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Hasbro wants Microsoft and Xbox to bring back Activision’s Transformers games – Windows Central
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Hasbro delays update to Dungeons and Dragons open game license as fan base revolts
Hasbro rolled a “natural one” – an automatic miss – to convince fans that rewriting its two-decade-old open game license was about anything but boosting revenue.
Their child company, Wizards of the Coast (WOC), which owns the smash hit table-top role playing game “Dungeons and Dragons,” had changes to its open game license leaked, sparking an uproar among the fan base.
In 2000, WOC released OGL 1.0, which allowed third party creators to use WOC characters, rules, game systems, and products in their creations. This symbiotic relationship has led to the emergence of a cottage industry that includes some hit shows like Critical Role, Dimension 20, Not Another D&D Podcast, and Dungeons and Daddies: Not a BDSM Podcast which, in turn, brought more attention to the game and WOC than had been in decades.
Some have called this past decade a renaissance for D&D, with pandemic lock-downs only contributing to the game’s meteoric resurgence in popularity.
GROWING ‘KIDULT’ TREND TAKES TOY INDUSTRY BY STORM
A week ago, a leaked OGL 1.1 was released that, largely, undid this relationship and, among other things, required some major third party creators to pay upwards of 20-25% royalties to WOC for use of their game system and products.
This has caused a massive backlash among the fan base with 67,000 signing an online petition and costing the company an estimated $400,000 loss in monthly revenue. After a week of dealing with popular revolt, Hasbro released a statement walking back their new license.
“It’s clear from the reaction that we rolled a 1. It has become clear that it is no longer possible to fully achieve all three goals while still staying true to our principles,” the company released in a statement. “It will not contain any royalty structure.”
“You’re going to hear people say that they won, and we lost because making your voices heard forced us to change our plans. Those people will only be half right. They won—and so did we.”
Reception to the announcement has been cold among those demonstrating against the company. While some noted this was a win, others claimed this changes nothing and WOC still intends to change the OGL. The boycott resulted in an estimated 40,000 canceled subscriptions with that number rising daily. Rage within the fan base only swelled as recent comments from WOC’s president came to light.
HASBRO’S ‘MAGIC: THE GATHERING’ COLLECTIBLE CARDS SUFFER A ‘MAGIC CRASH’: JACK HOUGH
“D&D has never been more popular, and we have really great fans and engagement,” Wizards of the Coast President Cynthia Williams told investors in December during a UBS virtual fireside chat. “But the brand is really under-monetized.”
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D&D has seen a surge in popularity with third-party content creators, being featured in Netflix’s hit “Stranger Things,” and will surely see another bump from the upcoming movie “D&D: Honor Among Thieves.” The release of OGL 1.1 has officially been delayed.
Cancelled D&D Beyond Subscriptions Forced Hasbro’s Hand
Dungeons & Dragons publisher Wizards of the Coast finally broke its silence regarding the game’s Open Game License on Friday, attempting to calm tensions in the D&D community and answer questions that were raised after Gizmodo broke the news about the contents of a draft of the document last week.
In a message titled An Update on the Open Game License (OGL), posted on the web site for D&D Beyond, Wizards of the Coast’s official digital toolset, the company addressed many of the concerns raised after the leak of the Open Gaming License 1.1 earlier in the week, and walked them back—fast. Notable changes include the elimination of royalty structures, and the promise to clarify ownership of copyright and intellectual property.
But it might be too little, too late.
Despite reassurances from the Hasbro subsidiary, Wizards of the Coast (WotC) may have already suffered the consequences of their week of silence. Multiple sources from inside WotC tell Gizmodo that the situation inside the castle is dire, and Hasbro’s concern is less about public image and more about the IP hoard the dragon sits on.
The bottom line seems to be: After a fan-led campaign to cancel D&D Beyond subscriptions went viral, it sent a message to WotC and Hasbro higher-ups. According to multiple sources, these immediate financial consequences were the main thing that forced them to respond. The decision to further delay the rollout of the new Open Gaming License and then adjust the messaging around the rollout occurred because of a “provable impact” on their bottom line.
