Jeremy Crawford Also Leaving D&D Team Later This Month

Jeremy Crawford is leaving Wizards of the Coast later this month. Screen Rant (via me!) had the exclusive announcement. Crawford was the Game Director for Dungeons & Dragons and was one of the guiding forces for D&D over the past decade. In the past year, Crawford has focused on the core rulebooks and leading the team of rules designers. He has also been a face of Dungeons & Dragons for much of 5th Edition, appearing in many promotional videos and DMing Acquisitions Incorporated Actual Play series.

He joins Chris Perkins in leaving the D&D team in recent weeks. Perkins, who was the Creative Director for D&D, announced his retirement last week. Both Perkins and Crawford appear to have left Wizards on their terms, with Lanzillo very effusive with her praise of both men and their contribution in our interview.

On a personal note, I've enjoyed interviewing Jeremy over the years. He was always gracious with his time and answers and is one of the most eloquent people I've ever heard talk about D&D. I'll miss both him and Chris Perkins and look forward to their next steps, wherever that might be.

 

[CommodoreKong]

According to a new article from Screenrant Jeremy Crawford is also leaving the DND Design team along with Chris Perkins:

Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins to Leave Dungeons & Dragons' Design Team

Two guiding forces of D&D are stepping away.

screenrant.com

After leading the design of a new revised Fifth Edition and the new core rulebooks, both Perkins and Crawford are stepping away from Wizards of the Coast. Perkins announced his departure last week, and Screen Rant has learned that Crawford's last day will come later this month.

In the immediate future, no one will directly step in to replace Crawford or Perkins. However, Lanzillo mentioned that James Wyatt and Wes Schneider, principal designers who have been part of the D&D team for years, will both have a "bigger place at the table." Lanzillo also mentioned that other designers, including Justice Arman, would also have progressive leadership roles as well.


Although the team is losing a combined 40+ years of experience with Perkins and Crawford's departures, other members of the team have stepped up to serve as the project leads of other projects in recent years. Outside the new core rulebooks, other designers have been listed as the project lead for all of D&D's releases over the past two years.


According to Lanzillo, the D&D team is shifting to match existing team members' strengths. "Right now, we have folks in principal and lead roles that are escalating to take on more responsibility," Lanzillo said. "We're looking at the team and our needs and to figure out how to really construct the team in a way where we can work to everyone's strengths."

 

[Scribe]

Well then.

 

[FrogReaver]

I love speculation. Thoughts on whether the fact that the big wigs of D&D leaving means 2024 D&D wasn't the success the company wanted it to be?

 

[Micah Sweet]

I love speculation. Thoughts on whether the fact that the big wigs of D&D leaving means 2024 D&D wasn't the success the company wanted it to be?

If so, it'll likely be years before we know anything.

 

[The Soloist]

WOW! I was not expecting that.

1)
Speaking to Screen Rant about the pair's departures from the company, Wizards of the Coast’s VP of Franchise and Product (Dungeons & Dragons) Jess Lanzillo said that this was something that the company had prepared for. "Both of them have been working on Dungeons and Dragons for a very long time," Lanzillo said. "It's been a point of discussion for some time and something that we've been training up everyone for. They feel really good about the teams that they have in place and the legacy that they're passing on."

2)
In the immediate future, no one will directly step in to replace Crawford or Perkins. However, Lanzillo mentioned that James Wyatt and Wes Schneider, principal designers who have been part of the D&D team for years, will both have a "bigger place at the table." Lanzillo also mentioned that other designers, including Justice Arman, would also have progressive leadership roles as well.

3)
"The roadmap remains the same," Lanzillo said. "We have already set up the leads for all of those future projects. Chris and Jeremy don't need any substitutes at this moment because they were both in very high-level roadmapping roles and capacities for the last year.

 

[Alzrius]

I'm not certain what it is, but clearly something is going on for so many high-level people to be leaving all at once.

 

[This Effin’ GM]

Oh damn!

 

[TheSword]

Wow. The two Grandaddies of 5E both going. Colour me shocked.

I suspect this will be a herald of great change. Whether you like that or not will depend on the person.

When multiple senior people go it usually means they didn’t like the future direction (or they were caught up to no good - unlikely here)

 

[The Soloist]

I'm not certain what it is, but clearly something is going on for so many high-level people to be leaving all at once.

Read the Screen Rant article.

Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins to Leave Dungeons & Dragons' Design Team

Two guiding forces of D&D are stepping away.

screenrant.com