>>96063603
4e Hasbro actually spent millions on development on to attract WoW players, as 3.5 sales were down as comic book/wotc stores started closing and had to move to big box retailers. They wanted to make a VTT back in 07-08 but that fell through(now Sigil also was axed for 5.5e).
Interesting fact about 4e is the designers wanted to use mana instead of 'Daily' and 'Encounter' but apparently there was interdepartmental politics over having a shared single setting for both MtG and D&D

5th was Mike Mearls' OSR baby to bring back BX box sets using stripped down 4EE rules he had demo'd to the C-levels, apparently that was the first time they ever played D&D
Every meeting for the last ten years was all about 'on-brand'-- a term that actually triggers all the old designers.

5.5e is pure corporate on-brand sloppo, there are no game designers just managers and directors left trying to direct sales max through D&DB