Rumours: WotC Announcement Today; Insider Email Reveals Plans

There's a couple of rumours going round today. I cannot verify either, but I'm reporting them as most of the recent OGL rumours have proven true.

First -- it is rumoured that today at 3pm ET Wizards of the Coast will make some kind of video statement about the current Open Game License situation. This rumour came from the folks at Roll For Combat who were the first to break the draft OGL scoop.

[[UPDATE -- This didn't happen!]]

Second -- an email has been circulating from an anonymous WotC insider. Again, I must reiterate I cannot myself verify this, so read this with that in mind, but the email says:

Hi,

I'm an employee at WotC currently working on D&Dbeyond (DDB) and with D&D business leaders on the health of the product line. If you want I can provide proof of this.

I'm sending this message because I fear for the health of a community I love, and I know what the leaders at WOTC are looking at:

-They are briefly delaying rollout of OGL changes due to the backlash.
-Their decision making is based entirely on the provable impact to their bottom line.
-Specifically they are looking at DDB subscriptions and cancellations as it is the quickest financial data they currently have.
-They are still hoping the community forgets, moves on, and they can still push this through.

I have decided to reach out because at my time in WotC I have never once heard management refer to customers in a positive manner, their communication gives me the impression they see customers as obstacles between them and their money, the DDB team was first told to prepare to support the new OGL changes and online portal when they got back from the holidays, and leadership doesn't take any responsibility for the pain and stress they cause others. Leadership's first communication to the rank and file on the OGL was 30 minutes on 1/11/23, This was the first time they even tried to communicate their intentions about the OGL to employees, and even in this meeting they blamed the community for over-reacting.

I will repeat, the main thing this leadership is looking at is DDB subscription cancellations.

Hope your day goes well,

P.S. I will be copying and pasting this message to other community leaders.

If both rumours are true, I guess at 3pm ET today we'll find that out.

 

[dragoner]

To be clear, I have OGL books out, just submitted one today even, I don't like what is going on, it screws me over. It is what it is though, I'll roll with it, and convert them over, maybe do a kickstarter for funds. Also as Admin of the SFRPG group on fb, I have always pushed for the small creators.

 

[Kai Lord]

If I were in charge of WOTC's response I'd advise them to take the "Sonic the Hedgehog" approach. Remember the outcry against Sonic's appearance in that first trailer?

So for WOTC I'd have them copy what the director of that movie said. A simple tweet stating:

"With regard to the leaked 1.1 OGL, the community has spoken, we have listened. Changes to come, stay tuned."

DONE. And then release an official new OGL that makes the original agreement irrevocable and makes the new one more acceptable.

Don't make a video for gosh sake. That indicates they're trying to "humanize" an unhumanizable act. If they want to take it one step further then maybe they can allow some of the more fan-facing members of the company to make some personal tweets saying things along the lines of "phew, I was really against the new OGL and tried to make my voice heard prior to it's leak, glad it got changed" to at least give the impression that there were and are "good guys" still working for corporate WOTC.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I don't love companies, but we all know that's how things get made, right? Because they can make money off of them? That doesn't excuse bad behavior, but things don't get made if they don't make money.

No one has a problem with anyone "making money". WotC is making money under the previous model. A LOT of money. But they want MOAR - and it will probably lead them to less.

 

[timbannock]

I honestly wonder if this is where we're headed. Not the mass cancellations now, as those always blow over pretty fast due to customers having short memories.

But if DnDone crashes and burns on release due to everyone just choosing to stay on 5e, will Hasbro just throw the DnD brand in the dumpster and end it completely? What happens then?

It's essentially the KT extinction of TTRPGs if that happens.

Hasbro is well-known for owning properties and putting them in cold storage or selling them off strategically. Given how meteoric and consistent D&D's rise has been since they've owned it -- with the only obvious "slump" during 4e (and that still successful by any bar within the tabletop sphere) -- I can only assume they see value in it eventually, once the bad press blows over. Perhaps as a nostalgia brand. They went to expensive ends in order to ensure they could re-release HeroQuest 20-30 years after its heyday.

That said, I don't think they'll do either, at least not yet. Even if every single person who's miffed about the OGL 1.1 says "No way!" that still leaves some number of MILLIONS of customers who don't care and are quite happy with the game in its current (and likely future) state. They certainly have room to scrape some more profits outta this thing for a few more years yet, even under the worst case scenario.

 

[overgeeked]

The system exists that way, but it doesn't "work". That's how busts happen. Busts show how that it doesn't really work properly. Also - time will out. This kind of business practices will collapse, eventually (and probably soon).

It is to be hoped. It is also to be hoped the environment and the human race survive the end of capitalism.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

This thread is well beyond discussing RPGs......well beyond.

I mean, no?

Because what matters here is RPGs. And they do get made even if they make very little money. Many of the best, most important, and most innovative ones have made tiny amounts of money.

 

[dragoner]

The system exists that way, but it doesn't "work". That's how busts happen. Busts show how that it doesn't really work properly. Also - time will out. This kind of business practices will collapse, eventually (and probably soon).

Everyday when I log out from hotmail, I see some weird business thing in the headlines, I don't like the way things are, though that's never meant anything. The system has always been this way, at least since the 80's, and you are right, there are busts, except it always seems to boom again. Let me add, building mansions for the rich tech and entertainment types in California, I never met any of them I would consider good.

 

[Manbearcat]

But if DnDone crashes and burns on release due to everyone just choosing to stay on 5e, will Hasbro just throw the DnD brand in the dumpster and end it completely? What happens then?

People play other games (all the GREAT indie games out there).

WotC contracts. The liberation from D&D IDENTITY and its hegemony takes place, the gaming collective diversifies its play, creativity proliferates, mental frameworks around archetypical play and systemization (conceits, roles, action resolution mechanics, procedures, prep, authority distribution, etc) soften, and folks enjoy themselves more in gaming than presently!

Win!

 

[DMZ2112]

For all you know, I'm actually teaching Satanic practices to my "players" at home games.

Oh my GODS, it was the Virginia Tech gnome all along I KNEW IT

You can specifically purchase second-hand books from Noble Knight, for instance.

Also, reinforcing the shout-out to Noble Knight Games -- Aaron is the real deal. Loyal customer for almost 30 years. Always patronize your local brick-and-mortar first, but failing that, shop from this man.

 

[Reynard]

People play other games (all the GREAT indie games out there).

WotC contracts. The liberation from D&D IDENTITY and its hegemony takes place, the gaming collective diversifies its play, creativity proliferates, mental frameworks around archetypical play and systemization (conceits, roles, action resolution mechanics, procedures, prep, authority distribution, etc) soften, and folks enjoy themselves more in gaming than presently!

Win!

Alternatively, D&D dies and kills the RPG industry (note: industry, not hobby) with it.