D&D General Dave Arneson’s Pitch for the future of TSR and D&D in ‘97 to Peter Adkison

Following his 1997 application for a job at WotC, D&D co-creator Dave Arneson wrote a second letter to WoTC founder Peter Adkison and made a pitch about how he'd run TSR and D&D.

D&D General - When D&D Co-Creator Dave Arneson Asked WotC For A Job!

Back in 1997, after WotC had purchased the failing TSR (and D&D), and just prior to the launch of D&D 3E, Dave Arneson -- who co-created D&D in the 1970s along with Gary Gygax -- wrote to WotC president Peter Adkison asking to be put in charge of TSR. Ben Riggs -- author of Slaying the...

www.enworld.org

Despite his excitement his plans seem underwhelming.

My heart already bleeds for Arneson. The man has never received his due as D&D’s co-creator. He never made CEO. He wasn’t on Futurama. TSR and Gary Gygax did him dirty. (This has been explored in my prior post and in Game Wizards by Jon Peterson.)

This letter is Arneson’s moment. If he wants to make D&D for a living again, he has to put points on the board, and he has to do it with this letter. Now. But he hasn’t even bothered to check his punctuation!

Six pages of his research and plans follow. Here’s a summary, but I’m pasting the letter below if you want to thrill to every misspelled word.

In the main, Arneson’s thoughts are nothing you wouldn’t have heard hanging around a game store in the spring of 1997. He said that all of TSR’s projects were “dead in the water,” which the whole world knew as the company hadn’t published anything for months.

See Ben Riggs article for the full letter and more of his observations.

Why D&D’s Co-Creator Didn’t Get Hired by Wizards of the Coast — Ben Riggs

Unfortunately Dave Arneson’s Plans for Dungeons & Dragons in 1997 Were Not Great

www.writerbenriggs.com

 

[Alzrius]

It's interesting that Peter turned down Gary as well?

The funny thing is that Gary was brought on board, at least briefly, a few years later. I remember being at Gen Con in 1999 for the official announcement that Third Edition was coming. The presenter (who was, I believe, Peter himself) mentioned that a certain D&D alum was going to be part of the project...and then had Gary himself step out on stage. Everyone started chanting "Gary! Gary!" loudly, and people were quite excited by that particular revelation.

Of course, very little came of that. As I recall, Gary ended up with a short-lived column in Dragon magazine for a little while afterwards, and then quietly parted ways with WotC.

 

[Nikosandros]

I mean, probably for ghe best in both cases.

As much as I would like to object, I must say that I fully concur.

 

[Nikosandros]

Of course, very little came of that. As I recall, Gary ended up with a short-lived column in Dragon magazine for a little while afterwards, and then quietly parted ways with WotC.

It was called, Up on a Soapbox, IIRC. Probaly he wans't hired, but was working as a freelance on that.

 

[darjr]

Tim Kask comments that the letter reminds him of editing Daves work.

 

[Reynard]

I still don't understand why people think Arneson was a victim in all this. The guy couldn't finish a project to save his life. You need more than one good idea you let other people bring to fruition in order to be considered a creator. Gygax was a self aggrandizing jerk with control issues, for sure, but at least he produced the work.

 

[Iosue]

Didn't we just have a thread on this?

 

[darjr]

Didn't we just have a thread on this?

This is the second letter or attempt with plans and ideas.

 

[Alzrius]

I'm surprised no one has commented that this thread title also misspells Peter Adkison's last name.

 

[darjr]

I'm surprised no one has commented that this thread title also misspells Peter Adkison's last name.

Dangit!

Fixed and apologies Peter, in my defense I note my name.

 

[Retreater]

It's ironic that Dave Arnisen talks about "trimming the fat" at TSR when the least productive member of the staff in the 1990s likely created more tangible work than he did. The hubris and entitlement of this guy never ceases to amaze me.