First look at D&D Virtual Tabletop is seriously impressive

gamesradar.com:

Wizards of the Coast has given players a better look at the D&D Virtual Tabletop in action, complete with animated spells and a better idea of what it'll actually feel like to use.

Revealed via D&D Direct, the preview showed off a party battling through a quintessential (and fully 3D) fantasy tavern and the surrounding countryside whilst taking on a giant insectoid monster and lizard-like Kobolds pulled from the pages of Dungeons and Dragons books. Although this meant plenty of dice-rolling of the kind players will be familiar with from D&D Beyond and programs such as Roll20, it also led to our first glimpse of how animated spell effects are going to work via a classic Fireball.

Because it uses Unreal Engine (the system powering numerous video games and TV productions from Fortnite to The Mandalorian), the D&D Virtual Tabletop also leverages realistic lighting and textures for a more immersive experience. This is a far cry from the top-down 2D battlemaps normally utilized by competitors.

There's no word yet on how much this will all cost, though - if anything. However, considering how ambitious it is, the level of tech involved, and the promise of customizable dungeons (as per the One D&D announcement in 2022), some kind of buy-in seems likely… even if it's just for individual map packs, characters, or monsters.

According to the stream, the D&D Virtual Tabletop will be rolled out within the next several months - playtesting will apparently begin in late 2023.

Naturally, this wasn't the only reveal for D&D Direct. To be precise, Minecraft Dungeons & Dragons promises a 10-hour campaign with branching narratives. 

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