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.

 

[Jahydin]

A positive fun fact I learned today while reading up on Gygax that I didn't know:

There was a little girl named Natasha that wrote Gary letters in crayon. In one, I guess she asked for a spell that made people laugh, so he made one for her and named it after her: Tasha's Hideous Laughter.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

No good loot.

He's got a grail. That's gotta be worth something.

 

[Garthanos]

Personally, I don't think anything written in the foreword accurately reflects Gygax or his intentions accurately at all.

I cannot point at a source but I have read he indicated when he couldn't get his daughter involved in D&D he felt the game was for boys. (insert reasons/excuses that most would not consider valid).

I recall the cursed magic item that changed your gender... apparently instead of a tool/blessing for achieving a desired end which many might see that to be it was a trap.

 

[Hussar]

@Hussar
Yes, I'm the one who posted it...



Personally, I don't think anything written in the foreword accurately reflects Gygax or his intentions accurately at all. Further, I haven't seen anyone who had worked for him or gamed with him back any of these statements up.

FFS

THAT'S THE WRONG BOOK.

 

[briggart]

What are peoples feelings on 'Bruh'?

I don't think I get it.

 

[GreyLord]

Again, that statement was made sarcastically and in no way reflects how he treated women in real life.

I've seen countless positive examples of Gygax's actual behavior towards women, so far zero negative ones.

I actually can name at least one instance (of the negative). It has a great deal of angst, anger, and people being upset about it.

It's also not my place to bring it up. I wasn't around to witness it myself, and I only know about it second hand.

My personal experiences with Gygax were all wonderful. He, in my personal interactions, was one of the most wonderful people I met, and was extremely congenial and polite to everyone around him. He was probably far more polite that I would have been in some situations, given how some were in their actions towards him.

I'd say Frank Mentzer was one of his most loyal friends and allies through it all, and I'd say that most that knew him (if you exclude some of his more troublesome times when he went off the rocker...which was decades ago and only for a brief time) thought he was a wonderful person.

That's my personal take of the man, and what I saw in my personal experiences and interactions. Most of my experiences with him were through Wargaming (not RPG playing), so that could be part of what forms my bias or feelings towards Mr. Gygax.

I never met or knew Arneson. My opinions would therefore, probably be biased. Everything I've heard about him were that he was a nice man, a very smart man, but at times had trouble producing or keeping timelines and deadlines in the early days of writing D&D and product of such. Everything else that I've seen or heard from him have been that he is also a pretty wonderful person and a wonderful character.

It's unfortunate that they had the problems between them that they did. Such is life. Sometimes when money and business gets into being a factor, friendships and brotherhood (or sisterhood, or just acquaintances) have barriers that cannot be overcome and problems arise. It's sad when it happens, unfortunate as it occurs, but a terrible thing that happens far more often than many probably realize.

 

[GreyLord]

I cannot point at a source but I have read he indicated when he couldn't get his daughter involved in D&D he felt the game was for boys. (insert reasons/excuses that most would not consider valid).

I recall the cursed magic item that changed your gender... apparently instead of a tool/blessing for achieving a desired end which many might see that to be it was a trap.

He actually had Three Daughters (if I recall correctly). Today, only one of them is still involved with gaming actively (I may be wrong, so don't quote me on this) which is Heidi.

 

[GreyLord]

He's got a grail. That's gotta be worth something.

I could have also sworn that I saw the stats written up for him and his spiritual opposition (whomever you want to call it or name it).

Which meant, that yes, you could actually try to take on and kill the Savior of All Mankind (and no, I'm not referring to the Emperor...though some may consider that an option as well, and Horus certainly did try, the Emperor wasn't the one stated up).

PS: That doesn't mean I'd agree with such a thing, or find it acceptable, so don't flame me for my post. I'm not even saying I would allow player to do that in one of my campaigns. I'm as pious as anyone else (maybe...maybe not...). I'm just saying that I think they actually did have stats, unless I saw it somewhere else...which could be possible.

 

[mamba]

Again, that statement was made sarcastically and in no way reflects how he treated women in real life.

convenient excuse, I disagree that it in no way reflects him. It might be an exaggeration, but it still is a reflection

I've seen countless positive examples of Gygax's actual behavior towards women, so far zero negative ones.

what are you even talking about, do you agree he was sexist and just do not like the idea of him being a misogynist or do we need to start at sexist, something even his daughter agreed with?

 

[Jahydin]

FFS

THAT'S THE WRONG BOOK.

No it isn't? That's from the foreword to Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons.