---
title: The ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ debacle, explained
description: For years, “Dungeons & Dragons” fans have been able to create new content freely. They got really mad when that almost changed.
---

[Hustle News ](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news)

# [The ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ debacle, explained](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/01302023-dungeons-dragons)

 Written by [Juliet Bennett Rylah](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/author/juliet-bennett-rylah) | Jan 30, 2023 8:32:11 AM

Recently, “Dungeons & Dragons” players embarked on their biggest quest yet: convincing Wizards of the Coast (WotC) not to upset the game’s decades-old cottage industry.

#### **The backstory**

“Dungeons & Dragons” — currently owned by WotC, a division of Hasbro — has been around since [1974](https://viterbi-web.usc.edu/~mkperlmu/itp104/assignment_05/interests_page_gallery_layout.html), but has enjoyed a modern resurgence thanks to:

- The game’s easier-to-learn fifth-edition rule book, released in 2014.
- Pop culture, like Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” and livestreams like “Critical Role.”
- The pandemic, during which players flocked to online sessions. In 2020, the game generated a record [$816m](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/13/dungeons-dragons-had-its-biggest-year-despite-the-coronavirus.html) in revenue.

#### **But it almost made a big mistake**

In December, WotC CEO Cynthia Williams reportedly [described](https://www.geekwire.com/2023/analysis-nobody-could-dethrone-dungeons-dragons-except-wizards-of-the-coast-and-it-may-have-done-just-that/) D&D as “under-monetized.” Shortly after, a proposed update to its open gaming license (OGL) [leaked](https://gizmodo.com/dnd-wizards-of-the-coast-ogl-1-1-open-gaming-license-1849950634) online.

The OGL dates back to 2000, and allows creators to make and sell products, like custom adventures or maps, using D&D’s framework.

It [incentivizes](https://www.thegamer.com/dungeons-dragons-dnd-what-is-ogl-open-game-license/) players to create content, as opposed to competing games, and is part of D&D’s lasting popularity.

But the proposed OGL [would have](https://www.gamesradar.com/dandds-licensing-controversy-explained-heres-why-you-should-care/) imposed royalties on big earners, required creators to submit financial reports, and given WotC the right to use OGL content as it pleased, among other changes.

#### **Players got really, really mad…**

… signing an open letter against the update, and threatening boycotts, while other game studios announced their own OGLs.

The backlash was so intense that WotC apologized and [completely reversed ](https://twitter.com/DnDBeyond/status/1619064403466326027)course on Friday, *and* added its entire system to a Creative Commons license, so it can be used freely with attribution.

Huzzah? Well, an important lesson was learned about upsetting an extremely loyal fan base — but what lasting impact this mess will have on D&D’s RPG throne remains to be seen.

[View full post](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/01302023-dungeons-dragons)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Juliet Bennett Rylah"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2023-10-11T19:35:37.436Z",
  "datePublished" : "2023-01-30T08:32:11Z",
  "headline" : "The ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ debacle, explained",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 1828,
    "url" : "https://7355427.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/7355427/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/721435967-HS-News-Brief_2023-01-30T002610.931Z-scaled.webp",
    "width" : 2560
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/01302023-dungeons-dragons",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "Hustle News"
  }
}
```