Open Game Licenses and Copyright in Tabletop Roleplaying Games: How Innovation Does(n’t) Breed Excellence
After two decades as the dominant force in tabletop roleplaying, Wizards of the Coast faced major backlash for attempting to change the Open Game License (OGL) for Dungeons & Dragons. The OGL had balanced third-party creativity with copyright control, but its revocation sparked public outcry. The controversy highlights tensions between copyright and community, and the uncertain legal status of game mechanics in copyright law.
