WotC Dungeons & Dragons Fans Seek Removal of Oriental Adventures From Online Marketplace

[Dire Bare]

With WotC's recent statement on making the game more inclusive in regards to racial issues, I should have predicted this would happen next.

Dungeons & Dragons Fans Seek Removal of Oriental Adventures From Online Marketplace

The 1st Edition "Oriental Adventures" is probably one of the worst titles in the back catalog for its treatment of race and culture, but it is far from the only problematic title. Should WotC remove the 1E "Oriental Adventures" rulebook from the DriveThruRPG.com marketplace? How about the 3E version? Other products that built on Oriental Adventures? What other titles?

Personally, I don't feel that the book should be removed entirely, but something does need to be done to acknowledge the problematic aspects of the title. I'd take a page from the HBO Max streaming service. HBO Max temporarily removed the movie "Gone with the Wind" recently due to the world's current focus on racial issues. However, they have restored the film to the catalog with an introductory disclaimer basically saying the film is important in a historical context but, yeah, pretty racist.

I would like to see WotC do something similar with "Oriental Adventures" and other problematic titles. Add a disclaimer at the beginning of the digital book explaining explicitly the problematic elements of the book. I would also have all profits from the book's sales go to a charity, preferably some charity dealing with Asian American racial issues.

What do you think?

 

[Dire Bare]

An alternate way of dealing with problematic elements recently . . . .

Streaming platforms Netflix and others have removed the "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" episode from the "Community" TV series. In this episode, one of the characters, Chang, shows up to the gang's D&D game in drow blackface. The other characters respond negatively to his choice, and Chang is known as an abrasive character. This episode actually deals pretty well with issues of bullying, and it was hilarious, apart from the questionable choice to use drow blackface.

So HBO Max keeps "Gone with the Wind" but with a disclaimer up front, Netflix drops an episode entirely from a TV show. Which is the better solution? Which model should WotC use regarding "Oriental Adventures"? Or is there a third path they should follow?

 

[Orcslayer78]

What do I think?

I think that, virtually speaking, it's basically this

This new "Race Panic" is no better than the old Satanic Panic in the 80's

 

[Nikosandros]

So HBO Max keeps "Gone with the Wind" but with a disclaimer up front, Netflix drops an episode entirely from a TV show. Which is the better solution? Which model should WotC use regarding "Oriental Adventures"? Or is there a third path they should follow?

I'd rather WotC would follow HBO's example. Bundle a disclaimer with the download to the tune that "This product does not reflect WotC views nad may be offensive to readers".

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

I'd rather WotC would follow HBO's example. Bundle a disclaimer with the download to the tune that "This product does not reflect WotC views nad may be offensive to readers".

Disney has done that on their Disney Plus service for a lot of the older stuff that is not so bad (Song of the South) that it can't be put up to begin with.

 

[Sadras]

Cannot wait for the outrage to filter through to other products, like the Mystaran Gazetteer line, some of the 2e Complete Handbooks and the Matzica novels.

 

[Xenonnonex]

About damn time this was addressed.

 

[Todd Roybark]

Can this and the other Oriental Adventures thread be moved to RPG General?
Before widespread usage of PDFs....TSR’s Oriental Adventures had already been out of print.
Same with the 3e version.

At this point, do we here at EnWorld need to troll each other for another 120 pages, on something that is only tangentially related to 5e?

 

[pukunui]

Can this and the other Oriental Adventures thread be moved to RPG General?
Before widespread usage of PDFs....TSR’s Oriental Adventures had already been out of print.
Same with the 3e version.

At this point, do we here at EnWorld need to troll each other for another 120 pages, on something that is only tangentially related to 5e?

This forum hasn’t been just for 5e for a while now. It’s for all editions of D&D.

 

[Mercurius]

I'm glad I have a copy to save from the proverbial 4-5-1.