Dungeons and Dragons publisher reverses planned ban on NFTs

Wizards of the Coast, the game publisher behind the Dungeons & Dragons title, has reversed a proposed ban on non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Earlier this month, the company revealed plans to change a game license that would prohibit using D&D content with third-party NFTs.

Dungeons & Dragons publisher reverses NFT ban

The game publisher received backlash from the gaming community after it proposed changes to a legal framework that permitted the production of D&D-compatible content. The legal framework has existed for more than two decades, comprising podcasts, graphic novels, live play shows, and other forms of media.

Wizards of the Coast has already announced that it will not go through all the proposed changes to the Open Game License. Some of the changes that the firm has dropped include mandatory royalties from content creators. In the updated proposal, the publisher said that D&D content, such as game mechanics, would not be used alongside third-party NFTs.

The updated proposal also appeared to attack the entire Web3 sector, with the publisher saying that Web3 developers were the main reason behind introducing changes between creators and fans. Wizards of the Coast had said that the goal was to target the people using D&D content in NFTs and Web3 games.

However, it now seems like the updated proposal will not go through, as the publisher will not make any changes to the Open Game License. The game publisher will include D&D content in its System Reference Document using a Creative Commons license.

Wizards of the Coast is abandoning plans to update the Open Game License after poll results where the community shared their thoughts on the proposed changes. The D&D community voted against the update to the license. 86% of the poll results showed that the community was unsatisfied with the changed policy.

The publisher released a blog post on abandoning the update saying, “We wanted to limit the OGL to [tabletop role-playing games]. With this new approach, we are setting that aside and counting on your choices to define the future of play.”

Web3 gaming companies abandon OGL amid proposed changes

The plans by Wizards of the Coast to ban NFTs and other Web3 initiatives on the platforms have led to Web3 gaming companies abandoning their plans to integrate the Open Game License. Gripnr has dropped plans to use the license for The Glimmering project. This project involves a blockchain tabletop game leveraging the Polygon layer-two network.

The Lead Developer at Gripnr, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, noted that the company was looking for the best option for the project. As such, it held talks with the council to determine the next step.

Gripnr could resume plans to adopt the Open Game License now that Wizards of the Coast has abandoned its plans to make changes. Radney-MacFarland added that the gaming company was currently evaluating other game licenses developed by competing firms such as Pathfinder.