SO!
What's NEXT?
I can see this Forgotten Realms expac going 2.5-5 years or so (IDT they will adopt a WoW like policy of 1.5 year expacs like they have now. But I predict there will be more expacs in which even VIPs must shell out some cash to upgrade) , but what will come after that?
NOW I know there was some talk of whether Wizards would renew Turbine's liscensce to use D&D, while 4E was at its height it was speculated they might not because DDO uses 3rd edition when they were pushing 4th edition. The upcomming Neverwinter MMO (formerly being worked on by Atari, but sold to Perfect world Entertainment) will be using 4E mechanics and be f2p on launch.
HOWEVER- 4E is on its way out, and if you've been reading about "5E D&D NEXT" the company realizes that 4E alienated fans of other editions (really the shift to a new edition and drastic changes was more an intellectual property measure). 5E supposedly will let people play a 1-4th edition "style" character through a series of sub systems, along side those playing characters of any other style. You could be 1E style guy, streamlined with no skills, or 3E with lots of skills and feats, or 4E with powers all at the same table and be balanced.
But I've digressed, my point is the company's ethos has changed and their motto for 5E is "Play The Game You Want To Play". This makes me believe that Wizards will renew Turbine's liscensce and the game WILL go on. This first expac is evidence of this I think.
Now.....what could come after Forgotten Realms? Personally I want
* PLANESCAPE: Please?!?!?!
* Dark Sun: Psionic classes?