D&D 5E (2024) D&D 2024 Is Now OFFICIALLY Called "5.5e"

Settling a debate that has lasted for over two years, the current edition of Dungeons & Dragons, which has been known by various names up until now, has finally received an official designation: D&D 5.5e.

Previously, the current ruleset was referred to as 'One D&D', before becoming 'D&D 2024'. Other variations exist, but the most common version used by fans was D&D 5.5.

The 5.5 terminology echoes the edition names used in the early 2000s for D&D 3E and D&D 3.5.

D&D Beyond has an FAQ related to the name change. In it, they say that "Earlier on, [the 2024 rules] were referred to differently. As D&D Beyond evolved and more players used both versions side by side, it became clear that “5.5e” matched how the community already talks about the game and made things easier to understand."

The terminology will be used going forward on D&D Beyond, although unlike the 3E/3.5 hardcovers, the physical book titles will not include any edition designations.

The 2014 edition of D&D is to continue to be called "5e", with the 2024 version being "5.5e". WotC says that "5.5e refers to content that uses the 2024 updated core rules, which are fully compatible with Fifth Edition."

Despite including the "e" (for "edition") WotC continues to maintain that 5.5e is not a new edition, and merely a 'rules update', or 'version'. Whether 'edition' and 'version' are synonyms or not we'll leave people to debate.

The logo at the top of the page is our own mockup to represent the news, and is not an offical rebranding.

 

[Belen]

I've taken to referring to it as 5e14 and 5e24, as I'm somewhat expecting we'll see a 5e29/30 (and at that time 5e14 content will be fully retired from Beyond).

I'm still using 5e14, BTW, with no plans to change - but I'm still watching for 5e24 books that catch my eye (like the recent Eberron book and the upcoming Ravenloft book).

DDB is tricky now. People paid to access that content digitally. Retiring it will cause a backlash unless they do something like give free PDFs to people who purchased.

This could make people switch to other platforms that do continue to give access to your previously purchased content.

If they are going to argue that digital first is a thing, then taking away content would cause serious brand damage.

They would be better off making DDB the best place to play any edition of D&D. This way, if an edition fragments the audience, they still sub to DDB.

 

[OB1]

I think the biggest issue with the name for the next revision is that it's now been established that the ".5" means that the changes are compatible with the previous version. We can mix-and-match 5e and 5.5e in ways we could never do with 4e and 5e. But the kind of incompatibility with 4e and 5e requires significant changes to the structure of the game, something I'm not sure we'll ever see again.

It would have made more sense to use something like 5.24 (but confusing in a few years) or maybe even better 5.1 because then you could have had 5.1, 5.2 ... 5.n. I don't think digital first changes much unless they abandon people unwilling to subscribe to DndBeyond and even then the implementation details matter a lot more than they do for software we use.

I assume we'll see new revisions at some point but who knows what label they'll use.

5.1 would have made a lot more sense. And I agree that I don’t think we’ll see major changes to the game again that require abandoning all of the old material. WotC has figured out they are better off selling PHBs to new players rather than to old. The metric of success for 5.5 isn’t how many 5e people they convert. It’s how sales of PHBs to new players compares to 5e sales at the end of its print run.

 

[Scribe]

The metric of success for 5.5 isn’t how many 5e people they convert. It’s how sales of PHBs to new players compares to 5e sales at the end of its print run.

I highly highly doubt it.

The metric will be total 5.5 buys, and that includes converts from 5.0 obviously. I would put a small sum on there being zero chance that 5.5 will grow new players, to a greater degree than 5.0 did. Wizards absolutely needs 5.0 players to migrate to the new rules but with meaningful options (SD, DH, DS, ToV, LU, on and on) out there that didnt exist even 4 years ago?

 

[Zardnaar]

I highly highly doubt it.

The metric will be total 5.5 buys, and that includes converts from 5.0 obviously. I would put a small sum on there being zero chance that 5.5 will grow new players, to a greater degree than 5.0 did. Wizards absolutely needs 5.0 players to migrate to the new rules but with meaningful options (SD, DH, DS, ToV, LU, on and on) out there that didnt exist even 4 years ago?

Total buys is how long 5.5 will run for.

Overall success financially is sell more than 5.0 at its tail end.

Sell more than 5.0 may not be hit for another 30 or 40 years if ever. Every edition post 5.0 would be a failure using that metric if they dont beat 5.0 sales.

 

[Scribe]

Total buys is how long 5.5 will run for.

Overall success financially is sell more than 5.0 at its tail end.

Sell more than 5.0 may not be hit for another 30 or 40 years if ever. Every edition post 5.0 would be a failure using that metric if they dont beat 5.0 sales.

Yes, as long as Wizards pretends these are not new editions, they are hoping people see enough change to update, but not enough to get frustrated and look elsewhere or stick with an older 5.X edition.

 

[Corinnguard]

Yes, as long as Wizards pretends these are not new editions, they are hoping people see enough change to update, but not enough to get frustrated and look elsewhere or stick with an older 5.X edition.

That would require Wizards to fail an Insight check and a Perception check intentionally.

 

[Zardnaar]

Yes, as long as Wizards pretends these are not new editions, they are hoping people see enough change to update, but not enough to get frustrated and look elsewhere or stick with an older 5.X edition.

Well they obviously want to sell as many as possible.

Revised 5E was the way to do that. 5.0 was probably in decline sales wise, 6E would piss off to many people.

 

[Scribe]

That would require Wizards to fail an Insight check and a Perception check intentionally.

I mean that's the needle they are trying to thread right now.

 

[Clint_L]

DDB is tricky now. People paid to access that content digitally. Retiring it will cause a backlash unless they do something like give free PDFs to people who purchased.

This could make people switch to other platforms that do continue to give access to your previously purchased content.

If they are going to argue that digital first is a thing, then taking away content would cause serious brand damage.

They would be better off making DDB the best place to play any edition of D&D. This way, if an edition fragments the audience, they still sub to DDB.

It's not tricky at all. WotC have a working system for that: legacy content. They stop selling the books on DDB, but maintain supprt for them and let you toggle them on or off as you prefer. For example, I own Volo's Guide to Monsters but it has largely been subsumed with Monsters of the Multiverse.

The effect is that the outdated content becomes a slowly diminishing presence in the current game, but through customer choice, not corporate fiat.

But there is no way that they will add old editions of D&D (like 4e or whatever) to DDB. No way. That would completely undermine their One D&D strategy. That would be the classic TSR mistake.

 

[Belen]

It's not tricky at all. WotC have a working system for that: legacy content. They stop selling the books on DDB, but maintain supprt for them and let you toggle them on or off as you prefer. For example, I own Volo's Guide to Monsters but it has largely been subsumed with Monster of the Multiverse.

The effect is that the outdated content becomes a slowly diminishing presence in the current game, but through customer choice, not corporate fiat.

But there is no way that they will add old editions of D&D (like 4e or whatever) to DDB. No way. That would completely undermine their One D&D strategy. That would be the classic TSR mistake.

If the goal is subscriptions, then unifying every D&D player and selling all content on platform would be a good idea. That would make DDB truly One D&D.