According to those sources, in meetings and communication with employees, WotC management’s messaging has been that fans are “overreacting” to the leaked draft, and that in a few months, nobody will remember the uproar.
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Licensees are pushing back
But despite any hopes that this all might blow over, well-known publishers who have previously used the OGL—some almost exclusively, such as Kobold Press, and MCDM— have already put out statements saying that they will either be moving away from all versions of the OGL, or explicitly offering up their own gaming licenses for their core games.
The “negative impact of implementing the new OGL might be a feature and not a bug for Wizards of the Coast,” said Charles Ryan, chief operating officer of Monte Cook Games. “A savvy third-party publisher might look at where 5e is in it life cycle,” he said, and if they were planning 5e products, reconsider their investment. Monte Cook Games released their own open, perpetual license for their acclaimed Cypher System last year.
Smaller indie presses have pulled together resources to help people make third-party content for small games. Rowan, Rook and Dekard, for example, released The Resistance Toolkit, a document meant to help ease designers off the 5th edition D&D rules and into writing third-party content for their acclaimed RPG Spire.
One third-party publisher told Gizmodo that they had expected WotC to update the OGL as seen in the leaked documents, but not until 2025, during the full release of DnDOne. Now many third-party publishers have moved up their migration timeline following the publicity disaster surrounding the leaked new Dungeons & Dragons OGL.
One of WotC’s biggest competitors, the independent publisher Paizo, owner of the Pathfinder and Starfinder RPGs, is currently spearheading a campaign to create an Open RPG Creative License (ORC) that would be stewarded by a non-profit foundation. Other publishers, including Kobold Press, Chaosium, and Legendary Games, have already committed to the effort.
Another third-party publisher who asked not to be identified told Gizmodo their company “has already collaborated with other third-party publishers” to mount a legal defense of the original, circa 2000, OGL 1.0(a).
The OGL 1.1 text and the 2.0 FAQ
Last week Gizmodo received leaked draft copies of an “OGL 1.1″, and then a few days later, a Frequently Asked Questions document which referred to an “OGL 2.0.” (This is an important distinction, because while a 1.1 could be considered an update to the original 1.0(a), calling the new agreement 2.0 may indicate it’s being imagined as an entirely new, separate agreement.)
One of the most telling parts of the OGL 2.0 FAQ included a statement that clarified one of the most inflammatory points of the leaked OGL 1.1—whether or not the original OGL 1.0a would be deauthorized. The leaked FAQ said that the “OGL 1.0a only allows creators to use ‘authorized’ versions of the OGL which allows Wizards to determine which of its prior versions to continue to allow use of when we exercise our right to update the license. As part of rolling out OGL 2.0, we are deauthorizing OGL 1.0a from future use and deleting it from our website. This means OGL 1.0a can no longer be used to develop content for release.”
Although many people have come forward to debate the legitimacy of this interpretation, including former WotC executive Ryan Dancey, who helped write the original OGL 1.0, the FAQ continued to push this language. Additionally, the Jan 13 update does not explicitly state that the company will not attempt to deauthorize the OGL 1.0a. “I do not believe that the OGL v1.0a can be deauthorized,” Dancey said in an email to Gizmodo. “There’s no mechanism in the license for deauthorization.”
“When v1.0a was published and authorized, Hasbro & Wizards of the Coast did so knowing that they were entering into a perpetual licensing regime,” Dancey continued. “All the people involved at the executive level – Peter Adkison (who was Wizards’ CEO), Brian Lewis (who was Wizards’ in house counsel), and me (I was the VP of Tabletop RPGs) all agreed that was the intent of the license.”
While the OGL 2.0 FAQ was distributed across multiple teams inside of Wizards of the Coast, sources indicate that this FAQ was not released on January 12 as intended due to the impact of the canceled subscriptions and the rising tide of backlash online.
