When Wizards of the Coast (WotC) implemented the proposed changes to its decades-old Open Gaming License (OGL), most average gamers and smaller creators had to find out about it via a leaked copy of a version sent to big content creators. Now, WotC promises that any future changes will be made through a “more open and transparent” process that will start a “robust conversation” about any new proposals.
In a post on the D&D Beyond forums today, WotC executive producer Kyle Brink writes that the “proposed new OGL documentation” will be shared publicly on or before Friday, January 20. At that time, community members will have at least two weeks to provide feedback via a survey that will include specific questions. and open response fields.
WotC compared the new process with the one it uses for Unearthed Arcana Documents Playtests, which are often used to solicit feedback on draft mechanics and gameplay ideas that haven’t been fully tested. Once the new OGL survey concludes, Brink says WotC will “compile, analyze, react, and present what we hear from you.”
Sorry (that you noticed)
Brink clarified some types of fan-created content that the new OGL will not explicitly affect, including videos, contracted services (for example, paid Dungeon Master services), and virtual tabletop content. Brink also reiterated Recent WotC Promise that the new OGL will not charge royalties, will not affect existing content licensed under OGL 1.0, and will not require you to re-license creative content to WotC (all items that were contradicted in the leaked OGL 1.1 version).
Brink’s post also offers WotC’s most direct apology yet for the OGL fiasco that led many tabletop editors to leave WotC in recent weeks.
“Sorry,” Brink writes. “We were wrong. Our language and requirements in the OGL draft were detrimental to creators and did not support our primary goals of protecting and nurturing an inclusive gaming environment and limiting OGL to TTRPGs. Then we complicated things by staying silent too.” long. We hurt fans and creators, when more frequent and clear communications could have prevented so much of this.”
Brink’s post and other WotC communications they have referred to the leaked OGL 1.1 as a “draft” that was shared with major content creators “so that their feedback could be considered before finalizing anything.” But some in the community have challenged that characterization, saying that OGL 1.1 was distributed with an attached contract that supposedly came with a signing deadline Y Pre-negotiated preferential terms for some financing sources.
“Wizards will try to say that what we’ve seen of OGL 1.1 is a draft they sent out for feedback. That’s a lie,” Major said. D&D creator The gryphon’s saddlebag said on Instagram In the past week. “WotC never asked for feedback or said it was a draft or any of these things… The thing is, nobody signed it, that’s why they’re going back and rambling about it.”
Wizards of the Coast has not responded to a request for comment from Ars Technica on the ongoing controversy surrounding the OGL changes.
