[UPDATED] WotC & Goodman Games Partner To Reprint Classic Modules for 5E

At Gary Con, Goodman Games and WotC announced a partnership, as reported by Brett B over on Google+. They'll be reprinting classic modules, including B1 In Search of the Unknown and B2 The Keep on the Borderlands in a hardcover with both the original adventures and 5th Edition information. More information if and when I hear it!

Photo by Brett B

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UPDATE! There's now a press release from Goodman Games.

Classic D&D Module Collector’s Editions!

Very exciting news from the “What’s New With Goodman Games?” seminar at Gary Con this weekend: Goodman Games has partnered with Wizards of the Coast to produce hardcover Collector’s Editions of classic D&D modules! These editions will include the adventures as orginally printed, complete conversions of the modules to the 5E ruleset, new 5E content, and behind-the-scenes historical content!

Present at the announcement were B1 author and industry legend Mike Carr, D&D lead designer Mike Mearls, and Chris Doyle who will be doing the 5E conversion.

Here is the full press release:

Jump into Classic Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Modules with Collector’s Editions from Goodman Games

First Volume Contains B1 and B2 Converted to Fifth Edition, Plus Insider Commentary, and Original Art

Goodman Games is pleased to announce a partnership with Dungeons & Dragons to publish deluxe collector’s editions of classic D&D adventure modules! These commemorative editions will appeal to fans of Dungeons & Dragons across multiple editions. Each volume will include digitally restored, high-quality scans of the original 1970’s-era adventure modules, presented in their original published form. In addition, each volume will include a conversion of that original adventure to the fifth edition rules set. This format allows nostalgic gamers to re-live the adventures of their youth, and play those adventures again in a modern rules set! For gamers with families and children ready to receive the torch of gaming, this volume is the perfect format to share fond adventures with the next generation playing the Dungeon & Dragons fifth edition rules.

The first hardcover collector’s edition will include B1: In Search of the Unknown and B2: The Keep on the Borderlands. These classic adventure modules were played by millions of gamers in their original editions. Among other things, the book includes:

• Commentary by gaming luminaries on the history and development of these modules, including gaming legends such as Frank Mentzer and Luke Gygax who were “on the inside” when these modules exploded in popularity.
• A new interview with gaming legend Mike Carr, author of B1: In Search of the Unknown and early gaming pioneer.
• Digitally restored scans of both B1 and B2, including multiple printings of B2: The Keep on the Borderlands. B2 went through nine printings in its original form, and there are material differences between the first three printings and subsequent editions. These include changes in monster stats and significant differences in interior art. Two printings are presented in their entirety to highlight these differences. The historical material also includes the true story behind the cover art of B1, which was the only cover image TSR ever published that featured the signatures of both David Trampier and David Sutherland.
• A thorough and complete conversion of both B1 and B2 to the 5E rules set, fully playable with the original maps.
• New 5E content providing additional detail on the areas surrounding the Caves of Chaos, including, at long last, the Cave of the Unknown.
• Additional material for playing B1: In Search of the Unknown, including several completed monster and treasure assortments ready for play.
• A variety of additional essays, commentary, and other material for play.

The deluxe hardcover volume is anticipated to be available at Gen Con with general release in September 2017. For additional information, visit Goodman Games online at www.goodman-games.com.

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[Henry]

No reference to price yet, but I can say I'm interested. Unlike last year, this is going to be a very difficult year for me to decide purchases, between Starfinder, D&D 5 releases, and now this.

 

[Henry]

Actually yes. They've been innovators before, but I don't feel that they are currently. They're playing it safe. They're still making very good products, just not going outside of any comfort zones.

In their defense, why would they? They're making less product, and thus with less product, each one should be something of a surefire hit and crowdpleaser. A thinner release schedule doesn't allow for a lot of experimenting.

Are you looking for new campaign settings, perhaps, or more mechanically innovative things?

 

[Ghost2020]

Are you looking for new campaign settings, perhaps, or more mechanically innovative things?

I'd like to see WotC blow us out of the water with a cool new setting. I'm still surprised they haven't released an official Forgotten Realms setting. I know that they're releasing parts in the adventures, but a 5e Forgotten Realms could be pretty cool.

Rules and such to expand upon classes, etc would be good, but i know that the Unearthed Arcana articles are a testing ground for new material and, no doubt, we'll be seeing something before too long.

The DM's guild has some nice items though, and that should prove to be interesting as time passes.

I really like 5e, it sits in that sweet spot between old school and more granular 3.x/4e. It's fun to play, and more manageable than previous editions, the supplements, while extremely well done, don't make me go "WOW! I NEED TO RUN THIS!"
That's all, no animosity or anything.

 

[CrusaderX]

Wouldnt it be something if Goodman got the rights to Greyhawk? Wow! Possibilities!

I'm drooling at the thought. I would love for this to happen.

 

[Lidgar]

So while I will almost certainly get this, I am also happy to hear that this is the first volume of hopefully several more classic conversions.

Given that, what is on your wish list for Vol. II, III, etc.?

Mine are, in no particular order (and excluding those from TftYP):

1. Isle of Dread
2. Dwellers of the Forbidden City
3. The Lost City
4. The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth/The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun
5. Desert of Desolation

 

[darjr]

So while I will almost certainly get this, I am also happy to hear that this is the first volume of hopefully several more classic conversions.

Given that, what is on your wish list for Vol. II, III, etc.?

Mine are, in no particular order (and excluding those from TftYP):

1. Isle of Dread
2. Dwellers of the Forbidden City
3. The Lost City
4. The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth/The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun
5. Desert of Desolation

Barrier Peaks
Inverness
City of the Gods
Dungeonland
And the land beyond the magic Mirror

But mostly the castle the mad wizard from original notes and all the adventures that tie into it.

 

[MNblockhead]

Desert of Desolation hits the nostalgic sweet spot for me. That and the Alice in Wonderland adventures.

 

[Jester David]

Excuse me, I'm relatively new to the hobby, but when was this flag waved? I was under the impression that most content in 5e besides the PHB, MM, and DMG would be in adventures, for example new races and spells with PotA a new background with CoS, and most new FR setting information in the Adventures themselves.

I feel like they've sold almost nothing but Adventures for the past couple years (probably an exaggeration since I forget when 5e came out) not that I'm complaining. Although some definitely are complaining, I actually like the lack of splat books.

They did adventures in 3e but found they didn't sell well. But, this could also be blamed on the adventures being small products lacking a spine and thus not having a strong shelf presence.

Following 2e, the thought was that player focused accessories would well best, as there are three to five times as many players as Dungeon Masters. In practice though, you tend to have one or two people at the table the buys books.

 

[BookBarbarian]

It was quite some time ago. Previous edition(s). Obviously, not this one. That was one part of the OGL methodology back in the 3.x days. Let 3rd parties make the scenarios/modules and they (wotc) would focus on rules and splat books.

Ah, gotcha.

They did adventures in 3e but found they didn't sell well. But, this could also be blamed on the adventures being small products lacking a spine and thus not having a strong shelf presence.

Following 2e, the thought was that player focused accessories would well best, as there are three to five times as many players as Dungeon Masters. In practice though, you tend to have one or two people at the table the buys books.

Yeah, I was the player that wanted to buy all the new 5e books for my table. Guess who DMs now?

 

[Mouseferatu]

In contrast, work on TFtYP likely started shortly after SKT was completed. So less than a year.

Unless it's changed drastically since I was a regular contributor to the D&D line, no. The development process on a book, from the start of work to publication, is well over a year.