Dungeons & Dragons may soon revisit the Underdark, a treacherous underground world teeming with iconic monsters and hostile civilizations. Recent playtest material for "Underdark Options" and a significant announcement at Gen Con 2026 suggest Wizards of the Coast is preparing a new product focused on this fan-favorite setting.
The Underdark, a vast network of caverns and tunnels beneath the surface in settings like the Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk, has been a staple of D&D since its early days. Its appeal lies in its inherently hostile environment, devoid of safe havens and populated by dangerous flora and fauna, including familiar foes like Beholders and Mind Flayers, as well as the dark elves, or drow.
A key indicator of an impending Underdark-focused release is the formation of D&D Icons, a new initiative spearheaded by actor and producer Joe Manganiello. This project aims to bring legendary creators from D&D's history together for original products. The lineup includes Dragonlance creators Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, Greyhawk loremaster Luke Gygax, and R.A. Salvatore, author of the immensely popular Legend of Drizzt series, which extensively featured the Underdark and its drow inhabitants. While Weis and Hickman are set to work on a Dragonlance book and Gygax on Greyhawk content, Salvatore's specific project remains unconfirmed. However, given his deep connection to the Underdark and its most famous denizen, Drizzt Do'Urden, speculation strongly points towards him contributing to an Underdark-themed product.
Salvatore's depiction of the drow city of Menzoberranzan and the surrounding Underdark in novels like The Dark Elf Trilogy set a standard for many years, influencing subsequent D&D content. The last major D&D product set extensively in the Underdark was the 5th edition campaign Out of the Abyss in 2015, which challenged players to survive the realm while fending off a demonic invasion.
The "Underdark Options" playtest material, which introduces new subclasses and explores the city of Deep Imaskar with its unique "unlight" magic, further supports the notion of an upcoming release. Given recent design trends for D&D 5.5e products, a new release might take the form of a campaign setting with new character options and lore, possibly accompanied by a shorter adventure, rather than a full-scale campaign on the scale of Out of the Abyss. However, the D&D Icons initiative may allow for more creative freedom. The focus on Deep Imaskar, a less explored part of the Underdark, could indicate a narrative-driven product, potentially penned by Salvatore himself, offering players a chance to delve into a mysterious region of this beloved D&D location.