D&D 5E D&D and who it's aimed at

[Morrus]

I find it interesting that while there are constant complaints that D&D is being 'Disneyfied', it's actually clear that WotC is aiming different products at different groups. Yes, some products are aimed at younger players (which is a good thing, for obvious reasons), the recent Netherdeep book was clearly aimed at older players with its more graphic artwork and horror themes, and Dragonlance and Spelljammer, while hopefully being a great intro to those settings for gamers who weren't playing 40 years ago, also aim at the older demographic.

So let's look at the last couple of years. Going back to the start of 2021, because I'm too lazy to go further we have:

• Candlekeep Mysteries
• Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft
• Wild Beyond the Witchlight
• Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
• Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
• Call of the Netherdeep
• Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel
• Spelljammer: Adventures in Space
• Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen / Warriors of Krynn

So what we have is 4 settings (3 of which are classic settings), 2 anthologies, and .... two? ... out of 9 books which could arguably be described as aimed at kids.

I guess I'm not seeing it. Unless every book has to be specifically aimed at middle-aged men who played D&D in the 1970s, I'm just not seeing this alleged Disneyfication of D&D. I'm seeing a range of products, some of which are aimed at younger audiences, others which are not.

And for our bonus round: lots of folks like to talk about how they got into D&D 40 years ago at the age of 12 or however old they were. When they were kids. Kids have always played D&D, and many of them stay playing D&D until they can complain that kids are playing D&D. Hey, last D&D book I bought was about 3 years ago. I'll be buying Dragonlance though, that's for sure!

 

[payn]

Yikes, there was a thread on artwork that got a bit incendiary because of the term "disenyfied" and I hope the well wasnt pensioned from the get go...

I agree with your assessment that D&D seems to have many products appealing to a variety of consumers. I dont think there is a trend towards any particular demographic or uniform marketing scheme.

 

[Retreater]

I don't know if I'd say they're "for kids," but they're not for me.

• Candlekeep Mysteries - weak adventures with next to nothing to do in them.
• Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft - rebooted Ravenloft that misses the mark of the original campaign setting.
• Wild Beyond the Witchlight - displacer beast kittens and talk your way out of fluffy challenges.
• Fizban's Treasury of Dragons - boring book about the most boring creatures in the game.
• Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos - Harry Potter by way of modern American college life
• Call of the Netherdeep - I'm not into Critical Role
• Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel - More cuddly kittens and adorableness
• Spelljammer: Adventures in Space - Was a joke in the 1980s. Still going to be a joke.
• Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen / Warriors of Krynn - Boring campaign setting about the most boring creatures in the game.

 

[Jer]

I think you're right - I think Wizards finds themselves with a product that lots of people are interested in and they're trying to figure out how to serve the whole market.

I'm curious as to which two you think are aimed at kids though. I bet you could ask 10 people and get 11 different answers.

For example, I bet a lot of folks might say Wild Beyond Witchlight and, um, I don't think it's specifically aimed at kids. In fact, the kids I run games for wouldn't enjoy it much at all. The adults I play with, on the other hand, will love it when we get time to get to it because that mix of whimsy and fairy-tale horror is right up their alley. The kids wouldn't appreciate the horror and would be put off by the whimsy.

(OTOH I think Strixhaven is aimed at "kids" if by "kids" we mean millenials who might be in their 30s. IMO it's definitely going for that Harry Potter vibe that folks that age are into without actually being a branded Harry Potter product. But I suppose just because someone is half my age that doesn't make them a kid...)

 

[Demetrios1453]

[QUOTE="Retreater, post: 8611559, member: 42040
[*]Wild Beyond the Witchlight - displacer beast kittens and talk your way out of fluffy challenges.
[/QUOTE]And child slave labor.

 

[Morrus]

I don't know if I'd say they're "for kids," but they're not for me.

Well, yeah, we know nothing's for you. You make that pretty clear!

 

[Retreater]

(OTOH I think Strixhaven is aimed at "kids" if by "kids" we mean millenials who might be in their 30s. IMO it's definitely going for that Harry Potter vibe that folks that age are into without actually being a branded Harry Potter product. But I suppose just because someone is half my age that doesn't make them a kid...)

The criticisms I've heard about Strixhaven isn't so much the "Harry Potter" feel of it, as the modern American university lifestyle feel of it. Which could've been fixed had the writers included more hippies playing fantasy hacky sack - that would've really taken me back to my GenX college experience.

 

[payn]

I think you're right - I think Wizards finds themselves with a product that lots of people are interested in and they're trying to figure out how to serve the whole market.

I'm curious as to which two you think are aimed at kids though. I bet you could ask 10 people and get 11 different answers.

For example, I bet a lot of folks might say Wild Beyond Witchlight and, um, I don't think it's specifically aimed at kids. In fact, the kids I run games for wouldn't enjoy it much at all. The adults I play with, on the other hand, will love it when we get time to get to it because that mix of whimsy and fairy-tale horror is right up their alley. The kids wouldn't appreciate the horror and would be put off by the whimsy.

Like the Fables comic book series?

(OTOH I think Strixhaven is aimed at "kids" if by "kids" we mean millenials who might be in their 30s. IMO it's definitely going for that Harry Potter vibe that folks that age are into without actually being a branded Harry Potter product. But I suppose just because someone is half my age that doesn't make them a kid...)

Kids means children, so no, not folks in their 30's.

 

[Morrus]

if by "kids" we mean millenials who might be in their 30s.

No I'm specifically talking about kids. 12 year olds. New gamers being introduced to the hobby!

 

[payn]

The criticisms I've heard about Strixhaven isn't so much the "Harry Potter" feel of it, as the modern American university lifestyle feel of it. Which could've been fixed had the writers included more hippies playing fantasy hacky sack - that would've really taken me back to my GenX college experience.

Like casting unseen servant to hold you up for a keg stand?