The FAQ for the OGL 2.0 also stated that “the leaked documents were drafts, and some of the content that people have been upset about was already changed in the latest versions by the time of the leaks.” However, what upset people—including copyright riders and royalties—still seemed to be in place in the FAQ for 2.0.
“The part that of the OGL 1.1 that stated once you publish under the OGL 1.1 other people can use your work as well is very similar to DMs Guild language,” explained Jessica Marcrum, co-creator of Unseelie Studios. “But that’s not ‘open’ language. And it seems like they’re using the guise of the old OGL to to pretend that 1.1 is an open giving license when it isn’t.”
Additionally, multiple sources reported that third-party publishers were given the OGL 1.1 in mid-December as an incentive for signing onto a “sweetheart deal,” indicating that WotC was ready to go with the originally leaked, draconian OGL 1.1.
The ‘Term Sheets’
According to an anonymous source who was in the room, in late 2022 Wizards of the Coast gave a presentation to a group of about 20 third-party creators that outlined the new OGL 1.1. These creators were also offered deals that would supersede the publicly available OGL 1.1; Gizmodo has received a copy of that document, called a “Term Sheet,” that would be used to outline specific custom contracts within the OGL.
These “sweetheart” deals would entitle signatories to lower royalty payments—15 percent instead of 25 percent on excess revenue over $750,000, as stated in the OGL 1.1—and a commitment from Wizards of the Coast to market these third-party products on various D&D Beyond channels and platforms, except during “blackout periods” around WotC’s own releases.
It was expected that third parties would sign these Term Sheets. Noah Downs, a lawyer in the table-top RPG space who was consulted on the conditions of one of these contracts, stated that even though the sheets included language suggesting negotiation was possible, he got the impression there wasn’t much room for change.
Getting it right
In its “Update on the Open Game License” released Friday, WotC promised that the new OGL was still in development and not ready for final release “because we need to make sure we get it right.” The company promised to take feedback from the community and continue to make revisions to the OGL that made it work for both WotC and its third-party publishers.
But it may be too late. “Even if Wizards of the Coast were to entirely walk [the leaked OGL 1.1] back, it leaves such a sour taste in and in my mouth that I don’t want to work with the OGL in the future,” said Unseelie Studios’ David Markiwski.
Meanwhile, the “#DnDBegone” campaign encouraging fans to cancel their D&D Beyond subscriptions continued to gain traction on Twitter and other social media sites.
In order to delete a D&D Beyond account entirely, users are funneled into a support system that asks them to submit tickets to be handled by customer service: Sources from inside Wizards of the Coast confirm that earlier this week there were “five digits” worth of complaining tickets in the system. Both moderation and internal management of the issues have been “a mess,” they said, partially due to the fact that WotC has recently downsized the D&D Beyond support team.
Wizards of the Coast stated in the unreleased FAQ that it wasn’t making changes to the OGL just because of a few “loud voices,” and that’s true. It took thousands of voices. And it’s clear that Wizards of the Coast didn’t make the latest changes purely of their own accord. The entire tabletop ecosystem is holding Wizards of the Coast to the promises that they made in 2000. And now, the fans are setting the terms.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Wizards of the Coast Breaks Their Silence on the Dungeons & Dragons Open Game License
Wizards of the Coast, the Hasbro subsidiary that publishes Dungeons & Dragons, revealed details of its new Open Game License on Friday and attempted to answer questions about the future of the D&D community that were raised after io9 broke the news about the contents of a draft of the document last week.
A leaked copy of an updated “OGL 1.1,” received and reported on by io9 last week, outlined restrictions on third-party publishers including a 25 percent royalty payout for revenues over $750,000, and a copyright clause that appeared to cede ownership of content over to Wizards of the Coast (WotC). All of these concerns were taken up online, as D&D fans, content creators, and third-party publishers responded to the report with concern. Several prominent game publishers announced plans to stop creating new licensed content to focus on their own systems.
