D&D 5E WotC: 5 D&D Settings In Development?

WotC's Ray Winninger spoke a little about some upcoming D&D settings -- two classic settings are coming in 2022 in formats we haven't seen before, and two brand new (not Magic: the Gathering) settings are also in development, as well as return to a setting they've already covered in 5E. He does note, however, that of the last three, there's a chance of one or more not making it to release, as they develop more than they use.

Two classic settings? What could they be?​

So that's:

• 2 classic settings in 2022 (in a brand new format)
• 2 brand new settings
• 1 returning setting

So the big questions -- what are the two classic settings, and what do they mean by a format we haven't seen before? Winninger has clarified on Twitter that "Each of these products is pursuing a different format you've never seen before. And neither is "digital only;" these are new print formats."

As I've mentioned on a couple of occasions, there are two more products that revive "classic" settings in production right now.

The manuscript for the first, overseen by [Chris Perkins], is nearly complete. Work on the second, led by [F. Wesley Schneider] with an assist from [Ari Levitch], is just ramping up in earnest. Both are targeting 2022 and formats you've never seen before.

In addition to these two titles, we have two brand new [D&D] settings in early development, as well as a return to a setting we've already covered. (No, these are not M:tG worlds.)

As I mentioned in the dev blog, we develop more material than we publish, so it's possible one or more of these last three won't reach production. But as of right now, they're all looking great.

Of course the phrase "two more products that revive 'classic' settings" could be interpreted in different ways. It might not be two individual setting books.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

The one I doubt at the moment is MCDM. But I think they’ll continue with 5e too.

Colville clearly doesn't like it. He'd prefer to move to 4E, and he's definitely trying to win over some of his players... I think he may eventually switch.

They're going to cancel live-play sessions and replace them with campaign recaps anyway, so it doesn't matter much what system they use.

 

[darjr]

Colville clearly doesn't like it. He'd prefer to move to 4E, and he's definitely trying to win over some of his players... I think he may eventually switch.

They're going to cancel live-play sessions and replace them with campaign recaps anyway, so it doesn't matter much what system they use.

Yeah. Though he did say he wouldn’t do a 4e clone. He’s said a couple few reasons but mostly because he’d want to DO 4e and can’t.
He did say he wanted to do an RPG.
But! He’s also pretty pragmatic and will do cool stuff that also sells. He pretty much said this. Pretty much said that means 5e even if they do their own thing.

My bet? He’ll have cool as dope hacks for 5e to get more of what he wants. He’s talked about the
Monster book already, for 5e, but his way.

I think he’s said 5e isn’t hackable, but I think he’ll use the hackability of 5e to do cool stuff.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Yeah. Though he did say he wouldn’t do a 4e clone. He’s said a couple few reasons but mostly because he’d want to DO 4e and can’t.
He did say he wanted to do an RPG.
But! He’s also pretty pragmatic and will do cool stuff that also sells. He pretty much said this. Pretty much said that means 5e even if they do their own thing.

My bet? He’ll have cool as dope hacks for 5e to get more of what he wants. He’s talked about the
Monster book already, for 5e, but his way.

I think he’s said 5e isn’t hackable, but I think he’ll use the hackability of 5e to do cool stuff.

As I said before though, they'll be ditching live plays for the Chain campaign, so it honestly doesn't matter much what system they use.

 

[darjr]

As I said before though, they'll be ditching live plays for the Chain campaign, so it honestly doesn't matter much what system they use.

I was a little out of sync with MCDM in that. But now that you state it I have to agree.

thanks for that.

 

[overgeeked]

Yeah. Though he did say he wouldn’t do a 4e clone. He’s said a couple few reasons but mostly because he’d want to DO 4e and can’t.
He did say he wanted to do an RPG.
But! He’s also pretty pragmatic and will do cool stuff that also sells. He pretty much said this. Pretty much said that means 5e even if they do their own thing.

