Did Hasbro & Wizards of the Coast Kill the D&D Brand?

This is a tough topic, but it’s one I felt needed to be talked about. The controversy around the OGL (Open Gaming License) and Wizards of the Coast’s proposed changes have shaken the community in a way I don’t think I’ve seen in all the years I’ve been playing.

When the leak of OGL 1.1 came out, the reaction was fast and fierce. Fans, small publishers, and independent creators all voiced their outrage—because the proposed changes didn’t just tweak some rules. They fundamentally threatened the freedom and creativity that have always been core to the D&D community.

It wasn’t just that these changes could have meant higher fees or more restrictions—it was the sense of betrayal. Wizards had promised years ago that the original OGL was permanent and that creators could always rely on it. But the new proposal felt like an attempt to yank that promise away.

Other companies like Paizo and Kobold Press announced their plans to break away and work under a new, more open license—ORC (Open RPG Creative License). And fans took action, too—unsubscribing from D&D Beyond, sharing concerns online, and showing that they weren’t willing to just accept this without a fight.

Wizards and Hasbro eventually walked back some of their plans after seeing the backlash, but it’s clear that the damage was done. The trust that took decades to build was broken in a matter of weeks.

For me, this moment isn’t just about rules or licenses—it’s about what makes tabletop roleplaying games special. It’s the creativity, the flexibility, the ability for anyone to take these tools and create their own worlds and stories. That’s what the OGL supported, and it’s what was suddenly under threat.

While I still love D&D and will keep running games and supporting the community, I’ve decided not to buy new products from Wizards if they continue down this path. I’ll be focusing more on third-party publishers and exploring other games that still support an open, community-driven approach.

We can’t control what a corporation does, but we can control how we respond. By supporting creators and speaking up respectfully but firmly, we can remind Wizards—and any other company—that the community’s voice matters.

For more details about the whole situation, how the community has responded, and what it might mean for the future, check out the full video. And if you’ve been grappling with these questions yourself, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

#openDND
Brian