Justice Ramin Arman Promoted to Game Design Director of Dungeons & Dragons

Game designer Justice Ramin Arman has been internally promoted to the position of Game Design Director for Dungeons & Dragons. Arman announced the news yesterday over on Linkedin, and later specified what the role entails over on Discord. As Game Design Director, Arman will be responsible for directing the game design department as a whole. Previously, Arman was a Managing Game Director, which was a leadership position but not one placed in charge of the entire D&D department.

Arman has worked for Wizards of the Coast since 2022 and has led several projects, including the most recent Starter Set and Quests From the Infinite Staircase. Prior to that, he worked as a game designer for Beadle and Grimm's.

Several months ago, Wizards of the Coast announced that they were hiring a principal game designer for Dungeons & Dragons, seemingly to replace Jeremy Crawford (who left Wizards earlier this year), so it appears that Arman is stepping into that role at least in some fashion.

In a statement provided to EN World, a Wizards representative noted that they are thrilled to see Justice continue his great work with D&D.

 

[TiQuinn]

If we lived in a world where game designers got ahead based on their ability to design and work with a team, rather than their marketability or media skills, we'd be in a world with much better games.

That’s why you need folks like Greg Tito, Shelley Mazzanoble, and Todd Kenreck out there to be the face of the game as well.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Greetings!

In spite of what I've read recently, I think that WOTC is headed in a more positive direction. I've been following Justice Arman for a while and I admire his work and his intelligence. He seems like a worthy and compassionate heir to the throne.

I understand many peoples' negativity towards Hasbro and WOTC (especially after the OGL crisis). However, I can would argue that the new starter sets, the new Eberron book, the two new Forgotten Realms books, and the new D&D 2024 Core Rulebooks are about as good as good can get!

I'm always trying to reduce the size of my massive rpg library. Lately, it seems that most of the books that remain in my library have been produced by Wizards of the Coast.

I have only one complaint about WOTC: Their new standpoint on Orcs. For the past 50 years, Orcs have been chaotic evil. From J.R.R. Tolkien to R. A. Salvatore, they have been chaotic evil. How can they justify this change? Are Dwarves and Orcs now allies in the Forgotten Realms? How about Elves and Orcs... Are they now friends too? I guess it's time to re-write ALL of the lore, folks...

Just my humble opinion,
- Dr. Bull

The lore didnt change. Orcs and elves still have the same history as before, and orcs havent been necessarily any given alignment even going back to Tolkien, and certainly not in Salvatore's books where originates the Kingdom of Many Arrows.

5e just finally ditched the idea that orcs are born with a specific morality completely.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I have only one complaint about WOTC: Their new standpoint on Orcs. For the past 50 years, Orcs have been chaotic evil. From J.R.R. Tolkien to R. A. Salvatore, they have been chaotic evil. How can they justify this change? Are Dwarves and Orcs now allies in the Forgotten Realms? How about Elves and Orcs... Are they now friends too? I guess it's time to re-write ALL of the lore, folks...

Humans fight all the time in the real world. Orcs not being evil in the womb in no way means that orc adults won't be enemies of dwarf adults.

This is just making it about what individuals do, rather than genetic predisposition.

 

[EthanSental]

I have no idea about the current org charts over there, so take this all with a grain of salt. While I was there, Directors reported into VPs in general. So I would suspect that Greg and Justice work closely together and likely report up into Dan Ayoub, VP for Franchise. Either way, love both Greg and Justice and excited to see what they get up to on D&D!

Thanks Trevor and is this Trevor that was behind the scenes for Greg’s fun 4 video Phandelver adventure with Chris, Emi Liz, and others at the start of 5e?

 

[Scribe]

Do we really need to go down the Orc road again?

The real issue is where is my Conan-esque Sword and Sorcery setting?!

 

[Chaltab]

Do we really need to go down the Orc road again?

The real issue is where is my Conan-esque Sword and Sorcery setting?!

well, we think Dark sun is coming.

 

[Scribe]

well, we think Dark sun is coming.

Lets cross our fingers that they aim for something of a more mature market.

 

[Eubani]

Lets cross our fingers that they aim for something of a more mature market.

My worry is that they will water it down like they did with Ravenloft.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Lets cross our fingers that they aim for something of a more mature market.

It will always be unsatisfactory for someone regardless of what it's like.

 

[Scribe]

It will always be unsatisfactory for someone regardless of what it's like.

I don't care about someone's level of satisfaction.

I care about mine.