Has anyone heard much about the leaked Open License Agreement. Apparently it has a 25% royalty on revenue over 750k. Wizards also will assume ownership of any content created with the ability to use it as they see fit without notification.

I understand they need to protect their IP. I also understand Critical Role isnt using Vecna and other creatures as those of Wizards property.

I dont understand how a game built on the creative contributions of its community can be viewed as a revenue. Literally working to scare or discourage folks from developing new content for the game.

Thoughts?

Tszii wrote in Wizards Leaked OGL: Wizards also will assume ownership of any content created with the ability to use it as they see fit without notification.

It's something they talked about in the late '90s when the OGL was being put together. Copyright law does not automatically grant ownership of derivative works to the owner of the original work, although at the time they thought they could weasel out a court win by paying more for lawyers (real class, when you know the law is not on your side but money will make it so).

The current plans are at least a little less sleazy, but only a little. All D&D/RPG games with published scenarios result in derivative works, the creative additions of the DM/players as they use the product. So WotC is planning to declare ownership of everything you do or say or write down while using their product. This becomes especially problematic when the players are under 18, so that you are declaring ownership of something they are not old enough to sell on their own.

In recent years, various companies have caused controversy by assuming ownership of the data created by consumers, so I can only hope WotC gets the equivalent of a new Satanic Panic over the entire, greed-fueled concept. WotC intends to exploit the labor of your children! Don't buy their products! If you give your kids a Hasbro product, you could be on the hook to pay big bucks in their new scam!

Companies will float balloons like this up to see how far it goes before being popped.  I agree, the backlash has been swift, but it needs to be steady as well.  In the end, I see the bean counters at WOTC being ushered quickly back under the rock they came from.  I hope this is a big nothing burger, but you never know with this company.

-SKA

With all the IP like beholders and Forgotten Realms, etc - you would think they would be able to make "enough" money. Lego's did it. Movies, Lego land, clothing etc. We have also seen steam become the biggest publisher for PC games which wizards could have done. They best the came up with is OGL 1.1. Low effort, fan base assaulting...

Leadership somewhere needs to go. It may take too long for the current health of the game.

Matt Finch, architect of OSRIC and Swords & Wizardry will host a livestream on the leaked OGL tonight at 7pm CST:  Matt Finch - YouTube

It’ll be recorded for viewing later too.

Allan.

Deadlord wrote in Wizards Leaked OGL:some idiot(s) get it in their heads that they can squeeze more

Such is the problem with corporate structure. If you convince one bunch of idiots who appeared out of nowhere that their ideas are destructive, there are more idiots waiting in line who want to make a name for themselves as efficiency magicians. If no manager takes up the cause of self-sabotage, there are activist investors & customers who will.

A long interview with Ryan Dancey:  One of the Architects of the Original OGL, Ryan Dancey, Discusses Its Creation | Roll For Combat - YouTube

Allan.

Sir Kill Alot wrote in Wizards Leaked OGL:Companies will float balloons like this up to see how far it goes before being popped.  I agree, the backlash has been swift, but it needs to be steady as well.  In the end, I see the bean counters at WOTC being ushered quickly back under the rock they came from.  I hope this is a big nothing burger, but you never know with this company.

-SKA

Even if the clueless MBAs running WotC backpedal from this, the damage has well and truly been done. No 3rd party publisher or producer of content will trust them again.

In a way, WotC have doubly shot themselves in the foot with this move.
Kobold Press, Modiphius and MCDM are all designing their own open-source systems as a response to the OGL changes.

This could usher in a renaissance of new open-source rulesets for people to design content for.
Witness the success of community-led Mörk Borg supplements, for example.

...and who didn't see this coming...

Hasbro delays new Dungeons & Dragons licensing rules following fan backlash

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/13/hasbro- ... lainternal

-SKA