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).

 

[R_J_K75]

Except if by submitting your art to DBB, you couldn't also then choose to sell it elsewhere because it was owned by DBB. Which may have been the case here.

Didnt DDB say they both can use it?

 

[Greg Benage]

Except if by submitting your art to DBB, you couldn't also then choose to sell it elsewhere because it was owned by DBB. Which may have been the case here.

It explicitly wasn't the case here.

 

[GreyLord]

Once again, not sure why everyone is so up in arms since they have given WotC and Hasbro a free pass since...well...since they first owned D&D.

That applies to art, submissions (read the contracts) and many other items.

Is it ethical...well seeing the responses...probably not...BUT...

It's weird that many are hammering on DDB but NOT other companies which do the same thing, and in many cases on a much BROADER scale.

They give a little leeway on some items (such as DMs guild, but then again...it can ONLY be released there if D&D connected, AND...well...SRD and OGL readings give WotC a great leeway in their usage)...but does that negate the other items they collect and "own" in the rest of their business.

I think DDB said the artists could sell their artwork and other items, but that DDB also owned them (probably a usage protections so that they don't get an artist claiming they used their work...whether DDB did or did not do this).

This idea is actually MORE lenient than the standard one that Hasbro and WotC use...so...why is it that what's good for the gander with Hasbro/Wotc is NOT good for the goose of DDB?

 

[GreyLord]

Exactly this! Have all the contests you want, just don't hang on to rights with zero compensation. Pretty straight forward.

WotC hangs onto the rights of ALL submissions in many instances...

NO compensation necessarily coming to you.

I don't see anyone complaining about their usage.

If people are going to complain they should make a big protest calling for WotC to release the rights of items that they aren't paying for or have not paid for.

Just recently they tried this NOT just on the small guys, but bigger creators as well...but got called on it.

Most small time creators don't have the money for a lawsuit which is why WotC gets away with it.

However, in many industries this is actually a standard practice. It's not unusual. DDB is getting flack for it right now, but if people REALLY want change, they should look at the actual industry rather than just one small player.

 

[GreyLord]

in this case there’s a bit of a difference. For the WotC contest, the vast majority of people submitted very rough first draft ideas and most weren’t asked to continue expanding on it. Even the three people invited to the office didn’t have full drafts. With the DDB contest, it seems that people were asked to submit finished pieces. And WotC isn’t profiting off the other two finalist’s work, whereas DDB would have off the other art.

I know someone who claims their ideas were actually used directly, and were NEVER compensated for it.

Looking at what they submitted and some items that WotC released via fiction (so different arena), they probably WOULD have grounds for a copyright infringement case EXCEPT for the rules of that contest.

I imagine there are others who have similar items.

HOWEVER...that's not just restricted to that contest. There have been many other items (submissions in general with the WotC standard contract for example) that have the wording that WotC owns ANYTHING the creator submits whether or not it is used or not. The rights do NOT return to the creator and the creator loses all rights to the material.

 

[Azzy]

@Hussar can (and doubtless will!) speak for himself here; but for my part the problem isn't the competition/contest in itself, it's what becomes of the non-winning entries afterward.

If, for non-winning entries, all rights revert to the creator after the contest and the entry is returned or (if digital-only) shown to have been deleted/destroyed then everything's gold.

This!

 

[TheSword]

I know someone who claims their ideas were actually used directly, and were NEVER compensated for it.

Looking at what they submitted and some items that WotC released via fiction (so different arena), they probably WOULD have grounds for a copyright infringement case EXCEPT for the rules of that contest.

I imagine there are others who have similar items.

HOWEVER...that's not just restricted to that contest. There have been many other items (submissions in general with the WotC standard contract for example) that have the wording that WotC owns ANYTHING the creator submits whether or not it is used or not. The rights do NOT return to the creator and the creator loses all rights to the material.

I’m interested to know if you or others think WOC’s the Best DM competition is exploitative? Are they using it to get free material or are they genuinely doing it to promote great DM talent?

 

[Morrus]

I’m interested to know if you or others think WOC’s the Best DM competition is exploitative?

I think it could be improved.

 

[TheSword]

I think it could be improved.

The format is interesting with the judges sharing highlights of some of the creations but without specific details or even mentioning all round submissions.

So far the finalist knock out rounds have been design a Fae Wild dominion in round one and round two is design a villain.

 

[NerdyBird]

To all the folks who don't agree with DDB or don't get why this is an issue, i say:

S'okay. You don't have to. DDB did and made a decision accordingly.

Move along.