Tag Archives: wizards of the coast

Betrayal & Mysterious Partnerships in Your First Look at Magic #23

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BOOM! Studios has released a first look at Magic #23, the next issue from acclaimed comics writers Jed MacKay and Rich Douek, artist Jacques Salomon, colorist Arianna Consonni of Arancia Studio, and letterer Ed Dukeshire, about a series of mysteries plaguing fan-favorite planeswalkers all over the Multiverse, available on February 1, 2023.

Discover the secret history of the War of the Spark in our Multiverse, as revealed by the resurrected Jace Beleren! Meanwhile on Amonkhet, Liliana, Garruk, and Chandra are trapped, watching helplessly while Ral is coerced into betrayal while the man he loves is in danger. Nahiri’s shocking alliances complicate things, and a mysterious partnership is revealed to be behind it all… 

Magic #23 features main cover art by acclaimed artist Miguel Mercado, a polybagged Secret Planeswalker Variant Cover by French Carlomagno, and a variant by Stephanie Hans.

Magic #23

Dungeon & Dragons’ mechanics go Creative Commons while the Open Game License 1.2 is released

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Dungeons & Dragons Players Manual

Wizards of the Coast has a new update about the future of Dungeons & Dragons concerning their Open Game License (OGL).

A draft version of an updated OGL was leaked causing an uproar in the Dungeons & Dragons community over changes that included fees and restrictions. Recently, the D&D team has walked it all back promising a “working conversation” that included feedback before anything new was released.

The latest update not only gives the first look at OGL 1.2 for feedback but the announcement that the core mechanics of Dungeons & Dragons will be given to the community through a Creative Commons license. Dungeons & Dragons’ core mechanics are being released under Creative Commons 4.0.

Creative Commons is a nonprofit that is focused on sharing information and knowledge. It has created a set of licenses that are a set of rules under which material can be used (for example you must attribute the original person).

If you want to use something more specific, that’s where the OGL 1.2 comes in which provides a “perpetual, irrevocable license to do so”.

Launched in 2000 for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition, the license allowed the use of a portion of the game for third parties to create compatible material. During the 4th edition, there was a more restrictive royalty-free license called the Game System License which took away some freedoms from the original license (though that was irrevocable and remains in use). Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition returned to the OGL and featured additional licensing options by publishing through the Dungeon Masters Guild storefront which allowed for the sale of content and creators could name their own price with Wizards of the Coast and OneBookShelf taking 50% of the proceeds.

The updated OGL 1.2 allows the D&D team to address hateful content and only applies to published tabletop roleplaying game content. It also is irrevocable.

What’s not present is royalty payments, financial reporting, registration, license-back, or a distinction between commercial and non-commercial. The announcement again reiterates that anything published under OGL 1.0a will continue to be so. There had been some headscratching questions concerting that.

You can read the full announcement and the Draft Open Game License 1.2 here. A survey is being released to gather feedback until February 3 and a new update will be released around February 17 and will continue until things are gotten “right”.

Wizards of the Coast promises a “Working Conversation” about the Open Game License

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One D&D

Wizards of the Coast and Dungeons & Dragons have been experiencing a lot of backlash based on a leaked early draft for the next iteration of their Open Game License. After a stretched-out period of silence, the company finally addressed the issue last week addressing the goals for the update and some more details. Kyle Brink, the Executive Producer on D&D, has taken to the web to give a further update and promise a period of feedback from the community.

In addressing the path forward, Brunk apologized for how things were handled and the initial language for the updated OGL.

The company is switching gears focusing on being more transparent with the community and allowing for surveys and feedback about the update.

A new proposed OGL documentation will be released on or before Friday, January 20th at which point a survey and period of feedback will begin for two weeks.

