D&D 5E D&D Beyond Cancels Competition

D&D Beyond has been running an art contest which asked creators to enter D&D-themed portrait frame. DDB got to use any or all of the entries, while the winner and some runners up received some digital content as a prize.

There was a backlash -- and DDB has cancelled the contest.

Thank you to all of our community for sharing your comments and concerns regarding our anniversary Frame Design Contest.

While we wanted to celebrate fan art as a part of our upcoming anniversary, it's clear that our community disagrees with the way we approached it. We've heard your feedback, and will be pulling the contest.

We will also strive to do better as we continue to look for ways to showcase the passion and creativity of our fellow D&D players and fans in the future. Our team will be taking this as a learning moment, and as encouragement to further educate ourselves in this pursuit.

Your feedback is absolutely instrumental to us, and we are always happy to listen and grow in response to our community's needs and concerns. Thank you all again for giving us the opportunity to review this event, and take the appropriate action.

The company went on to say:

Members of our community raised concerns about the contest’s impact on artists and designers, and the implications of running a contest to create art where only some entrants would receive a prize, and that the prize was exclusively digital material on D&D Beyond. Issues were similarly raised with regards to the contest terms and conditions. Though the entrants would all retain ownership of their design to use in any way they saw fit, including selling, printing, or reproducing, it also granted D&D Beyond rights to use submitted designs in the future. We have listened to these concerns, and in response closed the competition. We’ll be looking at ways we can better uplift our community, while also doing fun community events, in the future.

Competitions where the company in question acquires rights to all entries are generally frowned upon (unless you're WotC).

 

[Dioltach]

[...] was better PR than standing their ground, regardless of whether they were right or not.

The world needs Michael back again!

 

[DEFCON 1]

Yes.

Heh...

"Wow, those uppity wimmens! We made them equal to us men, but now they want to VOTE too?!? What's with all that whining and complaining?!?"

 

[Mirtek]

I think the nuance (from what I gather) is that if you are running a contest in order to showcase new artists...

Who said anything about it being a contest to showcase new artists? I looks like a contest aimed at layman who would not care about such conditions as they do not in any way utilize their art anyway.

If (semi-)professional artists have a problem with the conditions, they should stay out. Also would increase the chances for the layman contestants

 

[Mirtek]

This is literally what happened. Artists in the community chose to not enter the contest, and then also explained to DDB why they weren't entering. DDB listened and pulled the contest.

So the artists ruined it for any non-artist who just felt like trying her luck and enter something. Great job artists

 

[DEFCON 1]

Who said anything about it being a contest to showcase new artists? I looks like a contest aimed at layman who would not care about such conditions as they do not in any way utilize their art anyway.

If (semi-)professional artists have a problem with the conditions, they should stay out. Also would increase the chances for the layman contestants

No one specifically said it was a "showcase for new artists", just like no one specifically said it was a "contest aimed at layman who would not care about such conditions". But rather... it's what people could infer.

 

[BookTenTiger]

And just to throw it out there...

There's nothing wrong with holding a contest. Contests can be a lot of fun, can create exposure for those who participate, and can be a real community event, even in an online community.

I think the gray area is when companies hold contests so that they don't have to pay artists.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Yes.

So you admit that all the talking you've done in the Canon thread is just you complaining?

 

[BookTenTiger]

So the artists ruined it for any non-artist who just felt like trying her luck and enter something. Great job artists

Where does it say that in the statement? DDB mentions members of their community. You are inventing villains.

Look, who is being harmed here?

By holding this kind of contest, artists who submit their work are either:
1) rewarded with some digital content, or (more likely)
2) have their art used for free

Now that the contest is canceled, artists can still...
1) submit work to be paid by companies, or
2) post their work online for free

Nothing has been lost, other than the chance for one or two artists to get free digital stuff.

This kind of contest doesn't help artists. It rewards a winner, and essentially steals from everyone else.

There are fun, community-oriented contests companies can run. This just wasn't one of them.

 

[Mirtek]

the time and labour required of an entry.

The time and labout you want to put into your entry is entirely up to you. You could enter with a pencil scratch smeared on a piece of paper and scanned in 2 minutes. You'll not be very likely to win anything, but you'd made an entry

No one specifically said it was a "showcase for new artists", just like no one specifically said it was a "contest aimed at layman who would not care about such conditions". But rather... it's what people could infer.

Easy enough: If you belief your art if too valuable for such a kind of contest: don't enter. Don't ruin it for those who don't care about their art and want to enter this kind of contest

 

[Maxperson]

So we can't criticize anything ever?

Sure you can. That doesn't stop it from being a complaint.