Judges Guild Makes Statement About Goodman Controversy [Updated]

Judges Guild--the company which owns the City State of the Invincible Overlord property which Goodman Games has controversially licensed for an upcoming crowdfunding campaign--has put out a statement covering the situation, amongst other things.

Much of the lengthy statement by JG owner Bob Bledsaw II is a political monologue about keeping politics out of games while simultaneously speaking at length about Bledsaw's own political views and positions, and his criticisms of opposing viewpoints. It's not entirely clear why everybody else is expected to keep politics out of gaming while Bledsaw himself won't stop talking about them, but for those who wish to read it in full, it can be found here. [edit—the post seems to have been deleted now, but you can read it at the end of this article]

However, the update does raise some interesting facts:

• Joseph Goodman originally asked to make City State of the Invincible Overlord in 2010, but it was not until 2022 (two years after the 2020 outbursts which caused Goodman Games to cut ties with Judges Guild) that Bledsaw agreed to it.
• Goodman Games will be producing 5 years of the Dungeoneer fanzine, after which Judges Guild will take it over.
• Judges Guild has plans for a range of products over the coming years.
• The charitable donations on sales of JG products on GG's website being made after the 2020 outbursts were ended in 2022 because JG and GG agreed it was time for the Guild to make some cash.

This information, if true, stands in contradiction to Goodman Games' own statements. In February 2020, Goodman Games said:

• Goodman Games has stopped selling our previous Judges Guild products through all distribution channels.
• Judges Guild will no longer receive income from Goodman Games products now that sales of their titles have ceased.
• We have one remaining product to release, which is a collector’s edition focused on the works of Jennell Jaquays.
• After this final volume, we have no plans to release future Judges Guild titles.

It's not clear how all these statements line up, given that some contradict others. Judges Guild products are currently available on Goodman Games' website.

I did reach out to Goodman Games, but was just referred to their public statements on the subject.

---

Bob Bledsaw II (Judges Guild)'s statement in full:

Hello Friends and Guild Family,
As the Guild's 50th Anniversary approaches, I wished to let you all know about plans we have set for the coming few years. Some are thru licensees and some through our own internal processes. We have good things in the works for 2026, and beyond.
Let me remind you all that I am no liar. Keep that in mind. I have always been honest with others in this industry, and my record will show my candor, generosity, and good-will toward all. Like my father, I encourage other game publishers, welcome joint ventures, and leave politics out of my business life. I consider that a part of being an American. I do not expect others to conform to my way of thinking, but the weaponization of politics to harm people, or the competition in our industry, is becoming more and more common. I find it hypocritical that persons who would cancel, or effect a boycott, against an individual would themselves support laws that would criminalize the boycott of certain countries. But there you have it; laws for thee, none for me. It will ruin our industry, as it has others.
Dave Arneson foresaw all this, and we spoke in 2008 of what would happen as more liberal johnny-come-latelies pushed into our industry. Regardless of what the woke may wish, it was an industry created largely by White, Christian, stragegists; most very active in their respective churches. Sadly, the current trends would attack or change the achievements of others; burn an industry down, rather than create their own. It is always easier to destroy something than to create it. I created the company logo at age 13, but only with my father's instigation, but I challenge you to find a more bad-ass company logo anywhere in the world.
Dave believed that once the game industry made more money than the movie industry, they would come in a wave like it was the California Gold Rush... producing small private game companies, likely producing a lot of bad games, and moving them thru their own small game stores, while touting them thru media outlets. He said it would be no different than the way they pushed poor films thru their own small theaters for decades. They would flood the market with so many distractions that honest publishers would not stand a chance against their profit margins. And, as for the big players, "they do not care about what we created, they are fine with destroying it."
Dave knew that what Gygax had done was all sold, and he advised me to never allow the Wilderlands, or the Guild IP as a whole, to be sold away to "the heartless beast," as he called it. He understood that the Guild represented what was left at the heart of it all. It created the game-module, it created the stand-up, it proved the market to TSR. But 50 years later, TSR is no more, and the industry pioneers are dying away from us, and D&D suffered a dismal 50th; due largely to leftist posturing, and everyone wishing for more of this or less of that.
The founders were all good men, family men, and people who understood humor without pearl-clutching, yet we work to include everyone at our game-table, even today. We are not out to promote a way of thinking, or an agenda. We try hard to make good products at a fair price, but the Guild must compete against publishers who use cheap Chinese labor houses. Once, Joseph Goodman came to me, having found paper like our original maps had been printed on, but I said no to it, because the paper came from China. He knows what people want, so I trust he will always make top-notch products. We just could not find it in America.
That is not always easy here. Our policy from the beginning was to produce ALL AMERICAN products, and we always have. We were literally founded on July 4th 1976, on the nation's bicentennial. I remember the day well, and watched the fireworks over the lake from Bill Owen's hilltop home. Joseph Goodman recently commented on how much he loved my father's work, and I do not doubt that sincerity, but it set wrong with me, maybe it is my age talking, but I was there! It was my work also; from the company logo, to the first map, and Tac Cards on... It was MY work also. Many of the covers, much of the layout; I was a part of the Guild Family, and that included everyone working with us. There were Whites, Blacks, Muslims, Jews, Gays, Catholics, Native Americans, South Africans, City Intellectuals, and Country Farmers, all working under the Guild banner, in-house, and in all those years, never an argument over politics or religion. THAT IS AMERICA, a mutual respect for diversity! Not at all what overshadows our industry today, and I see all that for what it is; a self-righteous power-grab.
Nevertheless we work on, and the Overlord is Invincible. As it is currently planned with Goodman Games, City State of the Invincible Overlord, our flagship, will see revisions in 5th Edition, and Dungeon Crawl Classics. Now, the Goodman folks jumped ahead of us; we were to have a planned rollout in July of this year. The Guild version, in Bob Bledsaw's JG Universal format will include materials Bob wrote but has never been used. The page count has doubled, and will likely come in 2 Volumes. We know this will make for a great product, because the same process of applying Bob's draft content to The Thieves of Badabaskor resulted in many great reviews and happy letters.
It is true that Joseph Goodman has long wished to do CSIO, and asked about it as far back as 2010, but I was always opposed to that as D&D was becoming more magic-heavy with each new rule-set, and my father's original Wilderlands was magic-light. I did not think it was a good fit. But by 2022, after having seen the successes of his DCC system, and always assuming that our own version would come, I agreed, because it would allow a whole new generation to see the City State with the lenses of their choosing. He told me it was bound to be grand, shipped internationally, and for the first time, printed in 5 languages! That is great guns! Joseph has a great team and he will always be considered a dear friend.
Now back in 2020, I had no problem with giving the Guild's royalties to the ADL, as it seemed the right thing to do after my irrational posts, but we agreed it was time for the Guild to make some cash, and so it was set down in 2022, but I allowed Joseph to pick his own timing, because he had more important projects, after having acquired Dark Tower and Caverns of Thracia. I assumed Jennell Jaquays would be working with Goodman over the next several years; so I provided her with copies of her many Guild letters from our files to help stir some creativity. I also hoped to gain her help on another project I will mention later, after having given her the freedom to produce a revision of Night of the Walking Wet. Sadly, Jennell passed away, and it made me all the more glad for that hug at our last parting. I always respected the talented artist she was.
Also, speaking of unpublished material, our Imperial Pegasus magazine will see revival, as a periodical, but with a likely format change. It will certainly not be a 94 page monster, but will allow us to produce all manner of content, crawls, Wilderlands expansions, sci-fi material, industry comment, and reviews. As planned, Goodman Games will produce 5 years of Dungeoneer, whereupon JG will take over production of the classic fanzine, and this will allow us to use all the Jennell Jaquays material and art that was unpublished. You may wait a bit longer than that, but the Jaquays influence will live on in the coming Dungeoneers; her original dream. As a fellow artist, I think it is fitting that those works see use in this way. I still have some of her original paintings that would make lovely prints or future covers.
Other products are here being readied for release before our Anniversary: Village Books I & II, Book of Rumors I, Amulets & Talismans, Island Book II, Washbears of the Wilderlands, Citadel of the Lion, and a first ever fantasy novel set in the Wilderlands. The Book of Rumors will be a series, providing detailed lore for each of the Wilderlands Maps areas. Island Book II, will host islands, less Mediterranean, but with a Coral Sea flavor. My fiance of 3 years, her father a provincial healer of Bukidnon, has provided much rare folklore from the Islands of the Philippines, translated from Bisayan and Mountainyard languages. And although the 2014 Maps cannot be completed, a friend from my college years has just this month found us very similar paper, made in America, that will be test printed in the coming days. Over the coming months of 2025, we hope to make use of our YouTube Channel, and provide more support for our product line, in the form of free downloads. I hope news brings many smiles. We are happy to be working with good-hearted partners, and we do thank you for supporting us all.
Sincerely, Bob Bledsaw II

---

UPDATE! Goodman Games Says Bledsaw Is Not Correct!

