D&D 5E Updating the 5E Product Chart (9/27) - with Projections through 2024

[Mercurius]

So I've updated my chart with confirmed books over the next few years:

Please let me know if I've missed anything, as I've only skimmed the relevant threads. For 2022-24, anything in color is confirmed, whether or not we know the theme or title. The "new settings" haven't been confirmed as definite, nor with a time, but because they seem likely, I put one in 2022, one in 2023 (although both may be pushed back a year).

I also included the possibility of a sixth book (or product). My reasoning is this: From 2015-17 there were three books per year; from 2018-20, four books per year; in 2021, five books. Now if the pattern holds, 2022 and '23 would see five books, which is my default assumption. But given their comments about "experimentation" and the fact that D&D has reached unparalleled heights of popularity (and sales), I wouldn't be surprised if we see a 4-5-6 rise in major products from 2020-22. This is further supported by the fact that originally they had a sixth book (Monsters of the Multiverse) on schedule this year (and a fifth last year) before pandemic issues. So the original schedule might have been 4 in 2019, 5 in 2020, and 6 in 2021.

 

[Mercurius]

Alright, now for some speculation.

Three Classic Settings (+Cameo)
This has been a topic of conversation for much of this year, but we have more info to go on. I think the title of Monsters of the Multiverse is a huge clue, and further supports the idea that Planescape is imminent. Not only is it the single classic setting that brings something new to 5E, but the planes--a major aspect of D&D canon and lore--just haven't really been explored all that well, at least in a "meta-sense."

So first and most likely for 2022: Planescape. It may be done differently, but we'll see the planes in some form or fashion, or at least I think it is the most likely choice.

I'll bring in the cameo next. It just makes sense that this will be Spelljammer, either folded into PS and/or as part of an FR-based story arc involving a spelljammer ship.

OK, the second classic setting for 2022. I think the next three most likely candidates, in order of likelihood to see publishing as full settings, are: Dark Sun, Forgotten Realms, and Dragonlance. Greyhawk would be a distance fourth, and Mystara and Birthright very distant fifth and sixth (Council of Wyrms is also vaguely possible, but I think would be remade into one of the new settings).

I personally think Dark Sun is slated for 2023, so the most likely candidates are either FR or DL. I can see arguments for either and haven't made up my mind as to which is more likely. At face value, an FR book seems like a no-brainer. Not only does it provide the context for most of the story arcs, a context that some new players haven't really seen, but it is also a way of "wrapping up" one era of 5E as the game moves further into other venues: the planes and other worlds. I'm not saying they're done with the FR, but I could see them shifting the emphasis so that it is just one of many worlds they draw from.

On the other hand, they may try to optimize the cross-media possibilities with the new DL novels coming out. And further, DL makes a great cohesive campaign; the setting is basically built to tell a story, unlike kitchen sink settings which were created as environments for many stories. This would also make sense with the idea of a "new format," which I take to mean less a matter of physical product, and more a matter of presentation.

So I could see a Dragonlance "mega-box" that is a complete campaign in and of itself. That is, a "campaign-in-a-box." Certainly the story arcs are this to a large extent, but they only really provide setting material for the context of the adventure. Instead, imagine a box set that has a story arc, a setting book, a rules book, maps, and other stuff, with digital augmentation. This isn't entirely new, so would be fudging a bit, but would certainly be new to 5E, especially if they advertised it as not requiring anything beyond the box and the basic rules that are downloadable, and not requiring the core rulebooks (that might be a stretch, though).

If we see Greyhawk, as I've been saying for awhile, I don't think it will be until 2024 with the anniversary. And Mystara? I just don't see it ever happening, at least not through WotC. I know it has its diehard fans that will try to prove otherwise, but I don't see how or why they'd publish it before any of the other settings mentioned above - including Greyhawk.

New Settings
I know they say they're "in development" and "may not happen," but come on. I think the fact that they've mentioned them a couple times now means they are mostly likely to happen.

As for what they are, who knows. The mostly likely candidate that I've heard mentioned is this "First World," which would provide a gonzo context that 5E has been lacking. After that, I could see them going for something with a more international flavor, beyond European tropes, or at least de-centralized from European analogues.

Other Products
The product schedule seems to be anchored on the setting books, thus the adventures will likely complement them. They seem to want to produce more anthologies, so I could see them doing one per year, and one story arc. One question is whether or not the story arc will remain centered in the Realms. My guess is not, or at least if it is, then we'll see a third adventure at some point soon.

