What do we think will happen when the new edition of D&D inevitably comes out, especially now that WotC are buying DDB? I am seriously curious how many users have understood what they actually "own" and what it means for their D&D digital future.

DDB routinely updates the digital books with errata, and we have also seen controversy over changes that some consider errata, and others consider non-error changes. WotC and DDB have already demonstrated a willingness to change books in major ways, like with Curse of Strahd, so that your digital copy is meaningfully different from your physical copy, and now they have "discontinued" two digital books (Volo's Guide to Monsters, and Mordenkeinen's Tome of Foes).

My goal isn't to debate the changes that have been made, that's been done to death, rather my concern is that all the money we've spent on licenses to access the digital books is potentially completely wasted when the next edition comes out, because I believe WotC may remove all or some of the 5e digital books and replace them with the new edition.

Do you think they will replace the books or keep both editions? Do you think WotC will offer discounts on new edition digital books that replace previous edition digital books (like a new PHB)?

Do users really understand that they don't own the digital books, they've just purchased a license to access the data, and those "books" can change dramatically, or disappear altogether?

As we approach a new edition, if WotC does not issue any clarification on the fate of 5e digital products, will you continue to pay for access to new 5e digital products that come out over the next couple of years, or will you save your money and wait for the next edition?

To be honest, the costs of having the books on the system is minimal. The costs are mostly either creating the content (already done) or maintenance of the site itself (which will not be affected much by whether the books are there or not - presuming WotC haven't just spend a fortune just to close DDB down). So I think legacy ownership will be untouched. Whether they delist them from sale is another issue. We've already seen that they're willing to do so on grounds of creative vision (VGtM and MToF), so it's quite possible (and in my opinion likely) that when 6e is released, 5e will be delisted from sale. I have no doubt that they will not "update" 5e content to 6e. They'll want their money, so you'll have to buy 6e if you want it.

However, if they do decide to purge the site of 5e when 6e is released, they better make PDFs of everything free, at least to those who bought it.

PS: Or do you mean what's coming in 2024 (what I call 2024e)? Because that's almost certainly not 6e, and will mbe more like 5.5e. New editions aren't compatible with previous ones, but we've been promised that 2024e will be compatible with 5e.

PS: Or do you mean what's coming in 2024 (what I call 2024e)? Because that's almost certainly not 6e, and will mbe more like 5.5e. New editions aren't compatible with previous ones, but we've been promised that 2024e will be compatible with 5e.

I am referring to both. We really don't know yet exactly what 2024e will be. It might be a half-edition change, or it may be considered 6e and be backwards compatible in some ways (like 5e is with 3/3.5). Either way, there will be books coming out in 2024 that are likely meant to supplant current 5e books, like maybe a revised PHB or revised MM.

I would assume that the content we already have will remain, like those who already have Volos or Tome of Foes, still have them, they didn’t disappear when Monsters of the Multiverse (MMM) came out. But once 2024 comes out, the current books will not be sold or supported or updated or errata’d. They will sit there in the version they were in when 2024 books are released. 

The 2024 books will replace PHB, DMG, and MM and MMM and future books (pre 2024) will be the most compatible. I wouldn’t be surprised if future pre 2024 books will be like MMM and basically update and replace current books, like Tasha’s and Xanathar’s, to fit better in the 2024 model. Like how some are talking about “are they getting rid of short rests” because all the new stuff (class and races) all have Long rest mechanics and no short rest mechanics. 

Edit: I agree, it would be nice, even necessary not to severely piss off their customers, if, after 2024 (2025-2026?) they decide to purge all 5E books from the site, that they give PDF versions of owned books to the customers that have them. They will be old edition and not used going forward by WotC

My personal theory is that there will not be a 6e, but rather a slow updating of 5e, and gradual increase of “Legacy” content that is no longer the current version.  There were reasons to make the upgrades in editions in the past that simply are not present today - 3/3.5 was still a little too complicated for casual players; I think I was the only person to like 4e; etc. 5e seems to have found a niche in rules that are really easy for casual players to pick up, while still providing a fair number of options for those who like to create more complex characters. 

Why is this my prediction?  D&D is doing really, really well right now and 5e’s rules are clearly the most popular iteration of the game. Hasbro is not going to want to risk another 4e situation, where they split their player base and drove a lot of folks to Pathfinder and other games, simply because “it’s time to update editions!”  Consider that their other big product - Magic - has not had a major rules overall since Magic 2010 removed damage from the stack (and that was still backwards compatible with all cards in the game). Fully new editions are not great for business - they just have been necessary in the past because 1-4e had systemic flaws preventing them from being ultra-popular.  To further support this theory, Hasbro has invested a heck of a lot in 5e - not just in terms of their Beyond purchase, but in building up a 5e culture by promoting streamers and such.  They are probably not going to toss thousands upon thousands of hours of free “you should play D&D and here, why don’t you watch and learn how” advertising they get out the window just to gamble on 6e.

So, I expect 2024 will be less a major overhaul, and more seeing the core books get MMM treatment, and that we’ll continue to see such treatment moving forward.  This also would allow them to easily continue to sell older source books for things like Ravnica, that don’t really need to be updated all that much (though they might stop printing them physically and just sell as digital content, if production costs do not justify print runs of these older, but still distributed, volumes).

We are already getting close to the amount of changes that took place between 3 and 3.5 and in 20ish months we will see a whole new set of updated core books. It doesn't matter what WotC chooses to call it.  It is a new edition.  Instead of doing it all at once, they are trying to slip it in piece by piece to prevent upsetting the apple cart.