The Ravens Nest

Why Neutering Pronouns In Games Isn’t “Inclusive” As Advertised

There was a time where I’d have highly recommended that you play Dungeon Crawl Classics and even Mutant Crawl Classics.

Goodman Games has done astounding work. Both DCC and MCC respectively are not only compatible with each other but they stay true to the 1970s Dungeons & Dragons, Gamma World and Metamorphosis Alpha. Their work on older modules like The Temple of Elemental Evil, Into The Borderlands, Expedition To The Barrier Peaks, Castle Amber and even the upcoming The Dark Tower include the original and the same module updated for 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons.

I recommended that everyone interested in playing pick up the First Time Fan Kits for DCC & MCC, respectively. The price paid for each would include a GM screen, the specialized dice set which were $35 per set just by themselves, an adventure, the core book and a couple issues of a newspaper that were out of date but full of information that was still useful. I took advantage of those offers myself and truly enjoyed what I read so much that I bought the leatherette hardcovers and gave the softcovers to a friend. I have many of the adventures in PDF and I was looking forward to getting them in physical copies.

I know you’re wondering why I didn’t put the links in and the answer is simple; Goodman Games announced that the tenth printing fixed typographical errors and now included “gender-neutral language.” This was something that was in the air long before the announcement and this announcement is old but I wanted to come here to talk to you and, keep in mind, I’m only calling out Goodman Games since they’ve been so public about it.

Upon release, I received an email to go update my PDF copy. In my defense of physical ownership of books and digital for archive purposes, I’ve heard people say that the company can just edit your copy on the fly without you ever noticing. In the case of Wizards of The Coast who locks your electronic copy into D&D Beyond, this is true. For others, not so much. Let me show you one example.

In Night Shift: Veterans of The Supernatural Wars, my initial PDF copy had this which Jason pointed out in the last interview we did with him.

This was a typographical error that still exists in my physical book and in this particular PDF. The Error? It wasn’t a Deep Purple reference, it was a Blue Oyster Cult Reference and it has since been updated in the PDF. See here:

So, for a truly unscrupulous company, yes, the updates may be mandatory but, for most who conduct themselves with some integrity, it’s entirely optional. Now keep in mind, I did download the updated copy, however, I also kept both. The updated copy of Night Shift also has all of the OGL material stripped from it to make it and Wasted Lands operate all on the same page. Doesn’t fix my physical copy but I don’t need it to be fixed.

In the same manner, I also don’t need my copy of DCC or MCC to be fixed. Since their announcement, I won’t be updating my copies, they’ll be played as is. Though I backed The Dark Tower for both DCC and 5th Edition, that is where I part ways with Goodman Games.

Here’s why.

The neutering of pronouns in the books is the backdoor exploit into most games by ideologues who desire nothing more than these narratives to take center stage, games be damned. It’s only one in a series of hoops that you and I as game masters and players will be made to jump through in order to prove we’re not “the enemy.”

As I’ve pointed out in my article where I address those that would call themselves “allies” directly, you’ll never truly be included. You will always be the enemy. You will always be disposable. These people care nothing for you or the people you hurt.

I should add here. You’re neither a dog, nor are you a pony, you are not required to jump through hoops, especially ones lit on fire for the entertainment of others.

For years, those that found themselves attracted to Old-school gaming in many forms have been called “Racists,” “Bigots,” and “-phobes” of every stripe. The old-school systems are starting to have these very ideologues creep into their games. Why? If these games are so racist, bigoted, homophobic, transphobic and all the other ridiculous and baseless claims levelled at it, why do they suddenly want this? Why, if these people were so confident that Current D&D and Pathfinder Second Edition were so great that we, the old-school enjoyers would be “replaced” (I was assured that all this “replacement” stuff was just conspiracy theory, just as an aside) are they now coming into that space?

This is The Panderstone Effect in progress.

My own mode of operation as a GM is that everyone is welcome at the table and, if you find the table isn’t to your liking, then you’re more than welcome to politely excuse yourself and find another table or create your own. If you do so this way, I’ll recommend others to the table you start or even vouch for your character sheet being legit to another GM if called. Furthermore, if you find that neither is possible and you just want to game for the sake of gaming then the door is always open. If you storm out and cause a scene or become disruptive, not so much, you’ll find all doors closed forever. While my games are open to everyone, they’re not just open to anyone and there are rules for my table, follow them, find another table or start your own table.

With companies, I’m the same. I welcome all game suggestions but if your company absolutely must use the game to start preaching identity politics, then I don’t want your game. I’m the customer, I get to decide that. If your company makes a game and it’s good and it excludes all that, then not only am I apt to buy your game but I will recommend you to my friends, family and even some acquaintances. That’s it. If you keep it that way, you have a customer who will tell other potential customers.

