Dungeons & Dragons will soon include a mature-rated expansion that’ll come shrink-wrapped to protect minors from seeing its pages containing “violence, bloodshed, nudity and sexuality.”
Wizards of the Coast laid out its D&D roadmap for the next 12 months this evening at Gen Con 2026, detailing a series of expansions, its World of Warcraft crossover, and adventures based in a variety of campaign settings — including the mature-rated Dark Sun.
The action begins in this year’s Season of Magic which contains the Arcana Unleashed expansion. This adds a further eight subclasses, 10 backgrounds, 29 feats, 33 spells, six magical group patrons, nine magical factions, 47 magical items, rules for evolving magical items, 19 magical creatures and a short adventure for 1st level characters.
You can then delve further via Deadfall, described as a high-stakes magical espionage campaign that offers a deep dive into Thay, with details about the ruling Red Wizards and a gazetteer of Thay’s tharchs, or provinces. This adventure is designed for characters at levels 11-20.
Later this year will see D&D transition to its Season of Champions, headlined by its big Dungeons and Dragons crossover — the brand’s first Universes Beyond release that we have a detailed look at right here.
Future seasons in 2027 include the Season of Survival (including that adult-only return to Dark Sun), the Season of Sword & Sorcery (featuring a return to Greyhawk with a new Crown of the Witch Queen expansion) and then the Season of Rebellion.
Set on the blood-soaked desert world of Arthas, Dark Sun has long offered a darker take on D&D than the typical Forgotten Realms adventure. Indeed, a teaser shown today began with someone’s head and spine being ripped out of their body by someone gouging fingers into their eye sockets.
A range of products featuring the Dark Sun setting are on the way next year, though will come with an advisory for their “mature content” for which reader discretion is strongly advised. “Contains depictions of violence, bloodshed, nudity and sexuality, inspired by the brutal world of Athas,” reads a label we saw. Darksun’s Blood and Power gameplay expansion will be paired with the Edge of Oblivion setting expansion featuring the Psion class.
Other announcements this evening include D&D Icons, a new creative program that promises future content from D&D luminaries, run by writer and actor Joe Manganiello. This offering will include a new Dragonlance product from Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, plus a fresh addition from Luke Gygax that includes unfinished content created by his father, the legendary Gary Gygax. Author RA Salvator is also contributing, working on a project centering on legendary Drow, Drizzt Do Urden.
The panel even featured a brief mention of the upcoming Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons, the third-person action-adventure video game announced back at December’s The Game Awards. A first look at gameplay will be shown during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live, with Resident Evil voice actress Maggie Robertson as Tasha (yes, she of the cauldron) and Tricia Helfer as lead character Kaatri. D&D fans have plenty to look forward to, then.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social