After nearly two decades, Dark Sun is returning to the role-playing game, this time with an 18+ age rating. The lawyers at Wizards of the Coast apparently had a say in the matter.
Dungeons & Dragons has gone to great lengths in recent years to be a game for absolutely everyone:accessible, welcoming, and family-friendly. At Gen Con, Wizards of the Coast has now announced that, as of 2027, that approach will no longer apply—at least on one front.
We’re talking about Dark Sun,the most notorious setting in the role-playing game series. At the convention, the publisher posts/2215-d-d-vision-keynote-recap-world-of-warcaft-dark-sun“ data-icon=”external”>confirmed, along with an announcement trailer unlike anything seen before in D&D: severed limbs, decapitations, and a synth soundtrack. Wizards itself prefaces the video with a warning that the content may be disturbing.
Why Dark Sun Is Rated 18 and Up
According to Wizards, the new Dark Sun books are the first Fifth Edition products to carry a “Mature” rating, meaning 18+. This is not a rating from the USK or a similar organization, but rather a self-rating by the publisher.
Executive Producer Greg Bilsland explained in the press briefing that readers should expectgore, nudity, and adult content“to such an extent that our lawyers told us we have to shrink-wrap it and include a warning.”
Anyone familiar with Athas won’t be surprised by this: The world is ecologically ruined because mages have drained it dry over the centuries. Water and food are scarce, gods simply do not exist, and the remaining city-states are ruled by so-called Sorcerer Kings—mage-tyrants with nearly unlimited power. Slavery, cannibalism, and genocide are practically the order of the day here.
The Dark Sun reboot kicks off the D&D year 2027. Two books have been officially confirmed: *Dark Sun: Blood and Power* and *Dark Sun: Edge of Oblivion*. These will be accompanied by a Map Pack, a Dungeon Master’s Screen, and a limited edition of the *Player’s Handbook* featuring alternate Dark Sun artwork.
The collection includes around 500 pages of new material. A specific release date has not yet been announced, but February 2027 seems likely, as that is when the Season of Survival begins. Both books will be released first in English; German editions are planned for a later date in 2027.
