The recent Great Controversy of our hobby regarding the antics of Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast and the Open Game License has led many game publishers to reconsider their reliance on the OGL and explore other options including the Open RPG Creative License (awkwardly dubbed "ORC"), Creative Commons licenses, and licenses unique to their companies. Fudge, of course, shifted from the Fudge Legal Notice to the OGL years ago, and now we await a decision as to its future from its official publisher, Grey Ghost Press.
I have been distrustful of the OGL from the beginning. I have never felt comfortable granting power over my work to a company that had nothing to do with the game system for which I create content, and I have certainly never condoned giving any company the illusion of ownership of information (such as game mechanics) that cannot be copyrighted.
My preference—for Fudge and any role-playing game for which I desire to create content—is for either a Creative Commons license or a license created by the individual publisher (such as the free compatibility license for Awfully Cheerful Engine!). This would remove much of the concern I sometimes have about sharing material and give me more incentive to write it. Most creators are undercompensated for their efforts. Let's do something to help, rather than hinder, their ability to contribute to the hobby and the community.