Directly from the post, the new updated OGL will have no impact on at least the below:

  • Your video content. Whether you are a commentator, streamer, podcaster, liveplay cast member, or other video creator on platforms like YouTube and Twitch and TikTok, you have always been covered by the Wizards Fan Content Policy. The OGL doesn’t (and won’t) touch any of this.
  • Your accessories for your owned content. No changes to the OGL will affect your ability to sell minis, novels, apparel, dice, and other items related to your creations, characters, and worlds.
  • Non-published works, for instance contracted services. You use the OGL if you want to publish your works that reference fifth edition content through the SRD. That means commissioned work, paid DM services, consulting, and so on aren’t affected by the OGL.
  • VTT content. Any updates to the OGL will still allow any creator to publish content on VTTs and will still allow VTT publishers to use OGL content on their platform.
  • DMs Guild content. The content you release on DMs Guild is published under a Community Content Agreement with Dungeon Masters Guild. This is not changing.
  • Your OGL 1.0a content. Nothing will impact any content you have published under OGL 1.0a. That will always be licensed under OGL 1.0a.
  • Your revenue. There will be no royalty or financial reporting requirements.
  • Your ownership of your content. You will continue to own your content with no license-back requirements.

You can read the full statement here.

Dungeons & Dragons and IP Law: Getting Lawful Neutral with Linda Codega

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Swift fan organizing gets the goods! Dungeons & Dragons planned to change how independent content creators could monetize their D&D-related work, but backlash caused the Hasbro-owned company to change the controversial plan. Hear what this Gargantuan news from the world of tabletop role-playing games means for comics fans and fandom at large with the TTRPG reporter who broke the story, Linda Codega.

Keep up with Codega’s reporting here https://gizmodo.com/author/lcodega

http://lindahcodega.com/ 

Listen to the GP Radio guide to getting into TTRPGs – https://bit.ly/ttrpgGP 

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Wizards of the Coast releases an update on its Open Game License

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One D&D

There’s been a lot of chatter and protest against a leaked draft of the update to the Open Game License for Dungeons & Dragons.

Launched in 2000 for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition, the license allowed the use of a portion of the game for third parties to create compatible material. During the 4th edition, there was a more restrictive royalty-free license called the Game System License which took away some freedoms from the original license (though that was irrevocable and remains in use). Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition returned to the OGL and featured additional licensing options by publishing through the Dungeon Masters Guild storefront which allowed for the sale of content and creators could name their own price with Wizards of the Coast and OneBookShelf taking 50% of the proceeds.

With One D&D on the horizon, a new version of the license has been in the works and a leaked draft caused an uproar in the community. The unconfirmed leaks claimed the original OGL would be discontinued and the new 1.1 version would include royalty fees and greater rights to the material by Wizards of the Coast. This led to threats of protest and other publishers announcing their own open licenses.

Wizards of the Coast today released a response about the updated OGL which has still not been released.

The statement claims the revised OGL had three goals:

  1. The ability to prevent the use of D&D content in hateful and discriminatory products
  2. To address the use of D&D in web3, blockchain games, and NFTs, making it clear the OGL content is limited to tabletop roleplaying content like campaigns, modules, and supplements
  3. To ensure that OGL is for content creators, homebrewers, aspiring designers, players, and the community. It’s not meant for major corporations

The leaked draft’s section about royalties was to apply to large corporations attempting to use the OGL for their own content. The company has admitted they fumbled that and they can’t achieve all three goals.

The company has now stated the next OGL will focus on protecting and cultivating an inclusive environment and specify it only applies to tabletop RPG content. Educational, charitable campaigns, livestreams, cosplay, VTT-use, and more will remain unaffected by the update. Content released under 1.0a will also be unaffected.

The new update will also not contain any royalty structure or license back provisions. That was a concern by some thinking Wizards of the Coast would use it to steal work.

You can read Wizards of the Coast’s full statement here.

Paizo announces a System-Neutral Open RPG License

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Open RPG

There’s been lots of chatter and rumors about Wizards of the Coast’s upcoming new version of its Open Gaming License (OGL) causing an unknown future in tabletop roleplaying. In response, Paizo has begun work on a new open, perpetual, and irrevocable Open RPG Creative License (ORC).

Since 2000, the OGL has improved the community, incubated creativity, and grown the business of not only the licensees but the licensor. A stated goal of a perpetual and irrevocable OGL was to ensure the establishment and longevity of gaming networks and to drive sales to both. Recent reinterpretation notwithstanding, it succeeded with roleplaying games seeing a golden age and creativity level not seen in decades. Many companies including Wizards of the Coast have benefitted from that growth.

The Open RPG Creative License (ORC) will be built system agnostic for independent game publishers under the legal guidance of Azora Law, an intellectual property law firm that represents Paizo and several other game publishers. Multiple leading publishers have already signed on to the effort to create a new and truly open license that allows all games to provide their own unique open rules reference documents that open up their individual game systems to the world.

