D&D 5E D&D Summer Hardcover Amazon Placeholder

There's a D&D product placeholder for the summer hardcover up on Amazon. It doesn't say much, but confirms the release date as August 16th. There's some product dimensions there, too -- they match a standard D&D hardcover (except for the 2-inch thickness!) -- and an ISBN (978-0786968169).

[Update -- the US version of the placeholder has a price of $69.99.]

We'll find out more on Thursday when the D&D Direct video is released. Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse is on May 17th, and Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel comes out on June 21st.

From previous statements from WotC, we're expecting two classic settings to come back this year, and these will be in a new print format. WotC's Ray Winninger said in June last year that "Each of these products is pursuing a different format you've never seen before. And neither is "digital only;" these are new print formats." Current speculation, based on hints and teasers, is mainly centered around Spelljammer and Dragonlance.

Spelljammer: Adventures in Space (D&D Campaign Collection - Adventure, Setting, Monster Book, Map, and DM Screen): Wizards RPG Team: 0195166182087: Books - Amazon.ca

Spelljammer: Adventures in Space (D&D Campaign Collection - Adventure, Setting, Monster Book, Map, and DM Screen): Wizards RPG Team: 0195166182087: Books - Amazon.ca

www.amazon.ca

 

[Parmandur]

One more think, to @Urriak Uruk . A year or two ago I speculated that their goal was to work up to six main products a year - about one every two months (although probably with a larger gap between their last of one year and their first of the next). I think that is the case, whether in 2022 or 2023. My guess would be:

March - May - June - August - Sept/Oct - Nov/Dec

Meaning, there might be some play with when those last two of the year are released, but the first four are likely to be relatively consistent.

IIRC, I settled on six because it seemed to be ideal compromise between glut and sparsity. Every two months also allows for the vast majority of people to budget it in. And that doesn't include possible extras.

Recall that Monsters of the Multiverse actually came out in January, and was meant for December.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

One more think, to @Urriak Uruk . A year or two ago I speculated that their goal was to work up to six main products a year - about one every two months (although probably with a larger gap between their last of one year and their first of the next). I think that is the case, whether in 2022 or 2023. My guess would be:

March - May - June - August - Sept/Oct - Nov/Dec

Meaning, there might be some play with when those last two of the year are released, but the first four are likely to be relatively consistent.

IIRC, I settled on six because it seemed to be ideal compromise between glut and sparsity. Every two months also allows for the vast majority of people to budget it in. And that doesn't include possible extras.

I mean, maybe that will happen. And although I do appreciate your threads and tables, I think you've consistently over-estimated numbers of books and settings? Maybe I'm wrong there, and it's not really a criticism, I'm just trying to set the bar low here so folks aren't disappointed.

The only time I remember a prediction notably being accurate is when @Parmandur and I were debating books (I was firmly that a Feywild adventure was coming, he was determined it was a Strixhaven setting) and hilariously we were both right.

 

[Mercurius]

Categories is something this forum has invented to label products. It is not a term used by the D&D team. It's just been repeated so many times here that folks think it is something official, which it's not.

I remember the year the Essentials Kit was announced, and it absolutely was considered a main product, and the folks who decided it wasn't were disappointed when they didn't get the extra book they were hoping for.

But it is meaningful for the buying fan base in terms of whether or not a product offers new material.

Hardcovers are new material, with the possible exception of Monsters of the Multiverse. Even Essentials only offered a new medium length adventure, and products like Strahd Revamped and Tyranny of Dragons are essentially re-packages of previous products.

I have no idea how WotC talks about such things in-house, but I'd be very surprised if they don't consider the difference between the "main sequence" and the secondary/extra products, because that's how most buyers consider them.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Neither are “slots”.

Yeah ironically to explain something that doesn't exist, I am having to use terms that also don't exist!

 

[Mercurius]

Recall that Monsters of the Multiverse actually came out in January, and was meant for December.

Right, so that would normally be the Nov/Dec slot. January was an exception - which do occur. But my guess is that we're less likely to see new products in Jan/Feb.

 

[Parmandur]

One more think, to @Urriak Uruk . A year or two ago I speculated that their goal was to work up to six main products a year - about one every two months (although probably with a larger gap between their last of one year and their first of the next). I think that is the case, whether in 2022 or 2023. My guess would be:

March - May - June - August - Sept/Oct - Nov/Dec

Meaning, there might be some play with when those last two of the year are released, but the first four are likely to be relatively consistent.

IIRC, I settled on six because it seemed to be ideal compromise between glut and sparsity. Every two months also allows for the vast majority of people to budget it in. And that doesn't include possible extras.

So, given the Kamigawa miniatures just announced by Wizards, similar to the Ravnica, Theros, and Strixhaven minis...maybe a Kamigawa book for Fall or Christmas seems plausible. Three Setting products, an AP, a box set, and an Adventure compilation seems pretty full.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Recall that Monsters of the Multiverse actually came out in January, and was meant for December.

Delays typically mean more delays. A movie delayed to December means that the studio's movie planned for December is also delayed, and so on.

I imagine WotC doesn't like when too many products are released at once to cannibalize sales.

 

[Mercurius]

I mean, maybe that will happen. And although I do appreciate your threads and tables, I think you've consistently over-estimated numbers of books and settings? Maybe I'm wrong there, and it's not really a criticism, I'm just trying to set the bar low here so folks aren't disappointed.

The only time I remember a prediction notably being accurate is when @Parmandur and I were debating books (I was firmly that a Feywild adventure was coming, he was determined it was a Strixhaven setting) and hilariously we were both right.

I can't remember specific predictions, but all I do remember is saying that I think we'd see product increase, gradually over time. And we have and presumably will - unless they're lying.

We saw three hardcovers in 2015-17, four hardcovers in 2018-20, and five last year. Maybe it stays with five for three years like the last three-year cycles, but given what they've been saying about an increased pace, I could see them going up to six, this year or next.

 

[Mercurius]

So, given the Kamigawa miniatures just announced by Wizards, similar to the Ravnica, Theros, and Strixhaven minis...maybe a Kamigawa book for Fall or Christmas seems plausible. Three Setting products, an AP, a box set, and an Adventure compilation seems pretty full.

When Theros came out, I thought we were going to see a new Magic setting every two years. But then Strixhaven came out a year later. But really, it was more like a year and a half each: Ravnica came out in 10/18, Theros in 7/20 (and, iirc, delayed a couple months due to covid), and then Strixhaven in 9/21.

So the gap between Ravnica and Theros was 21 months, but would have been 19 months if not for covid. And the gap between Theros and Strixhaven was just 14 months, although might have been 16 if Theros had come out as planned - but even then we don't know how the rest of the schedule was altered.

It is probably a lot of over-thinking (although kind of fun), but my point is that it could be that they plan a new Magic setting about every year and a half. If so, this would imply that we wouldn't see Kamigawa (or whatever) until early in 2023. But who knows!

 

[CleverNickName]

I think this one is going to be it: the book we've all wanted for years, but were too timid to ask for.

"Dragons of Forgotten Passion," 1200 fully-illustrated pages of Elminster/Raistlin crossover fanfic.