Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition is easily one of the most widespread and popular editions of the game that Wizards of the Coast has ever published. Thanks to an influx of D&D streams and podcasts, more and more players have been introduced to tabletop gaming through D&D. However, there are those that are still curious about what the future holds for the iconic tabletop role-playing game. The player's handbook for 5th edition released in August of 2014, meaning 5e is coming up on its seventh anniversary. In most cases, this means that players could expect to see details about the next edition soon, but is 6th edition as close as it seems?

Although there was around a decade or more between editions when Dungeons and Dragons first released, more recently they have been a bit more condensed. 3rd edition released in 2000, and was followed up by 4th edition eight years later in 2008. After that, the 5th edition of Dungeons and Dragons that fans know and love released in 2014, just six years later. With 2021 representing the seventh year of 5th edition, it would stand to reason that big new things could be just around the corner. Still, there's a case both for and against the release of 6e.

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The Case For Dungeons and Dragons 6th Edition

Featured - Dungeons and Dragons 5e Recommended Backgrounds

The most obvious argument for Dungeons and Dragons 6th Edition is the aforementioned timing. Wizards of the Coast no doubt has new ideas it could implement that just won't fit into the existing framework of 5e, and a brand new edition would allow it to do just that. A great place to see examples of this is all of the discarded Unearthed Arcana. While some of them have been officially adapted into the game via new books, many of the Unearthed Arcana content has been left to the wayside because it doesn't mesh well with the rest of the game.

Another supporting factor is the huge push in Dungeons and Dragons video games that players are seeing. Capitalizing on this newfound popularity, Wizards of the Coast seems keen on putting out as much content for eager players as possible. It also can't be denied that money is a huge driving factor. Most 5th edition players already own the books they need, but releasing a new edition would spur countless hardcore gamers into action to buy the new Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master's Guide, and more.

The Case Against Dungeons and Dragons 6th Edition

Dungeons And Dragons 5E

For those rallying against the release of a new edition, the main argument seems to be that Wizards of the Coast shouldn't fix something that isn't broken. For the most part, new editions of Dungeons and Dragons address a problem from the previous edition. 2nd edition provided more variation to the relatively mundane 1st edition, and 3rd edition helped organize the confusing aspects of 2nd edition. 4th edition was released in response to critiques that 3rd edition was too complex, but then received backlash for being too simple itself. Finally, 5th edition seems to be the happy medium between 3rd edition's mathematically taxing systems and 4th edition's simplicity.

That's not to say that 5th edition doesn't have its flaws, but they are much less glaring than either 3rd or 4th edition. The main thing that players seem to want is simply more content and options to choose between, something that a 6th edition wouldn't be necessary for. From a player perspective, having to shelve 5th edition rulebooks in favor of buying newer ones would be an expensive endeavor. There's also the risk of splitting the player base between those that prefer the 5th edition rules, and those that take on the newer rules.

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Dungeons and Dragons .5 editions

D&D 3.5

It should be said that the release dates of Dungeons and Dragons editions listed above are a bit misleading, as there was plenty of content released in between editions. Most notably, Advanced Dungeons and Dragons came out three years after the original Dungeons and Dragons, expanding on its ruleset and providing more options to players. Likewise, second edition received a revised set of books partway through its runtime, and many are probably more familiar with 3.5e D&D than they are with the actual 3rd edition.

All of this is to say that it is entirely possible for 5th edition to continue even after receiving some major overhauls. The changes that players want to see in a 6th edition could find their home in a 5.5 edition of sorts, bringing freshness to the game without forcing players to discard everything they know about it and learn a whole new system. This solution would sort of be the best of both worlds, as it would allow 5e enthusiasts to keep playing the game that they love while giving 6e hopefuls something new to dig in to.

Releasing Dungeons and Dragons 6e

Dungeons & Dragons Monster

Regarding how plausible a 6th edition actually is, it is difficult to say. Fans can say with certainty that, if there is a 6th edition in the works, it is still a ways away. 5th edition was the first new edition of D&D that was developed alongside a public playtest, and it seems likely that this trend will continue. Since there hasn't been any such announcement for a 6e D&D, it is doubtful that there's anything major coming soon just yet.

With the numerous expansion books that Wizards of the Coast has put out for 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons, it's possible that it is instead taking the live service approach. Rather than releasing a sequel or new addition, the current edition will just be constantly updated. This allows for a constantly expanding game that continues to build on itself, but has the potential to wear players out a bit. The future of Dungeons and Dragons remains uncertain, but for now players can rest easy knowing that 5th edition is still going strong.

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