WotC Ray Winninger Is Head of D&D RPG Team; Mike Mearls No Longer Works on RPG

People have been wondering where Mike Mearls has gone for quite some time. It seems that he has not been working on the D&D tabletop RPG since some time last year, and the new head of the team and Executive Producer is Ray Winninger. Winninger is an RPG industry veteran. Amongst other things, he was co-designer of DC Heroes and Torg, and wrote the Dungeoncraft column for Dragon Magazine. He...

People have been wondering where Mike Mearls has gone for quite some time. It seems that he has not been working on the D&D tabletop RPG since some time last year, and the new head of the team and Executive Producer is Ray Winninger.

Winninger is an RPG industry veteran. Amongst other things, he was co-designer of DC Heroes and Torg, and wrote the Dungeoncraft column for Dragon Magazine. He has worked at a number of RPG companies including TSR, Mayfair Games, West End Games, and more.

Ray_Winninger_at_MIX08_2_crop.jpg



Winninger is Chris Perkins' and Jeremy Crawford's boss. And in further comments, Chris Perkins says that Mike Mearls has not been part of the tabletop RPG team since some time last year.


That explains why Mearls' Twitch shows, like Happy Fun Hour, have disappeared. Although he's made a couple of retweets since, his last tweet on Twitter was February 13th, 2019. He still works at WotC on the D&D brand in some capacity, but not the tabletop RPG itself (he did an interview about Baldur's Gate 3 on Polygon last year).

Ray Winninger introduces himself in the latest issue of Dragon+, WotC's online magazine. "My name is Ray Winninger and I’m the new Executive Producer in charge of the Dungeons & Dragons studio at Wizards of the Coast. In just a few months on the job, I’ve already been impressed by the skills and the passion of the designers, artists, editors, and production staff who bring you our terrific D&D products. They are a uniquely talented group, and it is an honor to work alongside them."
 

log in or register to remove this ad

BenTheFerg

Explorer
Honestly I think he's mechanics/lore guy for liencees between D&D/WotC and other companies like Larian Studios and Tuque Studios among others, so he is still involved with D&D, just not the TTRPG, but more stuff like CRPGs of various types. Maybe stuff like comic books too.
I sincerely hope he is having a blast. Iron Heroes was a refreshing iteration of 3rd edition rules and I was excited when he got recruited to D&D. I knew he would turn things around. 🍻🍻🍻
 

log in or register to remove this ad

teitan

Legend
Did he (mike) really dislike, hate is too strong of a word for a game, 4e since he tried to help make changes with the 4e essentials set? Heck Mike probably thiought, I’ve helped create a very successful game for over 4 years, what’s my next challenge to flex my creativity...hopefully he’s doing something he enjoys! Thanks Mike for being a part of 5e team!

He helped design 4e so I don’t think he hated 4e. It seemed like the people involved in 4e have a special place for it and in the lead up to 5e were hypercritical as part of a “why didn’t this work” manner and explaining why in contrast to the more old school 5e design.
 

I also have got my suspects about secret projects. Why not, what would you do if you were WotC?

The 5.5 Ed will not be D&D but other name, maybe d20 Universal or something like this. I would bet WotC's dream is an Universal d20 to can sell TTRPGs of famous franchises from comics, videogames, Hasbro toys.

The prequel of the 5.5 could be a new Unearthed Arcana with optional rules, even sacrificing some sacred cows, and avalaibles in a new SRD, to be used by the 3PPs. (in the past I suggest some little changes in the list of abilities scores). Of course new rules have got the risk of causing new controversies about gameplay.

WotC could publish a new d20 Modern 2.0. but to find the right power balance with the high-tech and 100% compatible with D&D is a true challenge. The playtesting will be harder if the work is for a upcomping CRPG (no-D&D) videogame, and more with a public beta playtest. Lots of munchkins players may find any flaw.

I suggest to use Savage Coast/Red Steel as setting to try some ideas for this d20 Modern, for example firearms and mutants with superpowers.
 

BenTheFerg

Explorer
He helped design 4e so I don’t think he hated 4e. It seemed like the people involved in 4e have a special place for it and in the lead up to 5e were hypercritical as part of a “why didn’t this work” manner and explaining why in contrast to the more old school 5e design.
He was brought it to try and fix 4e. Under his leadership I believe the 4e Essentials line emerged (4.5e?). And whilst he was engaged with that, 5e was brewing. WotC and Mearls knew that 4e had screwed their market share.
 

jayoungr

Legend
Supporter
If this WAS about the whole ... controversial incident ... then I wonder why WotC waited so long to announce that Mearls was being replaced.
 

BenTheFerg

Explorer
I also have got my suspects about secret projects. Why not, what would you do if you were WotC?

The 5.5 Ed will not be D&D but other name, maybe d20 Universal or something like this. I would bet WotC's dream is an Universal d20 to can sell TTRPGs of famous franchises from comics, videogames, Hasbro toys.

The prequel of the 5.5 could be a new Unearthed Arcana with optional rules, even sacrificing some sacred cows, and avalaibles in a new SRD, to be used by the 3PPs. (in the past I suggest some little changes in the list of abilities scores). Of course new rules have got the risk of causing new controversies about gameplay.

WotC could publish a new d20 Modern 2.0. but to find the right power balance with the high-tech and 100% compatible with D&D is a true challenge. The playtesting will be harder if the work is for a upcomping CRPG (no-D&D) videogame, and more with a public beta playtest. Lots of munchkins players may find any flaw.

I suggest to use Savage Coast/Red Steel as setting to try some ideas for this d20 Modern, for example firearms and mutants with superpowers.
Mike certainly has spoken before about a classless d20 5e modern system 🤞🏻
 


teitan

Legend
He was brought it to try and fix 4e. Under his leadership I believe the 4e Essentials line emerged (4.5e?). And whilst he was engaged with that, 5e was brewing. WotC and Mearls knew that 4e had screwed their market share.

No he was part of the 4e design team. Here are the credits for the PHB where he is part of the “Strike Team” and PHB development team. He wasn’t brought on to fix 4e, he was already there and A key contributor.
 

Attachments

  • E7E291AD-1A6E-45C8-B544-0475B7EDDE73.jpeg
    E7E291AD-1A6E-45C8-B544-0475B7EDDE73.jpeg
    941 KB · Views: 245


teitan

Legend
If this WAS about the whole ... controversial incident ... then I wonder why WotC waited so long to announce that Mearls was being replaced.

Because it probably wasn’t and he was probably given a better opportunity and quietly shuffled into it. He led a team that turned an IP around into an extremely successful part of Hasbro’s business. If he were going to be let go over the rumors then it would have happened long before. There would have been a statement instead of a quiet shuffling.
 

Remove ads

Remove ads

Top