WotC WotC Removes Release Dates From Promo Images For 2024

On Friday, WotC shared a bunch of images of 2024's D&D releases, which included release dates for each book.

• 2024 Core Rulebooks (May 21st)
• Vecna: Eve of Ruin (May 21st)
• Quests from the Infinite Staircase (July 16th)
• Making of D&D (June 18th)

The images were initially shared during a panel at PAX Unplugged, and were shortly after shared widely on the official D&D social media outlets.

However, a few hours later, all those images were removed from WotC's social media, and were later replaced by images without the release dates.

Additionally, the '2024 Core Rules' image was replaced with a caption saying '2024 Player's Handbook'.

It's not clear why they were removed, whether those release dates are incorrect, or if they simply weren't supposed to be shared yet. But since we shared those images too, we should note that it's possible the dates we shared might not be set in stone. More info if and when we have it!

 

[Demetrios1453]

Yeah, even leaving aside the adventures, which were of wildly variable quality, this list of 2E rulebooks really suggests that the quality level was all over the map, which I would say is comparable to the 3E era under WotC.

TSR went through 15 releases of loose leaf Monstrous Compendium appendices before they finally conceded it was a terrible idea, even if they weren't printing the monsters on the thinnest, most fragile pieces of paper they could find. And was it the Encyclopedia Magica or the Complete Wizard's Spell Compendium (each a multi-volume series of expensive deluxe books) that had the same copy and replace error repeated through every single volume without anyone at TSR catching it before the later volumes went out?

If anything, I'd say that 5E, even if individual products don't appeal (and I don't own 99% of the big adventure books or settings that WotC has produced for 5E, to be clear), are of much higher quality overall, most likely due to the fact that they're not trying to crank out books monthly.

For those who dont know, the Encyclopedia Magica error happened when they cut-and-replaced "mage" with "wizard". Except, it also replaced it in words, causing "damage" to be replaced with "dawizard" in all four volumes. It was puzzling when you first read it, but after a few times it was funny (and frustrating) as you figured out what had happened. It was a big black eye for TSR though.

And, yes, those who state that TSR didn't produce whole swathes of terrible, sub-par products either weren't there in the '90s when we were buried under an avalanche of products both good and bad, or are looking back at the time through rose-tinted glasses...

 

[darjr]

The Roll for Crit Folks claim the WotC folks have the Vecna proofs and that the release dates are not only real and that they put them up as a marketing stunt.

I’m skeptical about his conclusions but I do believe him when he said a WotC person was looking at Vecna galleys.

 

[Nikosandros]

And, yes, those who state that TSR didn't produce whole swathes of terrible, sub-par products either weren't there in the '90s when we were buried under an avalanche of products both good and bad, or are looking back at the time through rose-tinted glasses...

Yep. Many gems, but many bad products and some terrible ones. For several of them, there was obviously little, in any, playtesting and I think that some of the writers didn't even play (or like) AD&D.

 

[Umbran]

No, the dates sounded about right. I think they just didn't mean to commit yet.

Well, they are still resolving a production issue on the Deck of Many Things product. Maybe they are comfortable stating the target at the con, but not comfortable with putting it out there in a way that is hard to revise if things need to change.

 

[Parmandur]

Well, they are still resolving a production issue on the Deck of Many Things product. Maybe they are comfortable stating the target at the con, but not comfortable with putting it out there in a way that is hard to revise if things need to change.

Oh, for sure I think they have jitters about their logistics. But here's the thing: they did not state a date at the panel. The social media posts are the only source for the dates, amd they pulled thise in a couple hours. So Crawford, Perkins etc al seem to have been privy to a memo deciding not to share the date, that someone in social media missed.

 

[darjr]

Well, they are still resolving a production issue on the Deck of Many Things product. Maybe they are comfortable stating the target at the con, but not comfortable with putting it out there in a way that is hard to revise if things need to change.

They didn’t state the dates at the con. Only via social media. I think that’s the thing that leads many to think it was simply a mistake.

 

[Marandahir]

Well, they just released packet 8 for the PHB, and...I don't see them releasing another one. I don't think they'll be looking for any morePHB feedback by the end of year, so the timing seems right.

They haven't shown us the Bard since going back to spell lists. They should have at least 1 more packet.

 

[Parmandur]

They haven't shown us the Bard since going back to spell lists. They should have at least 1 more packet.

No, Crawford said in the last Survey results video that the the 8 Classes not in UA 8 are fully done and moving into final playtesting and tuning. There are no more UA for any other Class forthcoming.

 

[Dausuul]

Compared to WotC? No.

TSR wasn’t perfect by any means. They just put out better stuff than WotC ever has. Mid-tier TSR stuff is on par with the best WotC has ever done.

"A group of seven men approaches. They are following the road east, and are making good time, neither tarrying nor running. Their faces are expressionless. One is dressed as a cleric of some sort, and another is dressed as a traveling drummer. The others could be peasants or serfs going from one location to another for the harvest season. Each carries some sort of weapon. It is plain that they are not soldiers by their haphazard way of walking. They do not seem to be joking loudly or singing as they advance."

Now, this much I will say: When TSR put out bad material, it was epically, hilariously bad. Those days seem be over. When WotC screws up, it's usually in a boring corporate way (as in this case), sometimes in an infuriating way (see: OGL, Hadozee), but hardly ever in a funny way*.

*Well, to be fair, some of their communications during the OGL debacle were kind of comical.

 

[Rhineglade]

I ADORE that art style. I'm actually really looking forward to this. Quite a few of the course corrections for the classes I've seen in Unearthed Arcana are a necessary change for the good of the game in my humble opinion. It will be nice to see a finalized version all in one source.