D&D 4E Will 4E be announced?

[the black knight]

I'll be waiting with nachos in hand...

 

[ssampier]

There is no 4th edition. This isn't the edition you were looking for. Move along.

Btw, what's with the nacho thing?

 

[Contrarian]

I have a related question: Will security be checking our bags at the door for rotten tomatoes?

 

[Melkor]

I would just love to see 4th Edition as a cleaned up, and possibly 'repackaged' 3.5 - with new covers, all of the eratta included, broken rules fixed, etc.

100% compatible with the current 3.5 line of products.

 

[Vigilance]

There's definately going to be hell to pay for WotC at Gencon with the release of the 4E news (I wouldn't bother calling it a rumor actually. We all know it's true in our hearts. The only question is how bad will they f it up if it goes to the GAMES WORKSHOP model of sales?)

My guess is that it will be about the ONLY thing talked about at GenCon if more info comes through.

jh

The "3R" (revise, reset, resell) sales model is used by every major role playing game company. How many editions of GURPs and Hero have there been?

The other two parts of the rumors, that D&D would be more miniatures oriented and that the game info would be in smaller doses are both things that were part of D&D's origins to begin with.

So what exactly is there for WOTC to "pay hell" about from the release of a new edition?

 

[William Ronald]

I will say no, based on Eric's latest information.

Mind you, I would hope that WoTC at least would try to do a few surveys of the gaming public. I think that WotC would be wise to figure out what the customers want out of a new edition.

 

[Vigilance]

My guess is this year or next year.

Here's my reasoning:

1. It's about that time. Certain gamers rail against it endlessly but the 3R business model is used by every major RPG company for a reason. SJ Games uses it (GURPs is on 4th edition), Hero uses it (5th edition), White Wolf uses it (Vampire the Masquerade is on its 4th edition in 14 years), even Green Ronin employed this strategy with its Mutants and Masterminds line.

Oh yeah, and WOTC uses it.

2. The reason so many of the major companies use the 3R strategy is because it WORKS. It actually gives RPG companies a chance at sustained prosperity.

(I know that some gamers think RPG companies should always be one quarter away from extinction or they are evil corporations who have lost sight of "the fans" or "why they got into this business" or "the love of the game")

Here's the reasons I think it might be this year:

1. What has Mike Mearls done since WOTC hired him? Seriously. Ive seen his name in some products, but nothing where I really felt like he was doing the heavy lifting mechanics-wise they undoubtedly hired him to do.

It's my suspicion that Mearls is working on something big. It might not be 4e... but then again it just might.

Here's the reasons I think it might be next year:

1. Monte predicted 2008. Nuff said.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

I predicted 2008 ages ago in one of the speculation threads. I stand by that and I don't think it will be announced until Gen Con 2007.

 

[pogre]

Here's the reasons I think it might be this year:

1. What has Mike Mearls done since WOTC hired him? Seriously. Ive seen his name in some products, but nothing where I really felt like he was doing the heavy lifting mechanics-wise they undoubtedly hired him to do.

It's my suspicion that Mearls is working on something big. It might not be 4e... but then again it just might.

And Mealrs is a frikkin' prolific writer. I mean that in a good way

 

[Vigilance]

And Mealrs is a frikkin' prolific writer. I mean that in a good way

Absolutely.

Also, I have a feeling he's fairly well paid.

Again, as I have looked at recent WOTC releases, it's like watching a volcano. You know there has to be something big coming, you're not sure if the island is going to blow up or suddenly get bigger

Chuck