WotC may have sent the Pinkertons to a magic leakers home. Update: WotC confirms it and has a response.

[Maxperson]

Well, yeah. I do. I already discussed this in detail. But if you're actually familiar with Pinkerton, you're familiar with them now, not only with what they were over a century ago!

As for trading on the reputation, fun fact- they actually sued Rockstar to keep their name out of the videogame.

Funner fact that I happen to remember too well (sigh, age). The best Weezer album (FIGHT ME!) was named Pinkerton. And they were sued by .... the Pinkertons ... over it. But the problem was the Rivers actually named the album not after the detectives, but Lt. B. F. Pinkerton from Madama Butterfly!

The More You Know!

Seriously, though, as someone who never played RDR2, I had no idea that they were the primary bad guys in the video game ... which explains the outsized reaction.

This is from the Pinkerton website.

"We trace our roots back to 1850, when Allan Pinkerton founded Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency. During our rich history, we’ve created the forerunner to the U.S. Secret Service, hired America’s first woman detective, and have remained the industry leader in developing innovative security and risk management solutions for national and international organizations.

Today, we combine our 170 years of legacy and institutional knowledge with technology informed by our expertise to protect and create value for our clients across the globe."

They aren't disavowing that history, but are instead soft embracing it with the language they use.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

This is from the Pinkerton website.

"We trace our roots back to 1850, when Allan Pinkerton founded Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency. During our rich history, we’ve created the forerunner to the U.S. Secret Service, hired America’s first woman detective, and have remained the industry leader in developing innovative security and risk management solutions for national and international organizations.

Today, we combine our 170 years of legacy and institutional knowledge with technology informed by our expertise to protect and create value for our clients across the globe."

They aren't disavowing that history, but are instead soft embracing it with the language they use.

Well yeah!

This may shock you, but corporations from Volkswagen to Hugo Boss to Dow Chemical tell you about the good parts of the history.

….not so much the other stuff.

 

[CleverNickName]

This is from the Pinkerton website.

They aren't disavowing that history, but are instead soft embracing it with the language they use.

Well yeah, that's just Corporate Advertising 101.

They know they have a bad history, and to ignore it (or worse, deny it) would be instantly condemned by both their supporters and critics alike (the former might think they are going soft, the latter might think they're trying to hide something). So they reframe it with choice words that set a neutral narrative: "we're a name you recognize, please hire us."

 

[Morrus]

Me personally would have told the guys no thank you but I have a 357 hollow point you can have.

OK, whatever the details of this situation, this site isn't the place to boast about how you'd murder people. Take that stuff elsewhere, please.

 

[Valetudo]

OK, whatever the details of this situation, this site isn't the place to boast about how you'd murder people. Take that stuff elsewhere, please.

This could happen in a situation like this. This youtuber didnt know his rights. I do. Alot of people in this country do. I haven't murdered anyone. I would have let him know politely that he is trespassing and that I know my rights. Is that better?

 

[Morrus]

This could happen in a situation like this. This youtuber didnt know his rights. I do. Alot of people in this country do. I haven't murdered anyone. I would have let him know politely that he is trespassing and that I know my rights. Is that better?

Please do not argue with moderators in-thread. You've been here since 2009; you should know this. If you don't, please feel free to review the rules. Thanks.

 

[The Scythian]

I remember seeing it, inter alia, in the Polygon comments-

Magic publishers sent Pinkerton agents to a YouTuber’s house to retrieve leaked cards

March of the Machine: The Aftermath isn’t due out in stores until May

www.polygon.com

I think it was a person named flyingtoaster or something?

Thanks. I checked flyingtoastr's comments, but couldn't find anything in them saying that WotC contacted Cannon through the comment section of his videos, which is what I'm interested in here.

Again, no idea about the veracity as I never saw the original videos. As an aside, it's not exactly hard-hitting journalism when the person is never asked, "Where did you get these cards? Like, the actual place or person? Did you pay for them and get a receipt?"

