Community Posts Open Letters To WotC About New OGL

Over the past week there have been several petitions and open letters posted regarding the upcoming Open Game License v1.1, asking Wizards of the Coast to reconsider its current path.

This Open Letter, posted under the social media hashtag #OpenDnD, has already been signed by over 4,000 people, including many small publishers. Behind it are Mike Holik (Mage Hand Press) and Noah Downs (an IP lawyer).

#OpenDND

www.opendnd.games

If this new license gains wide adoption, the tabletop industry will shrink to a fraction of its current size, shuttering the small businesses that populate your local cons and putting a stop to their creations. Innovation in the gaming industry will evaporate; your favorite games will be trapped in the past, instead of being allowed to migrate to your phone, virtual reality, and beyond. Diversity in the industry will shrink away, as projects from marginalized creators are effectively written out of the future.

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This isn't the only such Open Letter -- there's another one authored by Jon Brazer Enterprises which has a number of signatories from various OGL publishers.

As small publishers and individual creators who create considerable content under the OGL 1.0a, we the undersigned call upon you to reverse course in regards to the leaked, alleged text of OGL 1.1. As the leader of the tabletop roleplaying game industry, your direction guides us all. We believe that this new version of the OGL will hurt both us and, by extension, you, and we ask that you hear our concerns.

An Open Letter to Wizards of the Coast Concerning the Leaked OGL 1.1

Dear Wizards of the Coast, As small publishers and individual creators who create considerable content under the OGL 1.0a, we the undersigned call upon you to reverse course in regards to the leake…

jonbrazer.com

There are also several petitions on change.org.

 

[Porridge]

Here's another open letter on change.org, that is still working, and has even more signatures:

OGL Letter

EDIT: Or perhaps this should be posted at the top of its own thread, to maximize visibility?

 

[Dire Bare]

#OpenDND

www.opendnd.games

The #OpenDnD petition is working again (for me, at least), so if you tried before and couldn't . . . . sign now!

 

[Art Waring]

#OpenDND

www.opendnd.games

The #OpenDnD petition is working again (for me, at least), so if you tried before and couldn't . . . . sign now!

confirmed, the petition in working again for me as well here in the UK.

 

[Bravesteel25]

confirmed, the petition in working again for me as well here in the UK.

Awesome, I was abled to sign it now. Thanks for the heads up, both of you.

 

[timbannock]

Here's another open letter on change.org, that is still working, and has even more signatures:

OGL Letter

EDIT: Or perhaps this should be posted at the top of its own thread, to maximize visibility?

It's a rough day when we find ourselves teaming up with some of the bad actors in the community to raise our collective voices.

 

[JonM]

Signed.

 

[Art Waring]

Here's another open letter on change.org, that is still working, and has even more signatures:

OGL Letter

EDIT: Or perhaps this should be posted at the top of its own thread, to maximize visibility?

the change.org search for the various OGL petitions are linked in the very top post by Morrus I think. I had it posted in my OP but it was brought to my attention that one of the petitions was started by a bad actor in the community and it was recommended that I remove it.

 

[Alzrius]

It's a rough day when we find ourselves teaming up with some of the bad actors in the community to raise our collective voices.

Some things are bad enough that they require joining hands with people (whose values) you find repugnant.

 

[Staffan]

Deleted

 

[Knightfall]

signed.