Wizards of the Coast will release new Dungeons & Dragons products for five consecutive months beginning July 3rd, the company announced today. The new releases include four game products, a new D&D Starter Set and the three core books, plus two serialized Tyranny of Dragons adventures. This is the first complete release of the product line-up for launch, which WotC has been building toward for years.
For more, check out our exclusive interview with Liz Schuh, the head of D&D at Wizards of the Coast (see "Exclusive Interview: 'D&D's' Liz Schuh on the New Edition Launch").
The company had previously announced a general release date of this summer (see "'D&D Next' Launch Date Set"), bookstore release dates for two of the products were leaked by Barnes & Noble (see "'D&D Next' Release Dates Leaked"), and the general outlines of the Tyranny of Dragons adventures were released (see "'The Tyranny of Dragons,' New 'D&D' Encounters").
First up is the D&D Starter Set, which will release at WPN retailers on July 3 and on July 15th to the rest of the trade. The introductory boxed set will include a 64-page booklet, a 32-page booklet, five character sheets, and six dice in a 9" x 11" box for $19.99.
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D&D Player’s Handbook will release at WPN retailers on August 8, be available at Gen Con, and then go into general release on August 19th. The 320-page 8-9/16" x 11-1/8" hardcover will retail for $49.95.
Released at the same Gen Con-centric times as the Player’s Handbook, Hoard of the Dragon Queen begins the Tyranny of Dragons storyline in a 96-page hardcover (same trim size) for $29.95.
September will see the release of the Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual, a 320-page $49.95 hardcover.
In October, the Tyranny of Dragons storyline continues in The Rise of Tiamat, another 96-page hardcover for $29.95.
And in November, the first tranche of D&D releases wraps up with the Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master’s Guide, a 320-page hardcover for $49.95.
WotC has also announced that licensee Cryptic Studios will release a new Tyranny of Dragons module for its Neverwinter D&D MMO on August 14th.
And WizKids will release its first Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Miniatures Starter and Booster, created for use with the new tabletop roleplaying game, in conjunction with the release of the D&D Starter Set and Player’s Handbook, respectively (see "'D&D Fantasy Miniatures'").
Here’s the full schedule of the Wizards of the Coast, WizKids, and Cryptic releases:
July 3rd:
D&D Starter Set released at WPN retailers.
July:
WizKids’ Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Miniatures Starter Set Heroes released.
July 15th:
D&D Starter Set released at non-WPN retailers.
August 8th:
D&D Player’s Handbook and Hoard of the Dragon Queen released at WPN retailers.
August:
WizKids’ Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Miniatures Set One Standard Booster released.
August 14th:
Tyranny of Dragons launches for Cryptic Studios’ Neverwinter.
August 14-17th:
Gen Con (Hoard of the Dragon Queen and D&D Player’s Handbook sold there).
August 19th:
Hoard of the Dragon Queen and D&D Player’s Handbook released at non-WPN retailers.
September:
D&D Monster Manual released
October:
Rise of Tiamat released
November:
Dungeon Master’s Guide released
Summer Release Planned
Posted by ICv2 on May 19, 2014 @ 9:40 am CT