But it's all clickfarms now.

It's clear that, at least by the time journalists were writing about the incident, nobody believed that the cards were stolen. Cannon has insisted from the beginning that he purchased them. As far as I've been able to tell, WotC never claimed that the cards were stolen, and their actions and statements have backed that up. (If WotC believed that the cards were stolen, they would have involved law enforcement, as they did when they discovered an uncut sheet of cards was stolen from them in the early 2000s. If WotC believed that they were stolen, they wouldn't have offered Cannon cards to replace the ones that the Pinkerton agents took from him. And, perhaps most importantly, if WotC believed the cards were stolen, they would have described them as "stolen product," not "embargoed product.") Why should Cannon be expected to produce a receipt to disprove a claim that no one was actually making?

And why are you defining hard-hitting journalism here as a reporter demanding that Cannon provide a receipt instead of a reporter demanding that WotC provide some evidence of wrongdoing?

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

It's clear that, at least by the time journalists were writing about the incident, nobody believed that the cards were stolen.

Very possibly most likely true.

Cannon has insisted from the beginning that he purchased them.

I'd disagree. He purchased a different set of card boxes and happened to be given these by mistake.

As far as I've been able to tell, WotC never claimed that the cards were stolen, and their actions and statements have backed that up.

True. I think they were more interested in finding out what happened and how these embargoed cards managed to get out into the wild before the release date.

(If WotC believed that the cards were stolen, they would have involved law enforcement, as they did when they discovered an uncut sheet of cards was stolen from them in the early 2000s. If WotC believed that they were stolen, they wouldn't have offered Cannon cards to replace the ones that the Pinkerton agents took from him.

Excellent point. I'd even go as far as to say that them giving Cannon cards to replace the ones he gave up shows their intent was not to intimidate him. Kind of weird to have them say, "You're going to jail, thief! Here's some cards to replace the ones you stole. Be afraid!"

And, perhaps most importantly, if WotC believed the cards were stolen, they would have described them as "stolen product," not "embargoed product.") Why should Cannon be expected to produce a receipt to disprove a claim that no one was actually making?

Good point.

And why are you defining hard-hitting journalism here as a reporter demanding that Cannon provide a receipt instead of a reporter demanding that WotC provide some evidence of wrongdoing?

I mean, I think the fact that Cannon had cards that should not have been given to him is proof something was done wrong. Not suggesting it was wrong doing in the criminal sense, but I would suggest it was something that was done incorrectly/wrong by the person who sold to Cannon. Mistakes are made, but it's a bit of a stretch to expect anyone outside of Cannon and his seller to know what actually happened. I'd guess the seller probably didn't even realize it happened unless Cannon told him later (or he has read one of the articles or seen one of the videos). That guy is going to be upset if WoTC cuts him off because of Cannon's video shenanigans.

 

[MGibster]

Pretty close actually. And the timing. Wizards needs some good pr before their new edition comes out.

In no way, shape, or form is hiring some PIs anything like sending goons over to break some legs. Is this a generational thing? I know a lot of people under 30 are terrified enough of phone calls and I can only imagine the abject terror the prospect of a stranger knocking on their door and attempting to have a face-to-face conversation, but there's no credible evidence here that anyone was threatened with bodily harm. Like I said earlier, if they came to my door and I didn't want to talk to them I'd just tell them to go piss up a rope.

 

[ReshiIRE]

I know a lot of people under 30 are terrified enough of phone calls

Wildly off topic, but as someone who despises having to do phone calls, it's mainly because:a

a) phone line quality is terrible compared to voice calls over the internet, so the chance for misunderstanding is much higher. Acedoteally, I find that people are generally much less patient on a phone call as well

b) phones are just... awkward in general to hold I find

c) spam calls and texts feel like they have gotten so much worse in the last few years, increasing the anxiety associated with them

In person stuff is a lot easier than a phone call, honestly, and will always be.