The official announcement is here:

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4ll/20120109

Well that means we can likely kiss any further support for 4e goodbye.

The release schedule has been pretty sparse lately anyway. The writing has been on the wall, it's more a matter of making it official at this point.

Seriously, already?

4e was release in June 2008 I recall. Is it typical for dnd versions to only have a 5 year life span?

By the end of 2013 we'll still be playing both the Scales of War and Points of Light campaigns, so I hope they at least leave us all the current online 4e support (compendium, character builder).

Here's the history of D&D editions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editions_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons

Looking at the AD&D line (of which 4e is a descendent... at one point there was D&D and Advanced D&D at the same time)...

AD&D 1e - released 1977
AD&D 2e - released 1989
D&D 3e - released 2000 (first edition created by WotC)
D&D 3.5e - released 2003 (this one REALLY pissed people off)
D&D 4e - released 2008

The first two editions lasted a LONG time (back when TSR was in charge), but WotC has been quicker with new editions.

I can empathize with people that were angered by version 3.5. Just three years and not really a new version at that I guess. I suppose one could argue that it was 8 years between versions 3 and 4 then.

I wish it would be the same until version 5. It's been a huge time and money investment for 4e and I'd prefer longer continued support. Don't get me wrong, I feel it's been worthwhile, but would rather the next version isn't released until 2016 or 2018.

Well, Like I said, as long as we can still use the online compendium and online character builder we won't have to worry about infrastructure for our current heroic through epic campaigns.

From a business model standpoint, it's pretty clear WotC is out of ideas for new 4e material at this point. They don't really have a choice to wait another five years before 5e. The can only sell so many back-copies of the PHB or Essentials books over that span.

I just hope they don't yank 4e DDI tools when they release 5e.

I wish they had more support for the psionic classes. But they probably won't bother now...

At least all the psionic classes got Psionic Power. Beats what the artificer, seeker, and runepriest got!

And non-essentials assassin.

Gary wrote

At least all the psionic classes got Psionic Power. Beats what the artificer, seeker, and runepriest got!

Jonathan Berg wrote

And non-essentials assassin.

Those are both very good points and relevant to the Points of Light campaign I'm running. I as DM, and the three players with the artificer, seeker, and assassin, sort of assumed more features and support would trickle out eventually. If any of those players are displeased with the build and lack of options they're now "stuck with" until level 30, I'm open to suggestions. Including switching to essentials builds despite my past misgivings.

Don't think there is an essentials version of the artificer though, is there?

Honestly, don't care. Probably won't buy 5e. And I haven't been using the online stuff. My guess is that 5e will be similar-ish to Essentials and integrate more online stuff (probably integrate it with cards or miniatures like some children's toys out now). Of course, in the 12 years since they announced they were going to have a lot of computer tools I think they have come out with 3 character builders and one (2?) monster builders. Meanwhile, a bunch of people have come out with free encounter builders that WotC should have had done years ago.

As for the artificer...I didn't pick it to min/max (and, hell, because we don't use Rituals and I can't decide on potions and we don't use his ability to grant a daily +2 to a weapon he is already weaker than he should be). I picked him for the character.

I agree in that I am also having fun with Demuriath as is. I figure we can cross that bridge if we have to somewhere down the line if it stops being fun.