Editing Dungeons & Dragons (section)

== Licensing ==
Early in the game's history, TSR took no action against small publishers' production of ''D&D'' compatible material and even licensed [[Judges Guild]] to produce ''D&D'' materials for several years, such as ''[[City State of the Invincible Overlord]].''<ref name="Kyngdoms">{{cite web | last = Sacco | first = Ciro Alessandro | title = The Ultimate Interview with Gary Gygax | work = thekyngdoms.com | url = http://www.thekyngdoms.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=37 | access-date = September 2, 2014 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111223222505/http://www.thekyngdoms.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=37 | archive-date = December 23, 2011 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> This attitude changed in the mid-1980s when TSR took legal action to try to prevent others from publishing compatible material. This angered many fans and led to resentment by the other gaming companies.<ref name="Schick 17-34" /> Although TSR took legal action against several publishers in an attempt to restrict third-party usage, it never brought any court cases to completion, instead settling out of court in every instance.<ref>{{cite web | first=Shannon | last=Appelcline | date=July 16, 2008 | url=http://www.skotos.net/articles/TTnT_/TTnT_209.phtml | title=Games & The Law, Part Seven: The D&D Dilemma | access-date=July 7, 2009 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090504205238/http://www.skotos.net/articles/TTnT_/TTnT_209.phtml | archive-date=May 4, 2009 }}</ref> TSR itself ran afoul of intellectual property law in several cases.<ref>Copyright conflicts with [[Tolkien Enterprises]] led to removal of references to [[Hobbit]]s, [[Ent]]s and others. (Hallford, Hallford; ''Swords & Circuitry'')</ref>

With the launch of ''Dungeons & Dragons'''s [[Editions of Dungeons & Dragons|3rd Edition]], Wizards of the Coast made the d20 System available under the [[Open Game License]] (OGL) and [[D20 System#Trademark license|d20 System trademark license]]. Under these licenses, authors were free to use the d20 System when writing games and game supplements.<ref>Wizards of the Coast; The d20 System</ref> The OGL has allowed a wide range of unofficial commercial [[derivative work]] based on the [[Game mechanics|mechanics]] of ''Dungeons and Dragons'' to be produced since 2000;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Walsh |first=Kit |date=2023-01-10 |title=Beware the Gifts of Dragons: How D&D's Open Gaming License May Have Become a Trap for Creators |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/01/beware-gifts-dragons-how-dds-open-gaming-license-may-have-become-trap-creators |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230112003746/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/01/beware-gifts-dragons-how-dds-open-gaming-license-may-have-become-trap-creators |archive-date=2023-01-12 |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=[[Electronic Frontier Foundation]] |language=en}}</ref> it is credited with increasing the market share of d20 products''<ref name="Demil-2014">{{Cite journal |last1=Demil |first1=Benoît |last2=Lecocq |first2=Xavier |date=2014-05-15 |title=The Rise and Fall of an Open Business Model |url=https://journals.openedition.org/rei/5803 |journal=Revue d'économie industrielle |language=en |issue=146 |pages=85–113 |doi=10.4000/rei.5803 |s2cid=145373814 |issn=0154-3229 |doi-access=free |access-date=January 12, 2023 |archive-date=January 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111172412/https://journals.openedition.org/rei/5803 |url-status=live }}</ref>'' and leading to a "boom in the RPG industry in the early 2000s".<ref name="Seaman-2022">{{Cite journal |last1=Seaman |first1=Christopher B. |last2=Tran |first2=Thuan |date=2022 |title=Intellectual Property and Tabletop Games |url=https://ilr.law.uiowa.edu/print/volume-107-issue-4/intellectual-property-and-tabletop-games/ |journal=[[Iowa Law Review]] |volume=107 |issue=4 |pages=1615–1683 |access-date=January 12, 2023 |archive-date=January 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111112235/https://ilr.law.uiowa.edu/print/volume-107-issue-4/intellectual-property-and-tabletop-games/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

With the release of the [[Editions of Dungeons & Dragons#Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition|4th Edition]], Wizards of the Coast introduced its [[Game System License]], which represented a significant restriction compared to the very open policies embodied by the OGL. In part as a response to this, some publishers (such as [[Paizo Publishing]] with its ''[[Pathfinder Roleplaying Game]]'') who previously produced materials in support of the ''D&D'' product line, decided to continue supporting the 3rd Edition rules, thereby competing directly with Wizards of the Coast. Others, such as [[Kenzer & Company]], returned to the practice of publishing unlicensed supplements and arguing that copyright law does not allow Wizards of the Coast to restrict third-party usage.<ref>{{cite web
 | author=Anonymous | date=July 9, 2008
| title=Kenzer & Co, D&D, and Trademarks
 | publisher=Robertson Games | url=http://robertsongames.com/role-playing-games/dungeons-dragons/kenzer-co-dd-and-trademarks
 | access-date=July 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118102121/http://robertsongames.com/role-playing-games/dungeons-dragons/kenzer-co-dd-and-trademarks|archive-date=January 18, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>

During the 2000s, there has been a trend towards reviving and recreating older editions of ''D&D'', known as the [[Old School Revival]]. This, in turn, inspired the creation of [[Dungeons & Dragons retro-clones|"retro-clones"]], games that more closely recreate the original rule sets, using material placed under the OGL along with non-copyrightable mechanical aspects of the older rules to create a new presentation of the games.
