WOTC’s Scheme to Destroy the D&D OGL
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- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
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Not too long ago, Wizards of the Coast announced that they loved D&D, and that they loved the D&D community, and that there would be an OGL for One D&D. This was on the back of a scare that the OGL would be going away. So, WOTC reassured us that, no, all is well in the world. Last Thursday's leak of the new OGL v1.1 showed us that all was not well. In fact, it revealed an evil, greedy plan to "unauthorize" or revoke OGL v1.0a which has been in effect for 23 years. This would force hundreds of content creatures to stop making content, destroying the livelihoods of many of them. If this isn't an evil scheme by a heartless corporate monster, I don't know what is. WOTC said they loved D&D, that they loved the D&D community. So...that's their idea of love...
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Show your support for the OGL. Sign the Open DnD letter here: www.opendnd.games/
My team and I create content using the OGL v1.0a which is now under attack. Support what we do here: www.patreon.com/thedmlair
Already signed.
I don't like how they are doing this. They are ruining something that was fun now it's a cash grab. They are turning into games workshop.
Done
@@jamescrawford8538 Except this might ruin their own business since we aren't restricted to only online gaming any more so why would we buy anything from them if we know they can seize anything they can access online from us?
Click the link but it the type form is closed
They're doing it on purpose. First they leak a terrible version of the OGL1.1, then a month later they publish slightly less restrictive one and everyone cheers and claps for them having "listened"
100%, as Luke noticed already with UA/OneD&D. And it will still be unacceptably horrible.
It is possible. It is also possible they are getting the controversy over with early so it doesn't interfere with the Onednd launch.
And we can NOT praise them when that happens. We have to see it as the manipulative bullshit that it is and call them out for it.
I don't know what they can publish after this to even fix the situation as it is now. If OGL 1.0 is in jeopardy and can even theoretically be "unauthorized" at any point, creators will start jumping ship - many probably are already considering it or even started working on it. The only thing they can do is proof that OGL 1.0 is irrevocable, but that will be like shooting themselves in the foot for them, so I really doubt they will go this far. Any other concession, be it lower royalty % or creators' copyrights are not as effective if the license can be changed, altered or revoked at any moment in time.
Aka the big ask
As a MtG player and experiencing HASBRO's MtG30th fiasco, I listened to the "HASBRO Fireside Chat for stockholders" and the moment the CEO said that DnD was under-monetized and there were a lot of wallets to take money from..... I knew DnD was f'd.
Saw this comment.
Found and watched the fireside chat.
What you say is true...
Same here.
Yeah. As a Magic Player none of this surprised me. The company sucks now. Not that it was great before.
@@chadcharest9891 The sad thing is, want to know why? WotC is the only majorly profitable part of hasbro now. Board games and toys have had a massive slump over the past couple of years with kids focusing more on digital/electronic content so with their other revenue streams bleeding money they're looking to push their only really profitable part of the company, WotC, and milk it as dry as possible to prop up the failing parts of the company. When an actual Bank says your too focused on short term gains and downgrades your stock from 'must buy' to 'sell' you know you've fucked up in a big way.
@@luketfer board games are doing fine... but not hasbro owned ones. Hasbro does not innovate; it only sucks money from customers and exploits creators. Plenty of boardgames are self published and are doing at least moderately well.
There was already a DM shortage. If DMs walk away from WOTC then the players won't have a choice but to walk with us.
This !
true!
Or go to their VTT, where wotc is the dm
@@powerlifting85 That's IMO one of the main points of One D&D, to make the DM obsolete and replace them with an engine. Players choose the difficulty level, style and flavor of the story, narrator's voice, which rules and rulebooks do or do not apply, and the algorithm narrates the scenes, calculates outcomes, and generates future events based on the previous choices, players' preferences, and prewritten content.
@@miroslavstankov7919 So they are trying to turn DnD into a video game?
They're trying to lawyer their way into intellectual property theft, and none of what they've posited sounds like it's legal. I'm looking forward to a lawsuit.
We need to sue them into oblivion. Into a lower plane of eternal suffering!
One DnD to rule them all, One DnD to find them,
One DnD to bring them all and in the darkness bind them,
In the Land of Hasbro where the Shadows lie.
Where the Red Wizards of the Coast reign 🩸🩸🩸
perfection
That DnD isn’t ruling anything.
"... In the Land of Hasbro where the Executives lie ..."
Scoundrel of the Coast more Like.
It should be said that their 25% cut, that it is a cut BEFORE counting expenses. Even Critical Role would fold overnight if they had to pay that. I cannot think of a single creator who could pay that royalty and not lose money.
The Twitch payments got leaked at some point last year
CR on Twitch alone was banking $9,000,000 mil, so if that was the case they would survive even with all the new overheads
... but I’m still not defending the OGL 1.1 that’s just corporate greed
@@thomasace2547 right but if I understand the OGL correctly they would have to pay royalties on even twitch donations or yt money because its "D&D content"
They should explore other games like Pathfinder 2.0 or Dark Souls. Screw D&D.
@@StrifeA217 that is correct
As the threshold for 20-25% Royalties fee is subject to earnings of over $750,000
And again that’s before cost
@@thomasace2547 And how much of that money is spent on wages, set design, props, catering? Them losing 2+ million dollars would break them.
I've been playing D&D for nearly 30 years. I recently, during covid, decided to make the push into dming. In order to prepare I bought an entire library of third party books about dming, and watched hundreds of hours of youtube videos, like yours, to prepare myself. Then I went on to spend thousands of dollars on books, minis, terrain etc to run my games. WOTC does an absolutely horrendous job of preparing dms to run their games. The DMs, who are the ones who buy all the products and put in time and effort to learn and teach and spread the word of D&D. All of this effort by people who are not WOTC to futher their brand, then they turn around and want to shut down content creators and STEAL their hard work, and find ways to nickel and dime the dms to death is just such a spit in the face. At this point, whether they go through with terminating 1.0 or not I will never buy another WOTC product (I'm a competitive MTG player as well). I'll likely give Pathfinder 1e a go. But WOTC have already played their hand. They don't deserve a loyal fanbase. So from someone who has benefitted from the content you and your team work so hard to create, Thank You. And whatever lies ahead for you I wish you nothing but the best.
