One D&D to Rule Them All–The future arrives as Planescape returns, plus 35 years of Drizzt, and more

Wizards of the Coast, the people at Hasbro behind Dungeons & Dragons, unveiled the next year of gaming releases this week via Wizards Presents for both the D&D and Magic: The Gathering brands. The high point for many will be the hotly anticipated return of Planescape, which has not yet been updated for the 5th Edition. To celebrate 35 years of drow hero Drizzt Do’Urden, a new edition of the Legend of Drizzt novels will be available (plus a visual dictionary and webcomic).

The other big news is that a rumored 6th Edition is not in the cards in the near term, instead a new umbrella concept called “One D&D” will incorporate updated rules that are backwards compatible with the 5th Edition, while D&D Beyond will remain as the digital platform, with an early-in-development D&D digital play experience that will offer player immersion and 3D creation tools. But if D&D to you means your favorite backpack and a collection of books you grab on your way out the door to game night, never fear, as these six D&D publications are slated through 2023:

Dec. 6, 2022 – Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen is a D&D adventure set in the world of Krynn with the backdrop of the War of the Lance (with options of standard or variant cover, and a Shadow of the Dragon Queen Deluxe Edition containing the adventure, the board game, and an exclusive Dungeon Master screen). Plus there’s a bundled D&D Beyond option available November 22, 2022. Check out the variant cover art:

Winter 2023 – Keys from the Golden Vault is billed as a cross of Ocean’s Eleven meets D&D in this book of short adventures revolving around heists as theme.
Spring 2023 – Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giant will be a companion to last year’s dragon-themed Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons, but focused on giants.
Summer 2023 – The Book of Many Things will be the next anthology of “creatures, locations, and other goodies” that are connected to the mysterious “Deck of Many Things.”
Summer 2023 – “Phandelver Campaign” (name not finalized yet) will expand the classic Lost Mine of Phandelver (discussed here) into a full campaign, “tinged with cosmic horror.”

Fall 2023 – “Planescape” — The legendary setting will return in a package like this year’s Spelljammer: Adventures in Space; Planescape will be a three-book slipcase, including a setting guide, bestiary, and adventure campaign.

So that’s some great content on its way, all being play-tested beginning this week.

For Magic: The Gathering fans there is just as much to be excited about.

Wizards of the Coast revealed upcoming products in its Universes Beyond product line, a way for fans to play Magic: The Gathering beyond Magic’s planes, with cards representing iconic fictional settings and characters in pop culture. For Universes Beyond’s Warhammer 40,000, in addition to four commander decks, four Sol Rings are themed after each faction representing The Imperium of Man, Tyranids, Necrons, and Chaos. The cards in the collector’s edition of each commander deck have a new Surge Foil treatment.

The Lord of the Rings tie-in

In Q3 2023, players can journey to Mount Doom with Frodo, Aragorn, and the rest of the Fellowship on their quest to destroy The One Ring in The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth set. The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth set is also coming to Magic: The Gathering Arena as an Alchemy set later in 2023.

Doctor Who tie-in

Magic: The Gathering is joining forces with Doctor Who in a new Universes Beyond collaboration that includes Commander decks, collector boosters, and Secret Lair drops spanning the 60-year history of the longest running action-adventure television series in the world.

30th anniversary of Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering celebrates its 30th birthday in 2023. The year-long celebration kicks off this year and includes the Magic 30 event taking place at Las Vegas’ EXPO at World Market Center on Oct. 28-30, special promotions commemorating Magic’s history, and special promotions that will only be found in local game stores.

Dominaria United

Later this year, players will return to where it all started in Dominaria United. Home to the first Magic set that was released in 1993, and the centerpiece of storytelling for the first decade, Dominaria is the core of Magic’s multiverse. Dominarians are pitted against the Phyrexians in the kickoff to a four-set story arc. Dominaria United releases on September 9, 2022, but it’s available for preorder now here at Amazon.

Magic: The Gathering releases coming in 2023

The Phyrexia story arc continues with The Brothers’ War, releasing in November, followed by Phyrexia: All Will Be One, releasing in Q1 2023, and wrapping up with March of the Machine, a conclusion to the story, releasing in Q2 2023. March of the Machine: The Aftermath, also releasing in Q2 2023, ties up loose ends from March of the Machine and explores the fundamental changes that have taken place in Magic’s Multiverse. In Q3 2023, players will return to Eldraine, a fan favorite plane that draws inspiration from classic fairy tales with Wilds of Eldraine. In Q4 2023, Lost Caverns of Ixalan will finish the year with Pirates, Dinosaurs, and Vampires vying for dominance.