[[File:Dungeons & Dragons System Reference Document v5.1 (2023).pdf|thumb|right|Version 5.1 of the [[System Reference Document]], released in 2023]]
Alongside the publication of the 5th Edition, Wizards of the Coast established a two-pronged licensing approach. The core of the 5th Edition rules have been made available under the OGL, while publishers and independent creators have also been given the opportunity to create licensed materials directly for Dungeons & Dragons and associated properties like the Forgotten Realms under a program called the [[OneBookShelf#Dungeon Masters Guild|DM's Guild]].<ref name="Montgomery-2023">{{Cite web|url=http://support.dmsguild.com/hc/en-us/articles/217520927-Ownership-and-License-OGL-Questions|title=Ownership and License (OGL) Questions|last=Montgomery|first=Jeff|website=Dungeon Masters Guild|language=en-US|access-date=February 13, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215023616/https://support.dmsguild.com/hc/en-us/articles/217520927-Ownership-and-License-OGL-Questions|archive-date=February 15, 2018}}</ref> The DM's Guild does not function under the OGL, but uses a community agreement intended to foster liberal cooperation among content creators.<ref name="Montgomery-2023" />

Wizards of the Coast has started to release 5th Edition products that tie into other intellectual properties—such as ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' with the ''[[Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica]]'' (2018) and ''[[Mythic Odysseys of Theros]]'' (2020) source books.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/7/23/17603740/dungeons-dragons-magic-the-gathering-crossover-book-ravnica-dnd-mtg|title=Dungeons & Dragons gets a major crossover with Magic: The Gathering this fall|last=Hall|first=Charlie|date=July 23, 2018|website=Polygon|language=en|access-date=April 26, 2020|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109031236/https://www.polygon.com/2018/7/23/17603740/dungeons-dragons-magic-the-gathering-crossover-book-ravnica-dnd-mtg|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/dungeons-and-dragons-magic-the-gathering-crossover-2/|title=Dungeons and Dragons is Set to Crossover with Magic the Gathering|date=February 28, 2020|website=Screen Rant|language=en-US|access-date=April 26, 2020|archive-date=November 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101122825/https://screenrant.com/dungeons-and-dragons-magic-the-gathering-crossover-2/|url-status=live}}</ref> Two 5th Edition [[Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set#Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition|starter box sets]] based on TV shows, ''[[Stranger Things]]'' and ''[[Rick and Morty]]'', were released in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/2/14/18224819/stranger-things-dungeons-dragons-starter-set-release-date-price|title=The Stranger Things-themed D&D Starter Set is real, includes Mike's homebrew campaign|last=Hall|first=Charlie|date=February 14, 2019|website=Polygon|language=en|access-date=April 26, 2020|archive-date=April 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413075227/https://www.polygon.com/2019/2/14/18224819/stranger-things-dungeons-dragons-starter-set-release-date-price|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/11/19/dungeons-dragons-rick-morty-game-impressions-dnd-starter-set|title=The D&D vs Rick and Morty Game is Just as Wild as You'd Expect|last=Ryan|first=Jon|date=November 19, 2019|website=IGN|access-date=April 26, 2020|archive-date=April 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200423020329/https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/11/19/dungeons-dragons-rick-morty-game-impressions-dnd-starter-set|url-status=live}}</ref> Source books based on ''Dungeons & Dragons'' live play series have also been released: ''Acquisitions Incorporated'' (2019) and ''[[Explorer's Guide to Wildemount]]'' (2020).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.inverse.com/article/62252-d-d-explorer-s-guide-to-wildemount-critical-role-sourcebook-dunamancy|title=D&D 'Explorer's Guide to Wildemount' makes Critical Role & dunamancy canon|last=Plante|first=Corey|website=Inverse|date=January 13, 2020|language=en|access-date=April 26, 2020|archive-date=December 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201082110/https://www.inverse.com/article/62252-d-d-explorer-s-guide-to-wildemount-critical-role-sourcebook-dunamancy|url-status=live}}</ref>