Try pf2e, a bit more refined and easier to understand, imo.
Pathfinder 1e works pretty well as an "upgrade" to 5e - the rules are pretty similar, but a bit more complex, the character build options are substantially greater, and there's one or two orders of magnitude more content available than there ever was for first-party 5e.
PF2e has its advantages (it is simpler and more balanced, though occasionally to the point of undermining player options; it has new content in active production), but it really is more like an entirely new system than an upgrade or modification to 5e. Both use the same setting, however, so their lorebooks and even adventures can be mixed and matched if you are willing to do some mechanics editing.
Which books did you get? I'm looking to DM myself.
@@theincrediblefella7984 I haven't decided what I'm going to be playing going forward yet. Problem is, though I played 3e/3.5e dnd once upon a time ago, I've come to REALLY enjoy 5e. So I've been looking into a lot of ttrpgs. Looking for something based in fantasy that runs on 5e rules or close enough. I also saw that Numenera has a 5e conversion. That with Arcana of the Ancients could be a good replacement.
@@theincrediblefella7984 So... I JUST ordered a bunch of Pathfinder 2e books. As well as the beginner box so I have something to help ease my players into the new system. Going to give it a try.
Look at how WoTC handled Magic the Gathering 30 year anniversary. They don’t care. And it breaks my heart
We've seen this happening in the video game industry for 18 years now, ever since that damn Horse Armor. Do not let them get away with this, it will only get worse. Stand with small creators.
@@shatteredteethofgod Trojan Horse
Horse Armor
The armor is gold/yellow like a canary.
Coincidence? Geeze, this is just now hitting me like a sledgehammer to the skull.
@@tedizursa1277 The OGL _was_ the Trojan horse, my guy, it existed to get potential competitors to instead support D&D through the _perception_ of ease and safety. In truth, WotC owns very, very little; I mean, you can't use the word "illithid" (but the _vast_ majority of monsters and races are public domain), and you can't use their art or descriptions, but they don't own the stats, let alone the mechanics or concept. If you're capable of writing something without plagiarizing, you don't need the OGL _or_ WotC, and if you're not, your content probably sucks anyway.
Not an insult, I'm not talking about you in particular, but everyone out here losing their minds needs to uncuck themselves. This has _always_ been an abusive relationship, of course the ball-gag was eventually gonna come out, but why, now that you've realized the truth, are you trying to negotiate with them?
>put the ball-gag away and I'll stay with you!
_Why?!_
Its the same thing every time, the normies dont listen and by everything.
Today I learned about Horse Armor DLC. It has gotten worse since it dropped.
@@hlaw2830 I have always looked in to other systems and stuff, too. D&D just has the largest market reach, and seemingly the most material. I am currently in the middle of writing my own system for both an RPG and a tabletop war game. Maybe they'll take off, probably not, but I will still have plenty besides WotC.
I agree, the longer Hasbro remains silent on this, the more it seems to be a planned move. I say we don’t fall for the trap, and say go eff yourself. Boycott D&D. 🎉
I play for a while but never spended a penny
Hahahah looks like Im doing great
Dont boycott D&D, pirate it and Boycott Hasbro entirely.
I'm an old guy. Been playing for 40+ years. The thing I love about modern d&e is all the online resources from creative people. So many different ideas that there is something for you no matter how want to play.
Now they want to take that all away.
Agree:
*Time to boycott OneDnD, online game Baldur's Gate and DnDBeyond,, and the DnD movie "Honor Among Thieves."*
This is the only thing the top Hasbro/WToC people understand.
But "fans complaining" won't have any impact either (but still do it). WotC was not concerned before, they are not concerned now.
@@antimatters6283 if they were smart they wouldnt have tried to screw over the community until AFTER the movie dropped. It could have made a lot of money and expanded the community.
I think that not only was this leak intentional as a form of guaging reaction, but also as a way to burn out the outrage before they actually make that announcement. Companies are very aware that news cycles are very short and that people generally have short term memories when it comes to the news. So if they can ride the initial wave, they can pretty much do whatever they want.
Dungeon Craft recently made a video stating there was precedent for this scenario. The Supreme Court ruled that game mechanics cannot be covered by copyright. As long as you don't call what you're doing DnD, you can re-write the entire rulebook and WotC can't do a thing to stop you.
Exactly what many of the OSR companies are doing right now. Chis Gonnerman and the community at Basic Fantasy are doing line-by-line read throughs to make sure nothing is left in the game that comes from the SRD.
Their silence on the leak really does show that it is what they were planning - or at least pretty darn close. Something to keep in mind is that the OGL - either version of it - is not nearly as needed for people to create stuff with as WotC wants us to believe.
One thing I haven't seen talked about is that the OGL is a legal document, that, at the time of issue; was understood by the issuing company and the individuals that issued and wrote it (as documented by videos, FAQ's and interviews) to set up a system that lasted indefinitely. Now, the company that issued it is trying to claim that that isn't the case. They went to the point of removing supporting videos from the company website last April. Wizards is bound by the OGL as much as everybody else. Just because they now find it inconvenient doesn't give them the right or ability to change it.
If they wanted to write a new OGL for 6e, and allow people to use 5e with the previous OGL as they promised and legally obligated themselves to do over 20 years ago, then that would be fine. Stupid (IMO); but fine. This attempt at strong-arming an entire industry into allowing them to weasle out of their legal obligations is wrong.
The first OGL was a joke to, these companys literally own nothing beside some names and places.
@@christianschulz1443 exactly, personally gonna just change things slightly and call it my own system and dare them to try and argue it in court if I released what I make on my own
Which obviously isn’t legal as long as you don’t sign their documents
They don’t have legal grounds at all and them wanting to have people sign just helps to show people it’s extra sketchy
You're missing the key point, what is said is not legal, only what was written in the original document. Which is worded in a way to allow such change
@@hllyenaylleth9576 That's arguable. It doesn't say it's irrevocable, but it does say you can use any historic version of it. It says 'authorized', but there's no legal definition of 'authorized', so legally, that term is essentially void. The big question is, once authorized, can authorization be revoked? If so, then why include the clause. Of COURSE you can use any currently agreed to version of the OGL. If it can't, then this clause effectively IS an irrevocability clause.
