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.

 

[Velderan]

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The effect is that the outdated content becomes a slowly diminishing presence in the current game, but through customer choice, not corporate fiat.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

It would definitely create a lot of confusion for the casual fan they’re selling stuff to for them to throw every previous edition out there in a digital toolset.

That being said, I do think there’s a scenario where they could revive and market a brand of D&D Classic products using something like the Rules Cyclopedia and old TSR modules to go after fans that just never were going to play 5e in any form. It worked pretty well for Blizzard with WoW Classic and a simple Classic label for old products shouldn’t create too much confusion.

 

[Belen]

It would definitely create a lot of confusion for the casual fan they’re selling stuff to for them to throw every previous edition out there in a digital toolset.

That being said, I do think there’s a scenario where they could revive and market a brand of D&D Classic products using something like the Rules Cyclopedia and old TSR modules to go after fans that just never were going to play 5e in any form. It worked pretty well for Blizzard with WoW Classic and a simple Classic label for old products shouldn’t create too much confusion.

Yes. I think it depends on this database rebuild but bringing in the entire D&D community could net them a lot more subscription value.

It also mitigates audience fragmentation when a new edition releases that may not be a hit.

Finally, they can make money off of selling digital objects and content to a larger audience.

 

[bsss]

I think WotC has made it fairly obvious that they want an evergreen D&D product that they can iterate and revise upon, and I think the DDB strategy relies on keeping people in that content cycle pipeline. In this light, I believe they would consider 4e and older to be immediate dead-ends and not a part of their future. Plus take into account that they'd be competing against themselves and also raising the costs of developing DDB tools, and I just can't see it happening. They'd make some table scraps of money, sure (in part, some of the same money they already make from Dungeon Masters Guild?), but it seems like a bad strategic move counter to where they're going.

 

[mamba]

Yes. I think it depends on this database rebuild but bringing in the entire D&D community could net them a lot more subscription value.

there is no way they bring older editions onto DDB, their market is too small to justify it and it fragments D&D. As far as WotC is concerned this is all downsides

It also mitigates audience fragmentation when a new edition releases that may not be a hit.

they won’t release a new edition until the old one has run out of steam. There is little fragmentation when ‘no one’ is playing the old version any more, regardless of how many people buy the new one

 

[Artamo]

I think WotC has made it fairly obvious that they want an evergreen D&D product that they can iterate and revise upon, and I think the DDB strategy relies on keeping people in that content cycle pipeline. In this light, I believe they would consider 4e and older to be immediate dead-ends and not a part of their future. Plus take into account that they'd be competing against themselves and also raising the costs of developing DDB tools, and I just can't see it happening. They'd make some table scraps of money, sure (in part, some of the same money they already make from Dungeon Masters Guild?), but it seems like a bad strategic move counter to where they're going.

I think that’s a very good, succinct assessment.

 

[Clint_L]

I think WotC has made it fairly obvious that they want an evergreen D&D product that they can iterate and revise upon, and I think the DDB strategy relies on keeping people in that content cycle pipeline. In this light, I believe they would consider 4e and older to be immediate dead-ends and not a part of their future. Plus take into account that they'd be competing against themselves and also raising the costs of developing DDB tools, and I just can't see it happening. They'd make some table scraps of money, sure (in part, some of the same money they already make from Dungeon Masters Guild?), but it seems like a bad strategic move counter to where they're going.

Exactly. And this forum is an extreme outlier in terms of the number of folks still regularly playing old versions of D&D, OSR, etc. Because we're mostly OLD AS DIRT. It's a couple percent of the total population. Few of which will use DnDBeyond and buy digital subscriptions and books. It would likely be a money loser on its face just from development and support costs, let alone something worth undermining their core strategy for.

Pre-5e D&D might get some nice hardbound volumes for collectors, much as OD&D did. I'll buy and cherish them. Don't hold your breath waiting for DDB support.

 

[bsss]

Pre-5e D&D might get some nice hardbound volumes for collectors, much as OD&D did. I'll buy and cherish them. Don't hold your breath waiting for DDB support.

I cynically think all D&D books are going to become mere collectors' items, but that's neither here nor there; I'd probably pick up a fancy D&D 4e set again like you said.

 

[Belen]

there is no way they bring older editions onto DDB, their market is too small to justify it and it fragments D&D. As far as WotC is concerned this is all downsides


they won’t release a new edition until the old one has run out of steam. There is little fragmentation when ‘no one’ is playing the old version any more, regardless of how many people buy the new one

Plenty of people still play older editions. There is a market for PDF and physical copies of older material.

Every new editions fragments the player base so a system that monetized all D&D players would help.

 

[Parmandur]

Exactly. And this forum is an extreme outlier in terms of the number of folks still regularly playing old versions of D&D, OSR, etc. Because we're mostly OLD AS DIRT. It's a couple percent of the total population. Few of which will use DnDBeyond and buy digital subscriptions and books. It would likely be a money loser on its face just from development and support costs, let alone something worth undermining their core strategy for.

Pre-5e D&D might get some nice hardbound volumes for collectors, much as OD&D did. I'll buy and cherish them. Don't hold your breath waiting for DDB support.

They did add older editions to Roll20 fairly recently, not that I disagree with you.

 

[OB1]

Even keeping the number of players stable without ever selling another book is still income.

But keeping the number of players stable requires selling books. That’s the whole point. WotC isn’t as interested in retaining players as creating new ones. It’s cheaper to create and market to new players than to keep finding new product to sell to existing. We saw it in sales throughout 5.0. A new book would come out, and the PHB we shoot up in sales again. And the margin on the PHB is great.
The PHB got refreshed not to have something to sell to existing customers, but to make sure they kept getting new ones for the next 10 years.

It’s all about managing average lifetime value of customers. People who play D&D for more than a few years are outliers. Most pick it up for a year or three in HS or College and then move to other hobbies. Once you accept that, you can look at what it costs to make and market a book to a new player vs an existing one and see how going after new players makes more money because you are selling an established asset who’s development costs are already paid for. And the huge back library of 5e content, both WotC produced and Indie produced, helps sell more PHBs and DDB subscriptions.