Wizards of the Coast to Release New Licensing Agreement for One D&D in Early 2023.
Announcement
Dungeons & Dragons Takes Measures to Protect Against from Cryptocurrency and Other Exploitation, so Wizards of the Coast will unveil a new licensing agreement for the upcoming version of Dungeons & Dragons, known as One D&D, in early 2023. The agreement will only apply to written materials and will have an impact on a range of creators, including authors, independent publishers, video producers, and actual play troupes. The company made the announcement in a blog post on December 21st following a successful year for alternative D&D content publishers, including successful crowdfunding campaigns and a start-up utilizing blockchain technology to combine existing D&D content. The new licensing agreement is currently being developed and will be released in early 2023. Wizards of the Coast made the announcement to address concerns from players and creators while legal details are being finalized.
Statement
They released a statement on their digital platform, D&D Beyond, expressing their commitment to supporting third-party creators and promising to provide transparency on their plans. However, the statement was short on specific details and did not provide much information on the future of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). The company stated that they value all creators and want to ensure they continue to be supported in the future. Despite the lack of specifics, Wizards of the Coast expressed their commitment to working with creators and providing transparency on their plans for supporting the D&D community.
Update to protect
Wizards of the Coast currently maintains relationships with game content creators through the Systems Reference Document (SRD) and the Open Gaming License (OGL). The SRD is a truncated version of the larger 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) content library and is publicly licensed under the OGL. This allows members of the gaming community to use the content as a resource for creating new materials that are compatible with the D&D ruleset. However, Wizards of the Coast plans to update the OGL to ensure it continues to fulfill its intended purpose and prevent third parties from “minting D&D NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and large businesses from exploiting their intellectual property.” The company stated that the OGL needs to be updated to protect their intellectual property and allow independent creators to continue building and growing the game.
The SRD and OGL are both nearly a decade old, and were created in the lead-up to the launch of the 5th edition of Dungeons and Dragons in 2014. Since then, the popularity of D&D has grown significantly, thanks in part to the resurgence of interest in tabletop role-playing games brought about by shows like Stranger Things and Critical Role. Actual play performances, in which people record and stream themselves playing D&D, have become a major part of the entertainment industry, and projects based on the 5th edition D&D rules, such as Auroboros: Coils of the Serpent by Blizzard executive Chris Metzen, have been successful through crowdfunding. Additionally, a company called Gripnr is attempting to use blockchain technology to create a digital version of the game. In light of this, it is understandable that Hasbro, the company that owns D&D, would want to protect itself from potential competition within its own community of players and fans. This may lead to changes in the current system as D&D moves into the digital realm.
Changes
D&D is a creative hobby that is meant to be shared and enjoyed by fans and creators. To support the growth of the hobby, Wizards of the Coast has announced that changes to the Open Gaming License will only apply to tabletop role-playing games. Other types of content, such as videos and video games, are subject to the Wizards of the Coast Fan Content Policy or a custom agreement. The Open Gaming License does not cover anything beyond printed materials and static electronic files.
Other measures
In addition to these restrictions, Wizards has also set guidelines for creators who earn more than $50,000 in a year from SRD-related projects. These creators must report their revenue directly to Wizards of the Coast. For creators who earn more than $750,000 annually, a new royalty scheme will take effect in 2024.
It is currently unclear how these changes will affect the many creators who earn a modest income from D&D-based work, such as YouTubers, Etsy sellers, 3D modelers, and actual-play troupes. The revised Open Gaming License is still being finalized, and its ultimate impact will depend on how it is enforced by Wizards in the future. While it is unlikely that creators will need to pay Wizards every time they sell a resin d20, creators who achieve significant success with their D&D-based projects may face legal action from Wizards in the future.
