Dungeons & Dragons backpedals on proposed NFT ban following community uproar

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Wizards of the Coast, the publisher of the hit board game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), has announced a reversal of its decision to change the game’s license that would appear to ban the creation of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) relating to the game.

The game publisher reached the decision after completing a poll with over 80% of players expressing dissatisfaction with the proposed ban. Over 15,000 individuals took part in the survey, which swayed the opinion of the publishers to leave the licensing “untouched,” leaving “the entire SRD 5.1 available under a Creative Commons license.”

Going forward, individuals can continue to make compatible content with D&D, as it has been for over 20 years. The provision has allowed players to launch podcasts, graphic novels, and other forms of media revolving around the board game.

“This Creative Commons license makes the content freely available for any use,” said the publishers. “We don’t control that license and cannot alter or revoke it. It is open and irrevocable in a way that doesn’t require you to take our word for it.”

The plans to change the gaming licensing were announced on January 13, sparking a flurry of negative reactions from fans. In a blog post, the publishers said the move was necessary to prevent exploitation by those looking to make unfair gains.

“Second, we wanted to address those attempting to use D&D in web, blockchain games, and NFTS by making clear that OGL (open game license) content is limited to tabletop roleplaying content like campaigns, modules, and supplements,” read the blog post.

The suggested prohibition had rocked the boat with several firms now looking for other routes to launch their D&D-inspired digital collectibles. 

In a statement shared with CoinGeek, GRIPNR Lead Game Designer Stephen Radney-Macfarland said, “We are currently looking at various options and consulting with the council to determine the best path forward. In light of Wizards of the Coast’s announcement, we could use the OGL, but we could also use the SRD5 they placed under the Creative Common license (CC-BY-4.0). We could also entirely go our own way and use a license created by others (such as the Paizo ORC initiative) or create our own license to allow our community to create and share content. Given how much of a rollercoaster ride this needless upheaval has been, taking a long and measured look and finding the best option is not something we are willing to rush. Whatever we decide, we’ll make our announcement publicly and openly.”

An impressive start to the year

Following a gloomy 2022, pundits predict a reversal of fortunes for digital collectibles in 2023. The experts are hinging their hypothesis on the blistering start to the year for NFTs, as the asset class recorded a 26% increase in transaction volume from the last week of 2022.

Across the board, there were 1.2 million separate NFT transactions with over 400,000 buyers. Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) led the charge, recording $19 million in sales, while Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC), Azuki, and CryptoPunks propped up the markets with their impressive transaction volumes.

Watch: Blockchain: Data Power-Ups and NFTs for eSports & Online Games

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article stated that GRIPNR has abandoned its NFT plans. This has been corrected with the full statement from the company.