Wizards of the Coast Apologizes to Dungeons & Dragons Community over OGL Changes

By Carlton Murphy Last updated Jan 29, 2023

Wizards of the Coast has spoken to the Dungeons & Dragons community on the OGL changes predicted for OneD&D, reiterating that the open license from earlier editions will remain in place. The apology was shared on D&D Beyond.

For the past few weeks, supporters of the tabletop RPG have engaged in a conflict with Wizards of the Coast after OneD&D declared termination of the OGL 1.0A. The open license encouraged players to create and develop their in-game content in the form of homebrew while also enabling content creators worldwide to share their epic journeys.

Dungeons & Dragons have long been a celebration of fantasy and creativity among players, and for many, it has been a way to connect with others. The game’s fundamental concepts could be used in new ways thanks to the 1.0A OGL, which helped to create a vibrant and varied tabletop community.

Wizards of the Coast launched a survey to allow players to express their opinions on the modifications suggested by the developer in response to criticism about the new OGL 1.2. After observing the results, WotC declared that they will continue using the 1.0A OGL for OneD&D and will not adopt the 1.2 OGL.

Fans of Dungeons & Dragons Receive Apologies

Through the D&D Beyond Twitter account, WotC informed fans that 1.0A would continue to be available. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to and enjoyment of Dungeons & Dragons, it says in the post. We apologize for the suffering we have brought upon the neighborhood. We are eager to collaborate with our gamers and artists to build what comes next.

Your feedback in the OGL 1.2 survey is already clear and we are acting on it:
-62% are satisfied with adding the SRD to Creative Commons & those dissatisfied want more in CC
-89% are dissatisfied with deauthorizing OGL 1.0a
-88% do not want to publish content under OGL 1.2
— D&D Beyond (@DnDBeyond) January 27, 2023

In the comments section, fans of Dungeons & Dragons express a range of emotions, with some grateful that Wizard of the Coast listened to the community’s concerns and others fearful that WotC might repeat the same actions in the future. “Thank you for listening to the community,” one player says. Let’s keep rolling now! Another person continues, “I have complete confidence you’ll try it again with TwoD&D. You tried it with 4e; you tried it with OneD&D.”

While something similar may come up again in later games of Dungeons & Dragons, OneD&D’s chances are unquestionably looking better. Hopefully, it will make individuals fearful of impending change more eager for new experiences.