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.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I suspect we'll eventually see a completely new Magic setting, perhaps a full Wizards of the Coast media event.

That would be an interesting way to market a truly new setting - get the Magic and D&D teams to work together to create a new setting that works for both. The trick would be to find a way to really give it a unique identity. But it could be a WotC marketing juggernaut.

 

[Chronos96]

It's two words on a single statement ("new setting"). It's less indicative of a strategy if it's just a mistake if they meant the word setting in the "it's a place where you are."

Hence why I put setting/adventure. I don't mean to come across as snippy but we as fans go through this every year.
They obviously mean the "new" setting of the adventure. It's been like this the last four years or so.

We'll get an adventure and then we'll have at least one supplemental product like Volo's announced.


I used the term marketing strategy referring to the fact that it would be odd for Wizards's to announce Theros as one of the products on the upcoming stream considering the product's already been announced. Anybody who thinks that they're going to waste an announcement slot on a previously announced product is crazy. I'm not saying that they won't highlight it due to Covid but I'm 99% percent sure we'll have at least two new products announced just like we have the last 3-4 years now.

 

[Mercurius]

I can’t remember for certain, but I think they said that they were going to talk about the new adventure and setting. As I’ve previously said, this almost certainly means the new story arc and either Theros or the setting of the story arc. If it is Theros, it simply means that they’re going to talk about it — not re-announce it.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I can’t remember for certain, but I think they said that they were going to talk about the new adventure and setting. As I’ve previously said, this almost certainly means the new story arc and either Theros or the setting of the story arc. If it is Theros, it simply means that they’re going to talk about it — not re-announce it.

Those are two different things. With Theros coming online soon and to stores later (speaking as a retailer, I'm frustrated by this, but I get logistics have been difficult) they will absolutely be talking about Theros over the next month.

... But they also said there would be an announcement soon. The words "new setting" were used, but then dropped (probably due to not wanting to cause confusion - the original line was probably a mistake).

I expect we will have a lot of talk about Theros soon, along with an announcement of the fall's book (probably an Icewind dale adventure, but it could be anything) and maybe another book?

 

[Mercurius]

Those are two different things. With Theros coming online soon and to stores later (speaking as a retailer, I'm frustrated by this, but I get logistics have been difficult) they will absolutely be talking about Theros over the next month.

... But they also said there would be an announcement soon. The words "new setting" were used, but then dropped (probably due to not wanting to cause confusion - the original line was probably a mistake).

I expect we will have a lot of talk about Theros soon, along with an announcement of the fall's book (probably an Icewind dale adventure, but it could be anything) and maybe another book?

First, a question: What do you "online soon and to stores later?" I thought both were July 21?

The original phrase was "Fans of D&D will learn about the new setting and storyline." This has already been beaten to death, but "learn about" isn't the same as "announced." It could be "learn more about" Theros, or "learn about the setting for the storyline, Icewind Dale."

They probably removed the setting part because people were misconstruing it as a new setting other than Theros or the story arc.

 

[Xenonnonex]

First, a question: What do you "online soon and to stores later?" I thought both were July 21?

Theros releases online June 2. Physical books release July 21.

 

[Guest 6801328]

By "everyone" I assume you mean everyone on ENWorld and similar on and off-line contexts, inhabited by long-term D&D fans, and we may now be their secondary marketing target, distantly beyond the many more new and more casual fans.

Actually, I am their primary market. I'm just here to spy on y'all.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Theros releases online June 2. Physical books release July 21.

Yes. Much to my dismay, as I preordered the physical copy, instead of the digital. Now, I guess I'm buying both.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

They probably removed the setting part because people were misconstruing it as a new setting other than Theros or the story arc.

Yeah, it's highly unlikely that they'll announce a new setting or 4th book for this year. My best guess for this "setting" is Planescape, but it doesn't really count as a setting, exactly, or new.

 

[Guest 6801328]

This is off-topic (but, strangely, completely on-topic at the same time) but I find myself wishing for some kind of AI/NLP algorithm that would change the title of a thread as the topic drifted, and show all the previous titles with a mouse-over. That way you could glance at a thread in the forum list and immediately kind of get a sense for where it has wandered.