Elon Musk Calls for Wizards of the Coast to "Burn in Hell" Over Making of Original D&D Passages

Elon Musk, the owner of the app formerly known as Twitter, is calling on Wizards of the Coast and its parent company Hasbro to "burn in hell" for the publication of Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons. On November 21st, former gaming executive turned culture warrior Mark Hern posted several passages from Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons on Twitter, criticizing the book for providing context about some of the misogyny and cultural insensitivity found in early rulebooks. These passages were pulled from the foreword written by Jason Tondro, a senior designer for the D&D team who also worked extensively on the book. Hern stated that these passages, along with the release of the new 2024 Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide for D&D's "40th anniversary" (it is actually D&D's 50th anniversary) both "erased and slandered" Gary Gygax and other creators of Dungeons & Dragons.

In response, Musk wrote "Nobody, and I mean nobody, gets to trash E. Gary Gygax and the geniuses who created Dungeons & Dragons. What the [naughty word] is wrong with Hasbro and WoTC?? May they burn in hell." Musk had played Dungeons & Dragons at some point in his youth, but it's unclear when the last time he ever played the game.

Nobody, and I mean nobody, gets to trash E. Gary Gygax and the geniuses who created Dungeons & Dragons. What the [xxxx] is wrong with Hasbro and WoTC?? May they burn in hell.

- Elon Musk​

Notably, Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons contains countless correspondences and letters written by both Gygax and Dave Arneson, including annotated copies of early D&D rulesets. Most early D&D rules supplements as well as early Dragon magazines are also found in the book. It seems odd to contain one of the most extensive compliations of Gygax's work an "erasure," but it's unclear whether Hern or Musk actually read the book given the incorrect information about the anniversary.

Additionally, Gygax and Arneson are both credited in the 2024 Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide. The exact credit reads: "Building on the original game created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and then developed by many others over the past 50 years." Wizards of the Coast also regularly collaborates with Gygax's youngest son Luke and is a participant at Gary Con, a convention held in Gygax's honor. The opening paragraph of the 2024 Player's Handbook is written by Jeremy Crawford and specifically lauds both Gygax and Arneson for making Dungeons & Dragons and contains an anecdote about Crawford meeting Gygax.

Musk has increasingly leaned into culture war controversies in recent years, usually amplifying misinformation to suit his own political agenda.

 

[Chaltab]

Pay attention to what real people are saying, not the company that's trying to gaslight us all into thinking they're the saviors of gaming and we were all horribly corrupt, knuckle dragging neanderthals before they came around.

People have been observing for years that Gygax's work & words are tinged with sexism and racism and he was a deeply flawed man besides. That isn't an attack; that isn't gaslighting.

 

[JEB]

Notice it doesn't name names. It doesn't accuse anyone of anything.

“Some people have charitably ascribed this language to authors working from bad assumptions,” he continues. “In the 1970s, historical wargamers in America were predominantly white, middle-class men; it isn’t surprising that they would dub a class of soldiers the ‘fighting-man’. But when, in the pages of [the expansion module] Greyhawk, the description of the Queen of Chatoci Dragons includes a dig at ‘Women’s Lib’, the misogyny is revealed as a conscious choice.”

They accuse the technically unnamed authors of Greyhawk of deliberate misogyny. The authors of Greyhawk are Gygax and Kuntz.

Not engaging with the rest of the debate here, but felt that should be pointed out.

 

[Hussar]

Here is Heidi Gygax's statement:

View attachment 386929

So she flat out agrees with what was said in the foreword.

Where’s the argument?

 

[Hussar]

Well they absolutely wrecked Ben & Tondo very effectively. Taking quotes out if context to mislead folks in order to mislead folks while ignoring actual ACTIONS is unethical journalism. Context matters alot.

I hope Tondo has increased in wisdom since this embarrassing book.

You read the same quote? The one where she straight up agrees with the secist characterization? You read it hat right?

 

[Parmandur]

They accuse the technically unnamed authors of Greyhawk of deliberate misogyny. The authors of Greyhawk are Gygax and Kuntz.

Not engaging with the rest of the debate here, but felt that should be pointed out.

They accuse the content of being misogynistic, and they want to make it clear they would not print that as written in 2024 in anything other than a historical document. That isn't a personal attack on the authors.

 

[Hussar]

They accuse the content of being misogynistic, and theybwant to make itbclear theybwouod not print that as written in 2024 in anything other than a historical document. That isn't a personal attack on the authors.

This needs to be continually repeated at full volume.

Criticizing a work IS NOT AN ACCUSATION.

Saying, "These words you have said are sexist" is NOT THE SAME as saying, "You are sexist." Replace sexist with bigoted, or whatever and it still holds true.

 

[MNblockhead]

Ow! My eyes hurt from rolling so hard. Moving on...

 

[briggart]

They accuse the content of being misogynistic, and theybwant to make itbclear theybwouod not print that as written in 2024 in anything other than a historical document. That isn't a personal attack on the authors.

"the misogyny is revealed as a conscious choice"

Everyone will have their own opinion whether this is an attack or a matter-of-fact statement, but it clearly refers to the authors not just to the content.

 

[TheSword]

And I'm just here pointing out evidence to the contrary. You know, to add to the conversation.

Kelsey's shared experience of feelings of camaraderie with Gygax and team (that led to her becoming a full-time game desinger) far outweigh his decisions to use "Fighting-Man" and gender the dragon of chaos female.

Pay attention to what real people are saying, not the company that's trying to gaslight us all into thinking they're the saviors of gaming and we were all horribly corrupt, knuckle dragging neanderthals before they came around.

That said, who do you know, in actual real life, that was HURT by Gygax's words? Not a challenge; I'm just curious and willing to listen.

I’m pretty sure that in the 80’s and 90’s it was a game largely restricted to white men.

Now it caters to a much wider audience. A consequence of which is that it’s easier to find players and players you do find are aren’t seen as pariahs. The hurt you’re looking for was that when the game was written it wasn’t the case. It wasn’t a physical hurt and it didn’t hurt the individuals that didn’t play - other than them missing out on a great game experience. It hurt the community by making it insular and fringe.

Now having a game of D&D is largely viewed like having a game of cards or monopoly.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I've learned not to care very much about what the Elongated Muskrat says.