The recent controversy over the Open Gaming License showcases the internal battle that the caretakers of Dungeons & Dragons seemingly face – the choice between brand and community. On Friday, Wizards of the Coast announced updates to its plans to roll out a new Open Gaming License, which provides the legal framework for third-party creators and publishers to make game material compatible with Dungeons & Dragons. Notably, Wizards of the Coast announced that the new OGL (which has yet to be posted for public viewing) would not contain a royalty structure nor would it contain “license back” language that granted Wizards a royalty-free license for anything published under the new OGL. These promised changes were the result of an effective grassroots campaign organized by members of both dedicated Dungeons & Dragons fans and the wider TTRPG changes to challenge what many perceived as gross corporate overreach and a betrayal of promises made by Wizards over 20 years ago and upheld until the recent controversy.
