Dungeons and Dragons is giving fans full access to the Maps virtual tabletop through D&D Beyond with no subscription required starting September 16. Though players can unlock additional customizability through subscriptions, all Dungeons and Dragons fans will be able to use this official VTT at no cost soon.
Maps is an official new Dungeons and Dragons virtual tabletop program by Wizards of the Coast that features full integration with D&D Beyond. Right now, the program allows players with a Master Tier subscription to D&D Beyond to become Dungeon Master for their friends using the maps, monsters, and other content they already own on the platform, enabling digital Dungeons and Dragons games to be played on any device with an internet connection.
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Maps Without D&D Beyond Subscriptions Starting September 16
However, Dungeons and Dragons recently announced a big change to this VTT that will change it for the better. In a new blog post on D&D Beyond, Dungeons and Dragons franchise head Dan Ayoub confirmed that Maps will soon be available for free to all fans. Accessing the VTT will still require a D&D Beyond account, but players will no longer need a subscription in order to run games using their unlocked content on Maps, including modules and adventures.
That said, there will still be some advanced functions that will only be available to Master Tier subscribers. These fans will gain the ability to upload third-party maps and tokens, and use “exciting tools” to further customize their virtual Dungeons and Dragons games.
That wasn’t all Ayoub announced in this blog post. New initiatives to strengthen community voices are underway, with two major projects currently in progress: a rotating advisory group, and a creator spotlight program. The former will be a council of creators, publishers, educators, and fans who can help “shape future tools, policies, and content in a real, ongoing way” that is constantly shifting to ensure varied voices are always being heard. The latter will be avenues to celebrate the homebrew Dungeons and Dragons creations of fans and third-party publishers on official channels. There is no word on when these programs will launch, but D&D has expressed its commitment to “clearer communication, more transparency, and consistent support” by building “lasting collaborations” – and not as a “one-time survey or a PR move” – so fans will probably hear more about them soon.
In the meantime, Dungeons and Dragons recently showed off its next two books: Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun and Adventures in Faerun, which feature Baldur’s Gate 3 favorites like Karlach, Minsc, and Astarion. These books are available for pre-order in both physical and digital copies, and are set to release on November 11.
- Franchise
- Dungeons & Dragons
- Original Release Date
- 1974
- Publisher
- Wizards of the Coast
- Designer
- E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson