This seems like the most likely scenario to me given that they didn't just drop getting rid of 1.0a, but also put the ENTIRE SRD into CC, which was something most people weren't even asking for, and others considered a wild "stretch goal".
1.1 was incredibly controlling and grasping.
2.0 wasn't much better, and 2.0, let's remember was just barely two weeks ago!
It seems like after that things started changing at an increasing pace. This particular development? I don't think it was a "plan" at all until the survey results started to come in, except in the sense that probably some people at WotC (likely including designers) were hoping for an outcome like this.
Civitas ad portas was certainly a factor, as it often is in palace revolutions (certainly civitas on the road to the palace).
I guess you're right that there may have been multiple factors at play here.
But still...
I’ve tried to understand this thing by looking at it from all angles I could think of and as discussed on this forum, from how the current c-suits could curse 'the stupidity’ of those who went before and 'threw away WotC's control over the game’, to how OGL 1.0(a) actually did benefit WotC, to how Williams felt that D&D was “under-monetized”, to how OGL 1.0(a) could or could not be revoked/de-authorized, to Wizbro’s legal team drafting OGL 1.1 etc., to the fluff about “hateful content”, to how digital/virtual D&D is likely going to be a huge part of the future, to Wizbro's desire to create walled gardens in light of this, to micro-transactions, to how the survey could be a means to take the sting out of the protests, to forum storms and what effect they may or may not have, to ‛arrogant top brass’ not very likely caring much about losing some vocal players, to the influence of investors on decision-making, to how the current c-suits may or may not understand D&D and whether that's important for the future of D&D or not, to the possibility of D&D forking into D&D a pre- and an after-1D&D, and so on, and I sort of got the gist of most of it.
And then this...
Power Word—Stun?
I just can’t get my head around it.
In some of my more devious scenarios, I like to present my players with a situation or problem and then watch them muck about with it while keeping careful track of all developments regarding it on many levels – from lowly commoners to the ruling classes and extra-planar entities – giving them a lot of leeway until things start happening on all levels and the proverbial hits the fan for them.
But then, at least,
I know what’s behind all of it.
So, if anything, I would really,
really like to know what transpired over the past few weeks at Wizbro’s HQ.
That said, maybe I’ll never know and it just goes to show that what goes around comes around.
