Let's Speculate: WotC 2012 to 2014 Product Catalog

[Knightfall]

So, we know that at DDXP coming up that WotC will be talking about "upcoming D&D products for 2012, as well as a vision for the future of Dungeons & Dragons."

I'm expecting that 2012 and the first half of 2013 will be a lean time period. WotC isn't likely to release tons of 4e books while having the public playtest D&D Next.

Yet, what might we get in 2012, 2013, and 2014? Will there be lead up products like with 4E? Will their be a printed D&D^N Beta Test Rulebook like what Paizo did with Pathfinder? And what will that first year look like?

This assumes, of course, that D&D Next is released at GenCon 2013.

Personally, I foresee something like this...

2012 [First Quarter]
Basic Rulebook: Alpha Test [download]
1st Alpha Test Basic Adventure [download/print (no cover)]

2012 [Second Quarter]
Free RPG Day Alpha Test Basic Adventure
2nd Alpha Test Basic Adventure [download/print (no cover)]

2012 [Third Quarter]
Core Rulebook: Beta Test [download/softcover]
1st Beta Test Core Adventure [download/print (no cover)]
3rd Alpha Test Basic Adventure [download/print (no cover)]

2012 [Fourth Quarter]
Preview Book
2nd Beta Test Core Adventure [download/print (no cover)]

2013 [First Quarter]
Preview Book(s)
3rd Beta Test Core Adventure [download/print (no cover)]

2013 [Second Quarter]
Forgotten Realms Preview Book
Free RPG Day Basic Adventure
Free RPG Day Basic Rulebook

2013 [Third Quarter]
Basic Game (1-10) [box]
Player's Handbook [hardcover]
Dungeon Master's Guide [hardcover]
Monster Manual [hardcover] OR Monster Vault [box]
Epic-Level Module: Alpha Playtest [download]
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting [hardcover OR boxed set]
1st Core Adventure
Basic SRD/OGL

2013 [Fourth Quarter]
Psionics Module: Alpha Playtest [download]
Forgotten Realms Monster Vault [box]
Rules Compendium [digest]
1st Basic Adventure
1st Forgotten Realms Adventure
2nd Core Adventure

2014 [First Quarter]
Dungeon Tiles: Set 1 [box]
Epic-Level Module: Beta Playtest [download/softcover]
Oriental Adventures Module: Alpha Playtest [download]
1st Forgotten Realms Campaign Sourcebook [hardcover]
2nd Forgotten Realms Adventure
3rd Core Adventure

2014 [Second Quarter]
Psionics Module: Beta Playtest [download/softcover]
Free RPG Day Basic Adventure
1st Core Sourcebook
2nd Basic Adventure
3rd Forgotten Realms Adventure
4th Core Adventure

2014 [Third Quarter]
Dungeon Tiles: Set 2 [shrink-wrapped]
Monster Manual/Vault II
Nerath Campaign Setting [hardcover]
Oriental Adventures Module: Beta Playtest [download/softcover]
Psionics Handbook
1st Core Super-Adventure [softcover]
5th Core Adventure
Core SRD/OGL

2014 [Fourth Quarter]
Wrath of the Immortals: Epic Campaign Rules [hardcover OR box]
1st Basic Super-Adventure [box]
1st Nerath Adventure
2nd Forgotten Realms Campaign Sourcebook [hardcover]
3rd Basic Adventure
6th Core Adventure

 

[foolish_mortals]

I don't know what the catalog is going to be. It might not make it beyond year one at this rate.

foolish_mortals

 

[Howndawg]

I think 5e should come out in 2014... Fortieth anniversary of the white box. And the first release? The 5e whitebox rules!

 

[Knightfall]

I think 5e should come out in 2014... Fortieth anniversary of the white box. And the first release? The 5e whitebox rules!

While that would be cool, I think 2014 is too far away since they've already told us it's coming. Perhaps a "Special Edition" of the game could be released for the Anniversary. Imagine leatherette covers and embossed pages. Or maybe a special collectors edition of the rules done in a style similar to the BECMI Rules Cyclopedia.

 

[Beolveig]

I believe 2014 is too far away as well. People will stop buying 4e products and Hasbro will probably give the employees a deadline once the reality of their sales slump sets in. Hopefully they'll give it time to be play tested sufficiently though. On a lighter note, I hope if they come up with new dungeon tiles and miniatures they keep the same scale. Although it would surprise me if the new products were not compatible, I wouldn't completely put it past anyone either. Admittedly, my post is a bit negative, but I don't want to get my hopes up either.

 

[Knightfall]

I believe 2014 is too far away as well. People will stop buying 4e products and Hasbro will probably give the employees a deadline once the reality of their sales slump sets in. Hopefully they'll give it time to be play tested sufficiently though. On a lighter note, I hope if they come up with new dungeon tiles and miniatures they keep the same scale. Although it would surprise me if the new products were not compatible, I wouldn't completely put it past anyone either. Admittedly, my post is a bit negative, but I don't want to get my hopes up either.

I think it would be hazardous for WotC to create new minis/tiles that were incompatible with both 3e and 4e.

 

[Glade Riven]

Isn't the turn-around time for when something is finished and sent off to the printers and when it hits shelves around 10 months? I read that somewhere...

 

[RangerWickett]

I'm confident there won't be boxed sets as the main product. They're too expensive. I could imagine a $40 D&D Starter Set that covers the first few levels, but there won't be a 'Heroic Tier' box, I'm pretty sure.