WotC OGL 1.1 leaks.
(archive.ph)
You're viewing a single comment thread. View all comments, or full comment thread.
Comments (30)
sorted by:
Archived article by Gizmodo on the OGL 1.1 leaks.
WotC is looking to argue that this is the only active OGL; that the OGL 1.0 and OGL 1.0(a), will retroactively no longer be 'authorized'. The argument is based on the language in 1.0(a) citing other 'authorization,' meaning that provided by the 1.0; the legal construction of withdrawing authorization is suspect. But do you really want to go to court and fight Hasbro's lawyers?
Doubtful.
Begun, the D&D bootleg era has.
Basically start using every system EXCEPT D&D. And there's plenty of free rulesets online.
Anyone up for a rousing game of Dungeons: The Dragoning 40k, 7th seas edition?
Only if I can import my Battlemace 40 million stuff into it.
That would be my understanding.
The word 'authorization' is from the 1.0 (a) version, and meant to grandfather in other OGL versions. Wizards is trying to use that as a 'kill switch' on it. You might argue that they can revoke the 1.0 (a). That would only mean that no new 5E OGL instances would be valid, because WotC is no longer on board. Wizards is announcing that it wants out, but I don't see any mechanism for 'deauthorization' at all in the OGL 1.0.
I think future development of 5E material becomes a grey zone and this casts a shadow over continued publishing of existing products for people who sign on to OGL 1.1. You might be signing onto wizard's version as part and parcel of what you sign-- so be damn sure that you're not signing away your 1.0/1.0 a rights when you bargain with WotC.
Everyone else can not sign and tell WotC to pound sand.
I don't want to go to court over it, but Paizo might given that their Pathfinder game is based on the OGL. I doubt they're going to just fold up shop.
They may be interested in the custom licenses that the article talks about, but likely only if they deem it to be less than the cost of litigating or they don't like their chances of winning.
If they do succumb to WOTC, then I think they will blow all of the goodwill they have made by providing the number one alternative to 5E, now that I think about it.