As you may have heard, Wizards of the Coast is poised to release a new version of the Open Game License (v1.1). Parts of the license have been leaked online and it appears that Wizards' intent is to revoke the current version of the OGL, forcing creators to adopt the new version. Whether this is actually legal for them to do, under the terms of the license, is seemingly open to interpretation.
A huge number of games, including our own Old-School Essentials, are founded on the Open Game License. If that license were revoked, such games would be in jeopardy. The leaked version of the new OGL includes some extremely unappealing terms, most notably granting Wizards a "nonexclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, sub-licensable, royalty-free license" to use content released under the OGL "for any purpose".
Needless to say, we are making various contingency plans in anticipation of the official release of the new OGL. Once the official release happens and we've had time to fully digest its implications, we will announce any possible alterations to our publication schedule.
39 comments
OSE Rules are my favorite way to play D&D.
Together we can overcome the evil Wizard of the Coast!
Amazing how this has united the community. Thanks for a great product
The OGL 1.1 is such an obviously and deliberately invidious piece of legislation, It wouldn’t surprise me if it were all a ruse by WotC to get everyone worried about it before withdrawing it and then issuing a watered-down version that people will put up with, but which wouldn’t have passed if issued initially. A “well, at least it’s not as bad as the first revision” tactic. Regardless, I’m just really annoyed at them for threatening our hobby like this and especially with the release of the glorious Dolmenwood campaign imminent.
OSE is currently my favorite way to play D&D. Good luck with this – hopefully, it doesn’t get messy. The world needs MORE OSE!
I just literally began an OSR based on one of your recent partners, so this has been a thorn in my side. The leaked “full” text that recently appeared in the past 36 hour doesn’t look promising and hopefully after this uproar they choose to go another route with this, but they’re the faceless corporate structure so I don’t expect it to be when they can potentially profit from those who are willing to bend over for it.