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.

 

[briggart]

It was based on climate activism of the time and there were cartoons like Captain Planet.

Exactly. My point was that the issues at the forefront of climate activism in 80s and 90s are related, but not identical, to the ones we are discussing today; partly because some measures were taken to address those (e.g. the restrictions on CFC refrigerants or the switch to unleaded fuels), partly because we have now a better understanding of the processes involved, and partly because after a while people just become numb to constant worrying and want to move on.

 

[Neal Freeman]

I wonder how long it will be before WotC remove all jeopardy and violence from D&D and it turns into My Little Pony the role playing game.

 

[Zardnaar]

Exactly. My point was that the issues at the forefront of climate activism in 80s and 90s are related, but not identical, to the ones we are discussing today; partly because some measures were taken to address those (e.g. the restrictions on CFC refrigerants or the switch to unleaded fuels), partly because we have now a better understanding of the processes involved, and partly because after a while people just become numb to constant worrying and want to move on.

I remember the CFC and unleaded petrol change overs. Aussie and NZ have thin ozone layer you can get burnt in 10-11 minutes I've had my skin bluster from the sun.

And in my lifetime you can see the glaciers melt with your own eyes.

 

[James Gasik]

I wonder how long it will be before WotC remove all jeopardy and violence from D&D and it turns into My Little Pony the role playing game.

Some believe it has already happened, and we simply haven't realized it yet.

 

[James Gasik]

I remember the CFC and unleaded petrol change overs. Aussie and NZ have thin ozone layer you can get burnt in 10-11 minutes I've had my skin bluster from the sun.

And in my lifetime you can see the glaciers melt with your own eyes.

And yet, you still have people who will refuse to believe it!

 

[Neal Freeman]

Some believe it has already happened, and we simply haven't realized it yet.

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight in particular attempts to avoid combat at every turn. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of players employing alternative solutions to problems over combat, but that adventure goes out of its way to avoid jeopardy. I'm in my mid-fifties and I've been playing since the 70s, so I guess that makes me old-school, but a game where there's no chance of serious setbacks simply does not interest me.

 

[Zardnaar]

And yet, you still have people who will refuse to believe it!

Yeah there's been a bit of Americanization sneaking in.

Well there's always been a few messier now. Seeing dont tread on me flags or even CSA flags at protests.

 

[James Gasik]

Yeah there's been a bit of Americanization sneaking in.

Well there's always been a few messier now. Seeing dont tread on me flags or even CSA flags at protests.

Let's not talk about politics, religion, or which D&D is better- such debates are not about facts, but emotions. Nothing good can come of it.

 

[James Gasik]

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight in particular attempts to avoid combat at every turn. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of players employing alternative solutions to problems over combat, but that adventure goes out of its way to avoid jeopardy. I'm in my mid-fifties and I've been playing since the 70s, so I guess that makes me old-school, but a game where there's no chance of serious setbacks simply does not interest me.

I get it, but I've also heard a lot of people who identify as "old school players" claim that avoiding 90% of combats and running away is an essential part of the game, and they hate "invincible adventurers" who actually fight most enemies and win!

 

[Zardnaar]

Let's not talk about politics, religion, or which D&D is better- such debates are not about facts, but emotions. Nothing good can come of it.

More about tge current military. Geographic isolation doesn't work so well now.