Future Setting Specific Books

 

Personally, I don't want WotC to make a new setting.  They have Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk for the medieval fantasy, Eberron for the arcane pulp noir, Ravenloft for horror, Dark Sun (eventually) for the apocalypse world.  They have the MTG settings, Ravnica and Strixhaven.  They have the cultural appropriation settings they hesitate to touch like Kara-Tur, Al Qadim and Maztica (though technically FR).  They even have the redheaded stepchild, Mystara.

What I really want is more deep dives into existing settings.  A Dalelands book, a eastern Sea of Fallen Stars book (Thay, Mulhorand, Thesk Algarond), a Xend'rik book or a Mournlands book.  We just got a Domains of Dread book for Ravenloft.  Update the lore of these places deeper than a whole setting overview.

 

 Honestly I'd love more Eberron stuff exploring the main continent of Khorvaire in more detail or exploring the other continents that got short changed in Rising From The Last War. However I'm very aware that the lesson taken from the TSR era and 3e was that if you release loads of books for each setting you end up dividing your market into "players of Forgotten Realms", "players of Greyhawk", "players of Eberron" etc and people stop buying the books outside their chosen setting so not sure if we'll see that.

As for an old setting I'd like to see updated I'm going to go obscure and ask for Ghost Walk. Only ever got one book during 3e but was set in a city in the after life surrounded by monsters where heroes go when they die. It was different enough from everything else to catch my interest and has the added advantage if you accidentally TPK your party you just shift to there for the rest of the campaign   

Quote from Perringaiden >>

Quote from Lia_Black >>

I would love something Japanese themed, but honestly anything that moves away from a European design would be nice.

 Honestly, I think publishers focusing on that sort of culture specific thing should be "Not North Americans" to give it a real honest delivery.  Which is why if you want that sort of thing, there's 3rd party settings like Obijimas already on D&D Beyond.

On the topic: 

Personally, I don't want WotC to make a new setting.  They have Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk for the medieval fantasy, Eberron for the arcane pulp noir, Ravenloft for horror, Dark Sun (eventually) for the apocalypse world.  They have the MTG settings, Ravnica and Strixhaven.  They have the cultural appropriation settings they hesitate to touch like Kara-Tur, Al Qadim and Maztica (though technically FR).  They even have the redheaded stepchild, Mystara.

What I really want is more deep dives into existing settings.  A Dalelands book, a eastern Sea of Fallen Stars book (Thay, Mulhorand, Thesk Algarond), a Xend'rik book or a Mournlands book.  We just got a Domains of Dread book for Ravenloft.  Update the lore of these places deeper than a whole setting overview.

And the other thing is more setting-agnostic stuff.  Like a Martial book that's focused on more martial subclasses, feats, equipment and magical items.  I'm hoping we'll get something like that for the Arcane season and the Champions season.

And the final thing I really want to see is a "Homebrew Bible".  A guide to how to build monsters, how to build magic, how to build subclasses or feats.  Though I expect that if they're building that, it won't be out until after the Game Engine Rebuild has settled, and they've had time to build up the Homebrew tools on the site to support it.

 
Not trying to throw shade, but examine the premise of your argument for a moment. 
"These Culture specific settings were done poorly by a previous company 30 years ago, so a company set on the same continent can't try again at all." 

It is a poor argument, but I don't think you are stupid for making it or anything. (Cause I know someone might think that is what I am saying.)
I get you where you are coming from in not wanting stereotypes perpetuated and cultures bowdlerized into something offensive and that is a good impulse (one I strongly share) but also consider that those previous attempts were done without cultural consultation or without people of those cultures involved, and in a time where the internet was not as good of a research tool. 

WoTC could easily hire consultants, do research, hire Asian-American creatives or even hire writers from those regions to E-correspond with, and contract.
We have members of every ethnic group that TSR flubbed doing in North America, so it is very reasonable for WoTC to produce content for those players of those ethnicities as long as they are included in the process.
It can be done without getting... well "a tome full of yikes Bro" is the best way to put it without profanity. 
Also lets face it, the 3PP stuff that would fill those gaps would also have lots of North-American publishers trying and the same arguments for WoTC being able to do it apply to them.

