WotC: We Are Not Making AI Dungeon Masters

Adding to the recent spate of YouTube-based claims about WotC's plans for Dungeons & Dragons were some additional claims -- (a) that D&D Beyond would have $30 subscription fee; (b) that homebrew content would not be permitted on lower tiers; and (c) that DDB was actively working on AI Dungeon Masters.

Some of this was based on a (long ago debunked) slide from a presentation last year.

WotC has made some clarifications:

Hey, everyone. We’ve seen misinformation popping up, and want to address it directly so we can dispel your concerns.

Rumors of a $30 subscription fee are false.

No one at Wizards is working on AI DMs. We love our human DMs too much. If you’re looking for a DM, we suggest heading to our Discord where DMs and parties are looking for players.

We have designers whose core job it is to compile, analyze, and then act upon your feedback. Your feedback has made the game better over the past decade, and your feedback is central to D&D’s future.

Homebrewing is core to D&D Beyond. It's not going away, and we're not going to charge you for it. Your homebrew is, and always will be, yours. We’ve always been excited to see your creations both on and off D&D Beyond!

There is still no clear statement regarding the Open Gaming License v1.0a, however.

 

[Zaukrie]

(I simply noted that this careful denial of several rumors does NOT deny what I see as the core rumor/plan. Your mileage, of course, may vary.)

There were reports online that WotC is ignoring feedback. Should they not have commented on that?

 

[JEB]

so Disney makes them the Hawkbears instead

Funny enough, the second Maleficent film already had a legally distinct bird-bear hybrid (basically a raven-bear):

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

If Disney wanted to do an RPG for some reason, there's nothing Hasbro could do to stop them and it would get ugly if they tried. (Honestly, I'm always surprised at how many geek-friendly franchises don't have an RPG. Up until this month, making a 5E-compatible game was a good way to get some insta-sales.)

 

[Haplo781]

If Disney wanted to do an RPG for some reason, there's nothing Hasbro could do to stop them and it would get ugly if they tried. (Honestly, I'm always surprised at how many geek-friendly franchises don't have an RPG. Up until this month, making a 5E-compatible game was a good way to get some insta-sales.)

Honestly, "Disney makes a game under the OGL" is kind of a best-case scenario here.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

The threads are fast, but AFAIK, they have oddly declined to mention it.

It’s not odd at all. They are commenting on a specific set of claims. They have almost certainly been cleared by legal to speak to those claims, which are directly within their wheelhouse, and tbh speaks directly to their character in a pretty insulting way.

 

[Scribe]

It’s not odd at all. They are commenting on a specific set of claims. They have almost certainly been cleared by legal to speak to those claims, which are directly within their wheelhouse, and tbh speaks directly to their character in a pretty insulting way.

I mean the general 'they' Wizards. Its been quite some time to say 'hey, we hear you on the OGL and we are going to ______'

 

[Yaarel]

If Disney wanted to do an RPG for some reason, there's nothing Hasbro could do to stop them and it would get ugly if they tried. (Honestly, I'm always surprised at how many geek-friendly franchises don't have an RPG. Up until this month, making a 5E-compatible game was a good way to get some insta-sales.)

Disney (Marvel) does have some superhero RPGs.

If Disney would want to leverage its fantasy (folklore) movies for an RPG, like Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Aladin, etcetera, with medievalesque witches, fairyfolk, genies, dragons, and princes charming, Disney can do it.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

There were reports online that WotC is ignoring feedback. Should they not have commented on that?

Jeremy Crawford did.

At that point, it does not matter anymore. I don't really believe all the leaks and I don't believe everything WotC says.
At this point I don't think walking comoletely back is an option anymore. There are people out there who will still jump at everythin WotC says.
Which is very unpleasant fot various reasons.

 

[Yaarel]

Owlbear, ravengrizzly (Disney).

Because Hasbro-WotC sought to harm the gaming community, its nefarious plan will backfire.

 

[Imaculata]

The best thing to come out of this whole mess is that competitors like Paizo are stepping forward to do what Wizards has now shown us they are incapable of doing. Does this mean we're going to see a mass exodus back to Pathfinder?