Wizards 2008 releases?

[thalmin]

WotC has done about one starter set about every 4 booster sets, or close to 1 a year, so this is on schedule. Since the combat is based on D&D combat, it may tell us something.

As a retailer I am concerned a little about the weak schedule, but I also read this as a blockbuster summer 2008. Well, in just a month we should know a lot more.

 

[TwoSix]

Question

Out of curiousity, does anyone remember what the release schedule for 1e looked like in 1988, just before 2e got released?

 

[thalmin]

If I remember correctly, they had a pretty full schedule, but at that time it was always module heavy. But I think there were a number of product cancellations from that schedule. Wish I had those catalogs handy. Also, TSR said that 2E would be pretty much compatible with 1E.
The situation was very different with the move to 3E.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

WotC has done about one starter set about every 4 booster sets, or close to 1 a year, so this is on schedule.

A little late, actually: It started out with Starter, 3x Expansion, rinse and repeat.

1st Set was Harbinger
5th Set was Aberrations
9th Set was Wardrums
All three were starters
13th Set is Night Below, but it isn't a starter
Set 14 (Deserts of Desolation) isn't one, either.

It's 8 months late.

Plus, there's Only 5 figures for 20 bucks? Even with the maps and stuff, that isn't very good.

And "Dungeons of Dread"? Another dungeon-like set so shortly after Night Below? Maybe all the drow that should have been in NB are hiding in there!

 

[MerricB]

Plus, there's Only 5 figures for 20 bucks? Even with the maps and stuff, that isn't very good.

Hmm.

8 figures for $15, 1 rare + 7 other.
5 figures + maps + rules for $20, 1 rare + 4 other.

It's not too far off.

Cheers!

 

[thalmin]

Kinda depends whether the other figs are commons or uncommons.

 

[Alisair Longreach]

The four non-rare minis in the next starter set are probably uncommons as adventurer type minis in the other sets usually have been uncommons.

 

[DaveMage]

And "Dungeons of Dread"? Another dungeon-like set so shortly after Night Below? Maybe all the drow that should have been in NB are hiding in there!

Titles of sets don't really mean much. Blood War had only 12 of 60 figures that would actually be involved in the Blood War (and for 2 of those I'm streching it a bit - fiendish snake and demonic gnoll priestess). (Though about 1/2 the set could be considered extraplanar.)

 

[Athenon]

I'm a little annoyed that there are no new Forgotten Realms products in 2008. Whether or not you like the setting (I agree about most of the common complaints), lots of us love it and will always be interested in it.

Seeing that has pretty much convinced me that I'm going to be sitting in a D&D seminar at Gen Con hearing about the release of 4E (in exactly a month!).

 

[Echohawk]

Out of curiousity, does anyone remember what the release schedule for 1e looked like in 1988, just before 2e got released?

Yes. Note that some of these products are D&D products, rather than AD&D products:

1988-09 City System
1988-09 Five Shires (GAZ8)
1988-09 Greyhawk Adventures
1988-09 Savage Frontier (FR5)
1988-10 Dungeon Master's Design Kit
1988-11 Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms
1988-11 Minrothad Guilds (GAZ9)
1988-12 Dreams of the Red Wizards (FR6)
1988-12 World of Krynn (DL16)
1988-12 Mertwig's Maze Gamefolio
1989-01 Lords of Darkness (REF5)
1989-01 Mad Monkey vs. the Dragon Claw (OA5)
1989-01 Orcs of Thar (GAZ10)
1989-02 In Search of Dragons (DLE1)
1989-03 Fate of Istus (WG8)
1989-03 Hall of Heroes (FR7)
1989-03 Republic of Darokin (GAZ11)
1989-04 Curse of the Azure Bonds (FRC2)
1989-04 Gargoyle (WG9)
1989-04 Player's Handbook (2nd Edition)

But I think a more interesting comparison is the release schedule just before the release of 3rd Edition:

2000-01 Vortex of Madness and Other Planar Perils
2000-02 Priest's Spell Compendium, Volume Three
2000-02 Rise of the Titans
2000-02 Secrets of the Magister
2000-03 Apocalypse Stone
2000-03 Diablo II: The Awakening
2000-04 Slavers
2000-04 Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium, Volume Three
2000-05 Diablo II Adventure Game
2000-05 Dungeon of Death
2000-05 Reverse Dungeon
2000-06 Cloak & Dagger
2000-06 Die Vecna Die!
2000-07 Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate II
2000-08 Player's Handbook (3rd Edition)