@@hllyenaylleth9576 no the original document was just an attempt to make their unlawful behaviour lawful.
Luke, I know that the OGL 1.1 has a potential to have a drastically negative impact on 3rd party content creators. Our table discussed this and we want you to know that we are with you! I know that thousands of other players are as well! I don’t know the how of this idea, but it would be nice to see multiple content creators team with the gaming community to develop a truly Open Game.
Stay strong and slay all the Dragons - you have an army at your back!
The situation is ripe for a creator alliance. Large number of content creators should form an alliance where they can pool their resources and stand up to WOTC's team of lawyers and war chest. Luke you have the following and respect from the community and fellow creators. You could totally make this happen.
Or just make an actually good alternative, and don't call it D&D/OGL. Maybe in time if successful, they would become the new tyrant, but I guess that's how these things go and maybe something could be done to hinder it.
Yes they need to pool resources into a legal defense fund and then push legal precedent towards making the principle that you cannot copyright rules a reality as it should be and mitigate the threat of being dragged to court.
Basically, form a union and collectively bargain. It works!
It just did happen, Paizo and orhers that join them announced their own forever open licence.
The best thing that a supporters can do is refuse to buy a single official D&D book or any other merch until they change this. We all need to support the content makers that we enjoy and this is how we do it.
Agreed. I would go as far as not buying any Hasbro or WOTC product period. IF enough people did that it would definitely send them a message they couldn't ignore.
I'm only buying things that are 5e or before.
And skip the movie too
@@blakethegreatone2058 that's still going to be supporting hasbro. You should only buy used in that case. Or buy other tabletop games, as there is a great veriaty of them.
@@Cyberwar101 I typically buy used. Actually scored a mint condition 2e draconomicon and a fiend folio. I've bought 5 books new and I always went to a small game store to get it.
I feel like even if they cant revoke ogl 1.0a or back out of the new ogl, this is a betrayal too big to ever trust them again
Nope. They shattered that trust.
Agreed. They just burned all good will I had towards the company.
They are not to be trusted going forward
Why did you trust a corp? They are not your friend, and even friends can backstab you. What makes you think a corp will keep their word?
@@QuanTrietLOL Well small time companies tend to be more personal with their communities. Though yeah you shouldn't trust a corp like Hasbro.
I’m just getting into dnd and just got the core books for Christmas. It annoys me that the next version will be pushed as an online game. The fact you can play dnd with nothing but a piece of paper and something to write with is what drew me to it in the first place.
Honestly, I feel better having signed the open letter to openDnD than I did filling out the first 'playtest' feedback survey.
I have been making an effort to see where my favorite 3rd party creators go. I don't want you all to lose your support in this fight.
@@themysterygamer178 someone hasnt heard of pathfinder.
"lose" = to misplace, fail, not win.
not
"loose" = to be free, not tightened down, weak.
@@blackmage471 Thabk you, fixed.
@@corwinamber8427 Pathfinder & Pathfinder 2.0 are both using the OGL 1.1 IIRC. They too would be affected. Not that I think they would win, but its not about winning... its about sending a message and having more money so you are forced to submit.
@@corwinamber8427 someone doesn't know that pathfinder uses OGL
Time to unite and literally fight back. Because dnd is not just a corporation. It's the community and that is with any hobby.
Yes! We can't surrender and turn our backs on dnd!
The smart choice is to move to other RPG systems that don't lock players in like this. This might be a perfect opportunity for people to look around at the scene and find a system that (shock! horror!) might actually work better than DnD at collaboratively telling the stories they want to tell. Whether that's Shadow of the Demon Lord, Shadowrun, Splittermond, The Dark Eye, Wicked Ones, Only War, or any of the hundreds of others drifting around there.
Personally, I'm having a lot of fun with Shadowrun, Only War and Splittermond, am starting a Shadow of the Demon Lord campaign soon, and had a wonderful time with Wicked Ones
"literally" fight back? What, are you going to "peacefully protest" the building with firebombs or something?
Great job on this, man! You managed to clearly summarize all of the most salient points that I and many others have been tweeting about for the last few days. Massive kudos. Keep it up.
You have been so helpful over the years getting back to running a game. You are interesting, informative, and funny with your videos. This hits me in the feels sir. Thank you for all you do.
I came to say this, I started DMing so my husband could play and these videos, this channel has by Far been the most helpful for my ADD having @$$. Luke is better than bacon!
The leak wasn't intentional, they were caught with their pants down.
It's been confirmed by industry insiders that the language in the leak wasn't just a draft, it was in actionable contracts sent to the largest publishers, binding language.They were likely trying to entice the largest publishers with short term sweet-heart deals, but it seems with their silence it didn't work
Even if it was intentional or not the backlash has been way bigger then they thought it would be.
@@TheVampireFishQueen They knew how bad the backlash would be, which is why they tried to sneak it through under the radar while all of the largest companies were under NDA. That's also why the public statement they made earlier to try to calm fans was so vague.
The language in this new "OGL" is pretty similar to what was included in the 4e GSL, which killed all 3rd party content for 4e. Even calling it an "open" gaming license is sleezy, it doesn't meat any definition of an open license.
No, they knew exactly how bad the public outrage would be
Commenting to bump this up
@@HungryHungryShoggoth Really don't think they did.
Speaking of trying to fly it in under the radar they were planning on giving people only 7 business days to read and agree to this 9,000 word document. Which really seems like a sleezy tactic to trick people into signing something basically under duress.
Look at the new OGL...
It reads like a software agreement.
Now... look at their newly appointed leadership...
can you tell me what you mean by new leadership? do you mean hasbro or something else?
@@dudebromanguy I was told their new CEO came from Microsoft. I haven't checked that information, and have no idea if it's true. But that is probably what the person above you is referencing.
@@GameSetPatch She was part Xbox's "player retention" development. Aka the live service/MTX aspects that are coming to DnD.
