I saw someone had posted here asking about the future of Descent 2nd edition...
It with a sad and heavy heart I post this. Over the last 6 months or so I have made several friends at FFG. While they signed a NDA, I was able to coax little by little pieces of information about the fate of Descent 2nd edition over some time. I will not name names or genders or if the people who have provided me said information are still employed there. But I can confirm this has been verified by multiple sources (see more details at the bottom).
So around a year ago FFG was looking to wind down D2edn as Imperial Assault had become a hit. The dungeon crawler genre has become increasingly competitive with newer designs and familiar intellectual properties. Newer designs or these new games based on classic IPs were causing Descent to go from a genre leader, to a former heavy weight ready to retire. Plus Kick Starters had shown people had appetites for larger more pricey dungeon crawlers and willing to put the cash where their appetite was. Descent was just having a very very hard time competing in the market place. There apparently had been some discussion about a D3ed but at the time the decision was made to just wind it down for the time, Chains of Rush would be it.
Around the same time FFG had begun to look into app based "assisted" games and felt D2ed was a decent attempt (sales had plummeted and they were going to retire it anyway so why not). It was a much bigger success than originally intended. So much so that they cranked out several other products for it, to ensure there was really an appetite for something that took a 1 v all game and turned it straight coop and not just a fluke.
It was such a success that they realized they could (with no further development) continue to profit from sales of D2ed. Literally all they had to do was print it and they had this whole untapped market from which sales from previously unreachable consumers would just flow in. Ensuring it did not compete with Rune Wars Miniatures Games, they slowly commissioned reprints of select products.
They then set their eyes on Imperial Assault and releasing an app for it. As development continued, they hit a snag that they did not hold the rights to develop the electronic app content and they are still trying to work out through licensing (though I was told if we don’t hear any update by GenCon, odds are it’s not going to happen at all for Imperial Assault).
Back to D2ed though, with Imperial Assault having such a wider audience (SW fans, dungeon crawler fans, and skirmish fans) the choice to focus on Imperial Assault and let D2ed sell while it can is where FFG stands today. That is why there hasn’t even been any new electronic content for D2ed.
If FFG is able to work out the app licensing with Disney/Lucas Film, D2ed will go into phase out mode with no 3 rd edition planned for the foreseeable future. The hope is to lure those people who want fantasy into Rune Wars Miniatures Game, RuneBound, or the Genesis RPG by saying look it’s the same world, same characters, try this now or move over to Imperial Assault if they want the dungeon crawler.
If the licensing cannot be worked out, they will continue to reprint what they feel will net the most revenue without any new development cost, that means certain items may not ever see reprint, market analysis will determine that.
There will not, however, be more app content for D2ed. The decision is that if they do choose to release a 3 rd edition at some point (which will only be when D2ed sales bottom out), the fully app supported coop function would be a core feature to present value over D2ed owners. Furthermore, there will not be a conversion kit this time around as FFG feels that by tweaking D2ed’s formula (1 v all or app based coop, alternating activations, deployment points vs straight monster spawning, a skirmish variant) that they will be able to incentivize existing D2ed players and new consumers to the market place into switching over to a D3.
They are holding off any news on D2ed though due to licensing issues over the IA app. That will decide if FFG will carry a fantasy themed dungeon crawler (3 rd edition) a couple years from now when D2ed sales drop off, or if Imperial Assault with be THE dungeon crawler for FFG.
I know there are some who will argue and disagree with me. They will point out any number of “facts”. My purpose here is not to start a controversy. Rather it is solely to let the community for a game I love and enjoy know what I have spent months and months uncovering. You can choose not to believe me, but know this… I have had all of this confirmed through 4 separate unrelated friendships with FFG employees. I will not disclose my contacts as they have to sign NDAs and I do not feel like ruining lives, just providing a community with news on decisions that FFG should have made public to its consumers.
I am not saying avoid purchasing the game. It is great and fun and I own everything for it. Just know, going into it, that what is there is there and there won’t be more. There will always be 1 less healer and arcane class than warrior and rogue. We won’t ever see the other hybrid class possibilities (at least in this edition). The monsters and heroes from 1 st edition that are missing will always be so. That is not a reason to avoid the game, just be informed is all. And if you wish to get into it, grab what you can as we may not see reprints on certain items based on the date of the IA app and past retail success of D2ed products.