A week earlier, Dungeons and Dragons released its first statement on the OGL situation. While the statement walked back some of the overreach that angered players from the leaked OGL, confusing and condescending diction gave mixed signals to fans, who were already angry at Wizards of the Coast’s poor communication during the previous weeks.
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Wizards of the Coast’s most recent statement is significantly more humble and straightforward. Kyle Brink, executive producer for Dungeons and Dragons, apologized to the community, recognizing the places where the company had done wrong so far. Going forward, Dungeons and Dragons will seek feedback on future OGL drafts, similar to how it does for its One D&D playtests. According to the statement, the next draft for the OGL will be available on or before January 20, after which players will have at least two weeks to fill out the survey.
The statement goes on to clarify a few things from the original D&D OGL leaks. Dungeons and Dragons seems to be removing the requirement to report finances and pay royalties over $750,000, and claims to be removing the right of ownership to third-party creations. Additionally, the OGL changes will not affect the following third-party Dungeons and Dragons products:
Commentary, Actual Play streams, and other video creations. Sale of minis, novels, apparel, dice, and other accessories. Non-published works that reference 5th Edition, like paid DM services and consulting. Virtual Table Top content. Products sold on DMs Guild. Anything published using the original Dungeons and Dragons OGL.
This development is a promising change in comparison to other recent news from Wizards of the Coast. Players are relieved to see Dungeons and Dragons responding to its criticism, and hope it continues to act with this level of integrity and transparency in the future. In the meantime, players should be sure to continue to make their opinions heard on Twitter trends like OpenDnD, and by filling out the survey when it is made available.
On the other hand, this statement alone isn’t enough for many Dungeons and Dragons fans. Players won’t be quick to forget the lies and obfuscation Wizards of the Coast has participated in recently, and rumors of a disturbing change to One D&D’s subscription system have yet to be addressed. If Dungeons and Dragons wants to restore its faith with the community, it will have to follow through with these promises and more as the situation continues to unfold.
Dungeons and Dragons is available now. One D&D is in development.
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