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

 

[Urriak Uruk]

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.

I'll concede it's possible. But it seems like the release schedule so far is March, May, June, August. There will also be a box, and another book, both probably coming after August (if it was before their amazon pages should've sprung up by now). That's a four-month period for two products. It's possible to squeeze a third book in there... but will they? I'm doubtful.

That said, I can see them putting a book in January/February (2023), which the team doesn't typically do but is in line with a faster release schedule.

 

[Mercurius]

I'll concede it's possible. But it seems like the release schedule so far is March, May, June, August. There will also be a box, and another book, both probably coming after August (if it was before their amazon pages should've sprung up by now). That's a four-month period for two products. It's possible to squeeze a third book in there... but will they? I'm doubtful.

That said, I can see them putting a book in January/February (2023), which the team doesn't typically do but is in line with a faster release schedule.

Well, they have frequently released two products in a single month:

9/21: Witchlight, Strixhaven
9/20: Icewind Dale, Strahd Revamped
9/19: Baldur's Gate, Essentials
10/18: Ravnica, Mad Mage

Notice the "9". Each of the last three years we've seen two products every September. But we also haven't seen an August release in any of those years, so maybe they switch it up. But my point is that if they release Stormwreck this year, it would likely go alongside one of the hardcovers/slipcases.

 

[Weiley31]

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

Technically: Monsters of Multiverse comes out in May in WoTC's mindset. Everybody just had the optional option to get it earlier by buying a Gift Set that was supposed to be in December (hence "gift" set) but got pushed to January.

 

[Mercurius]

One more thing to support the view of six major products this year (not counting Stormwreck). When Radiant Citadel is released in June, it will be three major products in the first half of the year - something we've never seen with 5E before. In 2021 there were 2, 2020 only 1 (covid), 2019 2, and each year before that, only 1.

I have a hard time believing that they plan on only releasing two products in the second half of 2022, when traditionally they up the product output in the second half, not reduce it. I mean, maybe Stormwreck is the 6th product - that could be - but traditionally such "extras" get released alongside of something else, as I mentioned in my last post.

 

[Parmandur]

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.

@GarrettKP pieced together that there was an Undermountain Adventure in the works very early, @Paul Farquhar figured out Tasha's was coming way in advance, a bunch of us figured out an Icewind Dale Adventure was coming...actually hive mind here is pretty decent at pi king up what hints WotC lays down.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Well, they have frequently released two products in a single month:

9/21: Witchlight, Strixhaven
9/20: Icewind Dale, Strahd Revamped
9/19: Baldur's Gate, Essentials
10/18: Ravnica, Mad Mage

Notice the "9". Each of the last three years we've seen two products every September. But we also haven't seen an August release in any of those years, so maybe they switch it up. But my point is that if they release Stormwreck this year, it would likely go alongside one of the hardcovers/slipcases.

Last year it was Witchlight in September, Fizban's in October, Strixhaven in November (pushed to December). Still a robust schedule, but not two in a month.

 

[Parmandur]

Technically: Monsters of Multiverse comes out in May in WoTC's mindset. Everybody just had the optional option to get it earlier by buying a Gift Set that was supposed to be in December (hence "gift" set) but got pushed to January.

I'd phrase that as the exact opposite: as far as WotC is concerned, it came out in Janry, when they were marketing it, and in May people have the option to buy it in a different format.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

One more thing to support the view of six major products this year (not counting Stormwreck). When Radiant Citadel is released in June, it will be three major products in the first half of the year - something we've never seen with 5E before. In 2021 there were 2, 2020 only 1 (covid), 2019 2, and each year before that, only 1.

I have a hard time believing that they plan on only releasing two products in the second half of 2022, when traditionally they up the product output in the second half, not reduce it. I mean, maybe Stormwreck is the 6th product - that could be - but traditionally such "extras" get released alongside of something else, as I mentioned in my last post.

I don't know why we should consider Stormwreck an extra though. It's unlikely the D&D team considers it one, they have to make the thing.

 

[Parmandur]

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!

I think a new Magic Setting every year seems pretty plausible. And again, we don't know what James Wyatt is working on now, but previously he was in the Magic worldbuilding team and worked on three Setting books for 5E, plus all the free Magic booklets. And Hammon did a Magic book already, and we don't know what she is working on.

 

[Parmandur]

Well, they have frequently released two products in a single month:

9/21: Witchlight, Strixhaven
9/20: Icewind Dale, Strahd Revamped
9/19: Baldur's Gate, Essentials
10/18: Ravnica, Mad Mage

Notice the "9". Each of the last three years we've seen two products every September. But we also haven't seen an August release in any of those years, so maybe they switch it up. But my point is that if they release Stormwreck this year, it would likely go alongside one of the hardcovers/slipcases.

Strixhavencame out in December.