D&D 5E Keith Baker Presents Closing Doors On Eberron

Keith Baker has announced that his Eberron-based publishing company will be ending production after 4 years. The company, led by Eberron creator Keith Baker, produced four incredibly popular books on the Dungeon Master's Guild--Exploring Eberron, Chronicles of Eberron, Dread Metrol, and Eberron Confidential. There is one more book planned--Frontiers of Eberron: Quickstone will be released by Visionary Production and Design who will also be continuing publication of the four existing books.

Eberron is an official D&D world, and was introduced to 5E with Eberron: Rising form the Last War in 2019.

We appreciate all the support and enthusiasm that our fans brought these past four years, and it is with a heavy heart that we must inform you that on June 30, 2023 KB Presents will be closing its doors. It has been a joy and honor to bring you our version of Eberron and we are incredibly proud of what we have created.

As we pursue new challenges and opportunities, we leave the existing works under the stewardship of Visionary Production and Design (https://twitter.com/visionarypnd). This includes the following Dungeon Masters Guild titles:

Exploring Eberron: Exploring Eberron - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild
Chronicles of Eberron: Chronicles of Eberron - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild
Dread Metrol: Dread Metrol: Into the Mists - An Eberron / Ravenloft Crossover - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild
Eberron Confidential: Eberron Confidential - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild

If you would like to continue supporting the former KB Presents production team, you can find us at:

Laura Hirsbrunner, Editor: Laura Hirsbrunner
Imogen Gingell, Designer: Imogen Gingell
Wayne Chang, Producer: Adventuring Zone
Keith Baker, Lead Designer: Twogether Studios

Our final book, Frontiers of Eberron: Quickstone, is slated for release in the latter half of 2023 and will be published under Visionary. We appreciate your taking this journey with us and we look forward to our paths crossing once again.

Thank you!

 

[FrozenNorth]

W


Yes,
That is why I asked!

That was in response to my question. I was asking in the context of being able to continue to print on demand.

 

[dave2008]

Selling books total isn't the same form retaining fans from the past.

No, but it is more evidence than you have presented.

This is a useless star regarding retention and books sold....on a different site

Not sure what you are getting at. This is the only way to get current official 5e content. DMs Guild is fan made and tells me next to nothing about whether or not people accept WotC updated settings, which was, I thought, your argument.

Also, to your first point DMsGuild sales ranks don't tell us anything about retaining fans from the past either. That is kind of my point really. We can't know what past fans are buying simply from sales of books, by any measure on any site. You made a baseless speculation simply because it is what you believe or what you want or what you want to believe. That doesn't make it so any more than it makes the opposite true. We simply don't know anything about fan retention.

 

[dave2008]

In the current time, I have no reason to trust companies in regards to sticking to existing canon. I do not like the direction of either 5e WoTC, or PF2 Paizo. Its not so much about having other authors, as I know KB didnt write all these things solo, but it gives me a simple benchmark. Call it an appeal to authority, or a specific vision, but its essentially 'done'.

Rising from the Last War
Exploring Eberron
Chronicles of Eberron.
KB Blog if needed.

Thats it for me. If he's stepping away, I'm not interested in anything else.



As noted above here, its just the 3 books. I'm not interested in another 'modern sensibilities' take from Wizards after 5 years.

Thank you for the additional clarification!

 

[dave2008]

The

They go hand in hand often enough for me to treat it as true until proven otherwise.

I don't know the specific works you two are discussing, but authors are not universally good. Everyone makes clunkers every once and while (or worse).

 

[Micah Sweet]

I don't know the specific works you two are discussing, but authors are not universally good. Everyone makes clunkers every once and while (or worse).

Of course not, but if I like the world they created, I feel I'll likely favor more stuff they make about that world, unless I have reason to feel otherwise (J.K. Rowling comes to mind).

 

[Stoutstien]

No, but it is more evidence than you have presented.

