D&D 5E D&D Beyond Cancels Competition

D&D Beyond has been running an art contest which asked creators to enter D&D-themed portrait frame. DDB got to use any or all of the entries, while the winner and some runners up received some digital content as a prize.

There was a backlash -- and DDB has cancelled the contest.

Thank you to all of our community for sharing your comments and concerns regarding our anniversary Frame Design Contest.

While we wanted to celebrate fan art as a part of our upcoming anniversary, it's clear that our community disagrees with the way we approached it. We've heard your feedback, and will be pulling the contest.

We will also strive to do better as we continue to look for ways to showcase the passion and creativity of our fellow D&D players and fans in the future. Our team will be taking this as a learning moment, and as encouragement to further educate ourselves in this pursuit.

Your feedback is absolutely instrumental to us, and we are always happy to listen and grow in response to our community's needs and concerns. Thank you all again for giving us the opportunity to review this event, and take the appropriate action.

The company went on to say:

Members of our community raised concerns about the contest’s impact on artists and designers, and the implications of running a contest to create art where only some entrants would receive a prize, and that the prize was exclusively digital material on D&D Beyond. Issues were similarly raised with regards to the contest terms and conditions. Though the entrants would all retain ownership of their design to use in any way they saw fit, including selling, printing, or reproducing, it also granted D&D Beyond rights to use submitted designs in the future. We have listened to these concerns, and in response closed the competition. We’ll be looking at ways we can better uplift our community, while also doing fun community events, in the future.

Competitions where the company in question acquires rights to all entries are generally frowned upon (unless you're WotC).

 

[Malmuria]

Services can be prizes, too.

If you won house cleaning, it wouldn't be less of a prize since you're inevitably going to mess up your house again.

Sure, just pointing out the irony of the company's claim of permanent ownership when what they sell are temporary licenses to material in digital format.

In any case, these seem to be the offending lines with regards to ownership (apologies if someone already posted these):

Rights Granted by the Entrant: By entering this content (e.g., photo, text, etc.), You understand and agree that the Sponsor and anyone acting on behalf of the Sponsor or its respective licensees, successors, and assigns, shall have the right, where permitted by law, to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use in any media now known or hereafter developed, in perpetuity and throughout the World, without limitation, your entry, name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness, image, statements about the Campaign, and biographical information for news, publicity, information, trade, advertising, public relations, and promotional purposes without any further compensation, notice, review, or consent. While granting the Sponsor these unlimited rights, the Entrant maintains ownership of their Entry and design thereof and retain the right to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use in any media now known or hereafter developed.

I have no idea how normal this language is legally. Probably they should have just restricted the first part to the winners and not all entrants. But either way, the overall point that artists should be paid in cash not in dndbeyond products stands

 

[Charlaquin]

Tell that to PETA or Vegan groups staging protest near some steak houses

Which this whole case here is reminding me off. Except that this time the steak house caved in and shut down, sending all people looking for a tasty steak away.

I mean, good, the meat processing industry is incredibly environmentally destructive. I, an omnivore, would gladly give up steak so that we still have a planet fit for human habitation for at least another generation or two.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Sure, just pointing out the irony of the company's claim of permanent ownership when what they sell are temporary licenses to material in digital format.

My company literally deals with this very issue. I explained why it's so open-ended in the past. (Basically: Lord knows how long a website will exist and they don't want to have to worry about pulling down the assets at some point in the future.) As much as people want this to be nefarious, it's just not.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Right, the problem isn’t that you don’t get anything if you don’t win (and frankly putting that at the front of the statement was probably a mistake, as it muddies the real issue). The problem is that DDB owns your submission whether you win or not.

No, they didn't:

entrants would all retain ownership of their design to use in any way they saw fit, including selling, printing, or reproducing, it also granted D&D Beyond rights to use submitted designs in the future

The creators owned their creations. D&D Beyond just got the right to use those designs, which they're putting out there so that someone wouldn't sue them for a future design they felt looked like their submission.

 

[Charlaquin]

It was open for anybody. I anybody above a certain "level of professionalism" deems this to be detrimental to his chose profession, she's free to refrain from entering it. Let those amateurs who don't do this as any kind of profession have their fun.

This is a weak argument because amateurs could still have their fun if the contest simply didn’t require participants to give DDB the right to sell their non-winning entries.

 

[Helldritch]

You can't pay the bills with exposure.

Plus, on the internet, there's thousands of ways to get exposure without having other people claim the rights to your work.

Yes, and no.
Exposure will make you known. And being known brings you work as an artist. I have seen that with my friends and a quite a few others. My friend is a power engineer just like me (but he's now retired) and fully works as an artist now. And not all potential customers are on the internet. And art is not restricted to RPG.

 

[Helldritch]

If "feedback" CAN be positive and negative and is not complaining... the "negative feedback" is merely "feedback" where there is nothing positive to be found. If something sucks and you point out all the reasons why it sucks... you aren't "complaining", you are just giving them feedback that they did a bad job.

Needing to find one positive in and amongst all the negatives just so the person can't be accused of "complaining" (because in your opinion "feedback" requires both)... is stupid and artificial.

All the feedback can be negative and still be feedback. All you need is to provide positive solutions (beside stopping the contest). Without solution(s) and only negativity, it is a complaint. Gees, I should've inserted that one.

 

[Morrus]

Yes, and no.
Exposure will make you known. And being known brings you work as an artist. I have seen that with my friends and a quite a few others. My friend is a power engineer just like me (but he's now retired) and fully works as an artist now. And not all potential customers are on the internet. And art is not restricted to RPG.

I find it amusing that in 2021 there are still people advocating for working for exposure!

To be clear -- DON'T WORK FOR EXPOSURE!

What's a Freelance RPG Writer Worth?

Freelance writers (as opposed to those on salary) tend to be paid per word. The rate varies from publisher to publisher, and on how experienced the writer is. Ed Greenwood, for example, can command a much higher rate than a new writer can. Obviously only you, the freelancer, can decide...

www.enworld.org

 

[Greg Benage]

I have no idea how normal this language is legally. Probably they should have just restricted the first part to the winners and not all entrants. But either way, the overall point that artists should be paid in cash not in dndbeyond products stands

It's extremely common and routinely draws the ire of artist-activists. I have no problem with that, but I do think it's hilarious that people think DDB (or, like, international environmental NGOs) are running rights-grabbing operations as a side hustle.

Beware The "Rights Grab" Photography Contract - Proud Photography

While you’re clawing your way to the top of the photography pile there are going to be times of both …

www.proudphotography.com

 

[Helldritch]

I find it amusing that in 2021 there are still people advocating for working for exposure!

To be clear -- DO NOT WORK FOR EXPOSURE! whatever somebody on the internet tells you.

What's a Freelance RPG Writer Worth?

Freelance writers (as opposed to those on salary) tend to be paid per word. The rate varies from publisher to publisher, and on how experienced the writer is. Ed Greenwood, for example, can command a much higher rate than a new writer can. Obviously only you, the freelancer, can decide...

www.enworld.org

Fully agree. But you took my post for what it is not. I do not advocate working for nothing. But a contest, is a contest. If somebody wants to get you to work for nothing. It is a no go. But a contest is not a comissioned work. far from that. And a contest might be the little push you need to get known.