@@GameSetPatch Both Chris Cocks (Hasbro's CEO) and Cynthia Williams (WotC's CEO) are both from Microsoft
@@lycanwarrior2137 Don't forget CHris Cocks, Hasbro's CEO and the previous WotC CEO, is also from Microsoft, that is why he hired her
Good video, sign the letter.
DnD used to be viewed as dorky, weird, maybe even creepy; something for anti-social failures and those that could not get a date. Now it is cool, trendy, harmless, and easy-to-do fun.
These changes came spontaneously from celebrities who clearly loved the game, and brought their fans along into it. This is a "celebrity endorsement" dream come true, as people can instantly tell the difference between a paid, heavily scripted endorsement and one that comes from the heart with real love for the product.
That millions watched Critical Role is an astounding achievement, largely beyond most networks: an hours long show, running for many years, with a huge fan base, and all the show does is promote one product and show how fun it is.
The cost to change broad society and culture views like on a product is incalculable.
Companies spend hundreds of millions and even billions to try to do this, to change company images.
In a few months and with OGL 1.1, WotC and Hasbro has destroyed 20 years of progress of this, and works to prevent all this in the future.
Way ahead of you on that last point, Luke! I've started checking out Pf2E, Dungeon Crawl Classics, Zombicide Chronicles, Warhammer Fantasy 4E, and I've also ordered copies of Index Card RPG and Basic Fantasy RPG as well! I'll be supporting your channel and your content however I can, and thank you so much for all the advice you've given an ex-DM who didn't even get to try out being a DM when this all happened xD
If you like Warhammer, might I recommend Only War? It's a pretty fun system if your players can get in the headspace of imperial guardsman who are probably gonna take heavy casualties, and the regiment creation system is amazingly fun for the players imho. Collaboratively figuring out where they're from and what their regiment's story is.
If the leak is true, we must leave. If it is partially true and they have stayed silent, we must leave. We cannot stay with a company who does this. We need to cut free now. To protect the hobby. When someone kicks you in the balls, don't ever let them put their arm around you and whisper in your ear afterwards. Have some self respect.
Yes, and something akin to an "open source fantasy tabletop" needs to exist.
The most terrifying thing, is that PF2e, biggest direct rival to D&D also published under OGL.
@@TheDimir Honestly PF2e doesn't even truly need the OGL, it's its own game. It's not compatible with any edition of D&D and doesn't use any WotC copyrighted material. They could just remove the OGL entirely and be fine legally.
@@taragnor if it's really possible, I would be happy beyond measure. I never played dnd a lot, a big reason for it being that dnd is a wotc product, so when friends invited me to play pf2e, I accepted gladly and since never had a single regret not touching dnd. But news about ogl struck hard knowing that paizo is working inder said ogl. You lifted some weight of fear from my heart, thanks.
One of the struggles I have had with 5e, is how hands off WotC has been. A lot of questions I and several people have had, were basically answered with "Homebrew it yourself, or wait for someone else to homebrew it." You want pets? Wait for Stibbles to come out. Want to play a dark fantasy? Wait for Nightfell or Grim Hollow to come out. Want to have some parameters of how to have fun making magic items? Wait for Heliana's or someone else to work on it. And this is how they are responding? Disrespectful.
Let's not forget how difficult it is to homebrew a monster. If I want to make an NPC a monster I simply cannot make a character sheet and export that into a monster creator. I have to, best option, use a template they've got and hope I, as a DM, can figure out if I've got the CR correct. And CR is another broken component.
(Just to be clear, I am taking about using D&D Beyond for monster creation.)
I love your content. You have helped me as a DM so much. I can't wait to see your content on other systems if this goes through.
Even if this all works out in the end and they backpedal and don't revoke the older OGL, the fact remains, if they could... they would. There are some good videos out there, but I so appreciate your psychological analysis of anchoring. I have not seen anyone talk about that.
I mean...if we're getting in psychology, corporations are literally considered sociopaths
Thank you for making a video on this. I've been talking about it to friends as well. I'm not financially supporting WOTC anymore and low key keeping an eye out for other systems.
I'm curious to see how it will play out, but they've definitely f'd up
I talked to my group, and we all agreed unanimously that wotc is no longer worth our support.
@@blakethegreatone2058 Good for you! Yeah I'm definitely going to bring it up in my next session!
I was more then happy to sign. I just recently came across your videos. And I have both enjoyed them. And found them so helpful!
I remember getting the books for 3rd edition when they first came out. Our group played but a handful of times before we went back to ad&d 2nd edition, which is where we all got our start, and we’ve stuck with it pretty much ever since.
02:55 It's actually worse than that... OGL 1.1 allows WotC to sub-license the rights to another organisation. So... they can sell a creators IP to another company who then takes the risk on production and fulfillment (and might have to send a cut to WotC as part of the franchise agreement) without WotC having to spend a penny or take any risk.
There's lawyers saying that 1.0 can't be revoked like this. There's language in 1.0 that said it would not change.
There's also lawyers on the other side of it. Ultimately, that will have to be tested in court and WotC has more resources than the entire rest of the table top industry *combined*... by an order of magnitude.
There's also lawyers saying it can (the OGL 1.0 doesn't say it is irrevocable). There previous FAQ seems to be estoppel though since it outright stated they couldn't do this.
But hasbro is a large company with a bunch of IP and contract lawyers available to them - do you really want to be the guy to test which it is? And that applies to most "guys" - the legal battle is likely company destroying expensive for most small TTRPG gaming companies let alone individuals.
Hopefully this gets covered by Legal Eagle
@@Denkono I would love to see Devon cover it.
True but as always with these contracts the goal is to give them the license to harass people who cannot afford to fight it in court... or to provide "motive".
I appreciate the evolution of your channel over the last couple years
By the way, thank you so much for all of the great content and thank you for the open letter; Signed.
I've been wanting to know your take on this since I saw the leak myself. Don't stop doing what you do. I became a completely different DM overnight because of your videos. Whatever happens, you've got a supporter out of me.