Wobblerocket reached out to Goodman Games and got a response from Joseph Goodman who said that Goodman Games is NOT going to be producing the Dungeoneer fanzine. In Bledsaw's statement (above), Judges Guild said "As planned, Goodman Games will produce 5 years of Dungeoneer, whereupon JG will take over production of the classic fanzine". Joseph Goodman says "I think it’s best if Goodman Games speaks for what Goodman Games is doing. And Goodman Games is definitely not doing Dungeoneer."

He only refutes Bledsaw’s claim that Goodman Games will be producing Dungeoneer. He does not respond to the questions about the timing of the Invincible Overlord agreement, and was not asked about the redirection of the charity donations back to Judges Guild.

Wobblerocket: In a post on Facebook yesterday, Judges Guild stated that they agreed to allow Goodman Games to publish City State of the Invincible Overlord in 2022, two years after Goodman Games stated they were no longer going to be publishing Judges Guild projects.

Judges Guild also stated that Goodman Games is planning to publish Dungeoneers, but you have stated in your videos that you aren’t publishing any more Judges Guild projects after CSIO. I couldn’t find any information about this on your website.

Could you clarify for me if this information is correct?

Joseph Goodman: Hi — in short, this information is not correct.

Wobblerocket: Thank you.

What are the plans for the Dungeoneer magazine? Is that an IP that Goodman Games licensed from Judges Guild?

Joseph Goodman: Hi – to make a long story short, Goodman Games has or had rights to quite a few Judges Guild titles, and we have no plans to release any except CSIO.

The contracts have confidentiality clauses so I’m quite limited in what I can say. But in short…the information you emailed about is incorrect. I think it’s best if Goodman Games speaks for what Goodman Games is doing. And Goodman Games is definitely not doing Dungeoneer.

 

[mamba]

For those who haven't read the update on the front page of the thread Goodman games have responded and denied any plans to publish anything outside the planned kickstarter:

yeah, and shortly before they announced the CSIO KS the status was still 'we will do nothing with JG', so I am not all that convinced this time around

 

[Thagdal]

I don't think anything they've said contradicts that statement. They said they had no plans to release future titles, which they didn't. And that JG would not receive income from their sales.

They later came up with a way to sell a product such that JG would not receive income. They considered this appropriate, and so made new plans with this consideration.

You can disagree with their judgement but it is not dishonesty, and nothing like the level of dishonesty from Bledsaw. I don't see how even a cynic could equate the two.

More accurately they later came up with a way to sell a product such that JG is unlikely but not improbable to get money from.
Other benefits for JG are possible, including attention to their website and possibly selling other works due to their 'prestige' of being picked as an OAR project.

 

[Egarb]

Below will be some examples. The examples are just from this thread; I can sift through the other threads if you honestly want me to do so, but that will take some time.
Note that, in most cases, I have not directly quoted the posters because I do not want to be bated into some accusation that I was trying to target other posters.

Regarding the validity of Bledsaw's statements:
"I also have no reason to think Bledshaw's post isn't accurate."

Regarding how Goodman is now viewed (in part) because of Bledsaw's statements:
•"I foolishly thought they were better than this."
•"that is the end for me supporting GG."
•"Honestly I'm thinking GG may be just as bad as JG"
•"based on Bloodsew's post, GG was going to be working with him on a lot more than they led people to believe since this all began. I can't trust what GG says at this point..."

Given that Bledsaw's past behavior is being used as the basis for opinions that the community has (and rightfully so) about him, while his recent statements are simultaneously being used as a basis for determining truth; that would seem to indicate that what I have said is an accurate assessment.

If you believe it is not an accurate assessment, I would like to hear why you hold that belief.

Further thoughts:

As presented, there is a portion of the community for whom it appears that one (1) of Bledsaw's Facebook posts is worth more (in terms of determining truth) than most other things.

In one case, the user felt so strongly about it that they made an entire Enworld profile -just today- to ask about Bledsaw's Facebook post and then immediately followed that up by saying they will no longer support Goodman Games.

Hey!
New profile in question.
I have been lurking here for years and i guess this case pushed me to post.
What frustrates me with GG and this situation is that they have given an white supremacist a megaphone for their thoughts. And they refuse to see the problem with it or do anything about it.

Making this new product will give Judges Guild more traffic and exposure. And that helps white supremacy.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

A special episode of the Between Two Cairns podcast on this issue has been released. Co-host Yochai Gai is Israeli-born, I believe, and his Jewish identity is deeply important to him. Listening to the episode now.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

A special episode of the Between Two Cairns podcast on this issue has been released. Co-host Yochai Gai is Israeli-born, I believe, and his Jewish identity is deeply important to him. Listening to the episode now.

And the answer is ... well, pretty similar to these threads. The three co-hosts do a good job of not getting angry with each other despite sometimes varying opinions.

