Now Wizards of the Coast (the current rights holder) is looking to release the fifth version of the game and will also be tossing out a digital copy of the rules in an attempt to get more people interested. The 110 page “basic rules” reminds me of the days when then owner TSR decided to build on the original world of D&D and came out with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (TSR was not as creative the names as they were with the game). We now have an entry level version of the game designed to bring people into the fold and get them to pay gobs of cash to build on their fantasy world.

The problem is, how does a game that is played out mostly in the mind compete with the virtual worlds offered by today’s RPG video games? Yes, it can be very exciting to build your own world and for others to run through it seeing it in their heads, but will this have a place in today’s instant gratification and visual world? That is a question that remains to be answered and will also cover the fate of a game that can be seen as the inspiration for many modern video games (where do you think Hit Points in games came from?).

I know I will be downloading it, if for no other reason than to see how much the rules have changed.

Will you be downloading the new D&D Rules? Tell us