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).

 

[Greg Benage]

But not full creative control over distribution.

Yeah, about that...

* The submitted work may be posted on the website or announcements and promotional materials carried out by the organizer free of charge without the prior consent of the applicant.

* Due to the organizer's posting and use, the submitted work may be deleted or modified without the consent of the applicant.

* The contents and application conditions of this project may be changed or canceled without prior notice to the applicant.

* After the adoption is decided, the rights to use (in-game recording, live performance, public relations activities, etc.) in "Project Sekai Colorful Stage! Feat. Hatsune Miku" will be transferred to this collaboration sponsored project.

piapro

piapro(ピアプロ)は、聞いて！見て！使って！認めて！を実現するCGM型コンテンツ投稿サイトです。

piapro.jp

 

[PsyzhranV2]

Just as it would have been betweem them willing to make an entry to the DDB contest with it's stated terms and WotC.

"YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE SPONSOR...SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT...TO PRINT, PUBLISH, BROADCAST, DISTRIBUTE, AND USE IN ANY MEDIA NOW KNOWN OR HEREAFTER DEVELOPED, IN PERPETUITY AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, WITHOUT LIMITATION...OR CONSENT."

CAN. YOU. READ???

 

[Mirtek]

"YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE SPONSOR...SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT...TO PRINT, PUBLISH, BROADCAST, DISTRIBUTE, AND USE IN ANY MEDIA NOW KNOWN OR HEREAFTER DEVELOPED, IN PERPETUITY AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, WITHOUT LIMITATION...OR CONSENT."

CAN. YOU. READ???

Yes, and that's entirely between those willing to agree to this terms and WotC.

CAN. YOU. UNDERSTAND???

And technically is "without further consent", because by giving them my consent to use my entry without consent, it's not actually without consent.

Agreeing and being content with this terms is no different from agreeing and being content to have your song used in a million-$-revenue game for nothing but your name being credited

 

[Lanefan]

Yes, and that's entirely between those willing to agree to this terms and WotC.

Thing is, those terms are themselves exploitative; and just because people can agree to be exploited if they want to doesn't make it right.

 

[PsyzhranV2]

Yeah, about that...

* The submitted work may be posted on the website or announcements and promotional materials carried out by the organizer free of charge without the prior consent of the applicant.

* Due to the organizer's posting and use, the submitted work may be deleted or modified without the consent of the applicant.

* The contents and application conditions of this project may be changed or canceled without prior notice to the applicant.

* After the adoption is decided, the rights to use (in-game recording, live performance, public relations activities, etc.) in "Project Sekai Colorful Stage! Feat. Hatsune Miku" will be transferred to this collaboration sponsored project.

piapro

piapro(ピアプロ)は、聞いて！見て！使って！認めて！を実現するCGM型コンテンツ投稿サイトです。

piapro.jp

Hm, looking at that...

Point 1 applies to other cover songs accepted into the game as well. The game has used existing songs for promotion before.

Point 2, from the context, seems to be about trimming the song down to game size. The full, potentially 3 minute+ song is too long for gameplay purposes (unless the song is extremely short), so people just take that as a fact of life. Applies to all rhythm games, not just Project Sekai.

Point 3 seems to about the rules of the contest itself being changed.

Point 4 only applies to the winning song, and seems to be on similar terms as songs commissioned for Magical Mirai, Miku Expo, and other Crypton events and projects.

I'm reviewing the full rules and conditions on their site now. Will also see if I can try to find a more recent version.

 

[LongTimeLurker]

Thing is, those terms are themselves exploitative; and just because people can agree to be exploited if they want to doesn't make it right.

Oh, so personal autonomy isn't a thing anymore? People aren't allowed to make decisions for themselves?

 

[CM]

I'm not sure why anyone is mentioning WotC being involved in this, because it is entirely Fandom/D&D Beyond.

IMO they should just relaunch it without the clause that they may use the work of non-winners.

 

[LongTimeLurker]

They apologized to trying to give free stuff to like 10 people, then taking the work of every other entrant for free.

and no one was forcing people to enter, right? WoTC wasn't threatening to take away their books? You could enter this contest of your own free will? The terms and conditions were clearly stated? And if you didn't like the terms and conditions, you were free to not enter or ignore the contest, without repercussions?

 

[LongTimeLurker]

I'm not sure why anyone is mentioning WotC being involved in this, because it is entirely Fandom/D&D Beyond.

IMO they should just relaunch it without the clause that they may use the work of non-winners.

Yeah, my mistake. But I'm on my tablet, too much of a pain to edit my error.

 

[Greg Benage]

Hm, looking at that...

Point 1 applies to other cover songs accepted into the game as well. The game has used existing songs for promotion before.

What? It's referring explicitly to "submitted work." Work submitted to the contest.

Actually, this is pointless. You started by saying, in bold type, the difference here is that creators still own their work.* I pointed out that is true of DDB as well. You then said, well, but DDB entrants lose rights to how their work is used and distributed. I've pointed out that's true of your example as well but now you want to apply your own interpretations to their posted rules.

Okay. You go.

* This company actually appears to be claiming more rights from the winners (transfer of rights as opposed to use rights). But I get the idea all these submissions are derivative work (?), so that's probably to be expected. Of course, if it is derivative work, the creators could be sued for copyright infringement by the company if they attempt to distribute the work anyway.