Wizards of the Coast has announced the new edition of Dungeons and Dragons, and it's going to be very different this time around. 2008's 4th Edition, like every new edition before it, was highly divisive, fragmenting the fanbase ever further. To combat that, they're asking for an unprecedented amount of player input to re-shape the rules of the game.
"With your feedback and involvement, we can make D&D better than ever," reads a statement from D&D's senior manager of research and development, Mike Mearls. "We seek to build a foundation for the long-term health and growth of D&D, one rooted in the vital traits that make D&D unique and special. We want a game that rises above differences of play styles, campaign settings, and editions, one that takes the fundamental essence of D&D and brings it to the forefront of the game."
Gamers' first chance to playtest the new edition will come at the Dungeons & Dragons Experience convention from January 26-29 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. After that, the game will enter a public beta of sorts, and anyone will be able to play and give feedback at Wizards of the Coast's site.
Do all you D&D fans out there have any ideas on how the game could be improved to appeal to both casual and hardcore players? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter.
