D&D General Companies Cut Ties With Judges Guild After Owner's Racist Posts

Several game publishers, including Bat in the Attic, have said that they will no longer do business with Judges Guild after its owner posted a number of racist and anti-semitic statements. They don't need to be repeated here; but there are several examples.

Judges Guild has been around since 1976, producing products compatible with Dungeons & Dragons; the current owner, Bob Bledsaw II, is the son of its co-founder, Bob Bledsaw, and has run the company since 2008. The company is well known for 1976's City State of the Invincible Overlord, amongst other classics. Bat in the Attic and Frog God Games both license Judges' Guild properties.

Rob Conley of Bat in the Attic stated yesterday that the company would no longer do business with Judges Guild, or its properties. "Sunday evening, I called Robert Bledsaw II and discussed the issue. I notified him that I will no longer be doing future Judges’ Guild projects and will only continue to sell what I have currently listed. I stated that I will be calling the other Judges Guild licensee and inform them of the situation and of my decision."

Frog God Games, which has been working with Judges Guild for nearly 20 years, followed suit. "Recently the owner of Judges Guild made a series of racist and anti-semitic posts on Facebook. We will not reproduce them here; they are shown on Rob Conley's Bat in the Attic blog, and we are convinced of their authenticity. Rob wrote his post because, as a licensee of Judges Guild property, he felt he needed to state clearly that he would not be doing business with Judges Guild in the future. We have also licensed property from Judges Guild in the past, and we are seconding Rob's example by cutting off all future business with Judges Guild. The posts made on Facebook were completely unacceptable."

UPDATE — DriveThruRPG has severed ties. “The Judges Guild publisher account has been closed and they are no longer available on DriveThruRPG.”

A few years ago, Judges Guild ran a Kickstarter to bring back City State of the Invincible Overlord, with nearly a thousand backers raising $85K. The Kickstarter has not yet been fulfilled. The latest update was in October 2019.

 

[Ulfgeir]

One thing I never understand about things like this. I intellectually understand that there are people who hold strong racist (or other equally objectionable) views; that's clear and apparent. What I don't get is why they post them publicly; surely they know what will happen? Or do they literally just not care about the consequences?

Like others have said, "opinion bubbles", and these persons think that they are right, and any backlash only reinforces their worldview as they then feel persecuted.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Coroc]

One thing I never understand about things like this. I intellectually understand that there are people who hold strong racist (or other equally objectionable) views; that's clear and apparent. What I don't get is why they post them publicly; surely they know what will happen? Or do they literally just not care about the consequences?

For them the other ones are the ones in the wrong. They did, for some reason never learn that each human is an individual. This starts with having to respect and accept yourself and then respecting and accepting others, depending on their individual deeds.

Those posting such views in the public might have a multitude of reasons:

Some eventually only like to troll or provoke, but there might be some for whom that is a religion. For some it might also come from some personal life experience which emboldens an existing stereotype.

There are people who seek someone responsible for their individual misery (or felt misery) / mistreatment / bad luck. Some of these never can admit to themselves that they might make errors too. They always need someone else to blame it onto. These might even be the hardest to convince.

Some might even seek the punishment which follows as a reaction, I am no psychologist, if there is one on the forum he might explain this symptom better. It is maybe a bit like someone who is mistreated by his partner and still never quits the relation.

 

[Uller]

One thing I never understand about things like this. I intellectually understand that there are people who hold strong racist (or other equally objectionable) views; that's clear and apparent. What I don't get is why they post them publicly; surely they know what will happen? Or do they literally just not care about the consequences?

Because people live in a bubble of their own making. It isn't a right left thing. It is a human thing. Social media makes it easier and more catestrophic when the bubble bursts.

I am against cancel culture. I don't do boycotts. I think judging a person by a few social media posts is like trying to judge the quality of a mansion by peeking through the keyhole. More often than not, we can learn far more about the person calling for the boycott than about the target by the controversy that arises. But if I had been doing business with JG, i would stop and let them know why.

 

[Zardnaar]

Idiot lol. I just stay off social media, two much B's from both sides. Cancel culture and friends in one side, turnips like this on the other.

Solution is obvious. Beer.

 

[charlesatan]

One thing I never understand about things like this. I intellectually understand that there are people who hold strong racist (or other equally objectionable) views; that's clear and apparent. What I don't get is why they post them publicly; surely they know what will happen? Or do they literally just not care about the consequences?

There's two ways to look at it:

1) Even the most objectionable views have their fair share of supporters. I guess it comes down to the owner thinking that there are more people who agree with them than those who don't.

2) Some people still support problematic companies/institutions regardless of the owner's beliefs because they like the product very much. Dyson's owner for example supported/funded Brexit but a lot of people still swear by that product. Also a lot of people are still fans of Marvel movies despite its CEOs history.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Sigh... I don't even know how to respond to this.

Don't take that either way. I think there is a lot of fault here, but I also feel there is a lot of judgement.

 

[billd91]

One thing I never understand about things like this. I intellectually understand that there are people who hold strong racist (or other equally objectionable) views; that's clear and apparent. What I don't get is why they post them publicly; surely they know what will happen? Or do they literally just not care about the consequences?

No, they don't fear for the consequences, they probably see themselves as downtrodden by the forces of the Social Justice Warriors(tm). They're just emboldened by certain political developments in recent years to "take back the country" and think it's a winning fight.
That and they're pretty stupid.

 

[CapnZapp]

It is already on the wikipedia
'

That phrasing amounts to vandalism and has already been rejected/rewritten.

 

[billd91]

Don't take that either way. I think there is a lot of fault here, but I also feel there is a lot of judgement.

Someone posts some egregious anti-Semitic statements and you're worried that people are being all judgmental about it?