Third Party Character Creation iOS App Removed

The d20 Fight Club for D&D 5th Edition iOS app has been removed from the Apple App Store by its creator at the request of WotC. The creator reports that he received a Cease & Desist demand (although it's worth noting that some supposed recent C&Ds appear to have turned out to be amicable requests). This follows on from the removal of the D&D Tools website and the more recent online character generator.

The creator reports that "I received a cease and desist order from Wizards of the Coast. All D&D apps will be removed from the App Store as they weren't compliant with WotC's copyrights and trademarks. Hopefully they'll be back in some form someday. Til then, thanks for all the support."

Nobody has actually shared one of these C&Ds yet, and others have indicated that what they actually received was simply a friendly email asking that they respect WotC's trademarks, so it's not entirely clear what is happening. Hopefully somebody will share one soon!

It does look like this particular app contained text and stat blocks copied directly from the D&D books. Below is the DM version of the app (the companion to the character creation app).

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[Dausuul]

Not many are.

I am aware of the story, and I can and do blame WotC. A company should be able to compensate for one person leaving, whether that "leaving" takes the form of a horrific murder-suicide or just quitting to work elsewhere. Maybe the schedule slips by a couple of months. Maybe quality suffers a bit. Fine. But if the loss of one guy could sink the whole project, the project was headed for disaster already.

 

[Hussar]

You apparently found it worth enough to reply to my post.
And your unwillingness to address my question why other companies allow fan made generators even though that would, according to some posters, mean that they forfeit all rights on the brand, and that you instead post a, in my eyes, quite hate filled rant, which only has little to do with my post speaks volumes about your attitude here.

Hate filled? Really? Saying that companies that own their IP should get paid for using that IP is hate filled?

Other companies allow fan made generators for many reasons. Off the top of my head: The company's brand is so tiny that any means of getting the word out there is worth it; Free advertising; The companies brand is so worthless that it doesn't hurt them to allow free generators; the company is poorly run; the company lacks the legal department to know how to deal with people stealing their IP.

Pick one of the above.

While you're doing so, could you answer my question? If I take something that you published, copy it, put my name on the cover and then sell it for 99 cents on DriveThruRPG, do you have any right to complain? Are you not hurting the brand by complaining? After all, I'm just providing something to the fans that they want. For some in this thread, that means that not only am I justified in doing so, but, if you want to sell your book, you should have to offer more in order to justify the higher price, otherwise, you have to offer it at my price point.

Why is that wrong?

 

[darjr]

I believe it was on one of the Tome Show podcasts where they spoke to the owner of Trapdoor. He was talking about how he ran a whole session using just his Ipad.

If I remember correctly there was a room at GenCon where several tables where using it on the fly in their games.

 

[darjr]

I am aware of the story, and I can and do blame WotC. A company should be able to compensate for one person leaving, whether that "leaving" takes the form of a horrific murder-suicide or just quitting to work elsewhere. Maybe the schedule slips by a couple of months. Maybe quality suffers a bit. Fine. But if the loss of one guy could sink the whole project, the project was headed for disaster already.

He was in charge. The guy in charge can do a ton of damage, and yes, even wreck a project that might otherwise have made it. Software is hard anyways, this ongoing thing that lead to the tragedy could have easily wrecked the project. The guy was the boss. But yes, it might have never worked anyway. We'll never know. But I don't think anyone can easily dismiss managements possible influence on a project.

 

[Kramodlog]

Okay. You need to be careful about common sense, though. D&D has tremendous brand recognition.

I'm very careful about strangers telling me stuff on the internet. Somehow, just their gut feeling about their favorite brand is not enough to convinced me o much. Especially compared to actual facts.

No, it wasn't, but that's okay.

Here you go, educate yourself. You'll post more informed opinions after reading it.

You're welcomed.

 

[Dannager]

I'm very careful about strangers telling me stuff on the internet. Somehow, just their gut feeling about their favorite brand is not enough to convinced me o much. Especially compared to actual facts.

Great policy! Fortunately, this isn't my gut feeling! Which I already told you, of course, but you didn't believe me because you think I might be a liar.

So, here you go! I'd make a snide comment about telling you to educate yourself, and how your opinions will magically improve after reading it, and snarkily tell you that you're welcome, but I think that kind of useless snark is getting more than a little stale in this thread.

Hilariously, someone upthread was talking about how D&D can't approach Blizzard because its brand recognition isn't strong enough. Of course, the reality is that D&D's brand recognition was 9 points higher than World of Warcraft's back in 2008, at the height of WoW's popularity and mainstream exposure.

Cheers!

 

[Shasarak]

I did not expect to see that 54% of people have played DnD and 94% think it is the same as WoW.

 

[Umbran]

Several of you are being snarky, snide, condescending, and/or generally showing that you are fatigued and annoyed.

Please stop.

The world does not hinge on the outcome of arguments here. You can, in fact, let it go, and the world will not end because someone on the internet is wrong about the contract with Sony, or because you think their post didn't have legitimate points, or something.

If you cannot be respectful to your fellow posters, please just walk away.

 

[Iosue]

I did not expect to see that 54% of people have played DnD and 94% think it is the same as WoW.

"Same or better". That means there was a value judgment, such as "Which is better, WoW or D&D?" The "D&D is better" and "They're the both about the same" responses added up to 94%.

 

[Icon_Charlie]

Several of you are being snarky, snide, condescending, and/or generally showing that you are fatigued and annoyed.

Please stop.

The world does not hinge on the outcome of arguments here. You can, in fact, let it go, and the world will not end because someone on the internet is wrong about the contract with Sony, or because you think their post didn't have legitimate points, or something.

If you cannot be respectful to your fellow posters, please just walk away.

Know that you are trying to get the point across but you might want to try another color as this orange sort of bleeds in the message box.
Perhaps that trim color of that greyish blue on the today tag would work. I just had a bit of a hard time reading it

Thanks.

Also I paid for a gold subscription today and wondering where is the info on what I get for it as well as those little perks.
I like to put my money where my mouth is.

Or if you like sweets,... its... I like to place my mouth where the money is.... such as donuts... and Cake!!! but we all know that the Cake is a lie so is back to donuts.... hmmmm with sprinkles.....