D&D 5E Monte Cook Leaves WotC - No Longer working on D&D Next [updated]

Mark CMG · Apr 25, 2012

Thaumaturge said:
My first thought is that this has to do with SRD. Or, rather, the lack thereof.

I hope not, but that's my gut instinct.

Thaumaturge.

That's a likely takeaway from this news. However you look at it, it is big news.

Piratecat said:
My understanding is that the full time corporate environment within WotC is challenging.

That's one way to put it. Hang in there, corporate workers!

Piratecat said:
Monte's been his own boss for ages. It's hard to go back into an environment with a lot more bureaucracy.

I doubt this falls under the rigors of corporate life and suspect the difference of opinions is more fundamentally to do with management/legal expectations regarding how the design process and end goals are to manifest. It's not much of a surprise after reading infomation from threads like this -

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/322062-re-building-halls-undermountain.html

I'm A Banana · Apr 25, 2012

I'm not really shocked at some poster's reactions to this, but I am very disappointed. It takes a stubborn sort of petty bias to crow about this. It would be like everyone who took issue with James Wyatt's "Talking with guards and fairies isn't FUN!" comments and celebrated him leaving the company.

Monte's a pro, and is input is valuable. He's shown with his Malhavoc/AU/AE/Ptolus stuff, not to mention all his work in 2e and 3e, that he's got real design chops. Celebrating his leaving seems vindictive and small. He was the target of a lot of un-earned, disproportionate hate, and it's sad to see that the haters may have been taken more seriously than their complaints generally warrant.

Piratecat said:
My understanding is that the full time corporate environment within WotC is challenging. Monte's been his own boss for ages. It's hard to go back into an environment with a lot more bureaucracy. He's a great guy; I wish him the best.

I got that sense, too. Not about the design specifics, but about the corporate environment there now, which was part of the reason he left in the first place. He mentioned he might still contract some work, which is good to hear, that the relationship isn't entirely soured.

Not sure that bodes very well for the management's influence on 5e, if they were able to make him feel unwelcome.

I kind of hope to one day find out about what keeps happening there at WotC to get good designers to leave.

Steely_Dan · Apr 25, 2012

Well, lately, as I said on another thread, i'm sitting down with the Basic Rulebook (Moldvay, 81), 1st Ed PHB, 2nd Ed PHB, 3rd Ed PHB, 4th Ed Heroes of books and the Rules Compendium, and seeing what I come up with, so at worst, 5th Ed will just give me more to tinker with.

But this news is concerning, though I do have faith in Mearls (but Cook was a good balance).

Incenjucar · Apr 25, 2012

Kamikaze Midget said:
Monte's a pro, and is input is valuable.

Are you familiar with Rob Liefeld, by any chance...?

kitsune9 · Apr 25, 2012

Best of luck Monte. Would like you to put some products out from Malhavoc. Another dungeon crawl comes to mind as I liked Banewarrens and Demon God's Fane.

Frostmarrow · Apr 25, 2012

Monte Cook is a prolific writer. If WoTC were to say, for insance: "We'd like you to do polls from now on, m'key?" I'm sure Mr Cook would respectfully decline. I just hope he isn't turned off the idea of writing for the hobby in the future.

StreamOfTheSky · Apr 25, 2012

malkav666 said:
Having Monte directly involved with 5e was pretty much one of the main reasons I was optimistic about 5e. Seeing him leave the project lowers my overall interest levels in the new edition. Ill take a look when the playtest starts. But I don't think the departure bodes well for a unification edition.

Same. I hated just about everything I've been hearing about 5E, but had some small glimmer of hope deep inside that the new edition might still be ok due to his influence. Well, that hope just died...

sheadunne · Apr 25, 2012

They probably decided to skip the playtest stage and jump forward with the release at Gen Con this year. Wouldn't that be fun . . .

I'm A Banana · Apr 25, 2012

Incenjucar said:
Are you familiar with Rob Liefeld, by any chance...?

Vaguely, as a source of much tempest-in-a-teapot nerdrage in the '90's.

It's like the movie Footnote. The passions run so high here because the stakes are so very small.

Stainless · Apr 25, 2012

I wonder if the corporate bean-counters have decided that an open playtest is not necessary and just too much hassle. I could imagine them not appreciating the effect that would have on the community and Monte deciding he can't go further under that type of sell-out.