D&D (2024) In Interview with GamesRadar, Chris Perkins Discusses New Books

[Parmandur]

As the focus will be incrementally and live updates to subscribed digital content, let's start acclimizating ourselves to:

D&D 5.1.0. (5th edition, minor new version, patch numbers to start incrementing once the errata start coming out for the 2024 revisions).

Or D&D 20240917.

Or, how about they take Apple's approach for evocative names. We can use chromatic and metallic dragons to distinguish versions. Since its the 50th anniversary, this is obviously the Gold Dragon version of D&D. In a nod to @Parmandur, we can use Gold Dragon (17.1.0).

In seriousness, I wish they would have just went with 50th Anniversary Edition. It worked with Mage the Ascension. Though, I think this would be a lot more controversial among the D&D fan base.

Personally, I'm fine dropping edition speak.

"Hi, I'm starting a new D&D campaign, want to join?"
"Which edition?"
"The current rules as given in D&D Beyond."
"Are they the same as those printed in my books?"
"No idea. Create a character in my campaign and you'll have access to all the rules through my D&D Beyond account."

I do like "2024" as the descriptor, because it has the benefit of being straight up true: these are rules (mostly) coming out in 2024. No need to count typical editions, or figure out the correct true lineage of the game: these are just the tunes that came out this particular year.

Still possible they might label the books as 6l50th Anniversary versions, too.

 

[Hussar]

My prediction is that by this time next year, all this noise and nonsense about “edition” will fade away except for a few hardcore edition warriors who will attempt to drag it into every topic.

Oh wait did I say this time next year?

 

[Oofta]

This statement ignores that 5e's popularity boom started well before covid. They hired up by 2018

Or the fact that by that point it had already sold more than 4E or 3.x by 2016 and was still growing by double digits. People will attribute the game's success to anything other than the fact that it's a good edition that a lot of people enjoy playing.

 

[Cadence]

Or the fact that by that point it had already sold more than 4E or 3.x by 2016 and was still growing by double digits. People will attribute the game's success to anything other than the fact that it's a good edition that a lot of people enjoy playing.

Being easy to find, at least adequate quality, and having broad appeal seems like it can make things very successful (McDonalds burgers, Taco Bell tacos, Subway, Budweiser). I kind of worry about any adult who has tried others who would pick that as their favorite burger, taco, sub, or beer. On the other hand I can see someone picking them as emininently serviceable things they enjoy. Are many neighborhood restaurants in this category too? I don't imagine there are many actually "bad" things that get that popular unless everyone else in the sector is incompetent.

One argument in some cases then is over where the line is between "at least adequate quality" and "good". Is 5e eminently serviceable and enjoyable or is it good? Is that all opinion?

One complication is that some people will assume that anything popular must not be great (pop music, blockbuster movies, etc...).

 

[amethal]

Why do you insist on using an irrelevant definition of edition that is not used for RPGs? The ONLY definition that counts and matters is the RPG one that says that there are 5 editions. The half editions are not separate editions.

So which edition was the Mentzer Red Box I started with in 1984 (or thereabouts)?

 

[Maxperson]

So which edition was the Mentzer Red Box I started with in 1984 (or thereabouts)?

I don't know offhand which edition of OD&D/Basic it is. You could look at the order of releases to figure that out, though.

 

[Nikosandros]

And yet people at the time did, and going back and reading the material myself as someone who started with 3.x...it doesn't seem that hard. At worst, maybe using Shoji pieces to play western chess.

TSR and WotC marketing BS is not objective, it is language manipulation to try and maximize sales. And half editions are not a thing. ISBNs indicating a new edition with the Federal government? That's a thing, and there have been 9 sets of ISBNs, and there are no "half-ISBNs".

And yet people did mix it, and by most accounts easily.

Ideally, sure, but...Cocaine is one helluva drug, as is spite.

And yet people managed to mix them without serious issues?

I can confirm that I've always mixed AD&D (both editions) and D&D and never had any problems!

 

[Oofta]

Being easy to find, at least adequate quality, and having broad appeal seems like it can make things very successful (McDonalds burgers, Taco Bell tacos, Subway, Budweiser). I kind of worry about any adult who has tried others who would pick that as their favorite burger, taco, sub, or beer. On the other hand I can see someone picking them as emininently serviceable things they enjoy. Are many neighborhood resatuarnats in this category too? I don't imagine there are many actually "bad" things that get that popular unless everyone else in the sector is incompetent.

One argument in some cases then is over where the line is between "at least adequate quality" and "good". Is 5e eminently serviceable and enjoyable or is it good? Is that all opinion?

One complication is that some people will assume that anything popular must not be great (pop music, blockbuster movies, etc...).

It's not like if I say X is good that Y cannot also be good. I'm sure there are plenty of people who enjoyed band X before they "sold out and went lamestream" aka other people also decided they like band X's music. I'm also certain there are better games out there for some people. I don't take issue with people that prefer something I don't care for, I just have an issue with people who don't acknowledge that sometimes a whole lot of other people simply have different preferences.

 

[bedir than]

I forgot that streaming didn't exist in 2018.

The streaming boom started with groups playing 4e.
But that goalpost will again move.

 

[Vaalingrade]

The streaming boom started with groups playing 4e.
But that goalpost will again move.

Just let me know where you move it.