Wizards of the Coast in the Year 2024

[@WildflowersCreations]

Was it bad that we fired all our artists last year? Answer YES!!!

[@dragon_pro69420]

Short answer? Yes. Long answer? Yes

[@YAH93]

@@dragon_pro69420 More like: Long answer? Yes, but we did so on Hasbros behalf. And yet, Chris Cocks gave himself a bonus of 600% of his yearly revenue. So, who is really to blame here?

[@zap4th368]

@@dragon_pro69420long answer is “yes, you idiots”

[@infinitedm5396]

Slightly longer answer: they don't really have in-house artists. They're all contracted. Soo.. can't really fire people who don't work for you???

[@redshirtveteran5688]

​@@dragon_pro69420Short answer: Yes. Long answer: YEEEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!

[@faolan2174]

I thought Intelligence was supposed to be wizards' highest stat, not their dump stat.

[@graywolfdracon]

This comment wins the Internet today.

[@tw33144154]

Methinks much of the blame goes to Hasbro, but I can't say for sure.

[@charlesboots6508]

​@@tw33144154Money men only care about the money. If they can make $1.25 for a shitty thing or $1.20 for a non-shitty thing, they're going for that extra nickel every time.

[@patricksmith6680]

They're really bombing their Charisma checks, too.

[@eaglegosuperskarmor]

Seems more like they made wisdom their dump stat to me

[@makaramuss]

So... is this series gonna be tragicomedic shorts of wizards of the coast?

[@summertulchin]

the answer is yes... *sigh *

[@anarcho_cyber9119]

I’m all here for it 😂

[@raphaelregnault6914]

Hey, if Wizard provides that much base material, no harm in using it, amma right ?

[@TrenchNerd]

I hope so

[@JennyvdK]

Wizards is the biggest joke DnD has seen in decades

[@michaelscott6022]

"Don't worry, I'm sure we won't screw up this year. Anymore. This month. This week? Today...? I'll just stop talking now..."

[@anarcho_cyber9119]

“…So do you think it was a bad idea for us to fire almost all our artist last year.” If you’re beginning to question yourself, then the answer was yes.

[@homerman76]

I mean for decisions like this it's usually true, but having doubts isn't always a good sign that you made the wrong choice since paranoia will attack regardless of if you made the right choice or not 🤔

[@christopherg2347]

This has "are we the bad guys?" energy.

[@dew-it8744]

Ah yes, against AI art and fires all the artists. Completely non contradictory

[@muigokublack6487]

@@christopherg2347 "Are we the baddies?"

[@ReyosBlackwood]

I know it's a joke, but for those that don't know WotC doesn't actually have those artists on staff, they commission pieces as needed from freelance artists.

[@kemcolian2001]

.....I'm just in shock. It's been NINE DAYS. how did they mess up within *NINE DAYS* ?

[@homerman76]

You would think they would have learned...

[@InuzutoraArlas]

well, last year they started much worse so ... =)

[@Pika1200]

I KNOW RIGHT????

[@patricksmith6680]

Well, it's only been a month since their last screw-up...

[@KidarWolf]

Because the decisions that created the problems in those nine days were made before the nine days started. They would have been made mid to late 2023, I would think. That said, I don't hold out hope for that particular shadow organization/BBEG to change at all. Where's my fellow adventurers at? Looks like our next campaign is to topple a BBEG pantheon!

[@tijn0770]

We ain't even through January! And they already screwed up this badly

[@Tanaka_Kenshin]

We ain't even through first half of January...

[@the-wanderer111]

With more to yet come.

[@tyrongkojy]

Not even HALF WAY.

[@hauooo3466]

1 year ago, the OGL also started on the first few days in January

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

This is less badly than last year!! And they did eventually check with the vendor and acknowledge that.

[@RenjiAbarai777]

Sadly, this is still better than where we were at the same time last year.

[@Mendoza-yi6qk]

Wait which of the way too many dramas was in January again?

[@pmf98]

@@Mendoza-yi6qkthe OGL debacle, the biggest of them all.

[@muigokublack6487]

@@Mendoza-yi6qk The OGL 1.1 fiscaso where WotC decided it'd be a real gas to screw over 3rd Party publishers!

