Chris Perkins is retiring I think. I used to watch DnD official interviews and chats for a while while Todd Kendrick did their interviews for DnDBeyonds social team. He was awesome but I think they stopped doing them. Jeremy Crawford is there head of rules who I really like but others are not a fan. ( I think it’s something to do with his unofficial ruling via Twitter IDK.) I have stopped post OGL nonsense and when Todd was let go / the killed his interview show.

You are right that with some social pressure a CR system could pull people off. I’m sure the DnD team are trying to keep the big streamers happy. Paizo before they did pathfinder was the publisher of the official DnD magazine before that was killed / brought in house. So it can be done

For sure. I think if some of the big streamers move to their own systems that would have some big blows. I haven’t used Critical Roles new systems but I assume they could get a big switch over if they push it hard

I do think another system has a chance of becoming popular but I would guess it would be a large second after DnD with lots of splintering. I LOVE Paizo and Pathfinder. Free online searchable rules are amazing and no one plays 3.5e when pathfinder 1 exists since its just a straight upgrade. That being said both Pathfinder editions are still super crunchy, math heavy and require research to make a playable character. Its still called Mathfinder for a reasons so there is a limit to its userbase.

That being said I know there will be plenty of Plan B and other systems waiting for when DnD really messes up. You can see that with the OGL problems where tons of new content was created especially since you can’t copyright rules or stat blocks. I think the ORC will end up being a longer term stabilizing and creative force for TTRPG. But DnD will still be here because its basically a synonym for TTRPGs at this point.

I don’t think this very hard to predict. Everyone is going to slowly move into 5.5 edition over the next few years as they start new campaigns since there are good quality of life increases in this edition in the exact same way no one plays 3.0 but only 3.5. Hasbro is going to try some stupid digital only / VTT which is going to be pushed really hard. Its going to be a mild success but Roll20 and cheaper / freer VTTs still exist it won’t make as much money as expected. Hasbro is going to then make some A.I. DM which is going to be awful despite spending millions in development and marketing. No one will want to use it because it defeats the whole purpose of DnD and will be too expensive. There will then be some crisis about the DnD brand when Hasbro can’t make enough money off of it but it won’t affect people who have physical books who will continue to play the same way they always have. I am calling it now