Paizo Announces New Irrevocable Open RPG License To Replace the OGL

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Paizo, the maker of Pathfinder, has just announced a new open license for use with RPGs. The license will not be owned by Paizo - or by any TTRPG company, and will be stewarded by Azora Law, a company which represents several tabletop gaming companies, until it finds its home with an independent non-profit. This new license is designed to be irrevocable.

We believe, as we always have, that open gaming makes games better, improves profitability for all involved, and enriches the community of gamers who participate in this amazing hobby. And so we invite gamers from around the world to join us as we begin the next great chapter of open gaming with the release of a new open, perpetual, and irrevocable Open RPG Creative License (ORC).

The new Open RPG Creative License will be built system agnostic for independent game publishers under the legal guidance of Azora Law, an intellectual property law firm that represents Paizo and several other game publishers. Paizo will pay for this legal work. We invite game publishers worldwide to join us in support of this system-agnostic license that allows all games to provide their own unique open rules reference documents that open up their individual game systems to the world. To join the effort and provide feedback on the drafts of this license, please sign up by using this form.

In addition to Paizo, Kobold Press, Chaosium, Green Ronin, Legendary Games, Rogue Genius Games, and a growing list of publishers have already agreed to participate in the Open RPG Creative License, and in the coming days we hope and expect to add substantially to this group.

The ORC will not be owned by Paizo, nor will it be owned by any company who makes money publishing RPGs. Azora Law’s ownership of the process and stewardship should provide a safe harbor against any company being bought, sold, or changing management in the future and attempting to rescind rights or nullify sections of the license. Ultimately, we plan to find a nonprofit with a history of open source values to own this license (such as the Linux Foundation).

Read more on Paizo's blog.

 

[Arilyn]

So after all this kerfuffle about Orc alignment, seems the ORC is good.

I'd like to see Paizo and Darington press collaborate on a lighter Pathfinder for Critical Role.

Anyway, way to go, Paizo!

 

[jeffh]

Again, then say "we can't comment because we're under an NDA." Don't say, "We've been waiting to hear from Wizards about these rumors."

First of all, NDAs often contain restrictions on doing that. Second, that's not what they said. They said they're waiting for "further information" and "an answer". They don't say they haven't had any discussions and they don't say anything like "about these rumors" - that's a substantial addition of your own AFAICT.

 

[darjr]

This is where i say that crow I have here with Paizo's name on it is getting nervous.

 

[Felixgamingx1]

lol!

 

[Greg Benage]

First of all, NDAs often contain restrictions on doing that. Second, that's not what they said. They said they're waiting for "further information" and "an answer". They don't say they haven't had any discussions and they don't say anything like "about these rumors" - that's a substantial addition of your own AFAICT.

Fair. You could well be right on all counts.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

This is one of the reasons that my feelings have been mixed on this whole affair - you see, I think that things like this will be better in the long run than everyone making D&D products. Heck, if this can make the community support those products, then that's even better.

 

[overgeeked]

I'd like to see Paizo and Darington press collaborate on a lighter Pathfinder for Critical Role.

Here’s to hoping.

 

[Charlaquin]

ORC is viable for Paizo because (at least in Paizo's view) nothing about Pathfinder 2e depends on OGL 1.0. But I'm not sure where this leaves publishers who primarily create products for D&D 5E (or for that matter PF1E). ORC won't be enough because the underlying D&D material won't be licensed under ORC.

I mean, they’ll definitely have to switch off of making D&D content. But, most publishers were probably going to have to do that anyway since the new “O”GL was such a bad deal for them. But this new ORC license will make it possible for those creators to make content for each others’ systems, if they license those systems under ORC.

 

[overgeeked]

This is where i say that crow I have here with Paizo's name on it is getting nervous.

Say what? I dint understand that.

 

[Kai Lord]

Now all we need is for Critical Role to announce that they're switching back to PF to really end this day with a bang.