Would not be surprised to learn that the OGL kerfuffle caused enough of a disruption to require a change in design direction and a redevelopment of a lot of work. The attitude seemed to go from "ride this high" to "don't kill the golden goose".

I didn't finish the video yet. I suspect there was inside turmoil in WOTC for months now: - Playtest got polarized feedback - Massive layoff - Hasbro (or was it WOTC ?) changed distribution plan - Hasbro NEEDS WOTC to make money and probably puts higher ups there under pressure for any new F up. - The scandals that couldn't stop piling up. - (Possible financial discluse dates or whatever deadline to keep ?) And problems appears, the book will either be released rushed and unfinished, or delayed. No marketing materials get released about the "new edition" WOTC management can't take any decision about what to do, paralyzed either by Hasbro's pressure, internal political struggles, fear of another bad press, or a mix of those things. And somehow, someone FINALLY decided something or managed to make it approved or something. I mean, last D&DBeyond post about the "new edition" was from the last playtest, November, and basically anyone knowing about Hasbro's situation knows they NEED this launch to be as successful as possible. And until now, they built next to no freakin hype about it. I can't believe, even if problems were beginning to be known in advance, they would sit around and say nothing about the big refresh if there was no managerial problem at WOTC. I feel it's actually encouraging they say at least anything, and it's a good step they decide to push back the release to make any attempt at polish or completion. Maybe they learnt something from Spelljammer. Or maybe they just need time to train the AI to make decent art and rules now that next to no human are left in the teams. It's Hasbro/WOTC after all, we can't know until a scandal happens!

I’m gonna try this question without seeing the video yet: Because they would like to do away with printed product almost entirely in favor of electronic product that can more easily be shunted into online services that pull in a subscription fee, and getting the digital version out earlier will be a great measure of how much the current market will tolerate the strategy?

Keeping track of box-loads of unbound signatures sounds like an absolute nightmare.

@jn3Storyteller

4 ай бұрын

That’s actually pretty easy. It’s done all the time.

@anthonyspall

4 ай бұрын

Oh, I'm sure it is. But like so many other things that go on behind the scenes, the scale of it boggles my mind.

Technical = Maybe the A.I. Art department people decided to go more traditional and this likely delayed the art for the core books. Trying to avoid the additional backlash. 😂

@FamBoren

4 ай бұрын

Like they have an AI art department :)

I imagine Hasbro/WotC are trying to avoid a lot of pitfalls even if that means missing the con season. They really can't afford a negative blow up again after a landslide of them the last couple years. They want to make sure things like the OGL debacle or the Hadozee screw up don't happen again because the new core rulebooks will be under intense scrutiny. Also I know the other week you said there was new contracts going out to 3rd parties. Maybe they're waiting for more people to get on board with that to make sure the community is behind the new core rulebook launch. Lastly 5E's basic rules were out a month before the PHB. So we might see a situation like that too. Where we get 4 classes and some basic stuff in a PDF a month or 2 early.

I just assumed that they would be launching it all digitally in 2023

@steelmongoose4956

4 ай бұрын

Yeah, I assume that all of their moves are geared toward the digital future.

other D&D youtubers are saying that the resent Hasbro lay-offs that hit WoTC hard have something to do with the 2024 core rule books getting delayed.

In regards to the Harry Potter game, it did have a lot of hype just not from the big gaming journals.

@JacksonOwex

4 ай бұрын

That's because the big journals just want to bitch about Rowling(who is apparently a incredibly disgusting human) but those same journals will just sweep all the bullshit that Hasbro did last year under the rug because D&D gets clicks

@SuperDevilDucky

4 ай бұрын

Harry Potter certainly had hype, but from “non typical gamers”. People that did not play videogames normally or often were asking me if I played the new Harry Potter game.

What's the odds we see misprint books with outdated versions of those signatures?

Here is one thing that no one is talking about, the fact that there are an unprecedented number of well established influencer publishers releasing their own TTRPG's in mid 2024 and so maybe it is best to release their books after all of the other books are released. This would reduce the number of their remaining loyal fan base from going astray to other systems rather than transitioning to their new books and system alterations.

My Theory is that they used AI art in there books. They saw the backlash to it in there other products and had to pull the art and get new stuff in. That is why the monster manual was so delayed. That is always the second book they release and second best seller. Why the extra delay for 1 year?

@FamBoren

4 ай бұрын

Not likely, it sounds more like a production issue. And on a side note, I don't mind AI-art at all but is really doesn't give you that freedom of using commissioned art, so it is not likely that they use AI-art. Besides, they have stated on numerous occasions that they won't use AI-art, so my bet is that they don't.

@kbrimtube

4 ай бұрын

@@FamBoren, I don't agree with this being not likely. We don't have any clear information as to why the monster manual, of all things, is delayed until after Christmas. That's always been the only book worth buying, imo. In the absence of any explanation from WotC, having to redo art is as good a theory as any.