The update from Wizards of the Coast says; “the next OGL will contain the provisions… [so that it] covers only content for TTRPGs. That means that other expressions, such as educational and charitable campaigns, livestreams, cosplay, VTT-uses, etc., will remain unaffected by any OGL update. Content already released under 1.0a will also remain unaffected.”
This seems to imply that the Fan Content License, which was previously mentioned in the OGL 1.1 draft as continuing under the new licensing agreement, will be used to protect Wizards from fan content like Actual Play podcasts and videos. The fact that they are also saying that VTTs will be unaffected is a significant change, as earlier editions stated that “non-static” media would be disallowed under the new OGL 1.1. This is likely a massive relief to numerous companies that are working on creating and innovating in the VTT space, but without the fully updated OGL, there are no rock-solid assurances yet.
Another announcement is the fact that any updated OGL “will not contain is any royalty structure.” This is a huge change from the previous iterations, which had a tiered royalty structure that required all commercial projects to report to Wizards of the Coast. One of the reasons for this change seems to be the response that people had to the language about copyright and ownership in the OGL 1.1. The update says, “any language we put down will be crystal clear and unequivocal on that point. The license back language was intended to protect us and our partners from creators who incorrectly allege that we steal their work simply because of coincidental similarities.”
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The announcement goes on to include the expansive IP projects that Wizards is taking on—a movie, a television series, and digital games. It’s clear that Wizards of the Coast cares much more about protecting the cultural currency of Dungeons & Dragons before they think about anything else—including fans, content creators, and third-party publishers.
While the updated OGL 2.0 isn’t going to be released today, it will be coming. There will be no backing down entirely for Wizards of the Coast. They’ve committed too much time, money, and effort into their IP to allow it to be written off totally under the OGL 1.0(a) and the suits in Hasbro will not allow everyone to make off with their name and numbers.
Additionally, the final thing to note about this update is that Wizards of the Coast is doing some incredible spin doctoring in order to lay the groundwork to try to salvage the situation that they find themselves in. The company would love for you to think that this is all part of the plan, but none of this was part of any plan.
The drafts that io9 received were not a thought experiment. They were intended to gauge a reaction, but from individual publishers that Wizards could silence with an NDA, not from the public at large. For all intents and purposes, the OGL 1.1 that was leaked to the press was supposed to go forward. Wizards has realized that they made a mistake and they are walking back numerous parts of the leaked OGL 1.1, saying that, “any change this major could only have been done well if we were willing to take that feedback, no matter how it was provided–so we are.”
However Wizards wants to spin it, the fact is that if hundreds of thousands of fans hadn’t said something on Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit, the current capitulation would have most likely happened after the OGL 1.1 was released. “Finally,” Wizards of the Coast ends their statement, “we’d appreciate the chance to make this right… We won’t let you down.” It may be too late for that.
[Editor’s Note: This article is a breaking news story, and the information cited on this page will change as the story unfolds. Our writers are updating this article as new information is released.]
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Watch Power Rangers’ Touching Tribute to Jason David Frank
Power Rangers fans across the world are still in shock from the sudden passing of Mighty Morphin’ star Jason David Frank this past weekend at the age of 49, with tributes rolling in from across the worlds of Power Rangers and Super Sentai to honor the actor—including a touching new video from Hasbro.
Hasbro shared the tribute this evening, after releasing a brief statement over the weekend in light of Frank’s death. “All of Ranger Nation is deeply saddened by the loss of Jason David Frank,” the statement read in part. “JDF brought countless smiles to fans over the years and will be greatly missed.”
Although Frank will be best-known for Tommy’s debut in Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers as first the Green, and then White, Power Rangers, his legacy as the character continued across the franchise, continuing on to lead the Rangers as Zeo and Turbo’s Red Ranger, and then Dino Thunder’s Black Ranger—all of which and more feature in the tribute, including his recent appearances in anniversary episodes of the franchise. It’s a reminder of just how many generations of Power Rangers fans are touched by his loss, and a fitting farewell to a man who helped shoot the series into the stratosphere in the ‘90s with Tommy’s arrival.