[@mamamia7519]

​@@Mendoza-yi6qk The OGL shitshow last year was in January

[@houndgirl7365]

Uh how exactly is it better when a ton of people lost their job so that they could gaslight the community again? Firing artists so they can increase their bottom line while pedaling AI images as 'art' us equally scummy. Yes I'm an artist and yes I hope people make mockery of their works since legally you can't copyright AI generated pieces are free to use technically xD

[@aihongl46]

They only have a few controversies even though we’re only 9 days into the New Year!🎉👏

[@VanNessy97]

Alright, queue up the speedrun timer

[@aihongl46]

Best reply I’ve ever seen ngl

[@silverriver350]

I know that this is satire, but I still think that the recent drama of Wizards of the Coast is the very reason why so many DnD campaigns are now homebrewed.

[@themasterofdova1861]

My group and I swapped to Pathfinder 2E due to it lol

[@olivierlar]

@@themasterofdova1861 After every controversy, the Pathfinder 2e subreddit gets flooded with newcomers

[@NimbusEntry]

"Now homebrewed"? My dude, most players have never played a non-homebrew campaign, and a large chunk of that comes from the fact that D&D's modern popularity came from Critical Role and Stranger Things. Both of which were portraying homebrew campaigns, and the culture has become that homebrew campaigns are the norm. Most players don't even read the rulebooks anymore and just go off of quick searches and learning from watching others play as a cultural skills transfer. The days of D&D being primarily module-based play are long over. Especially since most 1st party modules are pretty poorly written and tend to be setting guides instead of actual campaigns. If you want more non-homebrew campaigns, other systems are where you tend to see it. PF2e is my go to since Paizo creates fantastic APs

[@LucanVaris]

@@NimbusEntry "Yes, but, as a Wizards of the Coast representative, how would it sound if we made all that homebrewing... _illegal?_ Just asking a hypothetical here. Purely conjecture. Nothing set in stone just yet (at least, not until we can find out a way to make homebrewing a gaming system that started out as a homebrew version of the 1971 game Chainmail illegal), but like... how _angry_ would fans like you get, if we somehow _did_ find a way to make homebrewing illegal? Just curious. Don't worry."

[@athenaraines]

@@LucanVarisOh boy I can’t wait for them to send the Pinkertons after me for using their IP to run a completely non-commercial homebrew campaign with my friend group!

[@Goblin_With_A_Fungus]

9 days in and we're off to a great start! I love how this is going! :,)

[@bryantbodnar]

Anyone else think it's hilarious that he did a Charlie Brown adult style think when the MTG guy called him?

[@oldcampaign]

And this is only a small part of the reason we at my company REFUSE to use AI art. It's a long, slow process, but we're making progress!

[@beingilluminous]

I’m here for this series for sure *pops popcorn*

[@VitaeLibra]

I'm crying way more rhan I should about this because as an aspiring artist who's terrified about being able to make ends meet in the future you have no idea how many times I've been told I'm just overreacting and being a drama queen because companies WEREN'T gonna do the thing they're now all doing... I wish I could just copy pasta a gotcha comment to all my old replies. But more so than that I wish they'd have been the ones to do it to me instead...

[@Brenilla]

It’s scary, but also it’s easy implemented on the lowest hurdle. If the artist tasked actually used ai on their own it’s hard to Truely blame the company. (Tho their is companies that are, but in this case and others seems not to be the case). It’s all just sucky, but as long as people still go after the companies and situations it’s used it could not be the worst case sinario :D

[@LocalMaple]

I was half expecting the end card to say “Hopefully not to be continued,” or “This is the last one… right?”

[@pastnfurious5847]

We are talking about WotC... *obviously* it will continue

[@caseywellington4761]

Please continue this series as needed. It's both hilarious satire and a good source of news.

[@Halberds8122]

0:57 "Wibbidey womp womp wibbedey womp womp."

[@xymel]

Love these. Keep them up...we know Wizards will.

[@the_nerd_showtv5562]

And the year just started! What a beautiful nat 1 moment.

[@schwarzaj]

By Bahamut, that didn't take long...

[@EduardoHernandez-el6it]

Well, this is gonna be a helluva year

[@therediodeerman5811]

Dies from 1d4 oh shit damage

[@erikwilliams1562]

If they make 3 good decisions this year it'll be a miracle

[@RenatoGPadilla]

Oh, the reuploads and updates to this one will be a laugh to watch. Staying tuned!

[@SplashCity46]

This is the format that will truly keep on giving

[@RobertStoll]

"Sir, do you think it was a bad idea to fire almost all of our artists last year?" "Are we the bad guys?"

