WotC So, when do the announce the July book? Guesses on what it'll be? 🤔

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I fear that all the things I want it to be, will just be too controversial to be published... Dark Sun, Planescape or Oriental Adventures (done ethically) for instance. I live in ever dwindling hope.

I don't think Planescape is too controversial to be published by any means. I use alignment for Planescape, just not for characters. Dark Sun has some touchy subjects in it, but so does Ravenloft, so I think the likelihood of it getting published is nearly fully dependent on 5e having better psionic rules instead of the iffy stuff with the brutality of the world (slavery, cannibalism, etc). Oriental Adventures is never going to be published in 5e, at least not in that name and definitely in a different shape. If they were to do some kind of "Oriental Adventures"-ish content, it's likely going to be scattered through sourcebooks like the Samurai and Kensei subclasses in XGtE, be a M:tG setting book, and/or just be Anime-inspired subclasses/race (like the Astral Self monk).

 

[tetrasodium]

I don't think Planescape is too controversial to be published by any means. I use alignment for Planescape, just not for characters. Dark Sun has some touchy subjects in it, but so does Ravenloft, so I think the likelihood of it getting published is nearly fully dependent on 5e having better psionic rules instead of the iffy stuff with the brutality of the world (slavery, cannibalism, etc). Oriental Adventures is never going to be published in 5e, at least not in that name and definitely in a different shape. If they were to do some kind of "Oriental Adventures"-ish content, it's likely going to be scattered through sourcebooks like the Samurai and Kensei subclasses in XGtE, be a M:tG setting book, and/or just be Anime-inspired subclasses/race (like the Astral Self monk).

WRT oriental adventures it looks reasonable that Anime5e will fill the relevant niche without the cringe

 

[Mercurius]

It would be a real shame if they mangled Dark Sun by sanitizing it. I see no reason why a game designer shouldn't feel free to include such elements as cannibalism and slavery within a fantasy setting. I mean, they fit the setting. It isn't like they were glorified or heavily laden with connective tissue to our world, or any coded messages like Slavery is good! Too bad we stopped doing it (oh, wait, we didn't). Try cannibalism - it is tasty! In fact, eat your neighbor!

But even so, Dark Sun isn't meant to represent anything other than Dark Sun: a strongly themed sword & sorcery desert world with cool (and brutal) stuff like thri-kreen, defilers, agathion, and endemic psionics. Plus, the whole climate change and apocalyptic thing might have some relevance to today's world, and thus be appealing to the new generation that are inheriting the world "as is."

As for Oriental Adventures, I think the likely course of action would be something like what Theros was to Greece: heavily inspired by a specific culture, but it's own thing. Oh wait, there's Kamigawa--but it doesn't have to be that, but it could be something similar. Meaning, there's no need to do an "Oriental" or "Asian" general sourcebook - probably better to make it specific. I mean, it's not like Greeks are picketing outside WotC's offices in Renton.

 

[Demetrios1453]

I'm wondering if the FR adventure (which is now presumably the July release) will be a fey-themed adventure. It's not something that has been done yet in 5e, and we have those fey UAs that would fit in as a bit of extra crunch. Plus the Sword Coast has places like the Moonshae Islands and the High Forest which would be perfect settings for such an adventures (I would love to see the former get some love!). It could even be partially set in the Feywild...

 

[Urriak Uruk]

As I recall, the My Little Pony and other Hasbro games built on the D&D chassis were actually announced by Hasbro, although without firm dates attached.

It's up to you, of course, as to whether you want them to cross over with your games, but I bet a lot of people will. (My eight year old is now too cool for the My Little Pony Tales of Equestria game, but I think she will have a hard time not being delighted if her character ends up falling through a planar portal to a world inhabited by talking ponies.)

I'll admit that the My Little Pony crossover actually made a bit of sense, and is a good product if you have a daughter. That said, some of the suggestions folks make, like crossing D&D with Power Rangers or GI Joe... well, they sound terrible.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Meaning, there's no need to do an "Oriental" or "Asian" general sourcebook - probably better to make it specific. I mean, it's not like Greeks are picketing outside WotC's offices in Renton.

