D&D 5E Is there even a new D&D setting?

Though we’ve been speculating about what the new setting recently pre-announced for D&D might or might not be (Icewind Dale being one suggestion), there's some doubt about whether it exists at all!

The press release that was sent out said:

Fans of D&D will learn all about the new setting and storyline as well as accompanying new products

The web page for the event says:

Fans of D&D will learn all about the new storyline as well as accompanying new products

The word “setting” is missing from the web page, but exists in the press release. The text is the same otherwise.

I don’t know which order the two were written in, or if the latter changed, or if the former contains extra information.

 

[whimsychris123]

It did not unlock Greyhawk as eligible for DMs Guild products, the way the Ravenloft, Eberron, and Ravnica books did, so it does not count as a setting book where it matters.

It’s unfortunate that the bestselling Wildemount, by your criteria, does not count as a setting book.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

It’s unfortunate that the bestselling Wildemount, by your criteria, does not count as a setting book.

The setting is not owned by WotC, so no, it does not count either.

 

[the Jester]

The setting is not owned by WotC, so no, it does not count either.

So you wouldn't count Kingdoms of Kalamar, Scarred Lands, Wilderlands of High Fantasy, etc. as settings, just because they aren't owned by WotC?

That's a very strange- and, in my opinion, very limited- definition of a setting.

 

[whimsychris123]

The setting is not owned by WotC, so no, it does not count either.

I’m not sure where this is going. Your original statement was that all the hardcover books start out in the Forgotten Realms, which is technically not true. We can argue about whether books “count” or not, but the fact remains that Ghosts of Saltmarsh is rooted in Greyhawk. It uses Greyhawk signatures like the Scarlet Brotherhood, the Sea Princes, Keoland, and the Greyhawk pantheon. There is enough information in the book to have a Greyhawk campaign.

So you just can’t make the argument that all other hardcovers start in FR. They don’t, even if almost all do.

I see your point that trends tend to dictate that adventures are set in FR. You could say that all original adventure hardcovers have started in the Forgotten Realms. I agree with you that the next adventure is probably set in Icewind Dale. But sometimes Wizards throws us a curveball.

Who would have guessed Ravnica? Or Wildemount? Or the GoS set in Greyhawk? And who’s to say they won’t send us another curveball?

 

[Parmandur]

The setting is not owned by WotC, so no, it does not count either.

Best selling setting book is not actually a setting book...?

Cool story, broseph.

 

[bedir than]

There is no setting, only zuul

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

As they removed the setting from the sight, they're probably (definitely) not announcing a setting in this event. There probably won't be a 4th book this year, but if there is, I think it will be Planescape.

 

[Raduin711]

I am starting to think that the new setting will be something we haven't seen before. We have a new generation of D&D players now, and many of them only know about these settings we are talking about second-hand.

They have seen what productions like Acquisitions, Inc. and Critical Role can do, and something tells me they aren't leveraging all this (I hate to call it) star power to dig up a past setting.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I am starting to think that the new setting

 

[Mercurius]

I am starting to think that the new setting will be something we haven't seen before. We have a new generation of D&D players now, and many of them only know about these settings we are talking about second-hand.

They have seen what productions like Acquisitions, Inc. and Critical Role can do, and something tells me they aren't leveraging all this (I hate to call it) star power to dig up a past setting.

Yeah, i don't really think we'll see "something we haven't seen before," at least not this Fall, because we've already gotten/getting two new settings this year, and it seems the "new settings" category is tied to Magic. That said, we might see Exandria fleshed out more, and I suspect we'll eventually see a completely new Magic setting, perhaps a full Wizards of the Coast media event.