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

 

[Mr. Flibble]

"However, the site also reveals that management at the company believed that fans were overreating [sic] and that it would all be forgotten in a few months."

Well, inasmuch as I don't recognize WotC or Hasbro as having the privilege of deciding what I think or why, I guess I'll just have to not subscribe again.

Jerks.

 

[MarkB]

Pretty wild that a "brand" this old has to build something more identifiable than a name. /shrug

The whole point of being the generic fantasy setting and toolkit is not to build your own identity, but to allow the recreation of whichever one a DM or group wants to play in.

 

[Scribe]

The whole point of being the generic fantasy setting and toolkit is not to build your own identity, but to allow the recreation of whichever one a DM or group wants to play in.

Exactly what I am saying.

 

[wellis]

Unfortunately, I suspect for most people when they think of D&D, the stuff they associate with D&D is probably most recognizably Forgotten Realms in origin.

Like look at anything involving drow in fan creations, stories, smut, etc for example. More often than not, you can see it's the Forgotten Realms version in being matriarchal, race purist, spider motifs, etc. Just with the serial numbers slightly filed off.

It's kind of like Traveller. That is a ruleset and not really a setting, but the setting that is most associated with it is the Third Imperium one.

Obviously most people wouldn't really know the nitty-gritty details but I suspect those who do play or have more knowledge more often associate D&D and Forgotten Realms together.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I was bummed I couldn't help by cancelling a D&D Beyond subscription I don't have, but then it dawned on me that such cancellations are handled by support tickets, the rest of us can help amplify the message by submitting a support ticket politely sharing our complaints about WotC's dastardly deeds.


Here is the link to do so. https://dndbeyond-support.wizards.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=6098987232148

 

[wellis]

If you don't think lots of people wouldn't spring for a D&D-branded dice tray that was at least comparable to other dice trays in terms of quality - the way they already do for Avengers t-shirts, Star Wars cosmetics, or official Harry Potter scarves (etc. etc. etc.) - I'm not sure what to tell you.

Is there a reason why WotC never really sold actual D&D merch to people? That could've been a great source of money I suspect honestly. They seem to give it away free to influencers instead.

 

[Justice and Rule]

I was bummed I couldn't help by cancelling a D&D Beyond subscription I don't have, but then it dawned on me that such cancellations are handled by support tickets, the rest of us can help amplify the message by submitting a support ticket politely sharing our complaints about WotC's dastardly deeds.


Here is the link to do so. https://dndbeyond-support.wizards.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=6098987232148

Again, you can cancel by just pressing a button. It is easy to cancel a subscription. It is much harder to delete an account: there is a drop-down in the support tickets to do that.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

In the end Someone will get fired

I really hope so, it's the only way now to save D&D.

 

[jerryrice4949]

Is there a reason why WotC never really sold actual D&D merch to people? That could've been a great source of money I suspect honestly. They seem to give it away free to influencers instead.

Most companies don’t sell their own merchandise they license it. Shifts the risk to another party. D&D has licensed many times. Figurines, t-shirts etc.

 

[Voadam]

I think they would go for that if there was a way to wall off OneD&D which is think is their true intent but it sounds like the previous OGL would allow content for that. I liked it how things were. I have a ton of KP and Ghostfire material to make just a few.

They are trying hard.

Killing new stuff under 1.0 would do it. Their faq reportedly asserts that will be the effect of their de-authorization.

If that does not work the leak says the new stuff will be licensed content so the new srd will not be ogc that can be used directly under 1.0.

Their problem then becomes backward compatibility with 5.0. So 5e ogl stuff can be made that does not need to use the new srd and is compatible with the new stuff.

Which would bring them back to wanting to kill the ogl.