Dungeons & Dragons turns 50 today. D&D is one of the most popular tabletop role-playing games. How will Wizards of the Coast celebrate this milestone?
Dungeons & Dragons (more commonly called D&D) is a classic fantasy tabletop role-playing game. It was originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. Since 1997, it has been published by Wizards of the Coast (now a subsidiary of Hasbro). The game was based on miniature wargames, using the 1971 game “Chainmail” for inspiration when creating the ruleset.
D&D 5th Edition is the current standard, though Wizards of the Coast are currently working on One D&D – the next generation of the TTRPG. This new generation of D&D aims to make the game more accessible, apply feedback from the fans, digitalise their content through D&D Beyond, and provide immersive tools and experiences for online sessions. One D&D is expected to go live in 2024, with remastered by backward compatible core D&D rule books.
Wizards of the Coast Official Plans
Wizards of the Coast released an hour-long video on the Dungeons & Dragons YouTube channel on month ago, detailing some of the things we can expect. This includes several adventure sourcebooks, a historical non-fiction book, a D&D documentary from Joe Manganiello, a spree of nostalgic TTRPG tournaments, Wizkids miniatures, and even anniversary D&D stamps. Since then, no dates have been officially confirmed.
D&D is set to have a great year in 2024, though it could prove crucial to its longevity. With the release of the “Honor Among Thieves” film, Larian Studio’s “Baldur’s Gate 3” game, the news of VR integration through Demeo, and the remastered One D&D rulebooks, Wizards of the Coast have the perfect opportunity to capitalise on a new audience of D&D players.
If One D&D is backward compatible with 5e, as Wizards claim, they will avoid majorly alienating their old players and causing a void between them and new players. If not, 2024 could be a turbulent time for the popular TTRPG.
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