[@DragoPuffVT]

ITS BEEN A WEEK! HOW IS THERE ALREADY A VIDEO OF THIS OUT!?!?!

[@redheadrebel9581]

Man great start for them. Taking bets for how long it takes for them to call the Pinkertons again. My money's on March at this rate.

[@ketsuekikumori9145]

Starting off strong I see. Note: This should be read as sincere for QSQ, and sarcastic for Hasbro/WotC.

[@gni8031]

ITS HABE BEEN NINE DAYS!!!!

[@Project_415]

How ironic that I got a MTG ad before this

[@matthewshiers9038]

There isn't a pit deep enough for this company right now. Either for them to dig themselves into, or for us to throw them in. I hate Generative AI so much.

[@PattheMan876-qf8ro]

WOTC: At least we have new Baldur's Gate 3 content to look forward to... wait. Larian noped out on any DLC?!?

[@Optimusj1975]

Waiting for the follow up, with Chris Cocks pretending everyone is excited by AI "art".

[@IronicCliche]

Now I'm waiting for his videos on PF2 classes vs 5e. Here's a quick primer: Fighter - OP Ranger - is a blender Artificer- changed to inventor because WotC and they explode

[@RyomiCrimson]

This needs to be a weekly segment cuz wizards will basically give you free content lol

[@GustavoThimoteo]

Man this series are pretty awesome I'm already looking forward for the next episode, and I didn't even need to pay netflix for that.

[@sonnentausnest]

Me, seeing there's a new video from OSQ: "Oh cool!" Also me, reading "Wizards of the Coast": "Oh no..."

[@pandorawolf8239]

AI was supposed to free our burdens so Humans could focus on the culture and arts. In fact the opposite is happening.

[@emblemblade9245]

Quite literally immediately too. Though that’s what all technologies have been doing. Turns out reducing the time it takes to make things just makes companies want to make more more more things.

[@kamchatmonk]

There's something incredibly hilarious seeing Duke in a tie OVER A T-SHIRT)

[@3rdShiftZombie]

I love how the guy on the phone answered yes with "Wah"

[@woofergranade2044]

You should have some solar bill sticking out of the suit. Would make it more authentic. Love your stuff!

[@jimmysaints]

I'm so mixed! I do want these videos to continue but then when I remember they are based on actual events...

[@Pumpkinsmasherok]

Good dnd villain idea: a palidin that doesnt want be evil, but his oath and god makes him do these evil things to keep his magic. Another villain idea: A barbarian that just rages through and when the party asks why he jusr says "i never really thought about it." Also: a murder hobo as a villain

[@adamhall6914]

Been away from the channel for a bit. Great video!

[@marekszewczyk5076]

looks like a new monthly series 😅

[@Critical1ce]

Bi-weekly at this rate

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

SO GLAD you referred to the loss of staffing! What a boneheaded decision by WOTC

[@magnusprime962]

Eh, that one was mandated by Hasbro. It’s not like they could’ve stopped it.

[@neko_mewkawaii7120]

Sounds to me like "GASLIGHTING" which has been a common theme these past couple of years.

[@Pika1200]

Its been a week into 2024.... Dammit, Wizards of the Coast!!!

[@scionicog]

Nothing like watching a company go from $9 Billion value to $6.92 Billion value in the span of 365 days.

[@jsowau]

Like so many franchises I grew up with, it’s sad seeing how the business aspect has taken over the art. I feel for the generation coming into this world.

[@hauooo3466]

Starting STRONG in 2024!!

[@theeclipsemaster]

ALREADY!?

[@iceman3317]

I know it has been a while, but I saw the article about this before he posted this video and I went, "Whelp, guess he is going to have to make yet another video." LOL

[@WlmaAlexender-zl6nx]

Is noone going to point out the subtle comedic genius of the sounds coming from the phone?

[@rwild9356]

Thank you for making these videos, helps keep the pressure on em. It looks like they were trying to get around not using AI for images by simply hiring out their art from a separate company and not checking if they use AI.

[@Blind3866]

Lets go for Pathfinder! My Automaton Champion with a Spartan level hatred for the undead is rocking our campaign!

[@ruth1642]

The fact they made the mistake isn't the biggest issue. Mistakes happen (albeit very frequently with Hasbro/WotC). Their response of insulting the fans saying they were confused is the issue. If you are going to criticise your loyal customers (sorry "obstactles to our money" as Hasbro/WotC would say), then as a brand make sure you are correct in your assumptions. Although frankly, I just go this is Hasbro's/WotC's brand indentity. I.e. insult and demean your customer base, that is what the customers are paying for right?

