D&D 5E Any word on the gaming license for Next?

[adamc]

Apologies if this is something I should know, but have they described their likely licensing terms?

I like 4e but dislike the license, so if it were more OGL-like, I'd be more interested.

 

[Ratskinner]

I believe that this currently falls into the "far off the radar" category for the designers. At least, I haven't seen anything about it.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

This decision is probably not even one the designers will have to make; lawyers and execs probably have much more to do with it.

 

[delericho]

Yep, what they said.

I would very much like it to be covered by the OGL, but I'm not holding my breath.

(That said, I will be surprised if it isn't actually possible to support it with OGL products, regardless of WotC's intent - much as happened with some 4e support products.)

 

[Morrus]

No, no word.

 

[dmccoy1693]

Everything I have been hearing (publicly and privately) leads me to believe that if 5e is not OGL, it will have a license very similar to the OGL.

 

[Mark CMG]

I don't think they plan to use the OGL, and certainly haven't said one way or another, but not stating early that they will use the OGL is counter-intuitive to best practices regarding OGL use since many of the problems they experience during playtest and design might be approached by solutions handled by material in the current OGC pool. Seems like building something while ignoring the existence of screwdrivers and avoiding screws during the building process despite their usefulness, only to sing the praises of screws and screwdrivers in the final days of the build. That wouldn't make a lot of sense.

 

[Jester David]

The OGL is a good idea.

Being able to play for free is a great way to get into the hobby. The books are expensive. Few people buy new group based RPGs on whim, if they ever even see them in rare specialty stores.
Plus having 3PP creating niche and side content encourages people to use your game even if the main company isn't publishing content you like.

 

[Grydan]

Come up with a compelling argument that will convince WotC corporate, their corporate parents at Hasbro, Hasbro's shareholders, and the lawyers that the OGL (or something like it, tailored to 5th) is good for them.

I think it's a pretty tricky task to do so, when anyone can look at D&D's primary competition and see that the system that the company is selling is one that WotC developed and then gave away under the OGL.

The last thing I expect that they want is for five to ten years down the line, when they're going through all of this again, to find themselves competing with a second system that they gave away. Especially if Pathfinder is still going strong.

 

[Michael Morris]

The counter argument to that is the lack of a true 4e OGL helped give Pathfinder legs. Paizo wouldn't have made Paizo if the 4e GSL didn't threaten to cut their business off at the knees. Pathfinder is first and foremost a child of necessity.