Are you ready to dive into the wild and wonderful world of game licensing? Well, strap on your legal goggles and hold onto your dice because today we're talking about the Open Game License (OGL) from Wizards of the Coast (WotC).
Over the last couple of months, creators have been teased with a new OGL that would change how we create. Small, independent companies like Penny Blood Adventures (a company of a half dozen passionate gamers who develop each module in their spare time) would have to start reporting sales and potentially other restrictions. Needless to say, a lot of people lost their $h!t and told WotC where they could shove their new fancy-pants OGL.
It turns out, the "man" was listening. Today, WotC announced that they will not change anything with the OGL. In fact, they are going one step further and making the System Reference Document (SRD) Open Source. This is awesome news and brings with a lot of benefits. It allows for a lot of creativity and innovation in the gaming world. Third-party publishers can create new adventures, supplements, and fun things without needing permission or pay licensing fees to Wizards of the Coast. That's like finding a +5 sword of gold-saving in a dragon's hoard.
In short, the original OGL is a pretty neat thing that allows for a lot of creativity and fun in the gaming world, and we have to thank Wizards of the Coast for doing the right thing and sharing their spell of game-making magic with all of us.
Well said! The relief in our household is palpable. So glad we can put this month of uncertainty behind us.