5E is Cratering

I like Tales of the Valiant a lot.

But the 5E market is cratering. We have not seen a million-dollar-plus crowdfunded project for 5E in a while now. D&D is limping along. Baldur's Gate 3 is getting as tired as Stranger Things, and there is nothing new to milk. D&D Beyond is putting DLC on book releases, with no print versions of the expansions.

D&D YouTube sees the writing on the wall, knowing the game is failing, and they are turning into cheerleaders for Wizards. I just watched a softball interview of Wizards. It is hard out there, I get it. Everything you built is crumbling. You need to "be nice" to "get access."

I don't have to watch, though. It does not make me angry, it makes me sad and makes me lose hope in all of 5E, even Open 5E. I can't have that negativity in my life around a game. I will just walk away.

Tales of the Valiant is my "alternate universe" version of 5E I can play and not care about the doom and drama. It exists on its own, its own world, its own rules, a better game, and its own expansions, adventures, and content. It can use what it left of my 5E library.

And I can ignore D&D YouTube. Most of their advice is bad anyways, especially all the "referee theory" and "adventure prep" advice. If you are not having any fun with the game, no amount of bad advice is going to help you. Change what you play. Go to Shadowdark. Play Traveller. Try GURPS. Try an OSR game. Check out Dragonbane or Forbidden Lands. Try war-gaming. If your players don't want to change, find a new group.

Part of the problem playing ToV is the non-existent coverage for the game, with D&D YouTube walking by and feeling "it is just D&D." Another part of it is the creator community flailing to save Wizards and the hobby, versus an onslaught of the new 5E alternatives: Shadowdark, Daggerheart, Draw Steel, Cosmere RPG, Nimble 5e, Warhammer ToW, and a few more.

Not to mention the strong alternatives that are already out there with Dragonbane, Castles & Crusades, Old School Essentials, Call of Cthulhu, Runequest, Dungeon Crawl Classics, and Pathfinder 2E.

Or try an OSR game.

I am keeping ToV in its own campaign world and space to keep it away from the negativity and trying to enjoy it on its own. And while yes, it is 5E, it is its own game and deserves to be treated as its own game.