WotC is Planning for a VTT - What Does that Mean for the 5e Fan Base?

So, the super-secret part of the new WotC D&D Survey (which may have ended) showed a handful of survey takers video of a planned new by subscription Virtual Table Top (VTT) service that will incorporate much of what is currently available in D&D Beyond. Techraptor has the details.

In short, the video appears to be a virtual tabletop program with integrated rules for Fifth Edition Dungeons and Dragons. The video included digital toolsets and 3D graphics, including isometric maps and customizable miniature figures. It was compared to the grid system used in Roll20 combined with the convenience of D&D Beyond. Finally, it seemed that character sheets will be handled on players' smart phones and tablet devices and would be connected to the program somehow. 

If this is true, it would give more players variety for how they choose to play Dungeons and Dragons. The only concern however is how it will be made available. There is speculation that this will be a subscription-based service, much like D&D Beyond

According to a prior WotC D&D Survey, there are 40 million D&D 5e players/fans in the world. D&D Beyond subscriptions are $5.99 for a DM, $2.99 for a player. Assume 1% of D&D players subscribe to D&D Beyond, and we'll assume an average rate of $4 per sub. 400k paid subs at 4 bucks a month is $1.6M a month. Nearly $20M a year, the bulk of which is not paid to WotC. WotC wants all of that and more (again, we don't have precise numbers)

WotC had $816M in sales in 2020. The bulk of that is Magic: The Gathering. D&D makes money, but much of it is via licensing - including to the various VTT publishers.

We recently have seen WotC take translations back in house. I suspect that D&D Beyond will also be brought in house (its founder left earlier this year), and by having their own VTT they bring much of the VTT income in house.

WotC just needs to invest real money into this project.

Interesting times ahead...

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar

WotC Virtual Table Top - Here Today, Gone July 30th

WotC VTT - We Hardly Knew You

What? You didn't know WotC was working on their own VTT for like - forever?

Well, it's too late now. VTT go bye bye soon. As per ENWorld:

This comes from Wotc_Josh from the group D&D Insider Beta.

"I wanted to inform you all about an important decision that Wizards has made regarding the D&D Virtual Table and Virtual Table Beta. While we appreciate the enthusiasm and participation in the Beta phase, we were unable to generate enough support for the tool to launch a full version to the public. Effective July 30, 2012 the D&D Virtual Table Beta will be coming to an end and the VT will be closed.

Over the next three weeks, we encourage you to wrap up your existing campaigns and make sure to gather contact information from your online group members so that you can stay in touch if you like. We realize that because all data generated in the tool is in a proprietary format usable only by the Virtual Table, it is not possible to export your campaigns for use in another tool. You can, however, take screenshots of any notes, maps or adventures that you would like to hang on to or use in your home games. 

We would like to thank everyone who participated in the VT Beta and look forward to continuing to support D&D game play through our D&D Insider digital tools and D&D Next."

I really like how all your shit that you entered onto their VTT is in proprietary format and can't be exported.

That's the way to support your customers!

Four Years Later and WotC Still Doesn't Have a Viable VTT

I've really been having a blast using the Tabletop Forge app in Google+ Hangouts to facilitate by online ACKS Campaign. With the D&D Next "Open" playtest kicking off next week, it got me thinking about the Virtual Table Top that WotC promised at the release of D&D 4e.

You remember. WotC released some mocked up, 3d styled images of their non-existant (at the time) VTT that included a dice image stolen directly from the Fantasy Grounds VTT. Smiteworks even hit WotC with a C&D over that back in June of '08.

Fast forward to November of 2010, and WotC opened the beta testing of their VTT to select members of their digital subscription. From what I recall, it looked nothing like the original mockup that was presented over 2 years prior.

Now we are 4 years after the announcement of the WotC Virtual Table Top and it still isnt done yet. It was announced with the release of D&D 4e, and the open play test of D&D 5e starts next week and we still don't have it.

It's a shame.

Not that I'm complaining. Tabletop Forge fills most of my needs, and it hasn't taken 4 years to get to that point.

Maybe WotC should crowdsource the design of their VTT just like they are doing with D&D Next. ;)

Holy Carp! I'm in the WotC Dungeons & Dragons Virtual Table Top Beta

Yep!  I applied and figured there is now way I'd get in.  Seriously.  I let my D&D Insider membership lapse way back when, as I don't play 4e (tho I have the books and I'd probably give it a shot with the right group).

Anyhow, I checked my email this afternoon, and there's the invite.  Nice!  Oh, and no non-disclosure BS either, so I'm free to post away.

My early thoughts:

- When you set up your campaign as a DM, you can indicate which D&D ruleset you plan on using, all the way back to AD&D 1e.  In doesn't change the set up of the character sheet, which is 4e... but it does hold promise for the future, and an acknowledgement that earlier versions of D&D are still viable (and Wizards can still grab a piece of that pie)

- Mapping out a dungeon is a breeze with the tile system.  Fog of War seems simple enough to implement as a DM (I wish some other other VTTs would catch up to that.)

- Voice is implemented, I'll have to try that out at some point

- Quick glance at the Beta Forums showed at least 2 posters looking for groups to play in a pre-3e session.  One of those was looking to run Swords & Wizardry

- Players get one use pass codes to play in a session - New beta users start with 5.  DMs dont need a pass

- Java based, so it's cross platform, which is a HUGE plus.  I don't boot up the PC these days unless it's to do some PC gaming.

I need to do some heavy forum reading over the next few days.

If anyone reading this is in the beta, give me a shout out.  Maybe we can hook up in game, even if just to push the tokens around ;)