D&D General Trademarking "THE WORLD’S GREATEST ROLEPLAYING GAME™"

[Art Waring]

So I have seen this pop up in a few places, and if you look at the new dragonlance cover on google, it has the phrase in all caps and with a TM at the end at the bottom of the cover.

I don't really have an opinion on it, since you can just claim "5e compatible" or simply put "5e" on your book cover and people will understand that it represents compatibility with d&d 5th edition.

However, a significant number of older books published under the OGL 1.0(& 1.0a) have the same or a similar (Edited for clarity) title on or inside their books, because it wasn't trademarked yet. Will this affect older books? (possibly, they may have to remove the phrase to keep the books available in print?).

I guess the next question is, did other people notice this, and are you concerned?

Is this an attempt to stop 3pp publishers from claiming compatibility going forward with 6e? And if it is, why do it? The OGL already prohibits direct claims of compatibility, why go the extra mile?

 

[overgeeked]

So I have seen this pop up in a few places, and if you look at the new dragonlance cover on google, it has the phrase in all caps and with a TM at the end at the bottom of the cover.

I don't really have an opinion on it, since you can just claim "5e compatible" or simply put "5e" on your book cover and people will understand that it represents compatibility with d&d 5th edition.

However, a significant number of older books published under the OGL have the same title on or inside their books, because it wasn't trademarked yet. Will this effect older books? (likely, they may have to remove the phrase to keep the books available in print?).

They’ll have to remove the phrase or add a note about it being a WotC trademark in future printings.

I guess the next question is, did other people notice this, and are you concerned?

Someone did notice. I’m not concerned.

Is this an attempt to stop 3pp publishers from claiming compatibility going forward with 6e?

If it is it’s a feeble attempt. Slap a 5E circle on your cover and you’re good. Write “compatible with the world’s oldest RPG” instead. Or world’s most popular, etc.

And if it is, why do it?

A way to flex legal muscle at people.

The OGL already prohibits direct claims of compatibility, why go the extra mile?

It’s not about principle or whatever, it’s a pure power grab. They can so they will. Simple as.

 

[Quickleaf]

"Compatible with the world's most proprietary roleplaying game"?
"Compatible with the world's most litigious roleplaying game"?

 

[Morrus]

I haven't done a survey or anything, but I feel like I don't see "greatest" as opposed to "oldest" or "most popular" being used on 3PP stuff as much.

 

[bedir than]

One interesting thing about trademark law is you can't trademark something that is already in common usage.

 

[Stormonu]

They're just hedging their bets so NuTSR can't use the phrase.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

"Compatible with the world's most litigious roleplaying game"?

Yeah, it's like, WotC what are you even doing here? This is a really silly thing to try and trademark especially as it is obviously just a clumsy attempt to menace 3PPs.

 

[Greg Benage]

I guess I don't see it as anything so sinister. I think they just want a brand-building motto, and this is it. It's their "The happiest place on Earth."

 

[Remathilis]

I guess I don't see it as anything so sinister. I think they just want a brand-building motto, and this is it. It's their "The happiest place on Earth."

Or "The ICON of Halloween"

 

[Stormonu]

I guess I don't see it as anything so sinister. I think they just want a brand-building motto, and this is it. It's their "The happiest place on Earth."

This. It just sounds pompous more than anything else.