Ya got a link for the leak? Would like to read ot
5e is the last edition of DnD as far as I'm concerned. I'm a non-commercial homebrewer and I have to tip toe around and keep a constant eye on what papa Hasbro says to keep myself from running afoul of their TOS while acting as an unpaid intern possibly creating their future published campaigns? I was already iffy on one dnd because it seemed to be going a video game route with the new VTT but this has put the nail in the coffin for me. I plan on divesting myself in DnD and MTG as well, they can't be trusted not to destroy their IPs.
I have enjoyed much of your content. Hope to see where you adapt to change. I work for a company that does the same as what you are going through. Good luck seeing where you go with these new rules.
We have everything we need to continue playing D&D, this coming from a small time DM. I do understand that the people making 3rd party content, like you all at the DM Lair, are making more content for us, the smallest fish of the dm pond, to use. I will support you all as long as I continue to play D&D.
Don't stop creating Luke! I will watch and support what ever you create, even if it is away from D&D!
As others are saying, the Typeform appears to be closed, but I’ll check back in later in the day to see if it reopens. This is the first thing that’s happened in a while where I’ve payed constant attention to the situation
Luke, your videos have helped me DM my first tabletop game (which wasn't even 5e, it was Pathfinder 1e because I preferred the system as a player) so I want to thank you, regardless of what happens. You should also reach out to other communities affected by potential changes to the OGL, as FATE, Fudge, and Pathfinder systems are all under it as well. Together as hobbiests I think we all have a strong case against the revocation of 1.0A at the very least.
Glad to see you drop a video on this, I’m also waiting to see what WOTC says. I don’t think they were really pushing for a “new” edition of Dnd, 5e is perfectly fine, they were pushing a rebrand in the guise of creating a new OGL.
I hate to see this happen. The greed in man's heart. It's gonna change everything. I imagine WOTC is just blind to the reality that they are destroying a game that is growing greater than it ever has in these past few years, popularized mostly because of outside creators and youtubers. in my opinion, if they would drop the price of their books they would make more money because more people would buy them. They just want all of your profits.
Yep. Short sighted greed destroyed this. Copper wise, platinum foolish.
WoTC graduated to Tony Montana discovering crack cocaine for the first time.
(Typeform in petition is unfortunately closed)
I just started DMing for my family. We're working through Lost Mines, we're all new to this. If I didn't have videos like you and others, I would never have kept going. Signed immediately
Great video as always, you content helps me though this tough times!
For future content I would also suggest promoting other TTRPG that do not use OGL, as a way to providing alternatives for the players in the meantime this whole thing is happening.
Yeah, or keeping to system agnostic things, which is what a fair amount of us watch this stuff for anyways. I read through the player handbook, but never once played official D&D 5e. I like using my own custom systems or freestyle depending on the players, situation or mood.
Thank you so much for all you do, Luke. You've helped me so much as a DM, and the content you and your team put out every month is incredibly high-quality and so helpful in preparing sessions. I, and I'm sure many others, will be happy to continue supporting you, even if your content moves away from D&D because of this. Even if they do backpedal, they've done so much damage already that I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people aren't willing to support them. I know that I have no interest in supporting a company who treats their community like this, especially if they go through with it and I know anything they put out could be stolen work.
Maybe if they're worried about profits they should focus on actually making their official content worth purchasing instead of alienating the community. WotC hasn't put out anything nearly as good as third-party content in years...
Luke, to be honest with you I believe (from my experience) most players are not that concerned about this and that this is a DM-only problem. I have polled and chatted with many players both in my campaign and in other DM campaigns and their point of view (90% of them) is that "OneD&D is compatible with 5e so OGL 1.1 does not affect me. Therefore, I am not going to worry about it." My current plans are to either move to a non-OGL platform or quit DMing altogether (mostly on moral grounds as I have enough materials to run a campaign for a very long time) my players only seem to show concern because they are about to lose their DM.
That's a key point WotC has ignored: the buying power isn't in the player, it's in the DM. Players can theoretically never buy anything, because the DM is the one buying the PHB, the DMG, the MM and potentially one adventure book or one expansion. The DMs are the ones buying everything and they are the ones who can move the groups, I know this because I started with 3.5e and was forced to switch to 5e because the DM liked it more.
And by nature, it's the DMs the ones most likely to know other games and systems.
They'll care when they get banned by OD&D for "problematic" play or content and lose access to all their stuff. They'll care when cost of play goes way way up.
@@KyrieFortune I also walked from 5e as DM and went OSE and players had to follow or stop playing. We play virtually via Owl Bear Rodeo.
Not sure it's DMs so much as content creators (specifically ones using OGL, which.. I don't get, but whatever). But as far as what you're saying, there's already been a lot of talk about DM shortages, scaring them away further affects players pretty directly. "You want it to be even harder to find a game/DM?"
Anyways, I only use the name "D&D" because it's widely recognizable, not for the brand. Definitely not interested in "OneD&D" or giving the hobby over wholesale to them.
While there's a pre Hasbro versus post Hasbro difference, WOTC hasn't exactly been consistent in behavior (I cite their behavior during 4e, the creation of Pathfinder)
I'd be willing to create a ttrpg system free of the OGL and d&d in general. I might recommend that DM Lair
Dang, what a turn of events. Thanks for making this video to inform us, and telling the bigger picture that everything can lead to.
I've started playing with the Red Box, so for almost 40 years (OK, with some breaks), I even bought most 4E books, this is, indeed, a slap in the face. Things you can do: - Fill in the One D&D survey just to include your feelings in the comment section. BUT @The DM Lair : Please start looking for other Systems, I'm sure Kobold Press, Paizo and others are looking for a replacement at this point. One thing that Wizards made, is having me look for a new game system.
Look, I am not convinced Kobold/Paizo isn't going to do the same in the (very) long term. This scenario should not repeat even decades into the future.
The Cypher System. Done up my Monte Cook Games. Its similar enough to dnd to scratch that itch but different enough that they can't be sued by wotc. If you're serious about finding a new system that is.
I'm crushed to see what this is doing to you and all the great work you've put in mentoring so many DM's (present company included)
There are so many great content creators (publishers, UA-cam, etc.) who are going to be devastated by this. Included in the victims will be local game shops. The owner of our local shop has already been told by patrons they are boycotting all D&D products - including the thousands of dollars worth of D&D stuff the store has purchased that now NOBODY WANTS TO BUY as a result of this.
