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.

 

[Mistwell]

No, he's not. Tenkar asserted it from a different source weeks before pundit did.

You mean the "Luke Gygax was spotted playing 1e AD&D with Hasbro employees so let's speculate that there will be 6e D&D that is a revival of 1e" thing?

 

[Desdichado]

You mean the "Luke Gygax was spotted playing 1e AD&D with Hasbro employees so let's speculate that there will be 6e D&D that is a revival of 1e" thing?

I presume you do know that that's not at all what he said.

 

[Mistwell]

I presume you do know that that's not at all what he said.

No I don't I just saw that as a summary.

 

[Autumnal]

It boggles me that so many people struggle with 2014 and 2024. I have to wonder what the D&D community would make of the editions of Frankenstein (1818 and 1831), or editions of Shakespeare, or Zelazny’s “Damnation Alley” versus Damnation Alley (and countless other such cases), or works with multiple translations…life is indeed a mystery.

I’d probably have called it 5.1, if it were up to me, but the struggle would presumably exist in any case.

 

[RhaezDaevan]

It boggles me that so many people struggle with 2014 and 2024. I have to wonder what the D&D community would make of the editions of Frankenstein (1818 and 1831), or editions of Shakespeare, or Zelazny’s “Damnation Alley” versus Damnation Alley (and countless other such cases), or works with multiple translations…life is indeed a mystery.

I’d probably have called it 5.1, if it were up to me, but the struggle would presumably exist in any case.

Would that be 5.1.0 or 5.1.5?

 

[MoonSong]

I don't think it does, actually. I think that's some very "inside the box" thinking, honestly.

In fact, it can potentially make such a change a lot easier, because it means you've got a "captive audience" who you can expose to the changed approach, give "free" copies of new core books as long as they're subscribed (as they did with 2024), etc. etc.

Sure, you have to update tools etc., but they're probably pretty easy to adapt to a new system. Indeed, they're reworking the tools right now, aren't they? If were them, I'd be future-proofing them such that they could easily be adapted to a new system (probably one with significant conceptual overlap), or expanded to other RPGs in future, whether WotC RPGs, or non-WotC RPGs if the long-term vision is for Beyond to swallow the whole of the "successful RPG" market like Fenris swallowing the sun.

Beyond can offer continuity. A particularly smart move would be to follow WoW's lead (and something I'd been suggesting for several years before it happened, note!), which is to make it so that the same subscription gave access to the new (Retail) WoW and Classic WoW, so you kinda couldn't avoid having access to the new D&D, couldn't say "Uh I didn't buy that".

So yeah unless WotC are really cheaping out with Beyond, and unless their re-do of the tools etc. is completely lacking in future proofing (which frankly would be outright silly), I don't think that does make it less likely.

I think a second iterative change might actually be trickier, because now you have to go back and check compatibility for an extremely large number of products, potentially including 3PP ones. Whereas if you don't offer compatibility, but you do say "Hey all your 5E/5.5E stuff is still there if you want it", you give the impression people are losing nothing (a largely correct one), only gaining a new option.

Ohh, so now not only we have SAAS, but also D&DAAS. Were will it stop I wonder...