D&D 5E Ray Winninger mentions third project!

WotC's Ray Winninger has confirmed that another D&D release, by James Wyatt, will be released in between Witchlight (September) and Strixhaven (November). Strixhaven was Amanda Hamon's project, while Witchlight is Chris Perkins'. That assumes he's not referring to the Feywild accessory kit in September.

A lot of people are asking Qs about the [D&D] releases for the rest of this year.

Yes, WILD BEYOND THE WITCHLIGHT is the [Chris Perkins] story product I referenced in our dev blog. STRIXHAVEN is [Amanda Hamon's] project. We have not yet announced [James Wyatt's] project, which releases between WITCHLIGHT and STRIXHAVEN.

Why did we announce STRIXHAVEN so early? Pretty simple--there was no way to release the STRIX-related Unearthed Arcana without letting the cat out of the bag.

You'll learn a lot more about all of these products at D&D Live on G4, July 16 and 17. And yes, there is still a little surprise or two ahead.

D&D 5E - Two New D&D Books Revealed: Feywild & Strixhaven Mage School

Amazon has revealed the next two D&D hardcovers! The Wild Beyond the Witchlight is a feywild adventure due in September, and Curriculum of Chaos is a Magic: the Gathering setting of Strixhaven, which looks like a Harry Potter-esque mage school, set for November...

www.enworld.org

 

[Parmandur]

No Greyhawk?

Greyhawk and Dragonlance have historically been second tier in popularity of Classic Settinfs: in fact, there two top tier Settinfs that haven't been made for 5E yet, Planescape and Dark Sun, which is why I see those as plausible next steps. However, if Settonga continue to do well, I think Greyhawl will happen, and probably be better for waiting and thinking out an approach.

 

[bedir than]

I still think Greyhawk or Mystara or the 50th anniversary release.

 

[Mercurius]

All wishful thinking aside, what place do Greyhawk or Mystara have in the new era of D&D? If you're WotC and you're looking at a fan-base that is 90% under 40 years old, how do you sell those settings and why would you bother? I just don't see it. I mean, maybe something for the 50th anniversary, but I highly doubt it would be bonafide setting treatments. At most I could see re-issues of earlier products, like the World of Greyhawk box set, but updated with 5E stats. That would require a lot less time and effort than, say, a new setting book with new text and art. Or maybe a "Worlds of D&D" commemorative product that is all fluff and art (and maps!), sort of like Arts & Arcana, but for settings.

 

[Aldarc]

All wishful thinking aside, what place do Greyhawk or Mystara have in the new era of D&D? If you're WotC and you're looking at a fan-base that is 90% under 40 years old, how do you sell those settings and why would you bother? I just don't see it. I mean, maybe something for the 50th anniversary, but I highly doubt it would be bonafide setting treatments. At most I could see re-issues of earlier products, like the World of Greyhawk box set, but updated with 5E stats. That would require a lot less time and effort than, say, a new setting book with new text and art. Or maybe a "Worlds of D&D" commemorative product that is all fluff and art (and maps!), sort of like Arts & Arcana, but for settings.

Paging @Rob Kuntz.

 

[Mercurius]

Paging @Rob Kuntz.

I'm not knocking Greyhawk or Mystara, nor am I saying they don't have a place in fandom. I'm saying that I see no reason for WotC to expend significant resources on them over other projects - or, at least, a cost/benefit analysis wouldn't make sense in the way that matters most to them, as a corporation: financial.

EDIT: A bit more...

In truth, paging Rob Kuntz, bless his heart, kind of serves my point. He is representative of a generation of gamers, "the Founding Fathers," who now make up a tiny minority, and their "children" (we Gen Xers), while still making up a sizeable number of active players, are now a minority (11%, but one poll). It is kind of sad, and as someone who grew up in the 80s I kind of miss the vibe and feel of D&D back then. But that doesn't mean I think that "kids these days" will or even should embrace my aesthetic preferences.

I love 70s funk, but I don't then go and say that, because I love it, 20-somethings will, or at least should. In truth, 70s funk has been incorporated into new styles, from 90s acid jazz to deep house to neo-soul and various shades of pop. Some younger folks might like Funkadelic, but it is, in the end, a window into a very different era, and should be honored as such - but to try to endlessly resuscitate them can actually work against that, in that it "overplows the field."

Life moves on. As it should. But we can also honor where we've come from, but to endlessly rehash it is leads to stagnation.

 

[darjr]

I know one that I keep saying to anyone that’ll listen. Give Greyhawk to GaryCon like Baldman Games and Gameholecon have regions of FR. Let GaryCon develop 5e and older editions content for it, available on DMSGUILD. Then open it up in the DMSGUILD later.

Make it con exclusive to start.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

There is a little trick to promote Greyhawk and Mystara. They are the oldest lines, and then these could appear as "product emplacement" in some production set in the 80's, for example Stranger Things.

A module or adventure compilation wouldn't need previous playtest in UA articles.

 

[Rabulias]

I agree that it is looking like something dragon-related in the October release.

Unworthy Thought Dep't: You don't think if they did do something like Planesjammer, they would count that as two classic settings at once do you? I think many would call foul on that!

 

[Zaukrie]

My issue with wotc doing a dragon book is that 3rd party products are much more interesting when it comes to monsters. I will likely buy it, but the dragons well be bags of hit points with breath weapons......yawn.

 

[Parmandur]

All wishful thinking aside, what place do Greyhawk or Mystara have in the new era of D&D? If you're WotC and you're looking at a fan-base that is 90% under 40 years old, how do you sell those settings and why would you bother? I just don't see it. I mean, maybe something for the 50th anniversary, but I highly doubt it would be bonafide setting treatments. At most I could see re-issues of earlier products, like the World of Greyhawk box set, but updated with 5E stats. That would require a lot less time and effort than, say, a new setting book with new text and art. Or maybe a "Worlds of D&D" commemorative product that is all fluff and art (and maps!), sort of like Arts & Arcana, but for settings.

Well, remember that Greyhawk also has nostalgia value for Millenials like myself: my first character was was a Half-Orc Paladin devoted to St. Cuthbert. Second-hamd nostalgia is also definitely a thing. It seems ideal for a 50th Anniversary celebration product, diving deep into classic fantasy tropes. Basically, make it the Appendix N genre book.