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

 

[Bitbrain]

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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.

Well, I’m certainly not going to forget that WOTC consider my (and other people’s) response an “overreaction”. Frankly, I find this opinion of WOTC’s insulting.

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.

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

Wait, seriously?

 

[Haplo781]

Can someone explain the "5 digits complaining" thing? To me it sounds like it was only 5 tickets for cancelations but I know I'm not understanding it correctly.

5 digits = 10,000 to 99,999.

 

[mamba]

I think the real question at this point is, would the terms I laid out in previous threads be enough to overcome the "sour taste" in developers' mouths, as quoted in the article?

For brevity:
1. Explicitly (in writing) disclaim any right to "de-authorize" the OGL, and explicitly say the OGL is irrevocable.
2. Include actual open-license structures in any new license(s) produced (perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, share-alike, etc.)
3. Explicit, direct, & specific apology from the important people in the company.

Would that be enough to bring even some of the 3PP people back? Because if not, there is room to argue that WotC could view it as "one may as well hang for a sheep as a lamb." The whole issue where, when all crimes merit death, escalation carries no extra punishment but might let you succeed.

I think I've made my strident opposition to WotC's position clear. I consider the above to be the absolute bare minimum necessary to resolve this problem. But I am at least somewhat sympathetic to the idea that...well, "forgiveness" or "rebuilding trust" or whatever one wishes to call it, must be possible in order for people to actually try to obtain it. If forgiveness(/etc.) is impossible and trust, once broken, can never be regained, may as well start fighting as dirty as you can, y'know? And I don't think that's something we want to encourage the holder of the D&D IP to do.

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.

 

[AndyP]

I took the liberty of drafting the statement WOTC should have made : The Press Release Wizards of the Coast Should Have Written

 

[doctorbadwolf]

The correct response, then, is to assume that the value is sqrt(10) between the two. Then you can never be more than (roughly) a factor of 3 off from the actual value, which is close enough.

Losing (approximately) 30,000 subscribers in the course of one week? Yeah, that's a red alert situation.

Even 10k in a week is a huge deal.

And IIRC, that’s the “delete my account” tickets, not people just canceling their subs but keeping their accounts active.

I wonder how much attrition they will see in the next playtest packet. That will take a couple months to know, but it will be interesting.

 

[MockingBird]

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

 

[darjr]

Our local group for D&D has been on fire. I've had to reject several ANGRY posts. Our group has almost 2000 people in it.

 

[rcade]

WOTC getting that many cancellations in a couple weeks is a big deal. Angering so many customers ahead of the launch of OneD&D and the movie is a PR and marketing nightmare.

It's probably time inside Hasbro to begin the process of selecting scapegoats.

 

[Reynard]

Our local group for D&D has been on fire. I've had to reject several ANGRY posts. Our group has almost 2000 people in it.

Your LOCAL group has 2000 members? Where do you live?!?

 

[Mortus]

5 digits - it could be up to 99,999!

I think we should also send our intention to not support OneD&D through their contact us function on their website or through snail mail. I was planning on switching my current 5E campaigns from Roll20 to OneD&D, but not if they de-authorize the OGL 1.0. If they end up doing that, I'll switch to another system - maybe Cypher System since it is d20 based and fully supported - come to think of it I'll send MCG an email too to encourage them to create a Cypher System Nexus on Demiplane.