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.

 

[Morrus]

I don't consider this a legit history text book,

Actually it should have been Kuntz who writes the history book on D&D's origins actually understands and knows alot of what went down and it's context and what went down with Gygax and Arneson and others involved. I think it'd be a fairer ABC more honest book.

That's called an autobiography, not a history book.

One thing I am sure about, 'legit history books' are not written by their own subjects.

 

[Voadam]

Wardfour

So now Jim Ward is involved?

 

[Scribe]

It's scary how much Dead Internet Theory went from meme to reality.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I don't consider this a legit history text book

please explain the standards of what constitutes a 'legit history book' beyond 'I don't like and/or believe the history it presents'.

 

[mamba]

Let sleeping dogs lie

pretty much what @SlyFlourish was asking...

 

[Jahydin]

that in no way addresses the misogyny. So we have his daughter confirming his sexism and the Trolls saying they liked working with him and look forward to making money off him.

If these are your best character witnesses, the defense has a problem

I think the Trolls specifically posting in support of Musk's statement, citing their 8 years of experience working with Gygax for credibility, a clear endorsement of "he wasn't misogynistic", right?

 

[Jahydin]

So now Jim Ward is involved?

How?

 

[billd91]

I would love to see a history of FR behind the scenes, but written by someone who knows the context and truth behind things, like Jeff Grubbs should write that book, not Ben. Actually it should have been Kuntz who writes the history book on D&D's origins actually understands and knows alot of what went down and it's context and what went down with Gygax and Arneson and others involved. I think it'd be a fairer ABC more honest book.

You got a bridge to sell me too? Because that's about as far-fetched at that claim. There's NO WAY he'd give anything close to an unbiased account.

 

[Parmandur]

I don't consider this a legit history text book, but no I'm not against History books as long as they are fair, provide honest context.

It is a collection of primary documents, that is a legit history book.

I Ben has a right to publish his book, but if it picks fights with people, then he has to deal with that.

Ben Riggs has no relation to the book whatsoever, that's off topic.

 

[Parmandur]

So now Jim Ward is involved?

Well, Ward is the one who wrote the supplement that was considered too offensive to actually reprint in the book in question.