Jeremy Crawford Also Leaving D&D Team Later This Month

Jeremy Crawford is leaving Wizards of the Coast later this month. Screen Rant (via me!) had the exclusive announcement. Crawford was the Game Director for Dungeons & Dragons and was one of the guiding forces for D&D over the past decade. In the past year, Crawford has focused on the core rulebooks and leading the team of rules designers. He has also been a face of Dungeons & Dragons for much of 5th Edition, appearing in many promotional videos and DMing Acquisitions Incorporated Actual Play series.

He joins Chris Perkins in leaving the D&D team in recent weeks. Perkins, who was the Creative Director for D&D, announced his retirement last week. Both Perkins and Crawford appear to have left Wizards on their terms, with Lanzillo very effusive with her praise of both men and their contribution in our interview.

On a personal note, I've enjoyed interviewing Jeremy over the years. He was always gracious with his time and answers and is one of the most eloquent people I've ever heard talk about D&D. I'll miss both him and Chris Perkins and look forward to their next steps, wherever that might be.

 

[Mournblade94]

He never said or implied they would write rules and adventures with AI. He said, and implied, AI tools in the hands of DMs and players. At the time I gave a bunch of examples of what he's likely talking about, and how we've been using those things for a while and they're super helpful, and basing it on a database of writings WOTC actually owns would be ethically preferable.

But here we are, with someone once again claiming "he talked about AI!" means "He's writing rule books and adventures with AI and soon there will be an AI DM!" stuff with zero evidence to support it.

I really didn't do that. I was simply referring to human jobs not being as guaranteed as they were. As for evidence, everything on forums is speculation. This is a conversation like in a game shop. Its OK to speculate without evidence on an internet forum that is not a professional website or a specifically professional thread.

 

[Staffan]

The Janitor, he still remembers Gygax/jk

No, the Janitor left in 2001.

 

[Mistwell]

I really didn't do that. I was simply referring to human jobs not being as guaranteed as they were. As for evidence, everything on forums is speculation. This is a conversation like in a game shop. Its OK to speculate without evidence on an internet forum that is not a professional website or a specifically professional thread.

Naw naw naw, come on now. You were not speculating. You said, "The CEO literally stated he is using AI. This isn't even speculation." You even directly told us your statements were not speculation in case anyone was confused.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Where did I indicate anywhere that any edition of the game couldn't still be played?

And why do you think D&D is dead when it’s well selling core books are now out?

 

[Mournblade94]

I don’t know, since BG1 it has always been very clear to me that this is a D&D game, regardless of how big the font is for ‘Baldurs Gate’ vs ‘Dungeons & Dragons’. You must live under a rock to not know the two are associated imo

Were you a D&D Player? Even with BG2 I knew people that played that and didn't realize it was D&D. In fact its how I got one of my players that I still game with from time to time.

But for sure there are definitely BG3 fans that don't even know they are playing D&D when they play it. Even some new ones that pick it up NOW.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Not mechanically, even if you liked what they did to the lore.

I kind of hated overly complex alterations to rules from the base common to lots of 2e settings.

Like requiring a percentage roll every time the PCs did something morally dubious kind of just seemed like annoying busywork.

 

[Mournblade94]

And why do you think D&D is dead when it’s well selling core books are now out?

Where did I say I thought D&D was dead? What I said was D&D was Toast without the design team. I never ONCE said D&D is dead. I've also in several posts told stories how I am teaching younger groups new D&D just not the 5.5.

The Core Books are selling but they are not being incorporated from what I can tell. I don't know any Local group that is using them, beyond the new weapon abilities. 4 Local groups play at our library, and a few at the Game store next to it. Not one of them has switched even if they bought the books.

I haven't seen evidence 5.5 is the bump they needed. Critical Role is going to their own game allegedly. The backbone designers have left. So I said D&D is toast.

 

[mamba]

Were you a D&D Player? Even with BG2 I knew people that played that and didn't realize it was D&D.

at the time no, years before that I did, never in the FR though. Every review I read mentioned it being a D&D game however.

 

[Hussar]

I haven't seen evidence 5.5 is the bump they needed.

Umm, with record growth year on year, why did they need a bump? Other than the oft repeated "corporations are only happy with unlimited growth" schtick? After years of fantastic growth, continuing at the same level and becoming a stable brand is far, far more valuable than any "bump" considering the decades of boom and bust that RPG's have gone through.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

Where did I indicate anywhere that any edition of the game couldn't still be played?

My point was you can play 2024 with 2014 they are all 5e