When Will and When Should WotC Release 4th Edition?

[Arnwyn]

I think they'll release 4e in 3 years, and no, they should not do so (IMO as a consumer). If the primary motivating factor of the release of 3.5e during this particular time frame was revenue generation, then it should be no surprise that another 3 years will pass before they do it again. (Wild and pure speculation, of course.) I'm personally happy if they release an edition once every 10 years (much like the previous 2 editions). That gives me enough play time with the rules, and just about then my PHBs and the like are starting to get a little worse for wear. (However, I'll buy into anything that weakens the classes and strengthens the monsters!)

and try to justify any opinions with facts.

WTF? Nice try bud, but that statement is just laughable considering the subject of the poll. Everything about this particular thread is *pure speculation*. Facts, indeed.

 

[Mr. Lobo]

Well, I voted that WotC will release 4.0 (edit from 3.5 -oops ) in 5 years or more and they should.

My 3.0 experience is nowhere near done running its course in terms of playing all of the rules system (skills, feats, classes, etc) And that's in addition to fans and companies coming up with new ideas for these areas all the time.

Personally I don't care if WotC makes money or not or goes out of business. I don't think the impact on D&D will be that great.

Why?

Because of third party publishers and fan based material that is constantly available in heaping amounts. Plus the fact that D&D has such name recognition and there are 6 versions out already (0, Basic, 1E, 2E, 3E, 3.5E). I can't see people losing interest in the current manifestion of the hobby for a long time (my opinion is 8-12 years). Shoot, I'm running both a 1E and 3.0 campaigns simultaneously (albeit greatly staggered in playing time) and having a blast with both.

Bottom line - gaming above industry and WotC should wait at least 5 years before 4th edition.

 

[KnowTheToe]

I think we will get a full ten year run out of 3E. The reason being is the third party market. WoTC supplies core rules, and everyone else support information. If the core rules change, many of the core customer base does not need the new rules and can continue to get top notch support from other companies. This is especialy true if they did not extend the OGL business model to the new edition.

My one concern would come with the sale of D&D to a new company. That could add many changes.


I do see 3.75 coming out in 3-5 years. It allows Wizards to tweak the game to meet players expectations and wants, keep the same customers who will buy the "upgrade" and allow all of the other gaming companies to help the market grow and become more dependant on Wizard's core books. The upgrade changes are small enough that there is no interest in companies supporting the older version and therefore all gamers that spend money on the industry will eventaully upgrade their books.

 

[cildarith]

I also believe we will see 3.75 before we see 4E. We can, however, probably expect new core rulebooks every 2-3 years from here on out, regardless of what "edition" they call it.

It is time to get off the bandwagon. I don't like where its heading!

 

[Knightfall]

IMO, I think WotC will do a fourth edition around 2008. They need to push the new v.3.5 books for at least two to three year minimum, in order to get gamers onboard with the changes and keep the rules consistant for the release of Eberron and the support products that will come out for it.

Now, if another game company was sold the rights to D&D by Hasbro then anything is possible.

Cheers!

KF72

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Everytime I think about 4th Edition something just seems off.

d20. Its supposed to be a 'standardization' or RPGs, and it definatly does a great job of it. I love d20 and that I can play d20 Modern, SWd20, D&D, and CoCd20 without really haven't problems learning the rules. Just a few tweaks here and there and you've got it.

But then the idea of 4th Edition. What would THIS do to d20? Would WotC really kill off such a grea thing? Hasbro might...but I'm not so sure WotC would want to.

 

[William Ronald]

arnwyn wrote:

quote:
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Originally posted by William Ronald
and try to justify any opinions with facts.
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WTF? Nice try bud, but that statement is just laughable considering the subject of the poll. Everything about this particular thread is *pure speculation*. Facts, indeed.

There is no need to be insulting, arnwyn. (Please note that the rest of this post is not meant to be an insult directed at you, but an explanation of why I made what seems to be to you a laughable statement.) There are facts that people can refer to in justifying their opinions. KnowTheToe mentioned that 3rd party publishers represent a potential challenge to WotC in the company releases an unpopular 4th edition. (The existence of the OGL is a great difference between the D&D business environment of the present as opposed to what existed only five years ago. Many of the companies that were honored at the Ennies did not exist five years ago.)


Similarly, people whom I know and respect have argued that releases of new editions have been preceded by "revisions." Some have mentioned the Skills and Powers books in 2nd Edition and the Dungeoneer's Survival Guide (which introduced skills in 1st Edition) as revisions that preceded new editions by a few years.

Is this poll pretty much speculation! YES! However, a few people have tried to interject some facts to justify their opinions. Maybe we will be shocked and someone from WotC or Hasbro will state that the company has no plans for a 4th edition for x number of years.

 

[DaveMage]

I hope they wait until 2010, but I doubt that will happen.

If a new company purchases D&D, they will probably want to release a new edition soon. I'll bet, though, for this to happen, WotC will have to have an exceptionally poor year (for the brand).

 

[Lord Rasputin]

I hope they wait until 2010, but I doubt that will happen.

Yes. A new edition every 8-10 years, with a small revision about midway between, would let WotC reap the sales benefits of a new edition, and still keep the fan base from going into an uproar as it is doing now. I expected the revision; it was just too obvious. I did not expect its scope and speed, both of which were too much. D&D 3e Revised (and not 3.5) should have come out in 2004-5, with fewer changes (though it could have kept the longer books and incorporated splat material, as it did, since this doesn't mess much with compatibility).

As an aside, WotC needs to do something about the playtesters who have whined for the monk and paladin multiclass limits. Not only are they unpopular among most folks I know personally or read online, but they go against the whole concept of options, not restrictions. Even if these were good restrictions (which *I* do not think they are), there is a danger of being beholden to what some have called a "small and vocal" group.

 

[ThirdWizard]

But then the idea of 4th Edition. What would THIS do to d20? Would WotC really kill off such a grea thing? Hasbro might...but I'm not so sure WotC would want to.

That's pretty much what I worry about, its affect on d20. I think going to a 4th edition would have a detrimental affect on publishers. I can't help but see d20 dry up after WotC abandons it.