Between November and December 2022, there was reported speculation that Wizards was planning on discontinuing the OGL for ''Dungeons & Dragons'' based on unconfirmed leaks.<ref name="Law-2022">{{Cite web |last=Law |first=Eric |date=2022-11-14 |title=Rumor: One D&D Might Be Killing Third-Party Homebrew Content |url=https://gamerant.com/dungeons-and-dragons-one-dnd-no-ogl-rumor/ |access-date=2022-11-26 |website=Game Rant |language=en-US |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113073331/https://gamerant.com/dungeons-and-dragons-one-dnd-no-ogl-rumor/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chancey |first=Tyler |date=November 22, 2022 |title=Wizards Clarifies One D&D Third Party Support |url=https://techraptor.net/tabletop/news/wizards-clarifies-one-dd-third-party-support |access-date=2022-11-26 |website=TechRaptor |language=en |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113072017/https://techraptor.net/tabletop/news/wizards-clarifies-one-dd-third-party-support |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Hoffer-2022a">{{Cite web |date=November 21, 2022 |title=Dungeons & Dragons Clarifies Support for Third-Party Material as New Edition Draws Near |url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dungeons-dragons-open-game-license-srd-one-dnd/ |access-date=2022-11-26 |website=[[ComicBook.com]] |language=en |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113022707/https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dungeons-dragons-open-game-license-srd-one-dnd/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Codega-2022e">{{Cite web |date=December 21, 2022 |title=The Dungeons & Dragons Open Gaming License Isn't Going Anywhere |url=https://gizmodo.com/dnd-open-gaming-license-dungeons-dragons-wizards-coast-1849919823 |access-date=December 21, 2022 |website=Gizmodo |language=en |archive-date=December 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221193823/https://gizmodo.com/dnd-open-gaming-license-dungeons-dragons-wizards-coast-1849919823 |url-status=live }}</ref> In response to the speculation, Wizards stated in November 2022: "We will continue to support the thousands of creators making third-party D&D content with the release of [[One D&D]] in 2024."<ref name="Hoffer-2022a"/> Limited details on the update to the OGL, including the addition of revenue reporting and required royalties, were released by Wizards in December 2022.<ref name="DND-2022b">{{Cite web |date=December 21, 2022 |title=OGLs, SRDs, & One D&D |url=http://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1410-ogls-srds-one-d-d |access-date=December 21, 2022 |website=D&D Beyond |language=en-us |archive-date=December 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221183154/http://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1410-ogls-srds-one-d-d |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Hoffer-2022c">{{Cite web |date=December 21, 2022 |title=Dungeons & Dragons Announces Changes to OGL, Some Third-Party Creators Must Report Revenue and Potentially Pay Royalties |url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dungeons-dragons-wizards-of-the-coast-ogl-srd-royalties/ |access-date=December 21, 2022 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en |archive-date=December 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221184130/https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dungeons-dragons-wizards-of-the-coast-ogl-srd-royalties/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Codega-2022e" /> Linda Codega, for ''[[Io9]]'' in January 2023, reported on the details from a leaked full copy of the OGL 1.1 including updated terms such as no longer authorizing use of the OGL1.0.<ref name="Codega-2023">{{Cite web |last=Codega |first=Linda |date=2023-01-05 |title=Dungeons & Dragons' New License Tightens Its Grip on Competition |url=https://gizmodo.com/dnd-wizards-of-the-coast-ogl-1-1-open-gaming-license-1849950634 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111115214/https://gizmodo.com/dnd-wizards-of-the-coast-ogl-1-1-open-gaming-license-1849950634 |archive-date=2023-01-11 |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=[[Gizmodo]] |language=en}}</ref> Codega highlighted that "if the original license is in fact no longer viable, every single licensed publisher will be affected by the new agreement. [...] The main takeaway from the leaked OGL 1.1 draft document is that WotC is keeping power close at hand".<ref name="Codega-2023" /> A week after the leak, Wizards issued a response which walked back several changes to the OGL; this response did not contain the updated OGL.