Troll Lord Games, publishers of games such as Castles & Crusades, Amazing Adventures (also written by Jason Vey of Elf Lair Games), Starship Warden and Victorious, that is all they’re about, writing games by gamers, for gamers for the sake of gaming. Once the book is in your hands, it’s out of theirs how you play it, pronounce it or put pronouns in it.

That’s the nature of table top gaming in a nutshell in it’s mechanical essence, the ability to customize. This is why I defended Rulings Over Rules in a judicious sense and didn’t tell people that the Rules As Written crowd should be avoided at all costs. Jon, The Basic Expert, was sensible and reasonable in his approach and didn’t act like some whom have come along channeling some inner Andrew Tate, berating you for not playing strictly by the rules.

Ideologues do not believe in reason. To them, you’re either all-in or you’re not and the rules change by the nanosecond these days. As I’ve often said, when nothing you do is going to be considered “good enough” for someone, do nothing at all. Let them figure it out.

When companies put these kinds of things into their books, they’re sending a clear message. That message is that I absolutely must be all-in on this messaging (believe one thing, there will be more to come down the sewer pipe later) and deviation will not be tolerated. Also, I’ve pointed out before that this continues to build expectations that I don’t care to have to manage on top of my other duties as a Forever GM.

There Is No Such Thing As Escapism With These People Because, To Them, There Will Be No Escape For You. This has been demonstrated numerous times.

I will not fund a company that pushes this message into my games and, yes, I could ignore it but, as I’ve stated, the company sees numbers and if those numbers are still good, they wrongfully assume that it’s popular and thus, keep pushing. It will come incrementally at first as a trickle and then as a flood in an attempt to solve a problem that was never there. Case in point:

From AD&D First Edition…

From AD&D Second Edition…

From the Mentzer Basic Set…

From Original Dungeons & Dragons, letting you know what the game is and who it’s intended audience has been, is and shall be…

This was a problem that was never there, never needed a solution but here we are, beset by people who view themselves as hammers looking for every nail they can possibly pound. I would hope many of you are starting to see that now.

I had a recent Twitter time-sink with one user who decided to lose his mind at me, demanding that I give him an answer to the question “How Does It Hurt You?” after fully admitting that a reversal of course on the pronouns from Goodman Games would cause him to be bothered. I didn’t bother answering him because he continued (and reportedly still does) to act like a petulant child about this. For one such as him, he’ll buy your games if this is the type of thing you want to do and I hope he’s enough to sustain your business because I’m just closing my wallet at this point. I don’t want this in my games. I just want games. Also, his question was long since answered and I’ve also pointed out that, people like this are not “culture” but a cult, plain and simple.

There are two methods of gatekeeping I can and will shamelessly and unapologetically employ, rules at my table and where my money goes. Point blank. My mind will never change on this.

Some have stated that my one mistake was not seeing the pronouns in the bio as a huge red flag.

To that I counter, there are plenty of pronouners in my list of followers and those I’ve followed back as well as those who aren’t. I give everyone the benefit of the doubt but once you act like a disrespectful child, you’re gone after I’m done being petty enough to waste your time and mine and find out how many justifications you’re going to give me for purchasing new games from companies you may not like. If you’ve paid attention to my pinned tweet, you’ll see that I’m giving them enough rope with which to hang themselves. I’m monetizing the haters of others. My own agenda has been on full display for well over a year, going on two and it’s no secret.

To say that I’ve not been inclusive or hurting others, is wrong because the people that follow me and would game with me and would be invited to my table come from many walks of life, many different worldviews, hell, some even want the U.S. to become a monarchy and I’d still game with them. The point is, they haven’t tried to win converts and neither have I.

The reason these ideologues turn everything they touch into shit is because they believe that you and I deserve no escape, it’s an attempt at demoralization and, as I’ve stated before, they’ve stepped into a quagmire because this is a hobby composed of people who can and will make their own and directly compete.

Companies, the formula is simple. Make games for the sake of games. Make them unique and fun and cater to a genre whether it’s spies and saboteurs, medieval fantasy, cyberpunk, space, sci-fi, horror, dark urban settings, etc. Make the rules, make optional rules, leave the politics to the GM, the players and the tables or, in the case of my table, non-negotiable, hard and fast, At Home. It doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that. Keep it that way and this hobby will thrive…or someone else will and your business will suffer.

Players and GMs, it’s okay if some of these works have made it into your libraries but I have to say this, this is your opportunity to vote with your wallets. It’s time that we closed our wallets to the companies that refuse to listen to their customers and open them only to those who do.

If companies only seek to “be inclusive” by excluding us, then they can also do without our money. They don’t want our money? They don’t want us playing their games or claim they want us out of the hobby or that “we can’t leave fast enough?” Let’s give that money to other companies instead.

I recommend Troll Lord Games, The Red Room, Venger Satanis, The Basic Expert, Viktor Gorchev, Lamentations of The Flame Princess, Mythmere Games, Necrotic Gnome, Bloat Games and Fractured Brain Studios just for starters.