D&D 5E WotC: Why Dark Sun Hasn't Been Revived

In an interview with YouTuber 'Bob the Worldbuilder', WotC's Kyle Brink explained why the classic Dark Sun setting has not yet seen light of day in the D&D 5E era.

I’ll be frank here, the Dark Sun setting is problematic in a lot of ways. And that’s the main reason we haven’t come back to it. We know it’s got a huge fan following and we have standards today that make it extraordinarily hard to be true to the source material and also meet our ethical and inclusion standards... We know there’s love out there for it and god we would love to make those people happy, and also we gotta be responsible.

You can listen to the clip here.

 

[Zardnaar]

When I was q3 got my first job on a farm and it was 2-3 years after reading about Hiroshima with full color pictures, Oberon year after apartheid in social studies and history class that year covered the holocaust including video of camp footage.

Not to mention various movies including things like Aliens.

Beats me why people seem to think younger people been to be wrapped in cotton wool.

 

[jmoralee]

I played in a Dark Sun 4ed campaign over 10 years ago and we had to end it. It was due to slavery and human trafficking. We the PCs found ourselves involved in the slave trade and didn't have a reasonable in-game way of getting out of it. It was a trap the DM admitted to and the decision to end it was consensual by all.

 

[Erdric Dragin]

In other words:

"Can't have real villainy, or real evil things, gotta make things as Scooby-Doo as possible. People can't just accept bad and evil things in a fantasy world. We considered making it so that Devils do mean pranks, like glue on your character's saddle, and demons do destructive pranks, like light your hair on fire. Cause murder and sacrifice and soul stealing just isn't vibing. But not your character's cat tail, no, cause that would be animal cruelty. In fact, we're thinking of phasing out the owlbear, since that would be double the animal cruelty when attacking them. We're already trying to slowly lean illithids into veganism, and phasing out children in the game so they don't get hurt in collateral damage of the PCs and no one has to feel guilty about the orc babies and what not. But, anyway, back on topic, slavery is so bad in reality that we can't allow fantasy worlds to have it either. We're going to contrive settings in a way where the idea of enslaving another against their will just never comes up. In fact, I think we're going to delete the entire school of Enchantment in One D&D. Can't leave the door open for some PCs to do SA and all that, after all.

Also, we hate Psionics and don't wanna have to make up a cool, unique magic system like that. Our core customer base can't handle much beyond the PHB, we were suprised we even released Xanathar's Guide."

It's the "Satanic Panic" all over again.

 

[Zardnaar]

I played in a Dark Sun 4ed campaign over 10 years ago and we had to end it. It was due to slavery and human trafficking. We the players found ourselves involved in the slave trade and didn't have a reasonable in-game way of getting out of it. It was a trap the DM admitted to and the decision was consensual by all.

I've only kinda done that once. It was a bounty type situation. Player just looked at the money and thought sidequest. I was dropping hints a few of the
other players knew what was going on.

I do use slavery in my games as in it usually exists. It's not usually prominent and any interaction is rare eg slave raids and last time this happened was 2015 maybe if not earlier.

It's more like Roman or Greek style vs trans Atlantic or Trans Sahara. Anyone vulnerable can be targeted and it's in certain parts of the world.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Raise your hand if your parents had 100% control over what content you got at when you were 13.

Censor everything because a parent can't regulate there kids, isn't a good idea.

 

[jmoralee]

In other words:

"Can't have real villainy, or real evil things, gotta make things as Scooby-Doo as possible. People can't just accept bad and evil things in a fantasy world. We considered making it so that Devils do mean pranks, like glue on your character's saddle, and demons do destructive pranks, like light your hair on fire. Cause murder and sacrifice and soul stealing just isn't vibing. But not your character's cat tail, no, cause that would be animal cruelty. In fact, we're thinking of phasing out the owlbear, since that would be double the animal cruelty when attacking them. We're already trying to slowly lean illithids into veganism, and phasing out children in the game so they don't get hurt in collateral damage of the PCs and no one has to feel guilty about the orc babies and what not. But, anyway, back on topic, slavery is so bad in reality that we can't allow fantasy worlds to have it either. We're going to contrive settings in a way where the idea of enslaving another against their will just never comes up. In fact, I think we're going to delete the entire school of Enchantment in One D&D. Can't leave the door open for some PCs to do SA and all that, after all.

Also, we hate Psionics and don't wanna have to make up a cool, unique magic system like that. Our core customer base can't handle much beyond the PHB, we were suprised we even released Xanathar's Guide."

It's the "Satanic Panic" all over again.

Well said, but if player's make in-game choices to be involved in slavery there better be an incredible story-arc that ends somewhat morally positive (IRL terms). It's still a fantasy game after all.

 

[jmoralee]

I've only kinda done that once. It was a bounty type situation. Player just looked at the money and thought sidequest. I was dropping hints a few of the
other players knew what was going on.

I do use slavery in my games as in it usually exists. It's not usually prominent and any interaction is rare eg slave raids and last timevthst happened was 2015 maybe if not earlier.

It's more like Roman or Greek style vs trans Atlantic or Trans Sahara. Amicably a Yonex vulnerable can be targeted and it's in certain parts of the world.

This is the way slavery should be considered in TTRPGs. Make it known but don't overdue it.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Censor everything because a parent can't regulate there kids, isn't a good idea.

I don’t think ‘think of the children’ arguments are great when it comes to D&D (given it was one of the main arguments during the satanic panic). Parents have some responsibility when it comes to u policing what they want their kids to read and it is game that appeals to a broad age range but leans heavy on the college+ side.

 

[Mirtek]

What a weird stance. The slavers are the bad guys. You are supposed to stab them in the face. That feels almost shockingly non-controversial.

But you can't just do it. You'll eventually have to enter cities thriving on slavery, sleep in taverns and shop in stores owned by slave keepers. Maybe even work for low level authorities that are part of the slaver society

 

[MGibster]

Once they are in high school I agree but not everyone wants thier 13 year olds playing those kinds of games. And not all teens are grown up enough to deal with that stuff by 13 everyone develops at thier own pace.

These are all fodder for PG-13 movies. The idea that we need to protect the children from content found in 1991's Dark Sun is ludicrous.