WotC WotC'S May Community Update Talks School Support, Accessibilty, & Creator Marketplaces

The Community Update page on D&D Beyond has a new entry which briefly covers topics such as ongoing support for schools and clubs, accessibilty of D&D Beyond for players with disabilities, early plans for the third-party creator marketplace, plans for convention attendance, and the upcoming Virtual Tabletop.

It's mainly a (very brief) recap of things which came out of the recent D&D Creator Summit (see D&D Creator Summit--VTT & One D&D, D&D Creator Summit--'D&D Beyond And Beyond', D&D Creator Summit -- Morning Sessions) but the key points include:

• One D&D reiterated again as being 5th edition, not a new edition. This is something WotC is repeating frequently, and is a message they are clearly very keen to get across.
• School and club support includes teaching kits, afterschool club kits, and free access to D&D Beyond resources for educators.
• Plans to connect with accessibility experts to ensure D&D Beyond is a tool that everybody can use.
• Migration to D&D Beyond as the 'front door' of D&D.
• Intention to eventually create a third party marketplace, but this is a long way in the future.
• A new creator summit at Gen Con in August.
• Pre-alpha tests of the VTT with small groups.

D&D Community Update

D&D Beyond - Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition Tools, Rules, Races, Classes, Items, Spells, Monsters, and More

www.dndbeyond.com

 

[Zaukrie]

I'm saying that intentionally threadcrapping, whatever the subject, tends to be frowned on by the moderators.

apparently not

 

[Stormonu]

I have my fingers crossed for the 3PP piece. It'd be nice to have the likes of Monster Manual Expanded integrated into one reference place. Same for being able to use Tome of Heroes on characters without having to try and code the stuff myself (and failing).

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I have my fingers crossed for the 3PP piece. It'd be nice to have the likes of Monster Manual Expanded integrated into one reference place. Same for being able to use Tome of Heroes on characters without having to try and code the stuff myself (and failing).

Yeah, this is where the rubber meets the road. If they allow big competitors like this into their space (and MME is definitely a major competitor to all other 5E books out there, no matter how big or small Nixlord's actual company may be), then this is a big win for everyone.

I can see the prospect of having an even playing field like that make some folks inside Hasbro nervous, though.

 

[Micah Sweet]

apparently not

Talking about how you don't like WotC in a thread about what WotC is up to is not threadcrapping.

 

[Oofta]

Yeah, this is where the rubber meets the road. If they allow big competitors like this into their space (and MME is definitely a major competitor to all other 5E books out there, no matter how big or small Nixlord's actual company may be), then this is a big win for everyone.

I can see the prospect of having an even playing field like that make some folks inside Hasbro nervous, though.

Maybe? Do they get more money from DDB subscriptions than the books? How many people will buy stuff that's not official? Who knows.

If they can increase subscribers for this and the VTT enough, potential loss of a few supplement books may be worth it.

 

[Oofta]

Talking about how you don't like WotC in a thread about what WotC is up to is not threadcrapping.

When it's completely unrelated to the thread topic? Not so sure.

 

[Umbran]

I understand being tired of it, but obviously people are still pretty angry. Sometimes not expressing that anger when given the opportunity can feel like forgiveness.

Mod Note:
I understand that. And WotC is hardly above reproach.

On the other hand, nobody here volunteered to be your anger sponge. If your need to maintain your anger means you can't show fellow posters a little consideration, that becomes a problem.

You don't have to stop being mad at WotC. And folks can show a little patience. But the price of that community support is being a good community citizen. Pick your times and places of venting judiciously. Think about the people around you a bit, please and thanks.

 

[mamba]

Talking about how you don't like WotC in a thread about what WotC is up to is not threadcrapping.

it kinda is though

 

[Hussar]

See, the thing is, this isn't any different. It really isn't. The idea that WotC is bad has been around since WotC took over D&D. And the points that are brought up are virtually identical every single time. WotC doesn't engage with fans, WotC doesn't know what it's doing, WotC only wants your money, etc. etc. Take your pick.

As someone who remembers the rhetoric after the STL was shut down, after 3.5 was announced, after 4e was announced (and the complete naughty word show that was the next four or five years), after WotC stopped putting out smaller modules, after WotC did anything frankly, it is just this never ending cycle that got old a long time ago.

Nothing has really changed. Not really. WotC is a business that will do what is in its best interests, not yours. It has never put your interests first. At best, your interests and WotC interests might have aligned for a while. But, that was more coincidence than design.

Endlessly recycling the same things over and over again isn't criticism. It's just grandstanding.

 

[Umbran]

Mod Note:
Okay, folks, can we please get back to the subject of the community updates? Thanks.