After months of collaborative work, Paizo, the eminent role-playing games publisher, is excited to announce the final version of the Open RPG Creative (ORC) License. The ORC License is a perpetual, irrevocable, and system-agnostic open gaming license, offering a legal “safe harbor” for sharing rules mechanics, stimulating innovation, and fostering collaboration within the tabletop-gaming community.
In a process that began in February 2023, the development of the ORC License involved much feedback, critique, and suggestions from the gaming community. Now, with the public commentary phase concluded, the finalized versions of the ORC License and the accompanying ORC AxE (Answers and Explanations) document are ready for utilization by game publishers of all sizes.
“The ORC License aims to bolster creativity and mutual collaboration within the gaming space,” stated a Paizo representative. “We’re immensely thankful to everyone who has contributed to this process. We can’t wait to see the incredible products that will emerge from this collaborative endeavor.”
The final text of the ORC License has been submitted to the Library of Congress and is officially published on Azora Law’s website, the legal firm responsible for conceiving and drafting the license. All currently posted versions of the ORC License are considered the Interim Final ORC License and ORC AxE. Once copyright registration is completed, which is expected to take approximately six months, the documents will be updated with the final copyright registration number. During this interim period, publishers are free to use the ORC License.
In early August, Azora Law Managing Partner Brian Lewis, together with representatives from Paizo, Chaosium, and other publishers, will hold a panel on the ORC License at Gen Con Indy 2023. The panel aims to address questions about the license and provide recommendations on how to utilize it effectively.
From Paizo’s perspective, updates are imminent for the company’s Community Use and Pathfinder Compatibility Licenses to incorporate the ORC License. More information regarding these company-specific documents will be provided in the following weeks.
The successful finalization of the ORC License marks a new chapter in tabletop gaming’s collaborative innovation, providing a legal framework for the shared development of game rules and mechanics. Now, it’s time to roll the dice and let the games begin!