My bet? He’ll have cool as dope hacks for 5e to get more of what he wants. He’s talked about the
Monster book already, for 5e, but his way.

I think he’s said 5e isn’t hackable, but I think he’ll use the hackability of 5e to do cool stuff.

I think Matt’s said on a live stream that supporting 5E is a lot of work already, but supporting a dead game would basically be impossible. From the sounds of it Matt’s going to work on a heroic fantasy game than at least brings the big badass hero feel of 4E. Either a stand-alone game or a book/setting for 5E. More likely a 5E supplement.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

I think Matt’s said on a live stream that supporting 5E is a lot if work already, but supporting a dead game would basically be impossible. From the sounds of it Matt’s going to work on a heroic fantasy game than at least brings the big badass hero feel of 4E. Either a stand-alone game or a book/setting for 5E. More likely a 5E supplement.

They're definitely going to do a monster book next, and probably a "Timescape" book after that (a Planescape release may eat their lunch on that though), so if they ever work on their own TTRPG it's a long way out.

 

[Erdric Dragin]

I'm really really REALLY REALLY REALLY hoping for:

KARA-TUR

Personally, I'm sick of Euro-fantasy. Especially when there's so much more to fantasy gaming then that. And D&D should be the lead for diversifying the game more. Especially since it's set in the Forgotten Realms.

We all know how problematic Maztica, Kara-Tur, and Al-Qadim is. It's also not a good idea to ignore those settings entirely. It's setting a terrible example and sending an ignorant message. That D&D is forever pinned to Euro-fantasy only, that other types don't matter, and although they have been visited before, they're in no way going to ever remaster them because, apparently, they're not as important as Euro-fantasy. Which sounds pretty elitist to me.

So why not kill 2 birds with one stone?

Remaster the Kara-Tur setting with Asian writers and designers, and you accomplish several things:

1) You fix all the terrible mistakes made when writing the setting.
2) You expand the flagship setting for D&D; Forgotten Realms
3) You introduce fantasy elements of more than just Euro-myth/legends/fantasy
4) You stay true to your vision and policy for the game.

I recently finished watching on YouTube "Asians Read Kara-Tur" by Asians Represents, and just...wow. I love the Realms, I love expanding the world, I love being able to go to another part of the world to explore fantasy elements beyond what we're far too used to seeing, but I want it done right. I have the original setting material but...I don't feel comfortable using most of it at all. Heck, even what's left is garbage. There's very little to salvage.

If Paizo's PATHFINDER can do it with with their world of Golarion, there's no reason the Realms couldn't.

Heck, dare I say it?

In all ways, Pathfinder/Golarion is what The Forgotten Realms/Toril SHOULD have been.

BRING BACK KARA-TUR!

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I am very mind-opened about the return of Kara-Tur, but I guess we will see a total reboot.

Today the manga is very popular, and also the manhua (Chinese comic) and the manhwa (from Korea). But a right strategy for the Asian market, the different markets from Far East, needs a lot of work.

If WotC wants to publish in the future a new edition of the martial adepts (Tome of Batle: Book of the nine Swords) then they will need "opend space" to can add lore about warblades, swordsages and company. Sorry, but when I see that AMVs in youtube of Chinese animation with those epic battles I miss the martial adepts in the 5Ed.

Now Kara-Tur only would need the update of PC races and monsters. 3PPs can publish lots of settings and we could see what ideas are sold better and the reaction by the fandom. Other option would to create a new setting for Magic: the Gathering based in the xuanhuan fiction(as Kamikawa but not only Japanese folklore) , and to await how others add their own ideas about new kingdoms and factions.

I wouldn't be surprised a Japanese game-live show streaming serie (as Critical Role), whose players are wannabe idols, and using a virtual tabletop.

Hasbro could talk with China about how to use Kara-Tur or a wuxia version of D&D as a way to introduce donghuan (Chinese animation) in the Western market.