@mjmoore87

4 ай бұрын

​@@FamBorenNah, it's very likely.

@FamBoren

4 ай бұрын

@@kbrimtube It is a theory for sure, and perhaps not a bad one, but they have no reason to do it.

@PsyrenXY

4 ай бұрын

​@kbrimtube you honestly think the MM gets more demand than the PHB? Seriously?

Thanks again for the information!!! ❤

I'm not buying the new books, and I've heard none of my play group even mention it, let alone show any excitement for it. I doubt I'll see a copy of it for some time yet.

@EclipseWarlord

4 ай бұрын

Yeah, my group reverted back to 3.5 after thr OGL thing last year and want nothing to do with the company's new stuff.

@UrbanVerse69

4 ай бұрын

@@EclipseWarlord We're giving PF2e a try, but haven't found it to our tastes like we'd hoped. Going to venture out of fantasy for a while, methinks, try Cyberpunk Red and some Call of Cthulhu before maybe diving back into the fantasy pool with Castles & Crusades.

@EclipseWarlord

4 ай бұрын

@@UrbanVerse69 definitely try other systems. D&D may be the most well known, but there's so many good ones out there that it's a shame how little coverage they get.

The Ad&D 2D that came out at Gen Con Parkside they sold hand over fist MM, PH, and DMG and order and that was 100% profit. They had two booths selling the books three years in a row that almost every one at the show walked away with several.

The OGL debacle put the UA playtest process behind schedule for starters. And now HASBROS layoffs has reduced the staff that goes through the UA feedback so that's cause another delay. These two things are why it's delayed.

Hasbro had a 20% revenue drop. They know if they F this year up, they could go into the deathspin (might already be there)

Great reporting as always. My take on the current delays and the way the denials happened about DnD for sale is. Hasbro is putting a hold on the release because if the release happens and it is lackluster or bombs, then they just devalued the IP they are attempting to sale and license. This is a direct sales tactic to inflate the value of the IP. But of course Hasbro and Cox have gotten every single decision wrong and once again this is another. By announcing the upcoming release all 5th edition products sales numbers tanked. Their 4th quarter earnings were a bust and those numbers are getting progressively worse. Quite literally without Baldur's Gate 3, the actual DnD and Wotc numbers would have been beyond the pale bad. Hilarious that WotC made the denial on licensing/sale of DnD and not Hasbro. Cox runs the show and selling or licensing a big deal directly gives him a huge bonus. So once again, the DnD and WotC people do not have a clue what Cox and company are doing to the IP or if it is really for sale. Its like the layoffs for Christmas, just weeks before none of the DnD and WotC people had a clue they were losing their jobs right before Christmas, even tho they had made money and shown a profit, unlike the rest of Hasbro. So Cox fired the people that made the money and actually created 5th edition, the literal goose that laid the golden egg. So we will see.

With them cutting ties with Penguin Random House, could it be that their own in house printers can't cope with the expected volume? Or maybe they're still scrubbing AI art out of it? That might be why they're delaying the Monster Manual until next year, as every entry will have art.

Hasbro indicated the back half of the fiscal year would be weaker than the front half. I wonder if dnd was pushed back to help pad out the back half to make it not look as bad as it otherwise would have been

I need a mimic outhouse. Now THAT would scary the $#!+ out of the players.

Will b available in a pdf form? I no longer buy physical books...

@stevenwaters591

4 ай бұрын

No, digital, yes. Dnd beyond

Because they where still doing the play test. This is evident even in the order of the order of releases. I always knew the oppsy may dates had zero chance.

When you let your book staff go and decide to self publish, you have to expect glitches.

I wonder if this has more to do with needing to bump costs down the road because Hasbro had a really, really bad last quarter last year. Worse that predicted.

Why can't they come up with the 3 core books at the same time like they did with 3.0 20+ years ago? What is more difficult now with all the "Just-in-time" systems that are there to actually be able to be ready on time? I will tell you why: It is because it was decided in late 2023 and WotC had to turn on a dime following they fail anti-OGL momentum. That's why. And it's only the 50th anniversary of D&D, so why not be ready properly by delaying until *2025* one of the core book lol

in a panic to get rid of the AI generated stuff perhaps

Couldn't they just release a limited run to sell at the cons and then release the full run in September? Or do they want to sell them all in one fell swoop?

why" origins, SDCC, gencon, making sure the shelf space was ready at target. Holidays, back to school. The books are probably all but ready

I think the devs are running behind with the vtt

Just a thought, shouldn’t they be highlighting the creators of d&d and not excising them from their book releases? They need these to sell not be ignored! Is something else going on because they would need a clean slate for this to have any chance at this stage?

Definitely will buy it. Most likely will never play it. Curiosity is the thing.

