D&D (2024) Is 5th edition too big for there to be a 6th edition?

[Tony Vargas]

You jest, but honestly when climate collapse throws us into the next dark age, what else are the survivors going to do to entertain themselves?

Deathsport?
Thunderdome?

 

[Raith5]

Deathsport?
Thunderdome?

Swimming

 

[Charlaquin]

Swimming

This one took me a second, but damn!

 

[S'mon]

So, they caught lightning in a bottle with 5e. People love it - in particular, new players love it, because it gives them what they want and expect from D&D. If WoTC don't mess it up, D&D will remain extremely popular for many years to come, allowing for leveraging into other, more profitable areas - though I think PHB sales bring in a nice wodge of cash.

My expectation is that D&D will continue to do great for many years, but eventually there will be a personnel & cultural shift at WoTC, someone will say "Hey, we can make EVEN MORE MONEY if we..." - and the Golden Age will end.

 

[Zardnaar]

Well D&D is good for another 30 years even if it spirals downwards. Short of WotC going under or D&D killed off by corporate.

 

[S'mon]

but all those GenZ kids are just as likely to find a different hobby

I'm seeing the exact opposite - Gen Z maturing into D&D players with a game that is finally accessible to secondary school pupils (high school students) and playable theatre-of-the-mind on lunch break by my 12 year old son and his friends. And there is a huge hunger for real-world interaction that 5e is ideally placed to meet. 5e is vastly better suited to capturing the new generation coming up than 2e, 3e, or 4e ever were.

Back when I first joined a public D&D Meetup in 2008, 3e was still bringing in some young people, but they tended to be stereotypically 'nerdy' types and there was not a broad-based appeal. 4e basically did not bring in new gamers, more the reverse. In terms of recruitment about the only good thing I can say about 4e compared to 3e is that it attracted relatively more women players. But 5e brings in people from across a vast demographic in terms of age, both sexes, and a wide range of preferences re complexity, genre tone, etc etc.

 

[S'mon]

At least until Digital becomes the primary way that users consume the game

Will never happen. Being a real-world-interaction game is the TTRPG USP!

 

[Reynard]

Will never happen. Being a real-world-interaction game is the TTRPG USP!

More and more people are playing online because it is easier and more convenient. I have a weekly game with 5 players living in 5 different states. I also have a weekly IRL game. Both are great.

 

[S'mon]

More and more people are playing online because it is easier and more convenient. I have a weekly game with 5 players living in 5 different states. I also have a weekly IRL game. Both are great.

I have an online game too - but it's not the core experience.

 

[Reynard]

I have an online game too - but it's not the core experience.

What does that even mean? The core experience is pretending to be an elf with your friends.