WotC "D&D's Best Year Yet"

[Ruin Explorer]

So it seems WotC has an idea why it’s so popular. Are they right? Did they nail it or kinda set things up for success and took advantage of good things when they saw them? Or a bit of both? Or are they just lucky?

To me, based on the language around 5E at the start, and the playtesting, it looks like a significant amount of luck was involved. Like, I don't have a clear impression that they knew stuff like Critical Role was blowing up and designed the edition accordingly. I think the main goal, was to produce a somewhat evergreen (I don't think it'll actually last any longer than any other edition, FWIW) edition which took a sort of look over all of D&D, to try and get a lot of the best elements together, and thus have a maximally broad appeal. To do that, they needed to make an edition was more accessible, on a basic level, than really any of the previous edition-editions. It's more akin to RC D&D in complexity that any of 1E-4E.

And then because of stuff like Critical Role, and because younger people want social stuff, not just computer stuff, because they've got enough computer stuff, and because it feels like something it's okay to play with kids, and for kids to play (which I'm not sure all previous editions have, if only because of complexity), it's really taken off.

Once they got going, too, I think they've got a lot better at choosing their direction and what to do next and so on. I still think they're struggling with some stuff, like managing merchandised products - for example Wildemount's subclasses and spells are just completely unacceptably overpowered next to any other official 5E material, but I guess WotC didn't feel they could go "Nope, uh-uh, no way..." to that stuff, even though did that to non-overpowered stuff in Eberron. But was putting out a CR book smart? Definitely for both parties.

 

[Oofta]

So it seems WotC has an idea why it’s so popular. Are they right? Did they nail it or kinda set things up for success and took advantage of good things when they saw them? Or a bit of both? Or are they just lucky?

Combination of a lot of things. With 3.5 there was a big barrier to entry and no streaming. With 4E ... well 4E had different issues that I don't really want to get into.

With 5E we have a game that's got ease of entry in combination with streaming showing highly improvisational fun games combined with a desire to have more personal interaction in our entertainment.

The game isn't perfect, but it's good enough.

 

[Mistwell]

How i wish i could blissfully believe that.

You think he does track rations but is pretending he doesn't?

Man, your cynicism runs deep. You're probably suspect of your own suspicions.

 

[gyor]

Its a perfect storm, D&D 5e is more like previous versions of D&D, but more refined then 4e, to pull in old fans.

Yet with enough 4e elements to retain some 4e fans.

It happened at the perfect time to benifit from streaming and pop culture nostolgia for nerd/80's past time thinks to Stranger Things, Big Bang Theory, and other things.

They also have really good business partners in D&D Beyond, Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, Gale Force 9, Wizkids, and more.

Now they've finally made a really good video game choice for the first time in over a decade in allowing Larian Studios to make BG3, which is going to be huge.

All that is left to really push it up to the next level is a successful TV/Movie francise.

 

[darjr]

I do think there are smart people at the helm though. For instance the popular PAX games seemed to not help 4e or couldn’t turn it around anyway, a less wise leadership may have dismissed all live play after that, but not WorC.

Also them FINALLY doing the OGL was great!

The DMs guild is just pure genius.

And together seem to feed off each other in a way very beneficial to WotC and third parties without seeming to drown the market.

Finally the CCC program and guild adept program has brought to the fore some fantastic designers and writers and ideas! Not to mention attracting those folks to write for D&D vs something else.

Same goes for the “regions” they’ve granted to conventions. Some fantastic things have come from that and earned a deep loyalty from these conventions.

But I do agree there was a large wollop of good circumstance. Many they’ve take advantage of.

 

[darjr]

Is WotC getting complacent? Do you think? What else could they do?

When have they stumbled? I like the SCAG but I do think it was a stumble, especially when you consider the video game it was tied with. Judgement aside about the actual game it wasn’t a success, far from it.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

Man, your cynicism runs deep. You're probably suspect of your own suspicions.

always.

 

[jasper]

"Bi-focally challenged".

Tri-focally Abled.

 

[Umbran]

Is WotC getting complacent? Do you think?

They are running tons of playtest material by us, surveying constantly. That doesn't smack of complacency to me.

When have they stumbled? I like the SCAG but I do think it was a stumble...

I think it'd do well to separate "not the best product ever" from "strategic failure". Calling every not-great-success as a "stumble" sets too high an expectation. Real innovation comes best in environments in which people are free to try things, and have them not work out, and have that seen as okay.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Hard to say.

Gen X is in power uncertain places and they seem to be doing better.

They benefitted from the last fumes of the 60s. Most of my friends seem to be keeping their jobs.

They're the ones who are the builders, engineers, etc in essential services. They're also the ones producing and transporting the food.

Zoomers are in the supermarkets and bars those are the jobs that will get hit the hardest. Boomers are often in pensions and right now busy hiding.

A lot of zoomers bubbles are being popped.

90s nihilism has arrived.


Generation X will tell you to F off and give you the finger while doing it. Zoomers will cry or something.


We had Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
They have Justin Beiber.

Instagram influencers are the new unemployed.

No fault if their own just born at the wrong time.

As someone who is actually in Gen Z, and who is also a tech worker with a fairly secure job, with most of my friends also being in tech with secure jobs, with only a couple working in grocery stores (where their job is also secure as they are essential businesses), it really does sound like the only one in a bubble... is you.

I mean, seriously I thought we were past lumping everyone in a generation into some negative stereotype, but I guess somethings never change.

That's all I'll say, back to D&D discussion!