D&D General Are you aware that the New Edition (5.5 whatever) is a part of the 50th Anniversary of D&D?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It's part of the helmet. That's why his eyes glow. It's magic.

The helmet is written up in both Xanathar's and Wild Beyond the Witchlight, for folks who want helmets with their own built-in reading lights.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I have a weird feeling it won’t sell as well as they hope. Then again, 5e and my failed predictions about technology.

But what I wonder is now that this many folks still play 5e, how many will really buy the 2024 versions? Do casual players care about the “improvements?”

Time for a betting pool!

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Wait were people really complaining at the cover art for being traditional fantasy?

People complained about overly polished “AI” art. People are going to complain about brushstrokes and clearly hand crafted art.

I complained about the Easter bunny shooting lasers from his bucked teeth. Next up: traditional fantasy sux!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

People being angry about other people being angry is so 2020.

Where are my people being angry at other people angry that a third group of people are angry?

 

[overgeeked]

I have a weird feeling it won’t sell as well as they hope. Then again, 5e and my failed predictions about technology.

But what I wonder is now that this many folks still play 5e, how many will really buy the 2024 versions? Do casual players care about the “improvements?”

Most people will reflexively buy the new thing regardless. The collectors will, of course. The lifestyle brand people will too. The designers have gone out of their way to make sure everyone's more powerful in the updates, which is a big draw for a lot of players. Anything that's framed as a fix or an update will draw people in. Backwards compatibility will draw people in. There's a lot of reasons people will jump on these. Adding nostalgia bait for Gen X is just another marketing angle.

 

[overgeeked]

People being angry about other people being angry is so 2020.

Where are my people being angry at other people angry that a third group of people are angry?

Here. I'm so angry that they're angry that those other people are angry!! How dare they?!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Adding nostalgia bait for Gen X is just another marketing angle.

Wait until everyone realizes how many of the characters in interior art are in scenes recreating John Hughes movies.

 

[Stormonu]

But what I wonder is now that this many folks still play 5e, how many will really buy the 2024 versions? Do casual players care about the “improvements?”

I seem to recall the alt-cover versions from 1E* & 2E sold poorly, and the entire 3.5E core wasn't very well received. Newcomers will pick up the books, but most existing casuals I suspect won't. It's going to be a toss-up if the hardcore fans like us will pick them up - I'm only planning to get the DMG, myself for example.

* I bought only the alt-covers for 1E. There was no way those original covers for the PHB & DMG would have made it into my parent's house.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

If these books are supposed to last another 10 years, they shouldn't have leaned so heavily into this "50 year" nostalgia trip, IMO. They should have just putout special 50 Year Anniversary Edition covers and would have made a bunch of money. D&D is supposed to be timeless, because it is what you make it, no matter whoever or whenever you are.

Unless... they plan on creating new content using these characters? Give younger generations some experience with them? Get new fans?

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

And get Alex Ross to paint it.

Never liked this art. They all have the same wide-chinned face.