Saturday, August 02, 2008

Necromancer Games Chooses not to Use the GSL... Yet!

There's been some hullaballoo about Necromancer Games deciding not to publish under the GSL. Clark Peterson has been a huge supporter and booster for some form of easy license for 3rd party publishing of D&D 4e products. So yeah, a vote of no confidence from Necromancer Games is a big deal. But it's best to read what Mr. Peterson has actually said before leaping to any conclusions:

So bottom line it for me--what are you going to do? We are working with Wizards to clarify and/or change the license. If that works, we will release 4E material. If there are no changes, I dont see us adopting the GSL (absent some significant official clarification of terms of the GSL). We will support Pathfinder. But we will not just release OGL content from this point forward until Pathfinder is viable and we can support it.

The italicized emphasis is mine. Clark hasn't given up on the GSL. He might be willing to negotiate a separate license with WotC, like Goodman Games appears to have done. And he's hopeful about doing stuff with Pathfinder, but much depends there on Paizo following through on the promise of the premise. Being in this kind of holding pattern can't be comfortable for the folks at Necromancer Games, but sometimes the best thing you can do is nothing.

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