Lifetime boycott of D&D-branded products?

[Vael]

TBH, most attempts at playing non-DnD systems haven't gone well in my home groups. Exalted got a little traction, but Pathfinder 2e didn't, I've tried FATE, and while I like the system, I still find it's not been a smooth experience. So, just packing up and saying no more disbands my TTRPG groups.

So, no I won't be boycotting purely as a matter of principle. That said, I ain't exactly lining up to buy any more 5e products and I don't know if we'll jump to One DnD.

 

[Yaarel]

I'm sure with about 2 minutes of googling I can find an example of a well known Western company who's products (or components) are manufactured with Chinese prison labor. The point stands. The WotC situation is s--tty, but it's not a literal crime against humanity. Regardless, we all get to choose where to focus our outrage.

By crushing those that rely on the OGL 1.0a, Hasbro-WotC exploits artists of various kinds.

 

[Clint_L]

That last statement is frankly an unwarranted personal attack.

I'm sorry. It was not intended as such, nor did I frame it in personal or aggressive terms. I am expressing what I, personally, find illogical when discussing ethics, an area of knowledge that is grounded in logic. In my opinion, ethical behaviour should strive to be consistent, though I recognize that this is almost impossible to achieve. However, I find the level of outrage over something that is, in the greater scheme of corporate outrages, small potatoes indeed, to be unpersuasive.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I don't know about lifetime, but unless WotC changes their tune, I'm not going to be buying any D&D products or playing the game any more. I'll discuss with my players what system they'd like to move to; at the top of my list right now are PF2, A5e, or OSE assuming they get de-OSRified, maybe DW if they don't, or maybe homebrewing something if I can get my players onboard with the idea.

Yeah I mean, I can totally see spending the next few months hacking the crap out of 5e, SWSE, and 4e, and making a D&D optimized to my group and our current campaigns.

Because we sure as hell aren’t ditching those campaigns. We are a decade in to two of them, and 5 years into another.

But continuing to buy wizards products? I mean, I already got the Dragonlance book I’ve wanted since 4e launched what do I even need them for at this point?

My only point of being bummed is all the stuff I have on DDB, but we will just have to put in the work to covert it all to the morepurplemorebetter sheet and go from there.

Or fully dev my heroic high fantasy version of the engine I’ve built for modern urban fantasy and convert it all to that. Idk.


Ugh.

This sucks.


And I’m very tired of all the lowkey gloating “we are all better off without the company that makes the version of D&D i don’t personally like and have complained about for years” posts.

 

[Parmandur]

Of course they will be fine. They have people out there pining away for their D&D Lifestyle Brand Plushie (TM).

Whats a little moral failing between a consumer and his dealer, to get in the way of sweet merch right?

I mean, it really isn't much of a "moral failing," in my personal analysis. It's not in their best interests, strategically, which they'll likely figure out and life will go on. It's not nearly egregious enough to make an impact on my buying habits. If they make books I don't like, I won't buy then, if they make books I do like, I'll buy them. I am glad they don't use printing in morally problematic countries, and I'm happy to support a local business. "Open gaming" is not my concern.

 

[Zardnaar]

Boycotting if 1.1 is released.

 

[Azzy]

Boycotting if 1.1 is released.

Same.

 

[Yaarel]

Hasbro-WotC enables extreme EXPLOITATION of artists:

"If a creator writes an adventure for players to incorporate into their own Dungeons & Dragons campaign, WoTC [would have] the right to reprint the creator’s work as their own without payment."

 

[Yaarel]

Today is January 13.

Do I understand correctly that the Anti-OGL (1.1) is now officially in effect?

It doesnt matter if anyone signed on to it.

The "de-authorization" would be now already in place.

Hasbro-WotC can at a later date try claim a precedent, the OGL 1.0a would have been dead since as of today.

Hasbro-WotC never retracted this January 13 deadline.

 

[Parmandur]

Hasbro-WotC enables extreme EXPLOITATION of artists:

"If a creator writes an adventure for players to incorporate into their own Dungeons & Dragons campaign, WoTC [would have] the right to reprint the creator’s work as their own without payment."

That, at least is a misrepresentation of the license as leaked: the actual language is boilerplate to prevent WotC from being sued if they release a product similar to an OGL product.

 

[Parmandur]

Today is January 13.

Do I understand correctly that the Anti-OGL (1.1) is now officially in effect?

It doesnt matter if anyone signed on to it.

The "de-authorization" would be now already in place.

Hasbro-WotC can at a later date try claim a precedent, the OGL 1.0a would have been dead since as of today.

Hasbro-WotC never retracted this January 13 deadline.

The latest leak suggested that the adjusted license is going out on 1/16.

 

[Gladius Legis]

Not sure about lifetime, but definitely for as long as the current management is at Hasbro/WOTC.

 

[Yaarel]

The latest leak suggested that the adjusted license is going out on 1/16.

So unless that adjustment actually officially comes out on the 16:

the Anti-OGL is now officially in force.

As of today, January 13.

 

[Echohawk]

I've been boycotting Nestle for at least 16 years, and Disney and Walmart for several...

I've been boycotting Ikea for decades to protest them not having any stores in my country....

 

[Scribe]

I mean, it really isn't much of a "moral failing," in my personal analysis.

Thats fine. Thats the wonder of morality, reasonable people can disagree.

They certainly failed in my view, but I dont see value in crushing small businesses when you are a megacorp, personally.

 

[Yaarel]

Thats fine. Thats the wonder of morality, reasonable people can disagree.

They certainly failed in my view, but I dont see value in crushing small businesses when you are a megacorp, personally.

Not to mention actually violating terms of contract in order to crush those small businesses − and the many DMs who freely contributed their creativity to the Open Gaming Content.

 

[Parmandur]

Thats fine. Thats the wonder of morality, reasonable people can disagree.

They certainly failed in my view, but I dont see value in crushing small businesses when you are a megacorp, personally.

I doubt they thiught they were "crushing" anyone, at least.

 

[Scribe]

I doubt they thiught they were "crushing" anyone, at least.

You are free to hold that view. When looking at the money they were looking to extract, I doubt they had anything in mind but suppression of competition.

Personally, when many many creative folks said 'this is a huge issue for me' I'm going to take their word for it.

 

[Yaarel]

I doubt they thiught they were "crushing" anyone, at least.

Really?

Have you read the Anti-OGL?

Hasbro-WotC is precisely calculating how to crush anyone, by various tactics of assault.

 

[Parmandur]

You are free to hold that view. When looking at the money they were looking to extract, I doubt they had anything in mind but suppression of competition.

Personally, when many many creative folks said 'this is a huge issue for me' I'm going to take their word for it.

Hoping to get royalties is a different thing than "crushing," and it is hardly abnormal let alone immoral to pursue that. Doesn't bother me.