multiverse is a 2021 delayed book of reprints, and the Starter Set is more an Evergreen intro product.