Wizards of the Coast recently announced that it would continue to allow independent game creators to use Dungeons & Dragons mechanics under an Open Game License for One D&D, with some changes, when the new edition launches in 2024, the company also announced it on D&D Beyond.
This clarification from Wizards of the Coast comes after some concerns on Social Media and various forums on the future of OGL, which stemmed from a recent Fireside Chat. During this chat, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks and WoTC and Digital Gaming President Cynthia Williams described the D&D Brand as under-monetized, which led to speculation that Wizards of The Coast would seek to increase revenues by changing OGL or eliminating it to cut off third-party creators. Even though there will be changes to the OGL, including royalties to Big Creators, most of the basic structure will remain the same when the newest version of Dungeons & Dragons launches.
With Version 1.1 of the OGL being released in early 2023, here are the following changes listed below:
- It will clarify that it will only apply to the use of tabletop games.
- Different terms will apply to creators that make free, share-alike content and creators that sell their products. Creators generating more than $50,000 in revenue per year will have to report that revenue to WotC. And products created for revenue must include a Creator Product badge on the work.
- Creators that generate more than $750,000 in revenue per year will be required to pay a royalty beginning in 2024. The statement said there were fewer than 20 creators worldwide in that size range.
One D&D will be backward-compatible with 5E, and all material created for 5E will also work for One D&D. Wizards of the Coast will release a new System Reference Document for One D&D as a development of a new system, which is being conducted with hundreds of thousands of playtesters on D&D Beyond, is completed.
Available in February 2023: Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle Wizards of the Coast expressed their general support for the OGL system and the future under One D&D.
“The thousands of creators publishing across Kickstarter, DMsGuild, and more are a critical part of the D&D experience, and we will continue to support and encourage them to do that through One D&D and beyond.”
Wizards of the Coast Statement
Be sure to pick up your copy of Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen at your Local Games and Hobby Shop or Online Today!
Source: ICv2, D&D Beyond
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