I don't want to be nitpicky here, but the "It shouldn't offend this minority, because this other not especially marginalized group didn't complain this other time," is a pretty tired trope... the two groups do not have a similar history of how their cultures have been depicted, including in D&D.

 

[Mercurius]

I don't want to be nitpicky here, but the "It shouldn't offend this minority, because this other not especially marginalized group didn't complain this other time," is a pretty tired trope... the two groups do not have a similar history of how their cultures have been depicted, including in D&D.

Yeah, I know the argument, but it only holds to a point...the problem is that the point is (imo) way too extreme. But that's been hashed out before. My point was that a tightly themed book like Theros is a good approach to such "culturally analogous" material that will minimize the number of folks who will find something to be offended by.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Kara-Tur needs a lot of work, but this doesn't mean it will never to be published. Asian publishers should notice D&D may be the perfect hook to introduce their own IPs in the western market. My fear is Korea, Japan and China have got their own predjucices against the rest of the neighbours, and if you try to please one others can be unhappy with you. My suggestion is only to publish "crunch" (PC races and monsters) and allowing others to create their own worlds. After testing the reactions to dare to publish lore.

D&D is not ready for crossovers with not-fantasy franchises but when these are a mash-up version. A D&D Transformers could be published at least as April's Fool (and Kaladesh is the best setting for a crossover). Cobra-la, G.I.Joe archenemy could be a faction from Spelljamer, but magictek replacing high-tech. My Little Pony being replaced with pony-headed centauresses (or ha'ponnies). Power Rangers could be paladins who summon totem constructs and these assemble together to become a magic mecha. Hasbro is owner of other Saban IPs also were bought.

Dark Sun is for +13y. There are slavery and other horrible things, but the goal by the heroes is the end of these injustices. There is also slavery in Conan the barbarian or Games of Thrones.

 

[TheSword]

I don't think Planescape is too controversial to be published by any means. I use alignment for Planescape, just not for characters. Dark Sun has some touchy subjects in it, but so does Ravenloft, so I think the likelihood of it getting published is nearly fully dependent on 5e having better psionic rules instead of the iffy stuff with the brutality of the world (slavery, cannibalism, etc). Oriental Adventures is never going to be published in 5e, at least not in that name and definitely in a different shape. If they were to do some kind of "Oriental Adventures"-ish content, it's likely going to be scattered through sourcebooks like the Samurai and Kensei subclasses in XGtE, be a M:tG setting book, and/or just be Anime-inspired subclasses/race (like the Astral Self monk).

You’re more optimistic than me. I’m not sure there is any justification for handling controversial topics when either way they will upset people. I just can’t see how it’s worth it.

As per the article, 50% of projects don’t make it.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

It would be a real shame if they mangled Dark Sun by sanitizing it. I see no reason why a game designer shouldn't feel free to include such elements as cannibalism and slavery within a fantasy setting. I mean, they fit the setting. It isn't like they were glorified or heavily laden with connective tissue to our world, or any coded messages like Slavery is good! Too bad we stopped doing it (oh, wait, we didn't). Try cannibalism - it is tasty! In fact, eat your neighbor!

I don't see much/any negativity towards games that include stuff like slavery as a setting element, but the issue is whether they make it kind of a central issue, and make it more like Roman-style slavery, or more like Southern-style slavery. Unfortunately, despite the presence of some Roman and Ancient World trappings in Dark Sun, the slavery was more oriented towards the Southern-style, replete with an entire race of beings who only exist via slave-breeding (and who unfortunately play into some weird racist tropes about human breeding associated with slavery).

So I think you'd have to re-work and re-name or simply re-move Muls, and you could have slavery but you'd want to turn it down a bit and push it more towards the Roman style (which would make more sense anyway in the setting).

Also Dark Sun is only going to happen one of two ways - a vast re-working which removes Psionics as a key element of the setting (doable) or after they actually bring in a Psion-type class.

I don't think Planescape is too controversial to be published by any means.

I agree but I think it might be too difficult to get agreement on what exactly Planescape should be in 5E, and definitely the Factions were riskier and more thoughtful than anything 5E has even come near so far.