So, a flipside of this, and why I am trying to gently rebut this is.... I had a young player (13 I think) cry because he felt left out lore wise. His words were "Why do you get to have your gods in the books but I have to put mine in myself?"
(That wasn't the only reason he was upset, it was just the pin that burst the balloon. He thought I was a Norse Pagan like the DM was, thus the 'your gods' comment.)

interesting topic there are several settings i want to see to return

• Birthreight
• Council of Wyrms
• Dark Sun
• Dragonlance
• Dragonlance: Time of the Dragon
• Forgotten Realms: Al-Qadim
• Forgotten Realms: Arcane Age
• Forgotten Realms: The Horde
• Forgotten Realms: Kara-Tur
• Forgotten Realms: Malatra: The Living Jungle
• Forgotten Realms: Mazitca
• Ghostwalk
• Jakandor
• Mahasarpa
• Mystara
• Mystara: Hollow World
• Mystara: Red Steel / Savage Coast
• Mystara: Thunder Rift
• Nentir Vale
• Pelinore
• Planescape
• Radiant Citadel
• Ravenloft: Masque of the Red Death
• Spelljammer

Also I would like to see a return of the Blackmoor setting that needs a partnership with The Arneson Estate

Quote from Davyd >>

However, it's also possible we get a planar-themed Tasha's style book where the options are taken from various planes and that's as much Dark Sun as we get.

Yeah, I'm still somewhat skeptical that they'll try to thread the needle on "remove the problematic elements/tone down the survival mechanics that are a very awkward fit for 5.5" and "have it be enough like Dark Sun to actually satisfy those asking for it" in a full book

I would love a Domains of Delight book, and a book fleshing out some Radiant Citadel settings.

I'd really like to see something genuinely new rather than just rehashes of existing material. That said, The Radiant Citadel was possibly my favorite 5e book, so I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a similar expansion on those worlds and cultures if they were done in that spirit.

Unfortunately, from what I'm seeing, it looks like we're getting a lot of 2024 rebooting for classic settings instead. It's particularly frustrating that the settings which were covered poorly, namely Planescape and Spelljammer, aren't getting the full revised treatment. The focus seems to be on revisiting places we've already seen multiple times and that were arguably handled well enough already.

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

Unfortunately, from what I'm seeing, it looks like we're getting a lot of 2024 rebooting for classic settings instead. It's particularly frustrating that the settings which were covered poorly, namely Planescape and Spelljammer, aren't getting the full revised treatment. The focus seems to be on revisiting places we've already seen multiple times and that were arguably handled well enough already.

 I think that's the sad irony of Spelljammer and Planescape; they did a not great job of them, released them in an experimental format that cost more than a regular book, both of which contributed to them not selling well which sends the message it's not worth doing a decent regular priced book 

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

I'd really like to see something genuinely new rather than just rehashes of existing material. That said, The Radiant Citadel was possibly my favorite 5e book, so I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a similar expansion on those worlds and cultures if they were done in that spirit.

Unfortunately, from what I'm seeing, it looks like we're getting a lot of 2024 rebooting for classic settings instead. It's particularly frustrating that the settings which were covered poorly, namely Planescape and Spelljammer, aren't getting the full revised treatment. The focus seems to be on revisiting places we've already seen multiple times and that were arguably handled well enough already.

 
I do as well. But a new world with new lore that is professionally put together and compelling takes time.
I know, because I do it a lot. Homebrew worlds of mine have taken years to come together, and i am only trying to please a small group of players whose tastes i know.

Now imagine trying to make a new world that is fresh and compelling to everyone. That is hard, and will take them time, and even should one be in the works, we ain't going to hear anything till it is pretty much finalized. 
It might be coming down the pipe but we will won't know until all the old worlds people have been asking for are updated. 

Quote from Caerwyn_Glyndwr >>

Quote from Perringaiden >>

Quote from Lia_Black >>

I would love something Japanese themed, but honestly anything that moves away from a European design would be nice.

 Honestly, I think publishers focusing on that sort of culture specific thing should be "Not North Americans" to give it a real honest delivery.  Which is why if you want that sort of thing, there's 3rd party settings like Obijimas already on D&D Beyond.

 

 
I have to strongly disagree with this on a few points.

For the first point, there appears to be a bit of an unfair, unintentional implication that WotC staff, as North Americans, cannot produce an “honest delivery.”  This discounts the fact that Wizards has fostered a more diverse team, and implies that folks like first and second generation immigrants cannot create an authentic delivery of the cultures that they grew up in.

