Some old D&D products such as Oriental Adventures (1e) and Fiend Folio (1e) have a disclaimer at the bottom of their DMs Guild listings.
It reads;
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 addition comes after Asians Represent Podcast co-host Daniel Kwan shared on Twitter that they found TSR’s handling of Asian cultures in Oriental Adventures 1e harmful.
The comment contrasts Wizards of the Coast continuing to make money from old books while committing to a new and better approach to diversity in D&D.
Kwan also said that he did not find the Asian-themed Legend of the Five Rings offensive.
It’s been a tough few days for the DMs Guild who also found themselves in the spotlight by asking lascivious art in Curse of Hearts an “adventure” with gay vampires to be censored. The request, refused by the author, sparked a debate as to whether the RPG industry treats art intended for the straight male gaze the same as art for everyone else.
As a result, the DMs Guild opened conversions with Wizards of the Coast around content guidelines. It may well have been these same conversations that have resulted in the new legacy content disclaimer appearing on old WotC titles.
No doubt, the disclaimer will be too much for some gamers and labelled an overreaction. For others, it will not be enough as the company is still making money from insensitive content. However, despite the debate in the community, the disclaimer hurts no one and marks the conversations the industry continues to have.
Update
Late last night, Wizards of the Coast took to social media to acknowledge the change and note the disclaimer had appeared before they had a chance to communicate their plans.
Join (or start) the healthy debate. Share your observations below.
