Anyone even vaguely interested in Dungeons and Dragons will have heard about something called OGL 1.1 this week, which has been causing a stir in the tabletop gaming community. We’ve got Ginny Di talking about it, we’ve got Kobold Press talking about it, we’ve got YouTube, Twitter, Reddit and Twitch talking about it, and just this morning we had an official statement from WotC themselves in response to everyone talking about it.

So what is OGL 1.1? And why is the tabletop gaming community so mad about it?

OGL 1.1 is a leaked document detailing the intent of Wizards of the Coast (WotC) to limit the existing Open Gaming License that governs Dungeons and Dragons. Before we delve into what exactly that means and how it might affect the game we all love, let’s have a brief look at what an OGL is and how it has affected the growth and popularity of D&D.

what is an OGL?

An OGL is an Open Gaming License. Simply put, it’s a legal document that dictates how people can use a game once it’s published.
Normally, when a game is created, there will be strict copyright rules that prohibit other people from using/reproducing/making money from anything based on the original game mechanics. An Open Gaming License however, specifically allows third parties to use the game in ways that are outlined by the original creators, and in ways that might normally be restricted under standard copyright rules.

What was the original OGL for D&D?

The original version of the WotC D&D open gaming license, OGL 1.0a, has been in effect since 2000. In plain speak, it allowed independent publishers to take certain aspects of Dungeons and Dragons, specifically the base game mechanics and the D20 system, and use this as the basis for their own creations.

It wasn’t a free-for-all license for people to do as they wished, you weren’t free to copy entire source books and reprint them for profit, but it did give creators access to a specific amount of base game material: such as classes, spells, species, equipment and combat mechanics, from which they were allowed to make spin-off games and supplemental material.

The exact material available in the original open license is outlined here in the Systems Reference Document (SRD), and gives third-party publishers access to a full 403 pages of open license material. (1)

In WotC’s own words: “The goal of the SRD is to allow users to create new content, not to replicate the text of the whole game. We encourage players, DMs, and publishers to come up with their own.” (1)

How did this original OGL affect the D&D community?

This wasn’t done out of the goodness of their own hearts. WotC had a specific goal in mind when creating their OGL:

“ reducing the “cost” to other people to publish and support the core D&D game to zero should eventually drive support for all other game systems to the lowest level possible in the market, create customer resistance to the introduction of new systems, and the result of all that “support” redirected to the D&D game will be to steadily increase the number of people who play D&D, thus driving sales of the core books. This is a feedback cycle — the more effective the support is, the more people play D&D. The more people play D&D, the more effective the support is.”

Ryan Dancey, 2002, the then Vice President of Roleplaying Games at WotC (2)

In short: this original OGL embraced the idea that a rising tide raises all ships. The best thing for the game is to have as many people as possible playing the game.

This open license allowed independent companies like Paizo, Hit Point Press, D&D Beyond and Kobold Press to make products related directly to D&D game material.

Pathfinder is a brilliant example of this. Once nicknamed “D&D 3.75”, Pathfinder is a TTRPG published by Paizo, inspired by and based on the mechanics of D&D 3.5e. Now this game has an entire community of its own, including its own third-party products and fan-made content, but it started out life as a game inspired by the OGL content of D&D

Allowing the type of independent content to be produced is what made the D&D community into what it is today. Publishers big and small, professional and amateur, were allowed to tweak the game in whatever way they wanted, to create their own modules, their own campaigns, their own classes, species, monsters and spells, all based on D&D’s original concept.

In his open letter to Wotc titled #OpenDND, Mike Holik from Mage Hand Press explains the impact of the OGL on the TTRPG community as a whole:

“The OGL has done more to foster creativity and innovation in the tabletop gaming ecosystem than any other element. By allowing creators to use and collaboratively build upon the core mechanics and concepts of existing games, the OGL has created a wide variety of new games and game products, ranging from minor independent releases to large, commercially successful titles.” (3)

How is the new OGL 1.1 different?

And, more importantly, how is it going to affect the game we love, and the community that has grown up around it?

One positive update is that the new OGL will restrict third-party publishers from producing content that is “blatantly racist, sexist, homophobic, trans-phobic, bigoted or otherwise discriminatory.” (4), allowing WotC to remove its license from projects it considers to be against the core beliefs of D&D as an inclusive space.

However, the rest of the document is less altruistic.

They intend to impose royalties on companies using the open license material, specifically if a company generates more than $750,000, they would be required to pay WotC 25% of “qualifying revenue”. This might not affect small amateur publishers, but companies like Paizo, which have entire game systems created under the original OGL, would be on the hook for substantial amounts of money. It also includes a copyright clause that attempts to grant ownership of OGL produced content to WotC, where before it did not.

