WotC to Revise D&D 4th Edition GSL and SRD

[blargney the second]

Is "opener" a word?
That's the hope.

Very very cool. Colour me happy.
-blarg

 

[Brown Jenkin]

I think the most important change to make, however, is to nix the policy regarding WotC's ability to revise the GSL at will and third-parties must comply with whatever the newest version is. So long as that's in there, any other changes, no matter how beneficial, could vanish at any time.

That is the killer clause that I can see, no matter how nice they make the GSL if that clause remains all other changes are cosmetic and no matter how nice they are, those changes are at risk of disappearing just as easily.

 

[TerraDave]

Really. Good. News.

 

[Darrin Drader]

So either (A) The GSL has been a major PR blunder, (B) 4th edition isn't doing as well as they would lead us to believe and they're trying to create more sales by making it friendlier to 3PPs who will help drive sales by tying their own products to it, or (C) Both.

 

[GVDammerung]

One can only wonder though if they've already soured the pot by first delaying and then putting out the initial -horrible- GSL? Whatever this ends up being, it might be too little, far too late.


[gleeful speculation and rumor-mongering]

And speculate as you like if it might be a late attempt to head off OGL alternatives to 4e, especially if sales thus far for 4e have been good but not up to what Hasbro expected given the investment in the edition change and its associated digital products.

[/gleeful speculation and rumor-mongering]

Bingo! Wotc would not be backtracking unless 4e needed the help. If 4e sales were rocking there would be no leverage internally with legal, I suspect, for this kind of a reversal. Of course, it remains to be seen if the actual changes are substantive or merely cosmetic. I'll guess minor changes to dispose of stock but no change to the at will termination clause, and no change to the once GSL, no OGL clauses. Lipstick on a pig, I'm thinking. Unless 4e is REALLY in trouble!

 

[Frostmarrow]

Yay! The results of a 4e search at rpgnow is all too meager.

 

[Phaezen]

So either (A) The GSL has been a major PR blunder, (B) 4th edition isn't doing as well as they would lead us to believe and they're trying to create more sales by making is friendlier to 3PPs who will help drive sales by tying their own products to it, or (C) Both.

Or possibly, (D) they listened to the concerns raised by the various forums and third party publishers and decided to rethink the the GSL.

From my side, I would like to extend my thanks to Linae and The Rouse for taking the listening to the role playing community on this and other issues that have been raised, we do appreciate your efforts.

Phaezen

 

[DaveMage]

So either (A) The GSL has been a major PR blunder, (B) 4th edition isn't doing as well as they would lead us to believe and they're trying to create more sales by making is friendlier to 3PPs who will help drive sales by tying their own products to it, or (C) Both.

Actually, I think it's more simple than that.

Scott Rouse once said (IIRC) that the number one goal with the GSL was to benefit D&D. It seems that WotC has determined, based on 3pp feedback, that the GSL as written has failed to do this.

 

[Orcus]

Or possibly, (D) they listened to the concerns raised by the various forums and third party publishers and decided to rethink the the GSL.

From my side, I would like to extend my thanks to Linae and The Rouse for taking the listening to the role playing community on this and other issues that have been raised, we do appreciate your efforts.

Phaezen

I am voting for D.

I'm with you in my public support for the fight Scott and Linae have been fighting to make things happen. I'm not counting my chickens before they hatch, so to speak, but I remain optimistic as I have been that the needed changes and clarifications will happen. Which, of course, will mean that Necro can then support 4E, as we have long wanted to do.

Clark

 

[evilref]

So either (A) The GSL has been a major PR blunder, (B) 4th edition isn't doing as well as they would lead us to believe and they're trying to create more sales by making is friendlier to 3PPs who will help drive sales by tying their own products to it, or (C) Both.

Or maybe,

E) Individuals at WotC always wanted different aspects to the license but for whatever reason that didn't happen, those individuals have now convinced other individuals round to their way of thinking.

I get that you like to criticise WotC but given you have no idea, making statements like this is just yet another example of poor reasoning and logic.