WotC Older D&D Books on DMs Guild Now Have A Disclaimer

If you go to any of the older WotC products on the Dungeon Master's Guild, they now have a new disclaimer very similar to that currently found at the start of Looney Tunes cartoons.

We recognize that some of the legacy content available on this website, does not reflect the values of the Dungeon & Dragons franchise today. Some older content may reflect ethnic, racial and gender prejudice that were commonplace in American society at that time. These depictions were wrong then and are wrong today. This content is presented as it was originally created, because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed. Dungeons & Dragons teaches that diversity is a strength, and we strive to make our D&D products as welcoming and inclusive as possible. This part of our work will never end.

The wording is very similar to that found at the start of Looney Tunes cartoons.

Edit: Wizards has put out a statement on Twitter (click through to the full thread)

 

[Sacrosanct]

That's pretty much my feelings on the matter for the same reasons.

I've always been the believer in recognizing past mistakes and owning them, rather than pretend they never existed. Now, every time someone sees an old product with that message, they will see WoTC own up to it rather than a one time acknowledgement that fades off into nothing if those products also disappear.

 

[aco175]

I'm ok with this over trying to change a product from 30 years ago.

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

I believe this is the best choice they could make. Putting a disclaimer inside the book would make you have to purchase it to see the disclaimer, which I think makes no sense at all (and the watermarks already make the books uglier than the originals, with no good motivation for their existence, unfortunately).

Refraining from selling the books would be even worse, for reasons I'll not discuss again. That said, they can and should do better in the future. Some of the products cited as problematic with some very reasonable arguments are not even 5 years old as of July/2020!

 

[Mercurius]

That works.

Sounds awfully familiar:

“The cartoons you are about to see are products of their time..They may depict some of the ethnic and racial prejudices that were commonplace in American society. These depictions were wrong then and are wrong today. While the following does not represent the Warner Bros. view of today’s society, these cartoons are being presented as they were originally created, because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed.”

 

[Eltab]

You have to see history to be able to learn from it, or get a sense of how things / people change over time.

This is a better decision than other possibilities being urged.

 

[Weiley31]

Slap this on the Oriental Adventures files and there ya go.

 

[Libramarian]

I can't imagine that anyone who thinks OA is harmful would be satisfied with this.

 

[Mercurius]

I can't imagine that anyone who thinks OA is harmful would be satisfied with this.

Daniel Kwan won't be, and a few folks here. But as I just wrote elsewhere, WotC can't possibly please everyone. This is at least the acknowledgement some were hoping for, while clearly differentiating the past and present/future.

 

[darjr]

WotC can’t please everyone. But I count this as a good thing and a win. Good on you WotC. And thank you.