Dungeons and Dragons quickly responded to wildfire rumors that some concerning changes were coming to D&D Beyond. Though reportedly from credible sources, Dungeons and Dragons attests the rumors are untrue.
Recently, several reported leaks from within Wizards of the Coast brought some troubling rumors to light. According to the leaks, D&D Beyond was going to introduce new subscription tiers, limit homebrew content, and introduce an AI DMing function to its platform. Other rumors suggested Dungeons and Dragons did not read any of the feedback it collected for its One D&D playtests. These rumors came alongside controversy surrounding Dungeons and Dragons' proposed changes to the Open Game License.
Wizards of the Coast quickly dispelled the rumors on the official D&D Beyond Twitter page. In a recent thread, Dungeons and Dragons claimed the rumored $30 subscription fee was false, and that no limits on homebrew use would be coming to D&D Beyond. It also clarified no one at Wizards of the Coast is working on AI DMs, and ensured its survey results are well-read–a fact corroborated by several developers whose job it is to do so.
It is unclear how these rumors came to circulate as verified facts. It is possible these sources were misinformed, or that the information itself was intentionally misleading to add more fuel to the controversies surrounding Wizard of the Coast right now. Alternatively, it is possible some of these rumors were true at one point, and Wizards of the Coast has since changed its mind. Regardless, the incident caused quite a stir on social media, with fans lashing out at both developers and each other in the panic.
Players are relieved to see these particular rumors are untrue. Dungeons and Dragons fans are currently not happy with Wizards of the Coast, so such drastic changes were unlikely to go over well with the community. Players can continue to focus on their ongoing battle to preserve the original Dungeons and Dragons OGL or give feedback on the new one without worrying about another controversy.
On the other hand, some players are not as quick to trust Wizards of the Coast after recent events. Some of the recent statements from Dungeons and Dragons manipulated the truth, and plenty of players wonder if D&D Beyond is doing the same. A Twitter thread is hardly legally binding, and several players made the half-joking comment that a $29.99 subscription fee is technically not $30. Either way, this incident proved Dungeons and Dragons fans should be patient and discerning as this controversial situation evolves–and to never harass each other or developers in the process.
Dungeons and Dragons is available now. One D&D is in development.