WotC Ray Winninger Steps Back From WotC

Former leader of the D&D team Ray Winninger has announced his departure from WotC, having "accomplished the ambitious goals we set". Dan Rawson was announced the new head of D&D earlier this month, leading many to speculate about Winninger's departure.

"Sorry for the radio silence; I'm in the midst of a SORELY needed Long Rest. I have indeed left WotC, having accomplished the ambitious goals we set when I took over the D&D team.

Shepherding D&D was an honor and a privilege, but I'm looking forward to slowing down and getting back to a list of personal design projects. (Gamers, you haven't seen the last of me!) Most of all, I look forward to following D&D as a fan again.

Proud of the team I left behind; D&D is in very good hands: @JeremyECrawford, @ChrisPerkinsDnD, @DroidsForSale, @dtovar77, Liz Schuh, Kate Irwin, Trish Yochum, @aquelajames, @FWesSchneider, @MakenzieLaneDA, @amandahamon, Emi Tanji, Bree Heiss, @doctorcomics. @justicearman

@RPGRonLundeen, @BillBenham2, Rob Hawkey, Ben Petrisor, @Dan_Dillon_1, @EytanBernstein, Adrian Ng, Janica Carter, @chrislindsay, @TrystanFalcone, @mattchucole, Bob Jordan, @christulach, Natalie Egan, Hilary Ross, Carl Sibley. Thanks for being such great adventuring companions."

 

[Haplo781]

I think it’s important to remember that whether you play D&D or M:tG, WotC is not your friend. But, yeah, it’s definitely the case that WotC is much more egregious with their predatory monetization of M:tG. And with the recent 30th anniversary edition product, they’ve sent a very clear signal that their target demographic is secondary market speculators, not players.

D&D makes less money than MtG but they have the same goal (500m by 2027). So whatever they're doing for MtG is on the table for D&D.

 

[Charlaquin]

30th anniversary arghh!!! T-T

The one silver lining is we can finally put the reserve list issue to bed. Even if they did ever abolish it, we know now that they would price any reserve list product in order to preserve or even drive up secondary market prices.

 

[Zaukrie]

Oh, another good YouTuber, just so people don't think that I'm also giving into criticizing everyone: Sly Flourish/Lazy Dungeon/Michael Shea (who may have one or two more brands than he needs). He also has thoughtful discussions of things and he's not 100% sold on D&D Beyond being the future of D&D (he wants to see a space preserved for third party content as well), but he never runs around with his hair on fire and is happy to concede when he doesn't know something for certain or that he was wrong. That also makes him more credible in my eyes. (Plus, he gives really good DM advice, comparably to Matt Colville's, which I appreciate.)

He's good

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I think it’s important to remember that whether you play D&D or M:tG, WotC is not your friend. But, yeah, it’s definitely the case that WotC is much more egregious with their predatory monetization of M:tG. And with the recent 30th anniversary edition product, they’ve sent a very clear signal that their target demographic is secondary market speculators, not players.

Oh, absolutely. Big corporations are bad for hobbies. If WotC starts trying to monetize D&D as much as they do M:tG, I'll drop the game and move to a 3rd party or previous edition. I was just expanding on your point that the M:tG side of WotC has been angering their player base a lot.

 

[Charlaquin]

D&D makes less money than MtG but they have the same goal (500m by 2027). So whatever they're doing for MtG is on the table for D&D.

Well, what they’re doing with M:tG isn’t really possible with D&D, because D&D isn’t a collectible. Like, they could make D&D branded collectibles (more of them, I mean), that wouldn’t and could’ve have the same problems, because the collectibles aren’t required to play the game. TCGs are a uniquely predatory product because they’re competitive games for which all of the pieces are also collector’s items. And M:tG being both the oldest and most popular in the genre makes that combination superlatively exploitable.

 

[GreyLord]

Makes me wonder... did Radiant Citadel, Spelljammer, and Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse not sell as well as expected?

I, for one, haven't purchased either of those. Not saying I never will, but they certainly aren't high priority for me.

I'd say it was more with some interesting things that occurred at various times with MtG...personally thinking outloud (Figuratively) on the keyboard.

 

[MoonSong]

The one silver lining is we can finally put the reserve list issue to bed. Even if they did ever abolish it, we know now that they would price any reserve list product in order to preserve or even drive up secondary market prices.

Nah, the silver lining is that I no longer have any compunctions about proxies.

 

[Haplo781]

Well, what they’re doing with M:tG isn’t really possible with D&D, because D&D isn’t a collectible. Like, they could make D&D branded collectibles (more of them, I mean), that wouldn’t and could’ve have the same problems, because the collectibles aren’t required to play the game. TCGs are a uniquely predatory product because they’re competitive games for which all of the pieces are also collector’s items. And M:tG being both the oldest and most popular in the genre makes that combination superlatively exploitable.

Cosmetic loot boxes on the VTT.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think it’s important to remember that whether you play D&D or M:tG, WotC is not your friend.

WotC gave us the D20 license and OGL, which counts for a lot in my book.

 

[Umbran]

Cynical, me?

Are you cynical, or merely mired in the behavior patterns of an older generation, clinging to physicality (and the price structure of physicality) in an increasingly digital culture?

I don't mean that as an insult, by the way - this is normal human behavior. There are things I lament that I recognize are less about what is actually better, and more about resisting change.