D&D 5E What's the 5E plan?

[TrippyHippy]

I think the plan initially is to just get all the corebooks out and assess how they’ve been received by the community at large.

In terms of long term profits, I actually think there will be more profit through licensing out the D&D brand to other things - boardgames, novels, online games, TV and movies. But time will tell….

 

[Mistwell]

That won't be much profit. Hopefully they have a better plan than that.

License the heck out of the D&D brand

 

[Thank Dog]

License the heck out of the D&D brand

I really hope they never do this. I hated 90% of the 3.x material and felt it detracted from the edition. I hope they continue with their current methodology of specific licenses for specific content. I just hope they also reign in the quality controls on it, much like how Apple do with their iOS apps.

 

[Hannerdyn]

I really hope they never do this. I hated 90% of the 3.x material and felt it detracted from the edition. I hope they continue with their current methodology of specific licenses for specific content. I just hope they also reign in the quality controls on it, much like how Apple do with their iOS apps.

I don't think we'll see a return of the OGL days, though some great stuff came out of that era, there were some really awful books as well (I remember a book of feats, one feat allowed you to grow extra arms after a deal with an extraplanar).

Anyway, the OGL gave WotC competition in the form of Pathfinder when they were trying to convert their base to 4E. I think the licencing you'll see is will be in the form of third-party books by approved publishers, vidya games, movies that may or may not make you cry blood, books, web-zines, bobble-heads, doormats, TV shows, cartoons and probably something with pharmaceuticals. They're not going to create they're own competition twice.

 

[Evenglare]

I hope we will see something where I can publish my own setting, but not nearly as restrictive as the GSL. The whole not being able to use pre established names of things was just.... god awful. Something in between would be good. Of course not ripping off the works of 5e whole sale, but still being able to produce something easily is something I'd want. I've been working on a new setting and I'd love to monetize it at least a little bit when I'm done.

 

[Li Shenron]

I think the plain is more or less this:

- one new adventure series per year (3-4 adventure books)
- yearly or bi-yearly updates to the core books
- max one rules supplement per year (probably starting with Psionics)
- max one fantasy setting sourcebook per year (probably starting with Forgotten Realms)

If they focus on quality, with books priced around 50$/e each, their currently small design team already has enough to do all the time with just the above.

 

[TrippyHippy]

I really hope they never do this. I hated 90% of the 3.x material and felt it detracted from the edition. I hope they continue with their current methodology of specific licenses for specific content. I just hope they also reign in the quality controls on it, much like how Apple do with their iOS apps.

OGL is pretty much the opposite of licensing the brand.

 

[Lord Vangarel]

Once the DMG is out, what is WOTC's plan for D&D going forward?

Christmas layoffs? Hope not!

 

[Morrus]

Christmas layoffs? Hope not!

Given the tiny number of people working on D&D (less than 15) it doesn't seem likely.

 

[TerraDave]

its good to have a thread like this every few days.

(summon [MENTION=59082]Mercurius[/MENTION])

Yes, they have been quite. They have confirmed

• Dungeonscape digital tools, coming soon
• Elemental Evil adventure and related splat book with Sasquatch Studios, in March
• D&D attack wing with Wizkids, coming soon
• GaleForce 9 accessories, any day now

We actually don't know if there will be:

• A FR setting or another setting book
• PDFs or how online content in dungeonscape will be handled
• Any sort of Dungeon or Dragon mag or online content
• Any sort of book beyond the core, I mean any, that isn't "story" linked
• An OGL/GSL/D20L type arrangement
• Other board games (one is rumored) or other RPGS
• Other digital products, games (though I am sure there are things cooking)

I expected an anouncement at Gencon....now two months later...I sure they will tell us something, at some point.