D&D 5E (2024) Predict WotC's 2026 D&D releases

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Agreed, but I was responding to the gazetteers part very specially. I'm not sure WotC even really does adventures anymore? Sort of, but like in the day. We really need Dungeon back.

The market has more than covered that niche (including a just announced set of them from EN Publishing). I suspect WotC doesn't think there's enough profit margin in producing smaller softcover adventures now, preferring to save their energy for -- checks notes -- stuff like Vecna: Eve of Ruin.

 

[Zaukrie]

The market has more than covered that niche (including a just announced set of them from EN Publishing). I suspect WotC doesn't think there's enough profit margin in producing smaller softcover adventures now, preferring to save their energy for -- checks notes -- stuff like Vecna: Eve of Ruin.

We'll disagree on whether I want a WotC collection, or third party collections from hundreds of people / companies.....let's be honest, how many DMs have even heard of EnWorld? Like, 10%? That seems generous.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

We'll disagree on whether I want a WotC collection, or third party collections from hundreds of people / companies.....let's be honest, how many DMs have even heard of EnWorld? Like, 10%? That seems generous.

But you have, so you know where to get lots of adventures already. And I think more people are getting third party products than we sometimes give the audience credit for.

 

[Zaukrie]

But you have, so you know where to get lots of adventures already. And I think more people are getting third party products than we sometimes give the audience credit for.

I'm not worried only about me.....and pretty much no one I play with buys 3rd party stuff (and hasn't for years) other than one friend's stuff. I think you are really wrong here. In any event, we aren't changing each other's minds, and I only answered to clarify why I think WotC should be doing this....

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I'm not worried only about me.....and pretty much no one I play with buys 3rd party stuff (and hasn't for years) other than one friend's stuff. I think you are really wrong here. In any event, we aren't changing each other's minds, and I only answered to clarify why I think WotC should be doing this....

I really don't think he's wrong, at all. I think what you're experiencing is the exception.

I know a few groups in the UK, and there isn't one of them that doesn't have 3PP adventures in the mix, and often 3PP settings too. Anything else 3E, like classes and subclasses and races (not connected to 3PP setting books)? That's a lot less likely.

Kickstarter has huge reach, and leads normies who aren't deeply involved with RPGs, who maybe could scarcely name an RPG other than D&D into seeing and buying 3PP stuff (which often looks cooler than or as cool as WotC's stuff - in fact I'd say WotC have upped their aesthetic game in part because of that). Plus, it's on the shelves at every FLGS, and when you search online for D&D stuff you're likely to come across it. On top of that, WotC themselves are massively endorsing 3PP stuff by putting on D&D Beyond, which means it'll reach even more people.

I'm not saying WotC shouldn't make adventure or w/e, but the idea that it's unusual for people to have 3PP stuff for 5E seems incredibly far-fetched to me. Hell, sometimes 3PP stuff is the route in to D&D, even - via stuff like Humblewood.

 

[Zaukrie]

I really don't think he's wrong, at all. I think what you're experiencing is the exception.

I know a few groups in the UK, and there isn't one of them that doesn't have 3PP adventures in the mix, and often 3PP settings too. Anything else 3E, like classes and subclasses and races (not connected to 3PP setting books)? That's a lot less likely.

Kickstarter has huge reach, and leads normies who aren't deeply involved with RPGs, who maybe could scarcely name an RPG other than D&D into seeing and buying 3PP stuff (which often looks cooler than or as cool as WotC's stuff - in fact I'd say WotC have upped their aesthetic game in part because of that). Plus, it's on the shelves at every FLGS, and when you search online for D&D stuff you're likely to come across it. On top of that, WotC themselves are massively endorsing 3PP stuff by putting on D&D Beyond, which means it'll reach even more people.

I'm not saying WotC shouldn't make adventure or w/e, but the idea that it's unusual for people to have 3PP stuff for 5E seems incredibly far-fetched to me. Hell, sometimes 3PP stuff is the route in to D&D, even - via stuff like Humblewood.

Some? Yes, sure....but, ah, nm, we won't agree.

 

[THEMNGMNT]

Now that we know what's coming in 2026, I feel the urge to muse on what it tells us about the product strategy...

• Expansions and Adventures.This year, the expansion and adventure are a pair. Magical rules expansion with player options plus a magic-themed campaign. They even share a title. In "5E/2014", that's not how things were done. The adventure paths were basically an adventure combined with a campaign setting. Out of the Abyss, Tomb of Annihilation, Dragon Heist, Descent Into Avernus, etc, etc. Rules expansions like the "Of Everything" books were setting agnostic. And books like "Glory of the Giants" and "Treasury of Dragons" were almost a sort of orphan, not tied to any sort of product or marketing effort. So there has been a change in product strategy. I believe it's the new normal, a preview of what's to come for "5.5E/2024". We should expect to see:
  • Campaign settings published independently of adventure paths
  • Adventure paths be shorter and cheaper, but paired with...
  • Rules expansions with a strong theme, which suggests...
  • The "Of Everything" books are a thing of the past
• Settings. Since the new 5.5E/2024 launch of the core books, WotC has fast followed with setting books for FR and Eberron that are "soft" updates to the 5E/2014 versions. Ravenloft is the last of those. I believe they did this to service the fans of those settings and not piss them off. It will be interesting to see what happens now that the "old" settings are mostly updated. I believe we'll see new settings, but at a slower pace.
• Volume. We're likely getting 4 or 5 books this year. This is fairly consistent with the output from the original 5E/2014 era. WotC must believe that's the optimal output for maximum profit. Which leads me to...
• Digital. There is a lot of 3rd party content coming to D&D Beyond. Like, a lot. It's not just the top tier books from top tier publishers. It's second tier, too. It's clear that digital revenue is a huge part of WotC's business. If it's not the majority of their revenue, it soon will be.

 

[mamba]

Expansions and Adventures.This year, the expansion and adventure are a pair.

there is only one pair, Ravenloft is alone and supposedly so is the Winter release.

The "Of Everything" books are a thing of the past

agreed, they seem to spread the subclasses across many books with 8 or 10 or so each. I doubt they will collect them all in a separate ‘of Everything’ as well

Not sure I like this approach better than the old one, but it seems to be the direction they are going in

Settings. Since the new 5.5E/2024 launch of the core books, WotC has fast followed with setting books for FR and Eberron that are "soft" updates to the 5E/2014 versions. Ravenloft is the last of those.

I hope not, there is certainly more they can do with Dragonlance, Planescape, or Spelljammer. Heck, even with the Radiant Citadel. I hope they keep churning out new stuff for their settings, they can throw a new setting into the mix too every now and then, just FR is not what I am looking for