 

[Longspeak]

Not surprised by this statement at all. Bigotry disguised as patriotism. If this doesn't convince the fence-sitters that they shouldn't back this project then I'm not sure what else could.

I'm tempted to hop on the fence, just so I can jump off it with extra verve. The hell with that bigot and all who willingly work with him. Sorry, Goodman. I was out, now I'm extra out.

 

[The Firebird]

We know that at some point they quietly stopped donating proceeds to charity so JG could have a revenue stream again. GG has lied about his at least once before, it's not a great step to assume they'd lie again.

Is the idea that the Bledsaw post proves this, or something else? My reading of the post is that in 2022 they decided to move forward with CSIO under the refund scheme, but delayed it until Goodman had finished other projects. In particular, the line "I allowed Joseph to pick his own timing" suggests that no change to the revenue happened at that point.

Or am I missing another piece?

Here's the text I had in mind

"Now back in 2020, I had no problem with giving the Guild's royalties to the ADL, as it seemed the right thing to do after my irrational posts, but we agreed it was time for the Guild to make some cash, and so it was set down in 2022, but I allowed Joseph to pick his own timing, because he had more important projects, after having acquired Dark Tower and Caverns of Thracia."

And something else to think about. If there really was a contract in place, pre-2020, that they can't break and they're having to fulfill, how were they able to alter it to keep JG from getting any profits?

My impression is that JG agreed to the refund idea. But I'm not sure. It's clear that there is information we do not have access to.

 

[Tsilkani]

2022 can't be the CSIO timing, because according to Goodman himself, that was already pending in 2020. The context of the sentence is making it pretty clear that the 2022 date is referring to ending the proceeds going to royalty and the money going to JG instead (because 'it was time for the Guild to make some cash'), and we know that happened at some point because previously there was wording on all the relevant products on DTRPG that the proceeds were going to charity, and that wording has subsequently vanished again.

Also, 'time for the Guild to make some cash' implies that whatever they decided in 2022, profits were going to go to Bledshaw, so if they are talking about CSIO, then the whole refund deal clearly wasn't in play at the time, and Goodman is lying about yet another thing.

 

[The Firebird]

2022 can't be the CSIO timing, because according to Goodman himself, that was already pending in 2020.

Couldn't it be that the project was discussed before 2020, then put on ice in 2020, then revived in 2022? That was my understanding.

The context of the sentence is making it pretty clear that the 2022 date is referring to ending the proceeds going to royalty and the money going to JG instead (because 'it was time for the Guild to make some cash'), and we know that happened at some point because previously there was wording on all the relevant products on DTRPG that the proceeds were going to charity, and that wording has subsequently vanished again.

I see how you get there. Its not my interpretation of the text though, but I think the text is pretty ambiguous. How do you read "allowing Joseph to pick his time"? I suppose in this reading, that corresponds to when the charity message was taken down, which may have been after 2022 (I don't recall).

So your understanding is that GG has been passing JG revenue for the past couple of years? If that's true, given their public statements about it, I think that's highly dishonest by GG.

Also, 'time for the Guild to make some cash' implies that whatever they decided in 2022, profits were going to go to Bledshaw, so if they are talking about CSIO, then the whole refund deal clearly wasn't in play at the time, and Goodman is lying about yet another thing.

I think it is more likely that Bledsaw is misstating the details of the agreement.

 

[doctorhook]

I’m pretty disappointed about this, but also not really sure anything has changed from my perspective since last week. I don’t put much stock in anything Mr. Bledsaw has said, so I guess I don’t believe his account of these events. Goodman Games needs to cut this partnership immediately and permanently; they tried to walk a fine line with this project but that’s failed spectacularly.

Regarding Mr. Bledsaw’s comments, it just seems sad. It’s pure garden-variety lashing-out behaviour by a racist boomer struggling with his own fading relevance; I’ve read the same screed hundreds of times from others, it’s just ignorance and fear turned into pity and rage.

I might just be being charitable to Mr. Goodman here, but when he previously talked about “building bridges”, I wonder if he hadn’t just fallen into the trap of forgiving Mr. Bledsaw personally and forgetting how offensive his public behaviour had been. They seem to have known each other a long time, and maybe Mr. Bledsaw is “nice” in person or seems deserving of pity—unfortunately that’s not worth a damn when his public profile is unrepentantly racist and offensive. None of that is an excuse for GG trying to build a relationship with JG, but it might be an explanation.

I truly hope Mr. Goodman sees why this project is radioactive and publicly discards it immediately. I want to believe Goodman Games is still alright, but they need to demonstrate a full-throated commitment against the kinds of values Mr. Bledsaw has espoused. No more half-measures, no grey areas.