It's been a few weeks since last I read something about it's progress.
Well it was 1 week from being done before Gen Con and 2 days from being done before Christmas, so I figure it might be done by the GAMA Trade Show in April.
I didn't think 4.5e would be announced so that soon..*
*I have a long standing fool's bet that GSL would be released when 4.5e or 5e would be announced.
It might or it might not change if some companies decide to support 4e. Anything is assumptions at this point.Personally, regardless of when/if it's revised, I think that ship has sailed. Given the initial delay/limbo, the larger companies needed to keep products moving to run the business. The lack of advances on the rules and the uncertainty surrounding the license effectively forced all but Goodman to move in directions that didn't rely on 4e or the GSL. The change from OGL to GSL and its much more restrictive nature only solidified their decisions.
WotC has no financial interest in modifying the GSL. It may help from a market perception perspective but I strongly suspect that 4e is successful enough that the legacy idea behind the OGL that 3rd-party product would drive more WotC content is considered insignificant. On the rare chance 4e is not as successful as hoped, it would be a foolish business plan for WotC to bank on a friendlier GSL driving 3rd-party product and in turn, driving WotC sales.
Even if we see an updated GSL, I don't think publishers will be lining up around the corner like with 3e.
Also, if I look into my dollar-store crystal ball, I also wouldn't be surprised that when 5e is announced it's closed. I also see the lack of 3rd-party participation in 4e being held up as a reason for not having any kind of OGL/GSL aside from perhaps a specific license for writing adventures. Hopefully, I'm wrong.
Personally, regardless of when/if it's revised, I think that ship has sailed. Given the initial delay/limbo, the larger companies needed to keep products moving to run the business. The lack of advances on the rules and the uncertainty surrounding the license effectively forced all but Goodman to move in directions that didn't rely on 4e or the GSL. The change from OGL to GSL and its much more restrictive nature only solidified their decisions.
WotC has no financial interest in modifying the GSL. It may help from a market perception perspective but I strongly suspect that 4e is successful enough that the legacy idea behind the OGL that 3rd-party product would drive more WotC content is considered insignificant. On the rare chance 4e is not as successful as hoped, it would be a foolish business plan for WotC to bank on a friendlier GSL driving 3rd-party product and in turn, driving WotC sales.
Even if we see an updated GSL, I don't think publishers will be lining up around the corner like with 3e.
Also, if I look into my dollar-store crystal ball, I also wouldn't be surprised that when 5e is announced it's closed. I also see the lack of 3rd-party participation in 4e being held up as a reason for not having any kind of OGL/GSL aside from perhaps a specific license for writing adventures. Hopefully, I'm wrong.
I pretty much agree with this 100%. There are a lot of companies out there who made excellent 3X products that would do very well in the 4E era, but most of them aren't willing to jump in without a very firm set of legal legs to stand on.It might or it might not change if some companies decide to support 4e. Anything is assumptions at this point.
However, a changed GSL might change what the companies who do support can do, and how they can do things, and that is very important to those of us who play 4e and like 3pp products.
(or, if I can dream, an extension of the OGL)