You can find the complete details on Paizo’s blog.

Preview: Magic #22

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Magic #22

(W) Jed MacKay, Rich Douek (A) Ig Guara (CA) Miguel Mercado
In Shops: Jan 04, 2023
SRP: $4.99

Desperate questions make reluctant alliances! Garruk the Wildspeaker agrees to work with the woman who once cursed him-Liliana Vess!

Together, they must find Isona Maive before she finds an even more dangerous ally than Marit Lage or Tezzeret!

With the man she loves, Jace Beleren, unsure if he’s hearing a voice from beyond the grave, Vraska calls on Kaya. Kaya may be the only Planeswalker who can slay a ghost, but she also pulled Vraska out of Jace’s arms in what might have been their final moments together.

And Kaya’s not any happier to see Vraska, who foreswore their friendship as thanks for Kaya saving her life. But if Niko’s right, someone is manipulating all their fates, there’s no time left for grudges.

Magic #22

Reluctant Alliances and Fates Manipulated in Your First Look at Magic #22

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BOOM! Studios has revealed a first look at Magic #22, the next issue from acclaimed comics writer Jed MacKay and Rich Douek, artist Giorgio Spalletta and Alberto Locatelli, colorists Arianna Consonni of Arancia Studio and Francesco Segala, and letterer Ed Dukeshire, about a series of mysteries plaguing fan-favorite planeswalkers all over the Multiverse, available in January 4, 2023.

Desperate questions make reluctant alliances! Garruk the Wildspeaker agrees to work with the woman who once cursed him–Liliana Vess! Together, they must find Isona Maive before she finds an even more dangerous ally than Marit Lage or Tezzeret! Meanwhile, with the man Vraska loves, Jace Beleren, unsure if he’s hearing a voice from beyond the grave, they call on Kaya. Kaya may be the only Planeswalker who can slay a ghost, but she also pulled Vraska out of Jace’s arms in what might have been their final moments together. And Kaya’s not any happier to see Vraska, who foreswore their friendship as thanks for Kaya saving her life. But if Niko’s right, someone is manipulating all their fates, there’s no time left for grudges.

Magic #22 features main cover art by acclaimed artist Miguel Mercado, a polybagged Secret Planeswalker Variant Cover by acclaimed illustrator WOLFSKULLJACK, and a variant by Rian Gonzales.

Magic #22

Head back to the Forgotten Realms with Dungeons & Dragons: Saturday Morning Adventures

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In 1983, six unsuspecting kids boarded a magical roller coaster and were transported to the Forgotten Realms…much to the awe and wonder of millions of children every Saturday morning! In celebration of its 40th anniversary, IDW Publishing will bring back the heroes of this cartoon classic in March with the new four-issue comic book miniseries, Dungeons & Dragons: Saturday Morning Adventures, a thrilling “lost episode” charting new territory in the world of D&D by writers David M. Booher, Sam Maggs, and artist George Kambadais!

Noble ranger Hank, intrepid acrobat Diana, quiet thief Sheila, impulsive barbarian Bobby, fearful cavalier Eric, and uncertain magician Presto only want to get back to their own world. But escaping the Realms has turned out to be much harder than getting there! Danger lurks at every turn, the enigmatic Dungeon Master is less than helpful, and Venger—the force of evil—will stop at nothing to get his hands on the magical weapons that the kids have come to rely on. To top it off, Hank has made a startling discovery: Despite the dangers, Sheila, Bobby, Diana, and the others aren’t so sure they want to go home after all!

Each issue of Dungeons & Dragons: Saturday Morning Adventures will feature Cover A by series artist George Kambadais, Cover B by prolific My Little Pony artist Brenda Hickey, and a special retailer incentive cover by Tim Levins.

Magic #21 kicks off a new storyline

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Magic: The Gathering comes to comics courtesy of BOOM! Studios. Magic #21 kicks off a whole new storyline starting a year after the previous one ended.

Story: Jed MacKay, Rich Douek
Art: Ig Guara, Alberto Locatelli, Jacques Salomon
Color: Arianna Consonni, Francesco Segala, Gloria Martinelli, Natalia Nesterenko
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

TFAW
Zeus Comics
comiXology/Kindle

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