Additionally, Wizards has shown a lot of willingness recently to subcontract in third party developers from other cultures to work on books of this nature.  One of my favorite parts of Radiant Cotadel’s marketing push was getting to read blurbs from non-Wizards developers talking about how they adapted and modified their cultures for D&D and fantasy.  And it turned out great - that book was fantastic, won a bunch of awards, and a number of the multicultural third party authors now work for Wizards.

Second, I think what a lot of people here want is non-European content.  There is a lot of “North American” content that would fit that description.  Newly hired Erin Roberts made Godsbreath, which was used in Radiant Citadel.  That setting explored her Southern African American culture, drawing on cultural history in places like New Orleans or her ancestors’ enslavement on plantations.  There are a whole bunch of Native American cultures that have their own fascinating lore and stories to explore - something Wizards has, unfortunately, been reluctant to touch on either in D&D or Magic.  Mexico also has a rich, diverse, and ancient culture that we saw some hints of in Radiant Citadel, but which would be neat to flesh out further. 

Finally, and most importantly, visibility in official content matters.  When “official” is nearly synonymous with “European”, that gives a false impression that European D&D is the “right” way to play the game. It also feeds into the perceptions of a very certain type of player that D&D is for them, not for everyone. 

I am all for third party content picking up gaps in what Wizards provides, and I am glad Wizards is willing to platform creators on Beyond (though I will note they have nearly exclusively platforms European content).  But official content has more gravitas and sets what the core game looks like.  As things presently stand, the core game says “if you are of a different culture and want to explore that culture, you can still play, you just can’t find anything within our content that speaks to you” and that is a failing on Wizards’ part.

Simply describing something as European (or African or Asian) tends to be a very American attitude. Pre-Christian cultures in Europe were very diverse. If someone thinks there's too much Tolkien-style fantasy, that's fine, but Tolkien is hardly synonymous with European.

Anyways, I wouldn't want any D&D setting to be more than very loosely based on real world cultures.

Quote from CunningSmile >>

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

Unfortunately, from what I'm seeing, it looks like we're getting a lot of 2024 rebooting for classic settings instead. It's particularly frustrating that the settings which were covered poorly, namely Planescape and Spelljammer, aren't getting the full revised treatment. The focus seems to be on revisiting places we've already seen multiple times and that were arguably handled well enough already.

 I think that's the sad irony of Spelljammer and Planescape; they did a not great job of them, released them in an experimental format that cost more than a regular book, both of which contributed to them not selling well which sends the message it's not worth doing a decent regular priced book 

 Which is a shame, because if they redid Spelljammer and then actually supported it with adventures, I could be persuaded to run them. Instead, I'm not headed to 3rd party.

Which leads me to my response to the main question: I don't know which ones are next...but I hope they slow down and consolidate, rather than ever expanding the settings. Some of these settings are massive, yet barely touched. I could run the adventures of each setting...but then we don't get the depth and continuity of having connected adventures. I have Spelljammer...but it's unplayed right now because it's just one adventure, and a short one at that. If they concentrated on developing the settings they already have, several options for adventure modules in each, then I think that would go better than a setting for every taste and one adventure each (and if it happens to be a bad one or one that takes a different slant to what you like...too bad!).

Quote from GnollitAll78450 >>

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

I'd really like to see something genuinely new rather than just rehashes of existing material. That said, The Radiant Citadel was possibly my favorite 5e book, so I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a similar expansion on those worlds and cultures if they were done in that spirit.

Unfortunately, from what I'm seeing, it looks like we're getting a lot of 2024 rebooting for classic settings instead. It's particularly frustrating that the settings which were covered poorly, namely Planescape and Spelljammer, aren't getting the full revised treatment. The focus seems to be on revisiting places we've already seen multiple times and that were arguably handled well enough already.

 
I do as well. But a new world with new lore that is professionally put together and compelling takes time.
I know, because I do it a lot. Homebrew worlds of mine have taken years to come together, and i am only trying to please a small group of players whose tastes i know.

Now imagine trying to make a new world that is fresh and compelling to everyone. That is hard, and will take them time, and even should one be in the works, we ain't going to hear anything till it is pretty much finalized. 
It might be coming down the pipe but we will won't know until all the old worlds people have been asking for are updated. 

 
Fingers crossed. It would be a shame if D&D mirrored Hollywood's reliance on endless sequels, prequels, reboots, and spinoffs. We need bold moonshots to spark imagination, even when some fall short. I believe the developers can do great work--if they're given the space to take risks.