Not sure what you are getting at. This is the only way to get current official 5e content. DMs Guild is fan made and tells me next to nothing about whether or not people accept WotC updated settings, which was, I thought, your argument.

Also, to your first point DMsGuild sales ranks don't tell us anything about retaining fans from the past either. That is kind of my point really. We can't know what past fans are buying simply from sales of books, by any measure on any site. You made a baseless speculation simply because it is what you believe or what you want or what you want to believe. That doesn't make it so any more than it makes the opposite true. We simply don't know anything about fan retention.

Time will tell.

 

[dave2008]

Time will tell.

What will time tell us in this case? That could be true (it often is), but I am not sure what you think can or will be proven. Do you care to clarify?

 

[Stoutstien]

What will time tell us in this case? That could be true (it often is), but I am not sure what you think can or will be proven. Do you care to clarify?

Settings transcend system which is the entire point by looking at a single system publication of official content for it is a pointless metric. The fact that many fans are looking at the author rather than the publisher is a very strong indication of the presence of that setting rather than other factors like availability price or timing. Or poll stat manipulation by just buying your own product. That's why he's saying such and such the best selling book is a pointless title because the majority of them are just bought why a single company or entity. Anyone can be a best-selling author with a little bit of money.
They might own the intellectual rights to the system but because they didn't create it nor are they going to continue the relationship with those who did we'll see how many "unofficial" conversion start popping up for different systems compared to interest in the inevitable publication they're going to make as they introduce their anniversary edition.
This is already started happening as the latest generation of players are registering higher interest in different systems. The DND section in local stores or even big book stores is shrinking but the section of the entire genre is growing.

So all we have to do is wait for the inevitable reprint or campaign published by wizard set in a certain setting that no longer has the input of the original author and we'll see how it does. Especially since they refuse to actually come up with a new setting they're going to reprint something.

 

[dave2008]

First thank you for responding to my query. Also, I only skimmed the preceding paragraph as it didn't seem to answer my question.

So all we have to do is wait for the inevitable reprint or campaign published by wizard set in a certain setting that no longer has the input of the original author and we'll see how it does.

OK, so that is what you mean by time will tell. That will be an interesting metric, but at leat two complications could arise.

1. We don't know if or when 5e will go back to Eberron.
2. We don't know the KB will not be involved. He may well be willing to come back on 10+/- years
3. We don't know if KB will be alive when they do come back. Do fans think about it differently when the creator has passed?

Especially since they refuse to actually come up with a new setting they're going to reprint something.

This is untrue on many levels. They have created 3 new settings for 5e with another one coming this year, and another one scheduled for next year IIRC. To be clear, I am talking about:

1. Ravnica
2. Theros
3. Radiant Citadel
4. Phandelver Campaign (this look to be a campaign and not a setting on a deeper dive)
5. Announced completely new setting

 

[Micah Sweet]

First thank you for responding to my query. Also, I only skimmed the preceding paragraph as it didn't seem to answer my question.

OK, so that is what you mean by time will tell. That will be an interesting metric, but at leat two complications could arise.

1. We don't know if or when 5e will go back to Eberron.
2. We don't know the KB will not be involved. He may well be willing to come back on 10+/- years
3. We don't know if KB will be alive when they do come back. Do fans think about it differently when the creator has passed?

This is untrue on many levels. They have created 3 new settings for 5e with another one coming this year, and another one scheduled for next year IIRC. To be clear, I am talking about:

1. Ravnica
2. Theros
3. Radiant Citadel
4. Phandelver Campaign (this look to be a campaign and not a setting on a deeper dive)
5. Announced completely new setting

Phandelver is set in the Realms. Unless they're making a new setting with the same marketable proper nouns, like they did with Ravenloft?

 

[Stoutstien]

Phandelver is set in the Realms. Unless they're making a new setting with the same marketable proper nouns, like they did with Ravenloft?

And the first two are rehashed magic the gathering content and 3rd is explicitly a setting neutral collection of individual plots that can be used as something more but it is also located within an established plane of the forgotten realm so also not a new setting.

