Sacrosanct
Legend
Over just the past week or so, we've seen threads about how WoTC is rethinking alignment, shelving Oriental Adventures, etc. With everything going on in society in general, it makes complete sense that companies are also evaluating how they approached certain related topics in the past.
Several folks are happy. Some are upset. Some are relieved, while others disappointed. But here's the thing: we always have a choice. We always have. Ideals, assumptions, stereotypes, cultural sensitivity, progression, regression, they all happen in an ever changing environment. The game doesn't remain static like Uno. It changes not only mechanically, but philosophically with each revision.
And we as consumers have the choice to play it or not. This is not a new thing. We all still have our favorite editions, and no one has come, or will come, to take those away. When WotC took over, I wasn't a big fan, and didn't play 3e all that much. When 4e came out, I really didn't like the direction they went and still played AD&D. When 5e came out, I was brought back in. We can talk about it on forums, and voice our opinion at WoTC, but ultimately the only power we have is to choose to play or not, and choose to play the way we want or not. Trying to force others to play how we want is when it becomes problematic, especially when those changes are to bring in other types of players. AFAIC, I got my game, and if some things change about it that I might not be a fan of, I still have my game, so why not let others have theirs too?
So if WoTC refines alignment, gets rid of making all orcs evil, shelves OA, removes references to gypsies, and hires cultural writers, you can either keep playing the game how you want to play it, or don't and stick to whatever you game you do want. The times are a changing. No one is forcing anyone to stay on the train if you don't want. And even if you get off, you can always get back on. Trust me, that's what I did, and it's entirely possible. But all this arguing back and forth about how YOU ARE WRONG with a half dozen threads about the same topic isn't all that productive.
Several folks are happy. Some are upset. Some are relieved, while others disappointed. But here's the thing: we always have a choice. We always have. Ideals, assumptions, stereotypes, cultural sensitivity, progression, regression, they all happen in an ever changing environment. The game doesn't remain static like Uno. It changes not only mechanically, but philosophically with each revision.
And we as consumers have the choice to play it or not. This is not a new thing. We all still have our favorite editions, and no one has come, or will come, to take those away. When WotC took over, I wasn't a big fan, and didn't play 3e all that much. When 4e came out, I really didn't like the direction they went and still played AD&D. When 5e came out, I was brought back in. We can talk about it on forums, and voice our opinion at WoTC, but ultimately the only power we have is to choose to play or not, and choose to play the way we want or not. Trying to force others to play how we want is when it becomes problematic, especially when those changes are to bring in other types of players. AFAIC, I got my game, and if some things change about it that I might not be a fan of, I still have my game, so why not let others have theirs too?
So if WoTC refines alignment, gets rid of making all orcs evil, shelves OA, removes references to gypsies, and hires cultural writers, you can either keep playing the game how you want to play it, or don't and stick to whatever you game you do want. The times are a changing. No one is forcing anyone to stay on the train if you don't want. And even if you get off, you can always get back on. Trust me, that's what I did, and it's entirely possible. But all this arguing back and forth about how YOU ARE WRONG with a half dozen threads about the same topic isn't all that productive.