[@linksstruepower7443]

Man oh man That tie is looking more and more like a noose

[@MinersLoveGames]

And we're ROCKETING right out of the gates, folks!

[@brianhawkins8397]

Came back to this video after hearing WotC president just announced she’s leaving the company. So the story really will continue… 🙃

[@godricnecro]

"What do you mean you fired the art staff last year, WHEN?" "Oh, about Christmas actually. pretty sure we sent out the E-Mail on December 11th."

[@Oll1000]

Plot twist - he's talking to an empty room

[@mildtotemperate]

0:56 I hate when I get a prank call from Nikocado Avocado.

[@starkiller6217]

Wizards was setup for success in 2023. With the dnd movie, bg3 and many other things. but terrible internals decisions, like firing their artists and collaberation managers, and using ai art, as well as only attempting to appeal to die hard fans in their marketing, caused them the fumble every possible win every time.

[@superrelic64]

Couldn't even go one week without another problem...

[@mc_rysiek5277]

This year keeps getting better and better.

[@TheBigbum1974]

These companies spend so much time building their products and brands up. The in the last 4 years it seems to be a competition to see whose can create the largest bonfire from all that past work.

[@BB-pn2qv]

Bingo, loved it. Brutal and needed

[@primykins106]

A week into the year and One Shot Questers is doing great! Lol

[@ryanadams0922]

Wizard of the coast: so how do we cut coast and rake in more money hmmmmmmm HMMMMMMMMM I know! How about we fire the people that help sell our product to customers who are an integral part of our business? That sounds smart.

[@user-gk9lg5sp4y]

It's like their dice have a 1 on most of the faces

[@minze202]

There is one thing I trust in regarding to big companies: If they could get away with it, they would sell you literally shit.

[@riccardoaimo6990]

So the year star like this huuurayyy🎉🎉

[@unctrlabyexcite]

I'm curious if the DnD Beyond marketplace change will make it into the next part of this saga

[@OperationDarkside]

You rolled a nat 1. The confusion spell of the level 1 goblin mage is super effective on you and all the decades of studying magic tomes doesn't prevent you from slowly lowering your gaze towards your foot and shoot a fireball at it.

[@wavemaster4891]

Waiting everyday for the next dnd scandal to unfortunately grace us

[@MiltiadesSpyrou]

Seems that we are gonna need one of these a month for the rest of the year.

[@tchristensen81]

It begins

[@belladonnaRoot]

Honestly, keep up with this. It's funny. And is holding Hasbro/WotC accountable for predictably horrible decisions.

[@JustPixelNoIDontWantAnyNumbers]

**Meanwhile, Paizo doing the Spiderman 3 Dance because they get free marketing again**

[@ollie2596]

WE'RE BARELY BEYOND A WEEK INTO THE YEAR💀

[@LordZeebee]

For the love of Asmodeus let this be the biggest fuckup of 2024...

[@emberfist8347]

I am waiting for them to try a DRM scheme and phase physical DND for it.

[@Fluffkitscripts]

HEY! Dullards of the coast! If you want out of the hole, you have to put down the shovel!

[@GreenSkyDragon7696]

The extra layer of irony is my tweet was in *response* to the "we assure you, dear consumer idiots, there is no AI to be seen" statement 😅

[@thefrank2364]

WotC speedrunning itself into the ground

[@lewishumphreys7194]

Still wish i knew what the background music was

[@GreentextFeverDreams]

How did you get this footage of Chris Cox?

[@azurecakethe16th]

It is *one* week into 2024 and they alredy messed up? Im getting the popcorn

[@privateeyety5735]

What a start, may the next books go well

[@rorywilson7013]

I love DND and MTG but Wizards don't make it easy

[@Agniakachan]

How long would be this video at the end of the year…. We can only wonder. Around 2 hour perhaps.

[@natanieldahle3387]

Only 9 days of the year gone, 357 to go. How bigg will the fire get?

[@aeroni]

Oh boy here we go again

[@IdiotamSpielen]

Boy am I sure glad I bought all my books before all of this. Now I can peacefully forget WotC ever existed.

[@onilord1830]

its been bearly a week. how can you mess up this early

[@paulhermann2956]

I am screaming dude...

[@alex-uw4mm]

warlocks of the coast at it again

[@andrewhall6479]

Well... that was fast