D&D 5E WotC: Why Dark Sun Hasn't Been Revived

In an interview with YouTuber 'Bob the Worldbuilder', WotC's Kyle Brink explained why the classic Dark Sun setting has not yet seen light of day in the D&D 5E era.

I’ll be frank here, the Dark Sun setting is problematic in a lot of ways. And that’s the main reason we haven’t come back to it. We know it’s got a huge fan following and we have standards today that make it extraordinarily hard to be true to the source material and also meet our ethical and inclusion standards... We know there’s love out there for it and god we would love to make those people happy, and also we gotta be responsible.

You can listen to the clip here.

 

[Dragonhelm]

As a point of comparison, how were the problematic aspects of Dark Sun handled in its spiritual successor, Dragon Kings?

 

[Ruin Explorer]

They are the Disney of TTRPGs. You will never see anything with more philosophical, intellectual or ethical depth than what you would see in an MCU or Star Wars film.

That's only really recently become true, in the last what, four-five years? Even in 4E it wasn't true.

WotC isn't going to give you Dark Sun and even if it did, would you really want that version?

I mean, we live in hope of improvement, no? Companies can change. We wouldn't be having this discussion if they didn't.

 

[Reynard]

That's only really recently become true, in the last what, four-five years? Even in 4E it wasn't true.

I mean, we live in hope of improvement, no? Companies can change. We wouldn't be having this discussion if they didn't.

In both cases I was talking about now. There's no way to see what might happen so ot seems pointless to speculate.

 

[Stormonu]

As a point of comparison, how were the problematic aspects of Dark Sun handled in its spiritual successor, Dragon Kings?

The only Dragon Kings I know of was just supplemental info for the original 2E set that expanded character options to 30th level for the various classes. Was there something else for Dark Sun named Dragon Kings?

 

[Undrave]

The truth is they just don't want to have to invent rules for weapons material, as that would lead to Martial types having interesting things to do. In a setting that would make Magic more troublesome to use. Can't make the Wizard fans angry.

Alternatively: They don't want to touch Psionic again

 

[raist2099]

this is ridiculous. the woke mob and worry about offending people is insane.

 

[gorice]

Count me among those who think this is for the best. I don't need to see my favourite D&D setting dug up and turned into a mindless revenant.

Dark Sun is dead. Let a thousand weird planetary romance settings bloom.

 

[halfling rogue]

problematic

 

[R_J_K75]

WotC isn't going to give you Dark Sun and even if it did, would you really want that version?

Honestly at this point I'm not really interested in anything they are doing now, only because what they've put out last few years hasn't been that engaging or innovative. Their statement on DS is just ridiculous.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

In both cases I was talking about now. There's no way to see what might happen so ot seems pointless to speculate.

You asked why though, and the answer is as I said - because it in the recent past it was different, and in the future it could be different (indeed, will be, though how we cannot say).