Fourth Edition largely unavailable at Amazon.com

[Jester David]

I know the name of the edition: Dungeons & Dragons. Same name as the last two times. Too much brand identity to change it. As for specifics we know that Wizards has acknowledged it is specifically the fifth edition of the game on their official website: dndclassics.com.

"D&D" is the name of the brand, not the edition.
The site you link to is officially licensed but not the official site and not run by WotC. And it lists the edition as "Next" as well.

So, no, we don't know the name and if they're going to call it Next or 5e or 40th Anniversary Edition or Basic D&D 7th edition.

 

[Stormonu]

WotC's sent out the ninjas for 5E to assassinate 4E product. They started with Amazon, they're heading to YOUR house next.

Seriously, some months before the announcement of 5E, didn't WotC state they were discontinuing production of - I think it was the PHB1 - because "they had enough stock to last about a year"? Could be that new stock is just now running out, to be soon replaced by secondary/used sales of the books?

 

[delericho]

"Manual of the Planes" and the "Player's Strategy Guide" appear still to be available (and a few others). It does look like the simplest answer is probably the right one: that Christmas just cleaned them out and they're waiting on new stock. I would be surprised if there were any conspiracy here.

That said, it is worth noting that a lot of the books now don't list an "Amazon price" - they only give the New and Used buying options for the Marketplace (or whatever Amazon call it). So it does appear we're getting to the point where Amazon can't easily restock a lot of these books - and that's not terribly surprising either, since as I understand it most D&D books get only a single print run, and some of these might be quite small runs at that.

So, if you're looking to finish out your 4e collection, it's probably best to do it now.

 

[DEFCON 1]

So, if you're looking to finish out your 4e collection, it's probably best to do it now.

Or pick them up on dndclassics in PDF. They're all getting rolled out there as well.

 

[fjw70]

"Manual of the Planes" and the "Player's Strategy Guide" appear still to be available (and a few others). It does look like the simplest answer is probably the right one: that Christmas just cleaned them out and they're waiting on new stock. I would be surprised if there were any conspiracy here.

That said, it is worth noting that a lot of the books now don't list an "Amazon price" - they only give the New and Used buying options for the Marketplace (or whatever Amazon call it). So it does appear we're getting to the point where Amazon can't easily restock a lot of these books - and that's not terribly surprising either, since as I understand it most D&D books get only a single print run, and some of these might be quite small runs at that.

So, if you're looking to finish out your 4e collection, it's probably best to do it now.

I just picked the last 4e hardcover* I didn't have (Open Grave) at the used book store.

*I don't count the Dungeon and Dragon Annuals.

 

[TerraDave]

I think they have said a few times that the reprints were going to have limited print runs. I also think they gave priority to game stores, on and offline.

 

[Lokiare]

I won't buy from WotC, so I buy used books at bookstores and resellers so WotC doesn't get my money. I support 4E, but not WotC...

 

[Rygar]

I won't buy from WotC, so I buy used books at bookstores and resellers so WotC doesn't get my money. I support 4E, but not WotC...

Isn't that a little counter productive? You're not really supporting 4th edition, as WOTC doesn't see any money from the sale. So as far as WOTC goes, you don't exist, and when they do sales analysis you're invisible. So when the suits sit down at the table to decide product lines and design directions, that's one less person they see as a 4th edition player.

No one polls used book stores and resellers, as far as WOTC is concerned they're the equivalent of pirates, so you really can't be counted as a supporter of 4th edition since no one who makes decisions can see you.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for speaking with your wallet, there's a couple video game companies I boycott. I'm just not sure you can really be considered to be supporting 4th edition.

 

[Pour]

I keep putting off getting Gardmore. Going to grab it now.

 

[Jester David]

WotC's sent out the ninjas for 5E to assassinate 4E product. They started with Amazon, they're heading to YOUR house next.

Ninjas are so last edition.