D&D Beyond Cancellations Changed WotCs Plans

Gizmodo has revealed that the partial OGL v1.1 walkback yesterday was in response to the fan campaign to cancel D&D Beyond subscriptions, with "five digits" worth of cancellations. However, the site also reveals that management at the company believed that fans were overreating and that it would all be forgotten in a few months.

In order to delete a D&D Beyond account entirely, users are funneled into a support system that asks them to submit tickets to be handled by customer service: Sources from inside Wizards of the Coast confirm that earlier this week there were “five digits” worth of complaining tickets in the system. Both moderation and internal management of the issues have been “a mess,” they said, partially due to the fact that WotC has recently downsized the D&D Beyond support team.

Yesterday's walkback removed the royalties from the license, but still 'de-authorized' the OGL v1.0a, something which may or may not be legally possible, depending on who you ask.

Cancelled D&D Beyond Subscriptions Forced Hasbro's Hand

Swift consumer action prompted Dungeons & Dragons publisher Wizards of the Coast to to scrap licensing updates. The players aren't done yet.

gizmodo.com

 

[Kai Lord]

WotC chap monitoring the big board: Kai Lords blip has vanished!
WotC commander in the big chair: what?! Check the Bluetooth pinger backup!
Wcmbb: No luck sir!
Wcbc: dang! He must have deleted the app!!!

Dun dun duuun!

WOTC chap: "Sir, his blip is still off our scopes and we can't get it back. Your orders sir? Sir!?"
WOTC Commander: "To be...or not to be..."

BOOM

 

[MarkB]

WOTC chap: "Sir, his blip is still off our scopes and we can't get it back. Your orders sir? Sir!?"
WOTC Commander: "To be...or not to be..."

BOOM

I think the Pirates of the Caribbean one is more appropriate here.

"It was just... good business."

 

[overgeeked]

That's like literally every in person session - potato chips, pizza, cookies, etc etc etc
I hate myself the next day - unless we did in fact defeat the lich/greater demon/dragon

In meatspace games, it's all the cheat days. Weirdly, it's such an ingrained habit that even when playing online it still happens.

 

[jerryrice4949]

I cannot speak for anyone but myself, but yes, scrapping 1.1 and releasing a 1.0b that is in essence a 1.0a that clarifies that it is
irrevocable works for me.

WoTC is never going to do that. Never ever. So if that is the expectation it is time to just forget D&D. They may walk back deauthorizing the OGL but they are never going to add irrevocability to it at least explicitly stated.

 

[jerryrice4949]

Hmmm...I do wonder how this will trickle down and effect the playtest? Wonder if they will decide to pit things on hold?

That would be the smart move. No way this wouldn’t taint the reponses.

 

[wellis]

I understand Hasbro is probably leaning on WotC thanks to the fact D&D grew during the pandemic, while all of Hasbro's other businesses lost money due to everyone being sick, but this whole thing about trying to deauthorize the 1.0a OGL license is still crazy.

And the fact they legitimately believed 3PPs would be fine with the royalty stuff. Like I know Hasbro/WotC is desperate but seriously?

 

[Kai Lord]

That would be the smart move. No way this wouldn’t taint the reponses.

Otherwise 6E might end up with a new Oathbreaker Paladin that reads:

"You de-authorized a pact that your deity considered irrevocable for your own personal gain. You now have perpetual disadvantage on all future reaction rolls against those that know of your treachery..."

 

[jerryrice4949]

I understand Hasbro is probably leaning on WotC thanks to the fact D&D grew during the pandemic, while all of Hasbro's other businesses lost money due to everyone being sick, but this whole thing about trying to deauthorize the 1.0a OGL license is still crazy.

And the fact they legitimately believed 3PPs would be fine with the royalty stuff. Like I know Hasbro/WotC is desperate but seriously?

I think it a a fundamental misunderstanding. WoTC executive see D&D less as primarily a RPG and more as a brand. Like Lord of the Rings for example. They want to a) protect it and b) monetize it. LoTR didn’t let Lego use their IP for free. Or Amazon for that matter. It was licensed and paid for.

I am not saying WoTC is correct or right but I see that as the crux of the issue.

 

[mamba]

WoTC is never going to do that. Never ever. So if that is the expectation it is time to just forget D&D. They may walk back deauthorizing the OGL but they are never going to add irrevocability to it at least explicitly stated.

I an not saying they will, just that in that case I would simply move on / come back

And yes, that probably does mean it is time to look elsewhere, which is what I am doing. Bought a bunch or RPGs recently for some reason, will check those out and see what I like.

Will also kickstart the Weird Wizard, Kobolds new RPG and whatever else I find interesting. One thing this has already irrevocably changed is my attitude towards D&D / WotC. Even if I come back, I will buy significantly less from them.

 

[MarkB]

I think it a a fundamental misunderstanding. WoTC executive see D&D less as primarily a RPG and more as a brand. Like Lord of the Rings for example. They want to a) protect it and b) monetize it. LoTR didn’t let Lego use their IP for free. Or Amazon for that matter. It was licensed and paid for.

I am not saying WoTC is correct or right but I see that as the crux of the issue.

More to the point, they're trying to make it a brand. I could see them being concerned that the OGL is a potential backdoor to their attempts to protect and monetise that brand, though I think those concerns are overblown.