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."

 

[teitan]

Further cementing my decision to adopt DCC as our game of choice at our table. I was disappointed with the iterative direction of 5e and what we have seen of OneD&D so far and I am really not a fan of the tech approach being hinted at and with it looking like a Microsoft board room more and more I am glad we shirked away.

 

[Umbran]

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

Yeah, but that was other people in charge, over 20 years ago.

 

[JEB]

Yeah, but that was other people in charge, over 20 years ago.

To be fair, they also released the 5E SRD in 2016... but that was also under different leadership.

 

[Umbran]

To be fair, they also released the 5E SRD in 2016... but that was also under different leadership.

But it is a better point - at least as of 2016, there was a willingness to put the basic rules out there in a way they could not pull back.

 

[Charlaquin]

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

That too.

 

[Charlaquin]

Cosmetic loot boxes on the VTT.

Right, cosmetics. Not essential game pieces. Still plenty predatory, but also still not on the same level as M:tG.

 

[Charlaquin]

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

A corporation may occasionally (or even frequently) make a consumer-friendly decision to build good will. That doesn’t make them your friend. They don’t even know you, much less care about you, except inasmuch as you are a potential source of revenue.

 

[JEB]

But it is a better point - at least as of 2016, there was a willingness to put the basic rules out there in a way they could not pull back.

It will certainly be telling to see whether or not an updated SRD is released after 2024.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

A corporation may occasionally (or even frequently) make a consumer-friendly decision to build good will. That doesn’t make them your friend. They don’t even know you, much less care about you, except inasmuch as you are a potential source of revenue.

Oh, man, if you knew my workplace, you'd never mistake me as thinking corporations were my friend.

 

[jdrakeh]

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

Indeed. Most of my favorite games wouldn't exist if it weren't for the OGL (it had a momentum behind it that CC still lacks).