I am a PF2e player who does not own a copy of Monopoly or will I be buying these books.

@Gaurelin

4 ай бұрын

Likewise on both counts. No interest whatsoever.

@RollForCombat

4 ай бұрын

I don't own Monopoly either, but A LOT of people do! :)

@Gaurelin

4 ай бұрын

@@RollForCombat Therein lies the problem. If people buy it, they'll keep making it, that's just capitalist thinking. If however, we cease to enable them, that's when change can happen. With no insult intended, everyone who buys the new D&D is basically telling Hasborg that what they're doing is fine, and they should keep it up. I'd prefer to send a different message - Your time is done.

You'll probably get your books for free.😉 I doubt physical book sales matter nearly as much to them as digital sales. They want that preorder money for the physical sales.

they are/have turned DnD into a damn Computer Game RPG simulator. you might as well play TTRPG version of warcraft

Have to disagree that PHB is just something you have like Monopoly. I am sure lots of people don't have any Hasbro/WotC books.

People will buy it. But what incentive is there for people to buy this one when they already have a copy of the last one? Especially when WotC keeps trying to drive home that the rules "aren't changing" so they don't scare people off. The "for my shelf" people will buy it. The people buying a new book will go "ok, I guess I'll buy the newer version? Is it better???" and buy it. But what's the driving force behind getting all the Critical Role fans and 5e newbies to buy a copy? That's where the lack of excitement could hurt them a bit. Will it hurt them much? Who knows. But it's not enough for them to sell numbers that you or I would get excited over. Or even them selling Pathfinder numbers. No they have to sell D&D numbers. That's a much bigger order.

I am baffled by the people who aren't excited about these updates. The updates to the Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Monk in the very LEAST are amazing. Who glanced at the updates and said, "yeah, I can do more with my Barbarian, Fighter, and Monk in the base class than I could from any other edition, but I'm still _meh."_

@Gaurelin

4 ай бұрын

Whereas I am baffled by people who are still willing to simp for Hasborg/WotC despite everything they've done, and continue to insist on playing a game with a week rule set, especially when there are so many better games available. To each their own, I suppose. 🤷🏻‍♂️

@clarkside4493

4 ай бұрын

@@Gaurelin Which companies in the whole world haven't done something dubious? Among the ones that haven't, how many of them can serve as a proper substitute to fill the gaps left by all the others? Are you going to stop using Amazon because their workers aren't treated well? Do you do all your shopping at mom and pop stores? Do you still buy your gas from BP? Say what you will about whoever is in charge of Wizards' business practices, but they're listening to the playtesters and trying to make a better game. But since you have a firm grasp of gaming, what constitutes a better game anyway? Is it rules light? Rules heavy? More realism? More fantasy? I know what I want from a better game. I want my spellcasters to cast spells without having to jump through hoops, I want my martial characters to stand up to hordes and live to tell the tale, and I want my race to impact my character beyond just a few stat bumps. 5th Edition (and 4th Edition for that matter) support this, so I play it.

@Gaurelin

4 ай бұрын

@@clarkside4493 While on one hand your are almost correct, you yet miss the mark. You prefer to make cheap excuses, but I don't support companies that engage in practices I don't approve of when I can possibly avoid doing so. I need my car to function in society. I don't need this game. It's a luxury, and I prefer to put my fiscal votes to better use. Not that I genuinely think you are interested, but since you asked, a better game would be one which allowed for organic character growth mechanically over the course of play. 5e doesn't have much ability to customize the characters. Furthermore, a ruleset in which the characters actually face risk, and have to *earn* heroic status, rather than being handed it in a platter. Finally, one where there is an actual point, and a possible endgame, rather than merely being expected to adventure forever, rocketing to level 20... and then what?

I'm not buying. I have 5e if I want to play DnD and if I want to play Dungeons and Dragons, I have Five Torches Deep, Deathbringer and so many other systems to choose from including my own. :D

1:57 Hang on! "Vecna: Eve of RUIN"?! They're going to destroy every world except for Faerun(I'm too lazy to get the special characters!) aren't they?! That way when people whine about never getting any books for the other worlds they can just say "Sorry, Vecna destroyed the rest!"

@Darkwintre

4 ай бұрын

Remember Ao the over god of Faerun introduced during the times of troubles? Vecna I believe is Greyhawk. They pull that stunt and every other dm goes NOPE!

Lol uh no, the us play testing hit delayed by the ofk fiasco .. they just now finished the phb pkaytesting

The Avatar movvies are the biggest box office movies that no one talks about. Some things weirdly sell but no one talks about. I heard tons of people talking about the Harry Potter game and almost all my gaming friends have played it. I have little interest in the 5.5/6e. I'm buying 3rd party interesting things like Year of Monsters or Dingo Doodles' Fool's Gold or Mr. Rhexx's Egyptian campaign.

