Wizards of the Coast, the billion-dollar publisher of fan-favorite fantasy tabletop RPGDungeons and Dragons, has found itself in some pretty hot water of late. The Hasbro-owned company’s leaked decision to try to control and monetize its Open Game License, or OGL, angered fans and players, leading many to abandon Wizards of the Coast andDungeons and Dragons.Players canceled their D&D Beyond subscriptions, called for a boycott of the upcoming movie, and turned to competitors likePathfinderfor their tabletop gaming needs.
After the massive fallout from the leak of OGL 1.1’s draft, it seems like WotC is backtracking. The announcement thatWotC is pivoting dramatically on the OGLfrom the initial draft has been met with relief by some fans and skepticism from others, but all in all, it seems like a positive step. The trust between the player community and theDungeons and Dragonspublisher may have been broken, but the situation both parties find themselves in now is definitely beneficial for all concerned.
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Explaining Dungeons & Dragons' OGL Controversy
For those not familiar with the ins and outs ofDungeons and Dragons' licensing, the OGLwas first produced over twenty years ago and allowed players to create their own tabletop gaming experience inspired byDungeons and Dragons, in addition to being able to monetize it if they chose. The main restriction was that they couldn’t reproduce official settings, storylines, art, or characters, but other than that, any rules or mechanics were fair game. This helpedDungeons and Dragonsto flourish and gain its current level of popularity as players could make their games their own while still operating within an established formula.
A leaked draft named “OGL 1.1” emerged towards the end of last year, and it contained some major changes, much to the dismay of fans. The new agreement included items like the de-authorization of anything made in line with the original OGL, the right for WotC to make use of all content created under the old license, and a 25% royalty on earnings over $750,000 per year in sales from any OGL creator. This tightening of the rules was seen as a shameless cash grab by some fans and led to a mass exodus of players. Tens of thousands ofD&Dcreators and publishers also signed an open letter to WotC, demanding an overturning of OGL 1.1, and it seems like the company has finally listened.
The Fallout For Fans And Wizards Of The Coast
Within the last few days, WotC confirmed that after the backlash the proposed changes received,the originalDungeons and DragonsOGL will remain in placeuntouched. Not only that, but SRD 5.1 will now be available under a Creative Commons license, releasing almost everything in the Player’s Handbook to fans including species, classes, and items. This surprising turn of events is a huge win for players and helps to uphold the creative flexibility at the heart ofDungeons and Dragons. Without the original OGL, WotC would have faced significant drawbacks as online content creators and streamers like Critical Role wouldn’t have been able to provide the free marketing and organic growth of the game that they currently do.
With the OGL unchanged, both WotC and players benefit.Dungeons and Dragonscan remain at the forefrontof tabletop gaming and stay in dialogue with its diverse community, and players can continue to adapt the game to their needs and use it as a foundation to launch their own creative endeavors. The original OGL left space for fans to include elements missing from the standard game, plugging much-needed gaps in accessibility and representation, and starting a conversation with theDungeons and Dragonscreators to address fixes or issues. WotC eventually admitted that it got it wrong, and this honest admission may hopefully help to heal the rift that OGL 1.1 caused.
Dungeons and Dragonsis available now.One D&Dis in development.
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