D&D recruits veteran creators for Dragonlance, Greyhawk and Drizzt
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Wizards of the Coast has announced D&D Icons, an initiative bringing influential former Dungeons & Dragons creators back to develop new material for Dragonlance, Greyhawk and the Forgotten Realms. The company says the line will pair these figures with its current design team, using the settings’ history to help shape future releases rather than simply revisiting past work.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman will produce their first Dragonlance tabletop product in more than 20 years, described as the setting’s most ambitious volume yet. R.A. Salvatore will return to Drizzt Do’Urden, Luke Gygax will develop a Greyhawk adventure from his father Gary Gygax’s unfinished notes for a possible 2027 release, and Joe Manganiello will be chief creative officer; Weis and Hickman’s return is notable following their 2020 lawsuit against Wizards.
- D&D Icons reunites veteran creators with Wizards of the Coast.
- New projects will cover Dragonlance, Greyhawk and Drizzt.
- A Greyhawk release could arrive in 2027.
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Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop role-playing game in which players create characters and tell stories together, guided by rules and a game organiser known as the Dungeon Master. Its settings provide shared fictional worlds that can be used in games, novels and other material.
Dragonlance, Greyhawk and the Forgotten Realms are among D&D’s best-known settings. Dragonlance was created by writers Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, while Greyhawk was developed by Gary Gygax, a co-creator of D&D; the Forgotten Realms is the home of Drizzt Do’Urden, a popular character created by novelist R.A. Salvatore.
Wizards of the Coast, which owns and publishes D&D, has often updated these worlds for new generations of players. Bringing back creators closely associated with them could shape how familiar characters, places and stories are presented in future games and books.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
This represents a thoughtful reconciliation of D&D's creative heritage with contemporary design expertise. Bringing legendary creators like Weis, Hickman, and Salvatore into active development ensures that beloved settings are shaped by those who understand them most deeply, whilst integrating them with current talent creates both continuity and fresh perspective. The successful bridging of the 2020 litigation to this partnership suggests genuine mutual respect and a commitment to honouring the creative vision that built the franchise.
The case against
Whilst celebrating returning veterans, one might reasonably question whether this serves the franchise's long-term interests. Beyond the symbolism, concerns arise about whether veteran creators are authentically empowered or positioned as figureheads within corporate structures, particularly given their recent litigation. Additionally, the concentration of resources on revisiting established settings and characters may undersell opportunities to develop new intellectual property and emerging talent, which could better position D&D for genuine creative evolution rather than capitalising on legacy recognition.
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Originally published by Polygon as “D&D Icons brings back legendary creators for Dragonlance, Greyhawk, and Drizzt adventures”.