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Hasbro, Salesforce, Carnival, Lockheed Martin & more
Hasbro Inc. toys from based on “Marvel’s The Avengers” movie sit on the shelf at a Target Corp. store in Union, New Jersey, U.S., on Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2012.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading Tuesday.
Hasbro — Shares of the toy company dipped 2.3% after the company reported third-quarter earnings that missed expectations. CEO Chris Cocks blamed “increasing price sensitivity” among consumers and inventory gluts.
Salesforce — Salesforce shares gained 5.2% after Starboard Value revealed to CNBC that it has taken a “significant” stake in the software giant. Starboard founder Jeff Smith did not reveal the exact amount but said he sees a big opportunity after the shares fell more than 40% this year.
Carnival Corporation — Shares of the cruise company jumped more than 12% after one of Carnival’s subsidiaries began an offering of $1.25 billion of senior priority notes due 2028. The company plans to use the net proceeds of the offering to make principal payments on debt and for other general corporate expenses, according to a regulatory filing. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and Royal Caribbean also rose 8.8% and 7.6%, respectively, on the news.
Goldman Sachs — Goldman Sachs rallied 3% after beating third-quarter analyst expectations for profit and revenue on better-than-expected trading results. The company also announced a corporate reorganization that combines the firm’s four main divisions into three.
Target — Shares of the retailer jumped 5% after Jefferies upgraded Target to a buy from hold, saying they can rally about 20% from current levels and benefit from both an easing of supply chain issues and improved inventory positioning.
Lockheed Martin — Shares of the aerospace company jumped 8.5% after Lockheed reported third-quarter earnings of $6.87 per share excluding items, which was higher than a Refinitiv estimate of $6.66 per share.
Amazon — Amazon added 2.7% after Citi named it a top pick for both a hard and soft economic landing, saying it would perform well under either scenario.
XPO Logistics — XPO Logistics fell 1.7% after the freight transportation company released disappointing preliminary quarterly results ahead of its earnings release. The company said Monday that it expects revenue to come in lower than analysts expect, but that earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization will be higher. The company reports Oct. 31.
Nordstrom — The retailer’s shares added more than 3% after the company announced its chief financial officer, Anne Bramman, will step down in December. Nordstrom has begun its search for her successor and said accounting chief Michael Maher will serve that role in the interim.
Enviva — The wood pellet maker rose 4.7% after Raymond James said its value as a more environmentally and socially responsible energy provider is misunderstood.
— CNBC’s Carmen Reinicke, Alex Harring and Michelle Fox contributed reporting
Hasbro Acquires D&D Beyond Digital Toolset
Hasbro announced today that it will be acquiring D&D Beyond the digital toolset and library for fifth-edition Dungeons & Dragons.
The announcement came by way of Hasbro’s investor newsfeed, followed by a post on the official Dungeons & Dragons website.
Welcome to the party, @DnDBEYOND – are you ready for the next adventure? https://t.co/iGtHcnRVUH pic.twitter.com/Ph5kkn7xMk
— Dungeons & Dragons (@Wizards_DnD) April 13, 2022
“Dungeons & Dragons and D&D Beyond have always felt like a part of the same family,” reads D&D’s announcement. “That’s why we are excited to welcome everyone at D&D Beyond to formally join us at Wizards of the Coast, bringing together two teams dedicated to continuing to make Dungeons & Dragons easy to run and accessible to all!”
More importantly, it seems that current D&D Beyond members needn’t worry about losing access to their catalog of campaigns, created characters, or purchased books.
“You’re probably wondering what kind of change might happen as a result of these two teams coming together,” Wizards writes, “so let’s make this clear: we have no plans to stop supporting D&D Beyond. The purchases you’ve made, the characters you’ve created, and the campaigns you’ve run aren’t going anywhere.”