D&D General 50th Anniversary- Are You Not Entertained?

[bedir than]

This seems like such an obvious idea. Old School is having a huge moment, and the fact that Hasbro has no desire to try and capitalize on it makes no sense.

There's a setting that will be part of the DMG. We don't know what it is, though there are hints that it is Greyhawk

 

[mamba]

I can't help but wonder if they had something equally as gross and money-grubbing planned for D&D and then scrapped it once they saw how the MTG community responded.

maybe, but they could also loosen up on the money grubbing instead of cancelling the release

 

[Clint_L]

This anniversary is bigger than D&D. To begin with, it is not about just one game, it is about the birth of a hugely influential genre. This is also the anniversary of TTRPGs...and of their CRPG descendants. It is a BIG DEAL in a wider cultural sense, and I don't think Hasbro appreciates that.

And beyond genre, D&D and RPGs are integral to the rise of so-called "nerd culture," which is really the shift from an economy largely driven by manual labour to an economy largely driven by information. RPGs are one of the pillars of the cultural moment in which we live, and as THE iconic RPG, D&D deserves its laurels.

Last year, the Barbie movie hit a chord because Greta Gerwig recognized that the moment was bigger than Barbie. She used it as a symbol of a cultural shift towards celebrating and empowering women. And Mattel was smart enough to let her do it, and to double down on it. Hasbro has a similar opportunity, and they even have Baldur's Gate 3 right there as a hugely successful cultural signifier, but I don't think they see it. I don't think Hasbro gets why D&D matters. I think they're blowing it.

 

[Parmandur]

The conspiratorial part of my brain wonders if there was something they had that got binned.

Why, they have 6 giant products scheduled for the next 10 months, as well as 3 novels and a feature length documentary film. No doubt we will hear about a lot of other things shortly, too.

 

[Willie the Duck]

What do we recall at previous anniversaries?
I remember the 25th anniversary of TSR saw the release of the "silver" adventures ("Return to the Keep on the Borderlands," etc.)
Does anyone else remember other celebrations?

To the best of my knowledge, there was just the Silver Anniversary Boxed Set, which included reproductions of Keep on the Borderlands, Steading of the Hill Giant Chief, Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl, Hall of the Fire Giant King, Ravenloft, White Plume Mountain, and a 5th printing oD&D set.

 

[GrimCo]

To be honest, i just don't care. At this point, only thing i would buy is maybe, and that's hard maybe, 3 core box if they make some cool 50th anniversary box set special collectible edition, preferably with some nice free bee stuff thrown in (dice bag with dice, poster, mini, something like that). But, just looking at regular core rulebooks gift bundle (3 books, box, dm screen) with price tag of 195 euros, guess that kind of special edition would be around 300 euros or more. And that's just too much.

I'm more interested what will their partners who do official licensed merch do. If they bring out some cool design anniversary t shirts, maybe i order one of those if price was ok.

What i would like to see, but probably wont, is proper campaign setting book. Bring out some of the classics, hell bring out some of the more obscure ones, like Masque of the Red Death.

 

[Lanefan]

I share your feelings, unsurprisingly to those few who haven't put me in their ignore list yet and therefore can still read my rants about the whole half-editions thing.

You're still coming through 5-by-5 over here.

A 50 years anniversary should be a big deal. There could be online celebrations, public events, re-prints of famous books (although 5e updates of them are actually a good thing IMO), special boxes with useful props, and maybe even small freebies on WotC websites.

Also a major in-person presence at every big convention this year, including the ones they usually skip, showcasing both the history and future of the game.

The real eyebrow-raiser for me is that the actual 50th anniversary has already gone by with little to no mention of it anywhere, as D&D was first released - I believe - in the last week of January, 1974.

 

[CleverNickName]

I know a lot of people here on ENWorld expected a lot for this 50th Anniversary, with little more than the date on the calendar to justify their expectations. "But It's Their Anniversary, surely they are going to plan something big!...right? It's too good of an opportunity to miss! ...right? surely?" Speculation threads abound, but as far as I can tell there has not been an official announcement from Wizards of the Coast. Sure, they've announced some new products like they do every year, and they've been working on the revised 5E rules for the last 18 months, but as far as I can tell nothing being released this year has been officially branded with the word "Anniversary."

Feels like my prediction from October 2020 still holds up:

I doubt if anybody at WotC is even thinking about a new edition of the game. The current edition has been, and continues to be, a huge success; they have no reason to tamper with the formula.

So my prediction for the 50th Anniversary in 2024: they might release some collector's edition 5E rulebooks, something leather-bound and super fancy. Or maybe they will release a bunch of the old classic Greyhawk campaign settings and modules updated to the 5th Edition rules.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

[...] , but as far as I can tell nothing being released this year has been officially branded with the word "Anniversary."

Look at the newest UA video. There is a banner with a 50 on it at the top. Just noticed that. Not much, but at least something.

 

[ichabod]

My reaction to seeing this thread was "Oh, right, it is the 50th anniversary..."