It puts more defined restrictions on digital content, such as NFTs and VTTs (virtual table tops) and attempts to restrict crowdfunding projects to only use Kickstarter as a platform, whilst at the same time imposing a royalty % on all Kickstarter-funded projects.

One of the major controversies surrounding OGL 1.1 is that it attempts to invalidate the original OGL 1.0a, making it “no longer an authorized license agreement.” (4) There is speculation online as to whether this is even legal, if they can invalidate a previous contract under which so many companies operated, but if they can, it would mean many independent publishers currently producing D&D content will be forced to revise their current publications, almost overnight, to comply with the far more restrictive rules of the OGL 1.1. They would also be forced to report all products and earnings to WotC. The new OGL states “You must register with Us any new Licensed Work You intend to offer for sale… We’ll also ask for Your contact information, information on where You intend to publish the Licensed Work, and its price, among other things.” (4)

The new OGL 1.1 is far more specific about what types of products it covers, and “only allows for creation of roleplaying games and supplements in printed media and static electronic file formats. It does not allow for anything else, including but not limited to things like videos, virtual tabletops or VTT campaigns, computer games, novels, apps, graphics novels, music, songs, dances…” (4). This restriction of the license specifically hurts any company producing products for VTTs and gives WotC the reigns on all future virtual publications.

The new OGL states that “You may engage in these activities only to the extent allowed under the Wizards of the Coast Fan Content Policy or separately agreed between You and Us” (4).

The Fan Content Policy covers anyone creating D&D related content for free (5). FREE is the most important word here. I am honestly not sure about the grey area of earning money from Twitch and YouTube ad revenue, but nothing in the new OGL 1.1 seems to restrict livestreaming, cosplay, YouTube or other such content. As long as it’s “for free”, these avenues appear to be unchanged.

The OGL 1.1 is directed specifically at earning revenue from large third-party publications, restricting the use of D&D open license material in the virtual space, and forcing creators to tell WotC exactly how and where they are using their material.

How will this affect the community if these proposed changes go through? Noah Downs at MyLawyerFriend says it best in their article here:

“All of this only serves to chill and limit the growth of the tabletop economy and community, limiting the amount of D&D content made by Third Party Creators for fans, and serving as a gatekeeping measure for the industry and hobby as a whole.” (6)

The community’s reaction

In the leaked OGL 1.1 document, WotC write that they are aware they “will receive community pushback and bad PR” (4) if the new OGL is seen to overstep.

Well, that was an understatement.

Following its leaked release last week, content creators from across the TTRPG community have spoken out against these proposed changes, and rallied together in protest against WotC.

Michael Holik from Mage Hand Press wrote an open letter to WotC titled #OpenDND, which received over 60’000 signatures from publishers and gamers alike. Streamers, cosplayers, publishers, players and artists took to message boards and Twitter, to explain to those of us less legal-savvy what these changes meant for the community, and raise awareness about the direction WotC is trying to take D&D.

It’s been a week of “community pushback” for sure. And it’s a bit more than just a little “bad PR”. Third-party publishers are already talking of jumping ship away from D&D 5E.

Paizo released a statement “that open gaming makes games better, improves profitability for all involved, and enriches the community of gamers who participate in this amazing hobby”. They have plans to create a system-agnostic open RPG gaming license: ORC, which would be “open, perpetual, and irrevocable”, and will “not be owned by any company who makes money publishing RPGs.” (7)

Kobold Press released a statement about plans to move to their own “Core Fantasy tabletop ruleset”, code name: Project Black Flag, which will be “available, open, and subscription-free for those who love it”, lighting up Twitter with #RaiseTheFlag posts and calling for support from other independent publishers around the D&D community. (8)

Matt Colville at MCDM, spoke to Patreon members about moving towards an MCDM specific game system, and how the new OGL might move this project along quicker, even if the idea has been in the works for some time. (9)

Ginny Di, a YouTube content creator and D&D personality, wrote on Twitter “For those asking how they can help push back against OGL 1.1 – we now know that WotC is looking at DnD Beyond subscriptions as a relevant metric. This is your chance to send them a message. Just sent mine.” (10). Followed by a picture of a cancelled D&D beyond subscription. This spurred hundreds of other gamers to cancel their D&D Beyond subscriptions, apparently leading to the site crashing under the weight.

