Dungeons & Dragons Most Controversial Setting Returns With an M Rating

The most brutal and controversial Dungeons & Dragons setting of all time is returning in 2027, with books that have been given a Mature rating for their adult content, meaning they'll be sold in sealed bags.

The Dark Sun campaign setting involves a world called Athas, which is mostly cut off from the rest of the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse. On Athas, there's no Weave or gods to power arcane magic, meaning spells destroy wildlife whenever they're cast, resulting in a devastated world consisting mostly of deserts. Dark Sun is a brutal setting where people don't have time for heroics, as they're too busy trying to survive.

Dark Sun previously appeared in Dungeons & Dragons 4e, but the ongoing real world climate crisis meant that many thought it was too controversial to return in the 5e era, especially as the tabletop game had achieved mainstream popularity. Wizards of the Coast surprised fans at Gen Con 2026 by announcing that Dark Sun is a comeback, but only adults will be able to buy its books.

Dark Sun Returns To D&D In 2027 With a Mature Rating

The Dark Sun campaign setting is coming in 2027 and will be released across three books: Edge of Oblivion, which details the setting; Blood and Power, featuring player-facing content, like the new Psion class; and a Dark Sun-themed Player's Handbook with new art. There's also a DM screen and a map pack on the way.

All the Dark Sun books are classed as Mature products, meaning they'll be sold in game stores in shrink-wrap packaging, to stop youngsters from peeking inside its pages. The reason it has received this rating is due to the extreme levels of blood, violence, gore, and adult content, the kind usually not seen in official Dungeons & Dragons products.

As the name suggests, Dark Sun is easily the darkest Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting. The environment has been ruined by spellcasters, many classic races (like orcs) don't exist because they were wiped out in genocidal wars, while familiar playable races are almost unrecognizable, such as halflings being cannibals.

While societies and cities do exist in Dark Sun, they're under the rule of the Sorcerer Kings, almighty spellcasters who run brutal regimes, all while they secretly plot to transform themselves into dragons using magic. See, in Athas, gods don't exist, and there's only a single living dragon: Borys of Ebe, who is easily the most powerful Dungeons & Dragons villain of all time, and he loves annihilating adventurers.

In Athas, food is scarce, and water is difficult to come by, meaning every day is a fight for survival. The lack of divine magic, coupled with the world being cut off from the multiverse, means that players cannot just magic away their problems, such as creating sustenance with sorcery, as that defeats the purpose of the premise.

There is still hope in Athas, as heroes do oppose the Sorcerer Kings in the shadows, with the Veiled Alliance fighting for freedom in cities across the land. There are also some spellcasters, known as Preservers, who have found a way to use magic without fully destroying life, though it's more difficult to use. Much like the Sorcerer Kings are trying to turn into dragons, there are rumors of powerful mortals attempting to transform into an Avangion, a mighty creature of magic that could save the world.

Dark Sun is an incredible setting, one that's unique and full of interesting lore. However, it's not for everyone, due to its often brutal day-to-day life, so the decision to release it as a Mature product is a smart one, as it alerts players as to what they're getting into.