In a surprising new post on D&D Beyond, Wizards of the Coast has announced that they will not be altering the OGL after all. Read on for all the details. https://dungeonsanddragonsfan.com/wizards-walks-back-ogl-changes/ #dnd #dungeonsanddragons #opendnd #ogl #wizardsofthecoast
@DnDFanatics yeah, I think you missed the major point is that the #ogl is now dead; the #dnd #srd is now available under #creativecommons . The goal of #opendnd has been achieved.
@jayembosch yes, there is a minor threat to users of SRD 3 (but I think the OGL is perpetual anyway). So yes, back to the same step 1 they have been in for the last 20 years.
But for anyone relying on SRD 5, now that it is CC, you just add the credit (and remove the OGL), and you are fine.
Things like OSR could be just as derivable from SRD 5 as 3, and people like Paizo have said themselves they no longer use any of the SRD wording, but use the OGL to make their content useable.
SRD 5.1 under CC is the important thing in the announcement. Retaining OGL 1.0a for older stuff is minor (and I think it was perpetual anyway).
@sgryphon You're misunderstanding. I don't mean people publishing for 3.x or using an old SRD. I mean publishers releasing their content as Open Game Content under OGL 1.0a. Take a look at Kobold Press's OGL legal text at the link below for an example. They produce 5e content. Look at all of the published works they have to note have contributed OGC to the OGL.
https://koboldpress.com/open-game-license-version-1-0a_deepmagic/
@sgryphon This is because they USE that content in their books, publishing other authors' words as per the OGL agreement. If the OGL goes away, hundreds of books can still no longer legally be printed without new licensing agreements between dozens of parties to get the rights to the content they need. Rewriting these books to exclude that content is a massive undertaking that only the biggest 3pp can even afford.
@sgryphon @DnDFanatics Open 5e SRD has been achieved, sure! But what about the hundreds of products released by 3rd party publishers who used or created Open Game Content under the OGL? If WotC decides to go back on "not touching the OGL" yet AGAIN, those publishers are almost back to square one in terms of the threat to their content and income.