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 13, 2023 |title=An Update on the Open Game License (OGL) |url=http://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1423-an-update-on-the-open-game-license-ogl |access-date=January 13, 2023 |website=[[D&D Beyond]] |publisher=[[Wizards of the Coast]] |language=en-us |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113162049/https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1423-an-update-on-the-open-game-license-ogl |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Hoffer-2023d">{{Cite web |date=January 13, 2023 |title=Dungeons & Dragons Releases Statement on New OGL, Retracts Royalties and License Back Language |url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dungeons-dragons-ogl-statement-retracts-royalties-license-back-language-outrage/ |access-date=January 13, 2023 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113164003/https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dungeons-dragons-ogl-statement-retracts-royalties-license-back-language-outrage/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Codega-2023f">{{Cite web |date=January 13, 2023 |title=Wizards of the Coast Breaks Their Silence on the Dungeons & Dragons OGL |url=https://gizmodo.com/dungeons-dragons-ogl-license-wizards-of-the-coast-wotc-1849985196 |access-date=January 13, 2023 |website=Gizmodo |language=en |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113162920/https://gizmodo.com/dungeons-dragons-ogl-license-wizards-of-the-coast-wotc-1849985196 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[The Motley Fool]] highlighted that "Hasbro pulled an abrupt volte-face and had its subsidiary D&D Beyond publish a [[mea culpa]] on its website".<ref name="Smith-2023">{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Rich |date=2023-01-17 |title=A Big Change Could Be Coming for Hasbro: Should Investors Worry? |url=https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/01/17/big-change-coming-for-hasbro-should-investor-worry/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=The Motley Fool |language=en |archive-date=January 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117164624/https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/01/17/big-change-coming-for-hasbro-should-investor-worry/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On January 27, 2023, following feedback received during the open comment period for the draft OGL1.2, Wizards of the Coast announced that the System Reference Document 5.1 (SRD 5.1) would be released under an irrevocable Creative Commons license ([[CC BY 4.0]]) effective immediately and Wizards would no longer pursue deauthorizing the OGL1.0a.<ref name="Brink-2023">{{Cite web |last=Brink |first=Kyle |date=January 27, 2023 |title=OGL 1.0a & Creative Commons |url=http://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1439-ogl-1-0a-creative-commons |access-date=January 27, 2023 |website=[[D&D Beyond]] |language=en-us |type=[[Press release]] |archive-date=January 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127201539/https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1439-ogl-1-0a-creative-commons |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Hall-2023">{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Charlie |date=January 27, 2023 |title=D&D won't change the OGL, handing fans and third-party publishers a massive victory |url=https://www.polygon.com/23574677/dungeons-dragons-dnd-ogl-canceled-wizards-fans-win |access-date=January 27, 2023 |website=Polygon |language=en-US |archive-date=January 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127201901/https://www.polygon.com/23574677/dungeons-dragons-dnd-ogl-canceled-wizards-fans-win |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Codega-2023g">{{Cite web |date=January 27, 2023 |title=Dungeons & Dragons Scraps Plans to Update Its Open Game License |url=https://gizmodo.com/dungeons-dragons-will-no-longer-deauthorize-its-open-1850041837 |access-date=January 27, 2023 |website=Gizmodo |language=en |archive-date=January 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127202427/https://gizmodo.com/dungeons-dragons-will-no-longer-deauthorize-its-open-1850041837 |url-status=live }}</ref> The SRD was then revised to reflect the [[One D&D|2024 revision]] to the 5th Edition ruleset; [[:File:Dungeons & Dragons System Reference Document v5.2 (2025).pdf|System Reference Document 5.2]] (SRD 5.2) was released under a Creative Commons license on April 22, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 16, 2025 |title=Coming April 22: Publish Your Own Creations Using the 2024 Core Rules |url=https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1949-coming-april-22-publish-your-own-creations-using |access-date=April 16, 2025 |website=[[D&D Beyond]] |language=en-us |type=[[Press release]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Oaks |first=Amanda Kay |date=April 16, 2025 |title=New D&D Errata Revise 2024 5e Rules Ahead of SRD 5.2 Update |url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dungeons-dragons-dnd-5e-errata-rules-update-srd-5-2-release/ |access-date=April 16, 2025 |website=[[ComicBook.com]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dohm-Sanchez |first=Jeffrey |date=April 23, 2025 |title=Wizards of the Coast Updates 'D&D' System Reference Document |url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/59390/wizards-coast-updates-d-d-system-reference-document |access-date=April 24, 2025 |website=[[ICv2]] |language=en}}</ref>