Further, two DM's at the shop have said this is their last D&D campaign. They'll finish up with their groups and move on. We were already facing a DM shortage. Though perhaps by killing their product, they'll "fix" this issue.
Wotc didn’t think about the fact without the DMs there are no players, doesn’t matter how under-monetised they are if they can’t get a game. My group are looking to wrap up our game streams early or migrate to other systems just out of principle. Gutted to see wotc go the way of games workshop.
@@bonusactionheroes Bold decision to attack the DM shortage problem on the demand side by making sure nobody wants to play your game. Not exactly the way I'd handle it.
If you look into what the OGL actually does, and then you look into what can actually be copyrighted, you'll find that the only "creators" effected rely on plagiarism.
Have you *seen* Luke's house and collections? He'll be absolutely fine, don't worry. Dude has money but pretends to be "scraping by" as he says.
@@hlaw2830 It isn't plagiarism when you've been granted explicit permission for 20+ years. You can argue it isn't a good decision to rely on such a license, but it remains an extremely bad decision by WotC. They know from experience how badly this failed in 4th edition but somehow thought this was different?
honestly for the past year ive been living and improving ny dm'ing skills because of channels like yours. each session i brought an improvement to our game. if it weren't for the community, i wouldn't be where i am today.
im in love with d&d and you are right, this *is* a slap in the face. they're crushing a large part of our lives, d&d got my friends and myself through some dark times. this... this is betrayal on a massive scale and i eill never stand for it.
Well… I was going to start a channel about a gaming system that I thought of but not sure I am going to say anything on it till this entire OGL stuff gets released. Granted I started the idea during this entire debacle… but hopefully the gaming community can come together. I’ve always enjoyed watching your content and I support you no matter what you do. Let’s all just pray to the fantasy gods and hope for the best. Let’s roll for initiative folks and get ready for this battle.
Out of curiosity do they understand how badly this will mess up their bottom line?
They have a movie out in March, they have how many new releases between now and their 6e let alone everything else Hasbro is involved in...
This has the potential to make Amazons Rings of Power AND Wheels of Time mess look like a slight slip in comparison!
James Gunn might be looking on in awe at the Ryan Johnson level event.
Sorry still don't understand why they did that!
It's about the money, but also, these companies are woke woke woke (as you can see by all the franchises destroyed over the past 10 years at the hands of wokeness). They want to control the content. Don't underestimate how far these large corporations will go to promote their woke religion. They are all jettisoning their fan bases and calling them racists, etc., even though they lose money time and time again. I'm sure there will be more to come on this front with WotC. So, I don't believe it's just the money. It's about controlling the content. Making sure it's woke. With OGL 1.1 they can ensure that all who do not worship at the altar of woke will be cancelled, pushed aside and ostracized. I hope no one goes over to this license, because anyone who does will be selling their soul to the devil.
You have to understand that the people in charge of WotC/Hasbro are former Microsoft employees, people who were taught and hammered into their minds that "Monopoly good. Competition bad."
And besides, it wouldn't be the first time that a coorporate type would focus all their brainpower into trying to get short gain profit and ignore long term damage.
@@DM-Zack
You should boycott them if 1.1 goes through at all, regardless if fixing.
It's existence is already incentive enough to screw people over.
Yeah, I was excited to see the new movie in theaters with my friends, but if the 1.1 OGL goes through, I'm boycotting all their stuff and encouraging my friends to do the same. I'll just pirate the movie instead of throwing money at it
I agree completely however my experience with players differs considerably. I have discussed this openly with my players (and the players or other campaigns) and roughly 90% of them think it does not affect them so it is a non-issue. I think that for the most part (I do hope I am wrong) DM's are on their own on this.
When the original OGL was released it was in an attempt to prevent the death of DnD then as they saw how other systems collapsed, such as Exalted, TORG and Earthdawn . This policy kept the game alive and allowed it to evolve and grow. So much it seems that HASBRO believes that its time to reap in a field that they did not sow in.
They however forget one thing, they are the owners of the IP not the content creators, they don't know how to or are unwilling to create their own content and good luck finding writers who will work "For Hire"", they'd rather just use others Intellectual property, which is the reason for that offensive clause and the short time frame they are giving publishers to make a choice.
Their actions have exposed a critical weakness in ttrpg as it exists today, there is only one system and it is owned by bad faith players, so what do you do in this situation . Create another OGL that doesn't use the exact mechanics and add the ""irrevocable"" clause that was missing in the original OGL to this version. You have the ideas , you have the reach , you have the fanbase , not them , use it.
There is legal precedent point blank saying that you cannot copyright game mechanics. This is basically a one sided EULA that they're hoping will bully people into signing the contract. It wouldn't stand up in court and they know it.
That said, the silence on this shatters the trust that is necessary for such an OGL to exist, because now you never know when they're gonna pull a Vader and "alter the deal." So yeah, shift to something else ASAP is my advice.
They own the brand, not the hobby. I say work around them, don't agree to their crap whether it's slightly better or goes as is.
I'm more into custom systems and freestyle, so to me they're neither here nor there. The only tie to "D&D" is in the sense of a name for the entire hobby, more based on D&D of the past and pop culture references, because a lot of people don't know what else to call it and "TTRPG" has less traction (and isn't perfect, there's not always stuff on a table).
@@shatteredteethofgod precisely. My advice is to circulate that information as much as possible so that people aren't bullied into signing these agreements.
Can confirm, Luke you/your videos have helped me a ton & I appreciate everything you’ve done for us all! So thank you very much! I wish WotC didn’t do this.
I don't think this was intentional. Yes, they'll be watching community reaction and planning a response - but there are so many better ways to gain this info without causing a fire that will burn everything you've made to the ground. As Luke says, they've laid their cards on the table - we've seen their character - their alignment is Lawful Evil.
Agreed. Glad they never fully eliminated it he alignment system so that we can properly label them.
