What I Expect in 2026: D&D’s Rebuild Year, Crowdfunding in Decline and More

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Today, I’m writing my own predictions about what comes next in 2026 for the TTRPG Industry.

My Two Cents on 2026: D&D’s Rebuild Year, Crowdfunding in Decline and More

The last two weeks were all about what other really smart people in the TTRPG space think about the industry in 2025 and 2026. You should totally read those people’s thoughts because 1. they’re all way smarter than me, and 2. they are more hands-on in this space than I am at times.

But what do I expect in 2026? Here are some predictions:

• D&D Is Going to Take a Breather: While we don’t have the full release schedule for D&D's upcoming content, I suspect we won't see many releases this year. The team behind many of the projects has changed significantly, and Dan Ayoub still has many plans he’s proposed that haven't been implemented yet. It’s a “rebuild year”, to steal terminology from sports. I do suspect we will see 2-3 books published this year, but the majority of D&D releases will be third-party projects and D&D’s team will be more focused on what comes next in 2027.

• Crowdfunding Will Slow Down: As publishers come to terms with the realities of tariffs and the economy, they’re probably going to be slower to launch new games. There are several new projects already set in stone down the line, but I suspect that we are going to see more people with less funds who are willing to drop on a crowdfunded campaign. Companies like Backerkit may try to counter this through developments like “Months” and “Topias, but the viable momentum of these projects is yet to be determined. Overall, I expect less money to be spent on crowdfunding in 2026 than in previous years. 

• A Major TTRPG Publisher Will Embrace AI: Artificial intelligence remains one of the most prominent topics in nearly every part of the modern economy, from jobs to art to Silicon Valley. While I sense strong resistance to the use of AI in producing TTRPG-related content among vocal online communities, the pressure to embrace that technology remains strong from stakeholders and from the general publishing industry. While some publishers have been accused of covertly using AI content, I imagine that we will see a AI-powered product released by a big company in the TTRPG space. The most likely candidate is WOTC/D&D based on remarks from leadership, but it could also involve one of the VTT developers, book publishers or sales platforms.

• At least one major publisher will be shut down or acquired due to the inability to keep operating amid tariffs and the economy. There’s a lot of good reporting about how much Trump’s tariffs were going to put a squeeze on publishers. While that squeeze has slightly lessened in recent months, I suspect the topic of tariffs is not gone, and we will see consolidation or shutdowns.

• D&D Competitors Will Maintain Momentum: Daggerheart and Draw Steel are still making big bucks, and there is still some excitement for the properties. DS fans will get a year’s worth of content after the $2.6 million raised in their crowdfunding campaign, and Daggerheart will remain very popular. I also expect the upcoming Hope and Fear expansion to do exceptionally well. Shadowdark is also expected to release Western Reach, its expansion next year. The games are slowly building a “play culture” where people are excited to try them out, but the long-term success remains to be seen and will take multiple years to determine.

TTRPG Insider in 2025:

I started doing full interviews and reporting on the TTRPG space last spring after running a pretty crappy aggregation-focused newsletter. We’ve seen our audience grow immensely, and we’ve gotten a chance to talk to publishers and writers from across the industry. This project has been a dream, and I remain thankful to each and every reader who has taken the time to open my emails and speak with me about the cool things that they’re making.

I came into this project with a much broader vision of what it could be, only for reality to smack me in the face and show me the full size of the space. It is a niche within a niche, albeit one with significant cultural gravitas due to D&D’s extensive influence. But it is one where a lot of creative people make really creative projects and help others to tell stories and use their imagination in ways that I am forever delighted by.

What do I want to do in 2026?

• Partnerships: I want to work more closely with publishers beyond reporting, potentially including additional advertising.

• Multimedia: Video and audio are a necessity, despite what I tell myself. I hope to do more with these properties and hopefully tell interesting stories that way.

• Keep Writing: While my financial situation isn’t what it was last January, I still want to keep writing about TTRPGs and covering them. We’re still early in our publishing history, and there are still a lot of stories I want to help tell.

Want to see more reporting in the TTRPG space? Heard a scoop or a story you want covered? Let us know! Subscribe to TTRPG Insider and get exclusive interviews, trend pieces, speculation and coverage of D&D, mainstream publishers and the indie scene.

Iconic Japanese TTRPG Sword World’s Full English Translation Arrives in 2026

Japanese TTRPG fans and TTRPG historic fans rejoice! “Japan’s D&D” is coming to the West.

Sword World 2.5, arguably one of the best-known games to come out of Japan, is finally coming to English speakers after 40 years. We heard hints that it was being translated last year but got the details this week. The game will launch a crowdfunding campaign in May 2026.

QuasiReal Publishing, the publisher of the Mythcraft TTRPG, will handle translation in partnership with the game’s owner, Mugen Gaming.

Sword World was originally published in 1989 as a classic fantasy game and is considered a highly influential game for Japanese TTRPG fans in 2026. The game has gone through two updates; the 2.0 version was released in 2008 and 2.5 was released in 2018. Version 2.5 will be released to English readers.

You can check out the game’s preview page here.

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