D&D has finally laid out its plans for 2026, and it includes a return to Ravenloft alongside a long-brewing wizard civil war.
After a general – but understandable – freakout that D&D didn't have anything on the docket for this year, publisher Wizards of the Coast has finally cast "Identify" on its 2026 lineup. Unveiled at GAMA: The Tabletop Game Association, this roadmap includes three new books, community-led "seasons" of play, and plenty of accessories for one of the best tabletop RPGs. That ranges from horror-themed sourcebook Ravenloft: The Horrors Within (e.g. a welcome excuse to revisit one of the game's best villains, Strahd von Zarovich) to two "Arcana Unleashed" books. One of these details high-magic character options, while the other is being pitched as the "ultimate Red Wizards adventure" that plunges you into an all-new Wizard War.
Ravenloft returns with gothic new sourcebook and accessories
- New horror subclasses, species, backgrounds
- Pre-orders live from April 13, launches in June
- Will cost $59.99
The dark lands of Ravenloft have long been some of D&D's most beloved, and Curse of Strahd (which thrusts us into the heart of that realm like a well-aimed stake) remains one of the most popular adventures for the game's current edition. That's why Wizards of the Coast is returning to the setting in summer 2026, which just so happens to be Curse of Strahd's 10th anniversary.
Curse of Strahd (which you can find pretty easily at Amazon, etc) remains one of my favorite D&D adventures bar none. Actually, I gave it a full four and a half stars in my Curse of Strahd Revamped review, so I'm more than happy to revisit Ravenloft.
Rather than an established story in its own right, Ravenloft: The Horrors Within is designed to act as a "complete package for DMs to build a horror-themed campaign." That means it focuses around Darklords and their Domains of Dread (including Strahd, of course), dozens of new foes who lurk in the mist, allies, and horror-themed character options.
Alongside the book, the physical, 60-card Tarokka Deck is landing in June as well, alongside a themed Dungeon Master Screen and separate Map Pack with double-sided poster maps and tokens.
- Read more: Move over Baldur's Gate, Ravenloft: The Horrors Within is bringing back my favorite D&D setting
Arcana Unleashed brings us spells and wizard warfare
- High-magic character options in $59.99 sourcebook
- Red Wizard-themed adventure detailing a "Wizard War" for $29.99
- Both release in August 2026
August brings us a duo of magic-based books for your wizarding types. There's an Arcana Unleashed sourcebook with "high-magic character creation options" and new magic items that apparently grow in power alongside players. Next up is Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall, an adventure that provides a "Wizard War," evil Red Wizards aplenty, and a deep dive into their culture in Thay.
Spell Decks, Magic Item Decks, and Monster Decks are launching alongside these as well, providing easier access to that info mid-session.
With all the magic subclass playtesting that's been going on at D&D recently, a book revolving around them isn't a surprise – but the Red Wizard adventure is. A conflict in their homeland has been brewing for some time within D&D's current edition, so it's nice to finally see that come to fruition.
Seasons of play aim to foster a better sense of community
- Organized play themed around book releases
- These run for several months each
- Seasons of Horror, Magic, and Champions announced so far
In a throwback to old Fifth Edition D&D, "Seasons" of play are being introduced in 2026. These provide a range of connected products and organized play initiatives based on them.
It's unclear exactly how this will work just yet, but if it's anything like before, we may get themed one-shots or short adventures that add to the ongoing narrative. The old "Adventurer's League" provided a range of new quests that expanded on the current plotline, so Curse of Strahd got a full series where you're gradually drawn into the realm of Barovia. With any luck, we'll get something similar here (though maybe not as grand).
Three seasons have been announced so far: Season of Horror from April-June 2026; Season of Magic from July-September 2026; and Season of Champions, from October-December 2026. The first obviously revolves around Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, and the second emphasizes Arcana Unleashed. However, we don't yet know what the third revolves around (though I'm willing to bet it's Dark Sun, which I've long-suspected is coming back).
What wasn't announced?
- Mysterious "Season of Champions" at the end of the year
- No mention of teased Dark Sun/post-apocalyptic subclasses yet
Considering the playtesting from last year that teased a post-apocalyptic world (or a revamp of Dark Sun more specifically), it feels strange for that to have been omitted in this roadmap. However, I don't think that'll be the case for long. Look closely at the lineup and you'll see that the "Season of Champions" features an as-yet unnamed hero product. Because D&D playtests don't tend to be for something years down the line, so I'd bet my bottom dollar that the mysterious item in question is Dark Sun… or a variant of it.
I've been chatting with my GamesRadar+ pals about this, and we've agreed that D&D can go one of two ways about it; it can either focus on the gritty, desperate fight for survival, which isn't massively conducive to D&D's playstyle, or it can lean into the Mad Max-style wandering heroes. With a name like "Season of Champions," I think we can assume the latter.
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