D&D 5E WOTC Production Schedule

[M.T. Black]

In his Forbes interview, Mike Mearls strongly hinted that there would be sequels to the Yawning Portal. In his interview with James Intracasso, he reaffirmed the WOTC policy of releasing 3 premium hardbacks a year.

I suggest that this will be the release schedule going forward - an adventure anthology released in Spring, a major campaign in Winter, and a new sourcebook in Autumn.

Thoughts? And what do you think the major campaign and sourcebook will be this year? I'm guessing a campaign around Lolth, and a Greyhawk sourcebook.

 

[Charles Rampant]

In the exact same interview he said that it wasn't something locked in stone, that they were adjusting as they went.

 

[darjr]

Still, they are 10 years out now. Surely something could be sussed out.

Can anybody note the code names of stuff in the pipeline?

I think some might know but can't say, please don't violate an NDA.

 

[Mercurius]

10 years out? 5E came out in 2014, so 2017 is the fourth year. Or are you talking about what they have allegedly planned for?

Anyhow, I think what Charles Rampant said is exactly right: they have a plan, but they'll adjust as seems necessary. But I like what the OP says: one anthology, one story arc, and one supplement. That said, one of the nice things about the two story arc approach is that if you didn't like one, you only had to wait six months for another chance. Now it would be a year.

I still think they should up their output to maybe five products a year. Maybe two story arcs, one anthology, one supplement/splat book, one setting book. It isn't glut, but it is more diversified. Of course they have their own reasons for not talking this approach, but to me it is the best of both worlds.

 

[Parmandur]

10 years out? 5E came out in 2014, so 2017 is the fourth year. Or are you talking about what they have allegedly planned for?

Anyhow, I think what Charles Rampant said is exactly right: they have a plan, but they'll adjust as seems necessary. But I like what the OP says: one anthology, one story arc, and one supplement. That said, one of the nice things about the two story arc approach is that if you didn't like one, you only had to wait six months for another chance. Now it would be a year.

I still think they should up their output to maybe five products a year. Maybe two story arcs, one anthology, one supplement/splat book, one setting book. It isn't glut, but it is more diversified. Of course they have their own reasons for not talking this approach, but to me it is the best of both worlds.

[MENTION=697]mearls[/MENTION] has stated that they have a ten-year plan, but with some flexibility.

He also stated on that one recent interview the three products a year is a solid number based on market research: doubt that will change anytime soon (i.e., this edition/decade).

 

[Demetrios1453]

I think the anthology-style releases won't be every year, but more like once every two years or so.

 

[Parmandur]

I think the anthology-style releases won't be every year, but more like once every two years or so.

Could depend on reception; may see something more like Curse if Strahd, extended version remixes of Classics drawn out to full APs...or this could sell like gangbusters and become a thing.

 

[M.T. Black]

I think the anthology-style releases won't be every year, but more like once every two years or so.

If it sells well, and I think it will, then I guess they will release one every year. They have a massive back catalogue to draw on, and its (relatively) easy to produce a book like this.

There are a group of hard core gamers who can get through two campaign books per year - but there are also lots of once a monthers out there, for whom shorter adventures and one shots hold a lot of appeal. These adventures are also, typically, easier for home-brewers to slot into their games. So I see this tapping into a substantial market.

As noted above, all of their plans are subject to change, and will depend on market feedback.

 

[Jer]

I think the anthology-style releases won't be every year, but more like once every two years or so.

I would not be surprised if this ended up being how it shook out. With the "other" years seeing a Spring release like Curse of Strahd - an older adventure expanded out into a full Adventure Path with supplemental material.

Even though they have a large back catalogue of stuff, the thing about the Yawning Portal adventures is that they're all true "dungeon crawls". And most of the late 80s/mid 90s catalogue is not like that at all. Most of them are more plot-based than location-based (because that's where game design was going at the time) and might not work so well with the Yawning Portal approach. OTOH, many of them might be expandable into an AP like Curse of Strahd was. Even some of the earlier ones - the Desert of Desolation series, for example, would be a good set of adventures to make a "Curse of Strahd" like expansion of the material into a full AP. Or the Saltmarsh series. Or the Slavers series. Or Dragon Mountain. Or Undermountain...

 

[Jester David]

I'm not a fan of the straight republishing anthology, so I hope it's not a regular thing. But every other year wouldn't be too bad... I'd still rather have them do something completely new. Add something to D&D rather than just hit the same notes that have been hit before. Go someplace that D&D hasn't ventured before.

The winter storyline seems to be be a curious mix of reprint/nostalgia but trying different things. Safe experimentation. You had the sandbox return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, the Strahd, and now this. While the summer AP tends to be more dramatic and story focused. I imagine next winter's might be something equally classic.