Your chance to shape the next edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game is drawing to a close. That means the time to complain is ever nearer!
Gen Con, the annual gathering of RPG fans and wargamers in Indianapolis, was this weekend, and while there was no release date announced for the new edition, word has circulated that the final packet of playtest rules for those who signed up to try them and provide criticism will be distributed in mid-September. While development work will go on for what has been called “D&D Next,” it seems Wizards of the Coast has gathered more than enough public feedback to work with.
It’s been more than a year since the revision was announced and players were invited to the table to be part of the process.
I wasn’t at Gen Con, but I asked a Wizards representative for clarification on a press release that said D&D’s senior R&D manager Mike Mearls “announced, to resounding applause and loud cheers, the highly-awaited launch timeframe for D&D Next.” She responded that “next year” was the target date — that would put the release of D&D’s new edition squarely in the iconic game’s 40th anniversary year.
If you’re wondering whether the playtest name of “D&D Next” will stick, or if perhaps it will be labeled the 5th Edition, EN World’s Morrus reports from Gen Con that it will simply be called “Dungeons & Dragons.” Huzzah to that.
In other D&D news at Gen Con, figurines for the KRE-O building sets announced back at Comic-Con were unveiled, as well as an iPad version of the Lords of Waterdeep board game, part of an earlier announced alliance between WotC and app developer PlayDek.