Another layer of the approval process I haven't heard yet: couldn't it be that they do the following too: "hey Luke, you said some critical stuff and therefore we don't know if we would like you to use our OGL for your kickstarter.... but for 50.000 $ we maybe could give you a license to make your Kickstarter... with the same terms the ogl provide"
#2 trick of capitalist markets:
Step 1. Dominate the market using network effects and/or acquiring your competition.
Step 2. Abuse your market power by extracting rents from customers that now have no choice but to buy your product/service.
Apple, Facebook, Google, Amazon and Microsoft are exemplars of this approach but it's common in nearly every market. These aren't especially greedy people. It's a system that has greed embedded within in.
thank you for all of your videos, I found your videos easier to digest than the dungeon master's guide
Also, I started supporting you in patreon more because I like and appreciate your video content than to get the materials you're publishing. And even if you don't publish new stuff under OGL 1.0a, you can publish system agnostic? It's not quite the same as what you've been doing, but you can probably for the most part communicate the ideas without the stats (or possibly even with the stats, although that's obviously a question for said lawyers) and still have useful content. An adventure doesn't have to include specific difficulty numbers for checks to say "it would be difficult to convince the countess otherwise", and so on.
I would never, ever, ever, make any kind of content under this license.
Back in the days of 2e, mid-90s I guess, there was a magazine called Arcane. It was mostly targeted at D&D players but because there was no OGL or SRD in those days, the adventures and similar content in Arcane were completely system-agnostic. They gave you plots and maps and character descriptions, but to use it you would have add the stats, spell lists etc from the system of your choice yourself.
This is the kind of thing I think WotC will incentivise in creators who sensibly want nothing to do with these utterly unacceptable license terms.
And what does that mean for D&D's near-monopoly? Not looking great, is it? I mean if the content you enjoy isn't built on D&D specifically, seems to me the barrier to experimenting with other systems just got a lot lower.
The community of D&D creators is the goose that lays the golden eggs WotC is now making a billion dollars a year off of. And they're looking at it greedily with a cleaver in their hand.
I wonder if the Arcane system would work if the system-agnostic articles included stats for multiple game systems. ie - "Here is the stat block for 5e D&D: ... Here is the stat block for PF2: ..." etc. That would be a lot of work for the author though, although a lot more convenient for inexperienced GMs trying to adapt the article to their campaign.
@@MasterTMO I'm not even entirely sure to what extent a stat block is allowed without authorisation from the rightsholder of that game system!
Exactly, third parties will use other licences or go agnostic, and the actual direct competition can follow the example of the FATE system and make their own licences. I have read map makers feeling uneasy about the potential ruin that would befall them with OGL 1.1 when, bruh, just say your maps are not for any specific game and you would actually be able to run your own full licence?
@@KyrieFortune Definitely! Map makers should be fine. Even model makers should be able to eurostep WotC IP cos they probably have trademarks on a few creature names but if Games "litigation is our middle name" Workshop can't stop you making "battle nuns" STLs, there's no way WotC can do anything about your T̶e̶i̶f̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ "Hellborn" sorceror.
In the long run, this is probably good for the RPG hobby. This might let other systems grow and thrive.
Terrible for ppl in general. It's not a good idea to use a bad idea to showcase other systems and let ppl profit from it. This is a really seriously weird comment haha
@@simcptmike Looking for a silver lining. 5e’s dominance of the market is terrible IMO.
@@sublimetech Yeah that's the way I see it. D&D did it's job of bringing in new players but will cease to be the juggernaut and now those players can branch off to try other (and better) games.
I'll continue to watch you, Luke, and follow along. With that being said, I've been looking at other system before this leak and that has only intensified now. There are many systems out there and some that may do what I want "better", depending on what that it at any particular time, of course. 🙂Pathfinder 2.0 looks pretty good, from the little research I've done, but even they could run into potential issues if v1.0a is rescinded/revoked/etc.
LOL, this is the first time I think I have seen your office so clean!
At first, it seemed like they just wanted a piece of the Critical Role's pie, but all the little guys will get swept up in it.
40 years of loyal D&D custom from me ended yesterday. Ordered the core gaming books from Piazo and will be switching to that system going forward. Even if they get sent to the wall in court over the OGL issues I will at least have a product that is not WOTC/Hasbro to run my games with.
You don't get it. They can kill pathfinder with this change simply by revoking the license. Pathfinder is using the OGL
@@user-dd9dh9kw5c I get it all too well, what they can't do is kill it before my order is shipped, then it's too late for them to prevent me using the material.
Imagine if all you had were the online versions of documents (not PDFs you could download) hosted in something like D&D Beyond - they'd vanish before your very eyes!
@@FrostSpike Yeah, I currently use D&D Beyond for my 5e books. Something I learned with that is that I'm not a fan of that system, I prefer physical media. With that in mind I ordered the hard copies.
@@user-dd9dh9kw5c they can kill pathfinder, until they realize there is precedent for having the literally same game mechanics and not commit copyright infringment, because game mechanics cannot be copyrighted and are public domain by default. And the games involved in that lawsuit, Bang! and Legend of the Three Kingdoms, are virtually identical, the same game with two different suits, meanwhile Pathfinder 2e is incompatible with any version of DnD, and Pathfinder 1e is compatible only with Dnd 3e, maybe 3.5e
your doing good work man will defiantly sign!
I'm gonna miss you man. I was a long time holdout about using D&D 5th edition. I had been using Paizo after D&D 4.0 was so horrible. But I finally switched and found myself DMing a system I didn't know. I binged more of your videos than any other content provider, consuming endless D&D 5.0 content from you, and others, but mostly you, to learn how the system works.
So thanks for helping me.
I'm sorry that WotC is killing your viability and everyone else's too.
I hope you bounce back.
Maybe there's another game you can create content for?
Maybe you and some of the others out there can create a whole new game and crush those corporate bastards at WotC!
Letter is signed.
Good luck!
