Famous Dungeons and Dragons content creator Matt Colville just announced his game company, MCDM, was going to begin working on a new tabletop roleplaying system very soon. This announcement comes on the coattails of controversy surrounding Dungeons and Dragons' recent approach to homebrew in One D&D.
Colville is a popular Dungeons and Dragons content creator who got his start with TTRPGs by writing for the official Dune, Lord of the Rings, and Star Trek roleplaying systems. He is now the founder and head of writing and design for MCDM Productions. He also co-wrote with Matt Mercer on Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins Volume 1 and has a good relationship with the members of the Actual Play series.
In a recent Twitch stream, Colville addressed questions about the future of MCDM’s projects in light of Dungeons and Dragons’ recent draconian changes to the Open Game License. Many players asked what the “inevitable MCDM RPG” was about. He couldn’t give concrete details about it yet, but he made it clear it was coming and that he wanted it to be the best game possible. He claimed the system wasn’t going to be “Matt Colville’s dream project,” and it would instead be a collaborative game with ideas from the best designers he can find. He also confirmed the “process that’s going to literally start this coming Monday [January 16].”
Colville isn’t the first Dungeons and Dragons creator starting a new project in light of Wizards of the Coast’s recent actions. Kobold Press, the third-party Dungeons and Dragons publisher who wrote the first official 5th Edition adventure paths, also recently announced it was working on a new TTRPG system called Project Black Flag. Many fans believe Kobold Press may become the new Paizo–the publishers of major Dungeons and Dragons competitor Pathfinder.
This all began when rumors circulated that Wizards of the Coast had plans to crack down on homebrew in One D&D, its evergreen evolution of 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons. These rumors were all but proven true when a draft of a new Dungeons and Dragons OGL leaked online. This document imposed new restrictions on third-party Dungeons and Dragons publishers and gave Wizards of the Coast ownership of all their products.
Needless to say, Dungeons and Dragons players aren’t happy with Wizards of the Coast right now. The company has yet to make an official statement on the controversy, which has only served to further incense Dungeons and Dragons fans. The longer this controversy goes, the more likely other Dungeons and Dragons creators will follow the examples of MCDM and Kobold Press or begin making content for games like Pathfinder.
Dungeons and Dragons is available now. One D&D is in development.