Massive D&D brand Critical Role released a statement on Twitter earlier today saying they “stand by our industry peers, as well as anyone who takes a risk creating a new system. […] We believe that broadening the field of creators boosts the entire industry”. (11) Though not as outright damming as other creators, these RPG giants are still making it clear whose side they’re on and that WotC is treading on very thin ice.

WotC’s statement regarding the leaked OGL 1.1

It took them a hot minute, but earlier today WotC released their first public statement regarding the leak of OGL 1.1

“It’s clear from the reaction that we rolled a 1” (12)

No kidding.

In this statement, they claim they were trying to be “good stewards of the game” and “ensure that the OGL is for the content creator, the homebrewer, the aspiring designer, our players, and the community—not major corporations to use for their own commercial and promotional purpose.” (12)

They state outright that they will remove any royalty structure from any future proposed OGL 2.0, and that “Content already released under 1.0a will also remain unaffected.”, removing the fear regarding them trying to overturn the original OGL 1.0a. They also state in plain language that they will not attempt to claim copyright on any third-party content created under any past or future OGL, and that content will be owned by the person who created it.

They specify that “other expressions, such as educational and charitable campaigns, livestreams, cosplay, VTT-uses, etc., will remain unaffected by any OGL update.” (12), which is in direct contradiction of the wording of the OGL 1.1.

They claim that it was always their intention to gauge fan feedback before releasing the new OGL. Whether this is the truth or not, it appears that they have heard the #OpenDND feedback loud and clear and are attempting to mend the fences they just accidentally burnt to the ground.

So where does that leave us now?

WotC have back peddled masterfully. They are brilliant orators and experts at spin, and they might still be able to save this disastrous move if they work fast and prove to the community that they are not the big, money hungry corporation this document makes them out to be.

But unfortunately, I think the damage has already been done.

The announcement of One D&D last year was inspiring. WotC’s play-test system has been incredible, with game developers openly responding to player feedback and adapting future releases according to what the fans are saying. Honestly, it’s made me proud to be part of this community, proud to support a publisher that cared so much about their fans, cared what we wanted and what this game means to us.

That feeling has soured somewhat after this OGL fiasco.

We have always known Hasbro were the big cat corporation sitting behind WotC, but you never felt that so much as with OGL 1.1. It no longer feels like you’re supporting your favourite game publisher who just happens to have made it big through hard work and fan support. It feels like you are supporting just another massive company, that only cares about how much money they can squeeze from your wallet. It no longer feels like D&D is just one of the fans, happy to be a part of the TTRPG community, supporting each other and helping the community grow as a whole. It feels like they’ve got to the top, looked down, and now want to kick the ladder out from everyone else that helped get them there.

Is this a little overdramatic? Sure. But it’s hard not to be dramatic when someone threatens to stomp all over our community and everything we stand for.

I will always have a soft spot for Jeremy Crawford. His honest love of the game shines through with his every word, so I will not be surprised if we see a statement from the man himself in the weeks to come. I won’t be surprised if he is able to quell our fears, smooth the ruffled feathers and explain this all away, in a way that sounds like the company I want so badly to believe that WotC are.

But now we know the intention was there. Someone in a big office somewhere took a look at some numbers and wanted to take a little bit more for themselves. Even if they don’t get the chance, even if One D&D comes out next year with an even better OGL and Jeremy convinces us all that this was just a simple mistake… the trust has been broken.

And in a community like this one, with the hearts of the fans at its core making it what it is, that wound is going to be hard to heal.

WotC finish their statement with a few somber words:

“Finally, we’d appreciate the chance to make this right. We love D&D’s devoted players and the creators who take them on so many incredible adventures. We won’t let you down.” (12)

You had better not Wizards.

You were just caught with a knife in your hand, trying to stab our friends in the back.

We will be watching you.

Tread. Very. Carefully.

Top of the Page

Quoted Sources and Further Reading:

(1) WotC original SRD, including the OGL 1.0a

(2) #OpenDND: Trust and Betrayal, An OGL History

(3) #OpenDND: Open Letter to WotC

(4) Copy of the OGL 1.1 leaked document

(5) WotC Fan Content Policy

(6) Break down of OGL law by Noah “MyLawyerFriend” Downs

(7) Paizo’s statement on the OGL 1.0a and makng their own ORC licence

(8) Kobold Press statement regarding OGL 1.1 and their new TTRPG system

(9) MCDM comments on Patreon regarding OGL 1.1

(9) Ginny Di statement on Twitter

(10) Critical Role statement on Twitter

(12) WotC official statement on OGL 1.1