Currently shopping for a new game. Fate looks good; I already like PbtA; I’ve enjoyed WoD in the past. Just need to figure out which one is going to land well at my table because the more I hear, not only am I out on WotC, I’m not coming back when the 7e apology tour happens. Going to have to wrap up the campaign that I’m in the middle of now first, so I’ve got a bit of time to figure out where I’m going, but short of, “The leak was, in entirety, false. What we were working on was a copy-paste of OGL 1.0 with provisions to cover new tech, and, since the community made so much noise that it’s clearly important to you, we’re adding language to declare it irrevocable,” I don’t know that there’s anything they can say at this point.
Even if they did that, I wouldn't believe it. I would want to see actual, hard proof that it was all made up and that the 1.1 they release was in that form for a very long time, not just a few days. Then they would need to explain why they haven't said anything about it at all since the whole thing was leaked. And at that point, I might have the slightest shred of consideration that perhaps it's not all just a load of crap. But it would be the slightest, tiniest shred even then..
I think lawyers have said that the original OGL still protects D&D 5E and third-party and homebrew content made for it (as well as previous editions like 3.5E), just the OGL 1.1 applies to whatever theoretical "D&D 6E" WOTC makes in future.
I personally can really recommend Dungeon World by Sage LaTorra and Adam Koebel. It really captures the feeling of old-school AD&D in an indie RPG format with light rules structure. There's also Chaosium's many games: Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest, 7th Sea, Pendragon.
I feel like WOTC has forgotten the only things needed to play an RPG are dice and imagination. All their products are optional enhancers only. I opted out some time ago.
They haven't forgotten. They will absolutely come after dice and concepts. Precedent doesn't mean shit anymore. They will hunt down every single dime.
Shared video & open letter on FB & with my DND group & other friends that play DND. Thanks for a great video clarifying what's going on. It sucks what WOTC seem to be doing. Even if this isn't the final word, it doesn't speak well of them & the future of DND. Hopefully the open letter & all the videos help change their minds about doing something so drastic. Hopefully they decide to leave the legal stuff as it has been for 23 yrs.
👍 great explanation and position 👏
I haven't seen anybody burn down a brand so fast since Elon & Twitter.
it's important for the bigger YT D&D folks to talk about this - screw Ha$bro!
Keep up your good work, whatever you do in the future. This is big, stressful and could be inspiring as a BBEG, and you are fully entitled to feel overwhelmed too. Take care, we will find a way
Your DM advice is equally valuable for other RPG systems. As for myself, I don't watch your channel for DnD specific advice. Seeing you diversifying more and looking away from WotC to experiment or try out other systems and their supplements would be great.
They may have a massive war chest but a class action lawsuit can humble the biggest corporations.
I suspect there are plenty in the software industry who would not be happy with the precedent of an open license being revoked and changed like this.
I also want to thank you for all of your videos. Your Patreon content and these videos have helped me be a better DM. I also followed DMDave as well. And How to be a Great GM. All great content and I have learned. (As an elementary drama teacher and involved with local playwriting festivals, I've grown there too)
Now I'm considering moving toward Pathfinder 2e. If any of this comes true in the new OGL, Im gone. If it doesn't, I want to see OGL 1.0 revised to state it can never be removed and will always apply to previous versions of D&D. If the OGL isn't protected, I cannot trust WoTC.
They saw earnings in the pandemic and told themselves "we no longer need the community" without realizing the growth came from all this people showing, sharing, teaching and CREATINFG for this worlds
I think as a community we should just create our own table top game. You can't tell me Gary Gygax would be happy with what they're doing. I think he'd make a new game
Keep fighting that good fight brother!!
That thumbnail though
😱
The community is in open revolt.
I dare say, a Rebellion.
Thanks, Luke. As a 3rd party small self-publisher I already pay a significant royalty to DMsguild to publish there. I'm already planning on changing direction to either ORC or system-neutral stuff but I appreciate the community's support for 3rd party content.
I don't own one red cent of 5e products. I watch your channel because you are entertaining and have alot of great ideas that can be applied regardless of the game system you use.
Same. But I feel for how he has to use the term for the algorithm or miss out on views/success, even though people aren't searching because of anything current WotC/Hasbro has been doing, but just because "Hey I want to get into this hobby" and not knowing what else to write but "D&D".
I love your videos, Luke. And if you ever make a system agnostic patreon tear I would become a patreon right away ❤️🔥seriously. I don’t play 5E but I would love to buy a shorter Lair magazine thats lore and ideas only if that’s possible.
I agree with you....Am from Puerto Rico and see your bideos to learn...And I thank you very much for all the videos...I hope that this disent destroy DND!!
Magazines like Luke Hart's Lair Magazine, and MCDM's Arcadia bring so much to the table. thanks to content like this 5e players got to enjoy a renaissance. Wotc shouldn't profit off the hard work of others. Creators have to pay for art, formating, editing, e.t.c asking for Royalties on GROSS PROFIT is unacceptable.
As a Magic the Gathering player who is dealing with Wizards of the Coast destroying the game I wish you guys all luck. The corporate greed at Wizards is chasing the player base away
It's sad to see what WotC and Hasboro have done to the game. I got in around Ixalan, it was such a fun couple of years before the greed got kicked into overdrive
They still have a Darth Vader clause in this OGL that basically says "I have altered the deal, pray I don't alter it further" and because you sign it... its legal.
I'm grateful that you have linked the open letter, because I was looking around hoping there was a public effort to oppose this about a week ago, when I discovered what they were really up to. Thank you for linking that.
I am really disgusted by the level of anti-consumerism this company has for its fanbase. I truly feel like to corporate... we are just literally a stat block.
"Just numbers on a ledger"...
Seriously. As customers we have given to much power to this firm by buying their products and we have helped WotC to become a monopoly company. We have helped them to sell the idea that there is one and only one ttrpg. We have forced game designer to write only products for D&D instead of developing their original ideas because this would be the only way to earn money. We dug our own grave. Maybe this the occasion to open our eyes and look to other terrific games (with or without master): MÖRK BORG, Spire, Fabula Ultima, Into the Odds, Arc, The One Ring, Tales from the Loop, Forbidden Lands, Thirsty Sword Lesbians, Lovecraftesque, Dialect and so on. Even if this is only a strategy from the new board to prove something to their stakeholders, this is the right time to go beyond D&D.