There are people who are excited about it, but most I talk too just don't want to put up with the grief they get online from saying how excited they are about it. The past 24 hours or so since the release of the dates, I've been almost nothing but negative reactions. In my private chat groups, almost everyone is extremely excited about the books.

@JacksonOwex

4 ай бұрын

You mean grief like "How the hell can you support a company that LITERALLY tried to steal money and content from hard working creators instead of using their much larger reserves to actually make something good?" If that's what people are complaining about tough, you deserve grief for supporting a disgusting company that does shitty stuff like that, and I didn't even get to the blatantly racist shit that Kyle Brink said during their "apology" tour!

That BattleZoo spot is soooo jarring

@timhaldane7588

4 ай бұрын

Not to mention incredibly tacky.

I will not buy any of these books. And my Monopoly set is from well before Hasbro owned it. My 5e PHB is the only WotC product I own, and that will continue to be the case for at least the next 20 - 30 years. That’s a guarantee.

A rare but brutal Glicker L. Someone made bad images.

Probably becuase the playtest was total mess.

Didn't they explicitly state that the "leaked" date was simply a copy-paste error? That the May release was always just supposed to be Vecna but the date overlay was erroneously not removed when rendering out the PHB pic. It makes no goddamn sense to release both the adventure and the reworked PHB on the same day, that's just begging for a shitty sales start, so i'm actually inclined to believe them on this one. Please stop jumping the gun on all these sensationalist news stories, it's starting to look very unprofessional after the whole Tencent hoax...

I think it is worth the wait. D&D is, after all, the greatest role playing game in the world. 3rd party is, however good, still 3rd party (in the sense that they need D&D to sell their books).

@Gaurelin

4 ай бұрын

Please tell me this is a joke. That you aren't just some simp who regurgitates the company line because they cannot think for themself. 5e is a weak ruleset, and a pale imitation of D&D. There are many far better games out there. Expand your horizons.

@FamBoren

4 ай бұрын

@@Gaurelin There are other games out there for sure, better... not so sure about that. I have played D&D from the first edition and up, 5e is certainly not a weak rule set, it balances the need for simplicity with sets of rules. Pathfinder, for example, is all about rules, Shadowdark leans more towards simplicity, but they are both D&D-clones (nothing bad with that). I also play a fair bit of Call of Cthulhu and Traveller. They are not better, but different. So, no joke. D&D is the rpg tree from which most, if not all, other RPGs stems from.

@Gaurelin

4 ай бұрын

@@FamBoren Congrats. I've been playing for over 40 years, and 5e is a weak game. There is very little ability to customize characters, combats are boring slogs with bags of HP, and the PCs don't actually ever have to earn heroic status, as it's pretty much handed to them out of the box. I enjoy running PF2, but honestly, much prefer older styles of play and mechanics. If I'm going to run D&D, I'm going to run it for real, not this training wheels edition.

@FamBoren

4 ай бұрын

@@Gaurelin When it comes to PF2 I do understand why you prefer the older styles of D&D. I don't agree with you on the 5th edition, but I appreciate your comment. D&D is probably not for everyone, but it is an edition that everyone can enjoy, hence it's popularity.

@Gaurelin

4 ай бұрын

@@FamBoren Right. The popularity has everything to do with the quality of the rule set, and nothing to do whatsoever with the fact that WotC has done everything in its power to monopolize the industry wholly, and Critical Role. You are of course entitled to your opinion, but in mine, this is a training wheels game.

the editor needs to stop plugging your stuff mid sentence, at least announce the ad...

Another fail by WoTC. Can't even realease a game during its 50 year anniversary. Pathetic.

This channel is getting a rep for click bait trash. This video is no different. The issue is the printers can't handle the volume of books. That's it. No story. ENworld uses this channels' thumbnails as a meme.

If DND becomes anymore woke, i ain't buying it.

@katherineberger6329

4 ай бұрын

I have come to understand a thing: "Woke," as used by the people who use it as a sneer, doesn't have a meaning. To the extent that it does, "Woke" means "anything reflecting anybody that I hate."

@PalleRasmussen

4 ай бұрын

What brilliant reasoning; nevermind the OGL debacle, the Pinkerton thugs or the firings- and all the other shenanigans they have been up to. If D&D becomes any more alert to racial prejudice and discrimination", and aware of social inequalities such as racial injustice, sexism, and denial of LGBT rights. *THEN* you are not buying it, all those things are shite that you do not like!

@AdamK1095

4 ай бұрын

If there are issues w/the work, discuss specific items. Explain what the problem is. Blanket statements do not progress an argument.

@xczechr

4 ай бұрын

@@katherineberger6329 Also anything they do not understand.

@steelmongoose4956

4 ай бұрын

They lost me with that even before the business practices became too unethical to ignore. Fortunately, there is some real genius being published in the indie game market.