D&D 5E cancelled 5e announcement at Gencon??? Anyone know anything about this?

[DaveMage]

I can't see it.

Announcing a new edition just 3 years after release of the prior edition would be insane.

Besides, Scott Rouse said it would be 8-10 years between editions. Yes, I know he's no longer there, but if this turns out to not be the case, then how can we take anything representatives from this company say as truthful?

 

[Kobold Boots]

Some common sense:

1. There is going to be a 5th edition.
2. Everything you're seeing from Mearls now, is leading to it.
3. The non-random mini packs are a sign that the game will be mini heavy.
4. The effects cards and power cards in 4e are a sign that the new game should be card heavy. I'd also expect essentials to be the new printing format as hardcovers cost more to produce.

So expect D&D to be much like you'd expect Magic: The Warhammer Fantasy Battles would be if the two games got together and had progeny.

 

[Kobold Boots]

then how can we take anything representatives from this company say as truthful?

I think the answer to this question is: You can never, ever take anything that any representative of a for-profit company says as truthful. Especially in a down market.

That said, the position is not much different from saying the following: Any truthful answer you receive is very dependent on all of the context surrounding the situation resulting in the answer remaining true/static.

If someone said something three years ago, and it's about business, it's probably not true now.

 

[DaveMage]

Ok - after reading the Gen Con news thread, I don't think this was a 5E announcement that got canceled - I think it was a 1E announcement.

Interesting!

 

[Umbran]

Ok - after reading the Gen Con news thread, I don't think this was a 5E announcement that got canceled - I think it was a 1E announcement.

That's a pretty plausible scenario.

 

[wedgeski]

Of course it isn't evidence, you just said that you "can't think of a credible scenario", I just thought of a credible scenario were it could happen.

Simply put, that scenario is not credible to me. Not because I don't think corporations make crazy decisions, but because like I said, for it to have been true, WotC would have to have decided to announce 5E as a big-bang last-minute announcement which, in my opinion, would have made no sense whatsoever.

Also would they do a timer 365 days in advance? You make an announcement at an important event, the flashy stuff comes later, not before, not at the same time. The announcement itself should stand on it's own, all the stuff afterwards is to remind people of the product.

365 days? If GenCon 2011 had been the platform for the 5E announcement, I would've expected to see something like a 14 day or 28 day countdown on the website, starting in July, perhaps overt, perhaps hidden in jigsaw clues or whatever, leading up to announcement day. That, plus various other hype-tastic hints and tidbits.

 

[Votan]

Ok - after reading the Gen Con news thread, I don't think this was a 5E announcement that got canceled - I think it was a 1E announcement.

Interesting!

Yes, that seems like a pretty reasonable possibility. 1E also has the advantage of being nearly camera ready (they have the original books) so there isn't a huge sunk cost in development time to putting out a 30th anniversary collectors edition. Given the recent success of anniversary editions of Vampire and Shadowrun, it has to have at least crossed their minds.

 

[ahayford]

Some common sense:

1. There is going to be a 5th edition.
2. Everything you're seeing from Mearls now, is leading to it.
3. The non-random mini packs are a sign that the game will be mini heavy.
4. The effects cards and power cards in 4e are a sign that the new game should be card heavy. I'd also expect essentials to be the new printing format as hardcovers cost more to produce.

So expect D&D to be much like you'd expect Magic: The Warhammer Fantasy Battles would be if the two games got together and had progeny.

I just don't understand this line of reasoning at all. Everything Mearls has been talking about are ruminations on what made the old versions so popular. If you accept this is a prelude to what 5e will be like, how can you come to the conclusion that they are going to take 4e even farther into the miniatures game camp then it already is. Keeping in mind they know this is the primary gripe a lot of people have with 4e.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I can't think of a credible scenario where such a huge and game-changing announcement, requiring likely months of heavy build-up, planning, and investment, would simply be canceled at the last minute.

I can. I've been part of similar announcements being shelved in the videogame industry. It happens.

 

[Bullgrit]

Now I want a T-shirt that reads:

"I was all ready to announce 5E at Gen Con, but this lousy T-shirt was printed late."

Hmmm.

Bullgrit

 

[Umbran]

That said, the position is not much different from saying the following: Any truthful answer you receive is very dependent on all of the context surrounding the situation resulting in the answer remaining true/static.

Thing is, the statement in question is was - "we talked about all the points/topics that we planned on In the seminars and interviews at the con."

The context of the statement is past tense. For it to not be static, WotC would have had to travel in time!

Come to think of it, that WotC had developed a time travel device, and were now engaged in temporal warfare with alien RPG companies from the future, might explain a lot....

 

[Xris Robin]

I can't help but think a rumor about a 5E announcement being cancelled would be likely to have come from people who were expecting a 5E announcement and can't let go of the fact there wasn't one.

 

[Shemeska]

Come to think of it, that WotC had developed a time travel device, and were now engaged in temporal warfare with alien RPG companies from the future, might explain a lot....

[tongue in cheek]

Is this one of those situations where for the good of mankind they decide to collapse in a death spiral by releasing little to no product, shedding market share like mad in order to prevent any evil future rpg company from existing in the first place by dragging the industry down as a whole now and in perpetuity because they are or were the 800lb gorilla? Because if so they might be doing pretty well at that and they might be wiser than we think, saving us from this far future, time traveling alien rpg company and all. God bless them and their foresight!

[/tongue in cheek]

 

[Dark Mistress]

Maybe they was going to announce they was going to skip 5e and go right to 6e which would be a interactive 3d environment, that you could send your mind to and play out games live.

 

[jaerdaph]

So will 5e be available for Playstation 3, Wii, *and* XBox 360?

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

Of course, an intended 5E-related announcement could have simply been, "Get a grip people - there is no 5E yet. Now go buy any of our fine products that are still in print."

Then again, didn't they do that before? Announce that there are no alien mind control lasers, and then reveal that there ARE?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Now go buy any of our fine products that are still in print."

There's still 3E books in print?

 

[Aberzanzorax]

Here's a link to the original rumor, or the rumor of the rumor, on this site:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/4e-discussion/309804-scooping-morrus-site.html

Anyone have a link to anything better?

 

[Griego]

Well, I guess we can cross a few names off the 'trustworthy sources' list, no?

 

[Crothian]

Here's a link to the original rumor, or the rumor of the rumor, on this site:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/4e-discussion/309804-scooping-morrus-site.html

Anyone have a link to anything better?

I was with him (Morrus) when he got one of the messages and I know who the source is. The person is not one I know that would spread unfounded rumors and they are in a position to know. I was a little surprised when I heard who Morrus was getting the information from.