So it could be that the new publication schedule, starting in 2022, will be:
2-3 settings
2-3 story arcs
1 splat

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Other Products
The product schedule seems to be anchored on the setting books, thus the adventures will likely complement them. They seem to want to produce more anthologies, so I could see them doing one per year, and one story arc. One question is whether or not the story arc will remain centered in the Realms. My guess is not, or at least if it is, then we'll see a third adventure at some point soon.

So it could be that the new publication schedule, starting in 2022, will be:
2-3 settings
2-3 story arcs
1 splat

I would bet on a new adventure anthology next year. I believe Candlekeep was well received (I think its dope) and there are rumors of a Critical Role Adventure Anthology. I don't take that rumor too seriously, but it's possible. Plus, there was the anthology Welch mentioned featuring material from Marisha Ray and Deborah Ann Woll. Knowing now how long books sit in development, that could get revived. Or who knows, maybe that book and the Critical Role one are one-and-the-same.

 

[Demetrios1453]

My feeling on a new setting would be a "Domains of Delight" Feywild setting to mirror Ravenloft. It really seems like they are doing a test run on it right now with the adventure and the DMs Guild product, and if it's received well, they'll expand it into a full setting book.

And I'll echo that Planescape seems really likely this year, and that our "sneak peek" will be some Spelljammer stuff in an adventure (again, as a bit of a test run).

 

[Mercurius]

I would bet on a new adventure anthology next year. I believe Candlekeep was well received (I think its dope) and there are rumors of a Critical Role Adventure Anthology. I don't take that rumor too seriously, but it's possible. Plus, there was the anthology Welch mentioned featuring material from Marisha Ray and Deborah Ann Woll. Knowing now how long books sit in development, that could get revived. Or who knows, maybe that book and the Critical Role one are one-and-the-same.

My one question about a CR anthology is that I'm wondering if Mercer etc have "re-claimed" all Exandria stuff, or at least future stuff, within their new company. Meaning, it would make sense to see Darrington publish it, not WotC.

 

[Mercurius]

My feeling on a new setting would be a "Domains of Delight" Feywild setting to mirror Ravenloft. It really seems like they are doing a test run on it right now with the adventure and the DMs Guild product, and if it's received well, they'll expand it into a full setting book.

Yes, that seems like a good guess. Not my cuppa, but I have this strange view that D&D isn't made for just me

 

[Urriak Uruk]

My one question about a CR anthology is that I'm wondering if Mercer etc have "re-claimed" all Exandria stuff, or at least future stuff, within their new company. Meaning, it would make sense to see Darrington publish it, not WotC.

It's possible that Mercer wants to go it alone, but these big books take a lot of effort to publish (the quality difference between the older Tal'Dorei book and Wildemount is wide). I'm sure that WotC could if they wanted to give Mercer a big enough profit share to make it worth it for them.

Regardless of whether it's CR or not, if you watch the panel Crawford essentially confirms more adventure anthologies are coming. I'm sure these are relatively easy to write as well, as there is a huge pool of writers to contract from through DMsGuild and other sources.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Looks like it's also roughly 1 MtG setting every 1 or 2 years. I think they're independent of "new settings".

 

[Urriak Uruk]

My feeling on a new setting would be a "Domains of Delight" Feywild setting to mirror Ravenloft. It really seems like they are doing a test run on it right now with the adventure and the DMs Guild product, and if it's received well, they'll expand it into a full setting book.

And I'll echo that Planescape seems really likely this year, and that our "sneak peek" will be some Spelljammer stuff in an adventure (again, as a bit of a test run).

I doubt this. The PDF is extremely slim, and it feels less like a playtest, and more like Witchlight material that an editor cut for space, but they didn't have the heart to let die entirely.

Agreed on both Planescape and Spelljammer.

 

[Mercurius]

It's possible that Mercer wants to go it alone, but these big books take a lot of effort to publish (the quality difference between the older Tal'Dorei book and Wildemount is wide). I'm sure that WotC could if they wanted to give Mercer a big enough profit share to make it worth it for them.

Yeah, makes sense.

Regardless of whether it's CR or not, if you watch the panel Crawford essentially confirms more adventure anthologies are coming. I'm sure these are relatively easy to write as well, as there is a huge pool of writers to contract from through DMsGuild and other sources.

Yep. I think the new publishing schedule, at least in 2022-23, is:
Three settings (1-2 classic, 0-1 new, 0-1 Magic)
Two adventures (one story arc, one anthology)
One splat

= six books.

Connected to that...

Looks like it's also roughly 1 MtG setting every 1 or 2 years. I think they're independent of "new settings".

Yep, maybe something like two new MtG settings every three years. So something like:

2022: two classics, one new
2023: one classic, one new, one Magic

Who knows about 2024, and whether nor not the rest of the schedule will be reduced to focus on the new core rule set.