The critical role contents the closest thing that they have to a unique setting.

 

[dave2008]

Phandelver is set in the Realms. Unless they're making a new setting with the same marketable proper nouns, like they did with Ravenloft?

Yes, I know. Kara-Tur and Maztica are also "in the realms" but are their own settings too. I originally thought Phandelver was going to be the same, but it appears that will not be the case - as I noted.

 

[dave2008]

And the first two are rehashed magic the gathering content and...

However, they are settings WotC created. They are their creation, a good deal "newer" than most D&D settings, and new to D&D. You can can dismiss them if you want, but I see no logical reason to do that. They fit the bill to me.

3rd is explicitly a setting neutral collection of individual plots that can be used as something more but it is also located within an established plane of the forgotten realm so also not a new setting.

The radiant citadel is set in the established multiverse (as are all D&D settings, included Eberron), not specifically the Forgotten Realms. However it is also specifically a setting itself, like all of the other D&D settings in the D&D multiverse (which is all official D&D settings).

The critical role contents the closest thing that they have to a unique setting.

I didn't include that one as it is more distant than the MtG settings which were created by WotC. Exandria was not created by WotC. However, I guess in some respects it is similar to Eberron though I don't know the legal arrangement that brought Exandria to D&D. It seems to be different than what made Eberron possible. So maybe we should included it? That would bring the new settings so far back up to 4 (with Phandelver removed) and the 5th new setting to be released next year.

PS - I forgot Arcavios (another MtG crossover). So that makes 5 currently with the 6th to come next year. And that one will not be a MtG crossover.

 

[Stoutstien]

The MTG settings existed prior to the Next playtest by nearly a decade. I can't see how that is new by any stretch of the imagination nor is the Ethereal Plane or cities in it. It's a woven in part of FR cosmic wheel. All this is is Planescape with a different name for the city without any actual meat on the bones. I don't see a single "this is what makes this a unique setting" calling card but maybe I missed it on my first read.

 

[JoeyQueerAF]

I signed up as a Patreon specifically to stay in touch with whatever his incredible talent creates. Eberron is very likely going to be the next campaign world I run my players through, his article on incorporating Spelljammer into Eberron is excellent!

 

[vecna00]

The MTG settings existed prior to the Next playtest by nearly a decade. I can't see how that is new by any stretch of the imagination nor is the Ethereal Plane or cities in it. It's a woven in part of FR cosmic wheel. All this is is Planescape with a different name for the city without any actual meat on the bones. I don't see a single "this is what makes this a unique setting" calling card but maybe I missed it on my first read.

That cosmic wheel predates the Forgotten Realms. Forgotten Realms is a part of that cosmic wheel. The cosmic wheel does not exist because of the Forgotten Realms.

 

[Stoutstien]

That cosmic wheel predates the Forgotten Realms. Forgotten Realms is a part of that cosmic wheel. The cosmic wheel does not exist because of the Forgotten Realms.

I'm not arguing the forgotten realms is new. Also I'm not the expert on the forgotten rounds because I hate kitchen sink settings but wasn't it not technically attached until the times of troubles and under that model every prime plane has its own ethereal plane that coincides with it?
A new city within an existing plane of existence can be a setting but I don't see how this one fits the bill yet. It's a Chuck e cheese Sigil.

 

[vecna00]

I'm not arguing the forgotten realms is new. Also I'm not the expert on the forgotten rounds because I hate kitchen sink settings but wasn't it not technically attached until the times of troubles and under that model every prime plane has its own ethereal plane that coincides with it?
A new city within an existing plane of existence can be a setting but I don't see how this one fits the bill yet. It's a Chuck e cheese Sigil.

Here's the part that I was referring to:

It's a woven in part of FR cosmic wheel.

The Great Wheel is not the "Forgotten Realms Cosmology," it's the D&D Cosmology that Forgotten Realms is a part of.