Dungeons & Dragons Removes Hurtful Racial Stereotype From All New Versions

Wizards of the Coast, the publisher of Dungeons & Dragons, has issued an apology for the hurtful content in the latest Spelljammer: Adventures in Space campaign, saying it had "failed" the fans.

"Throughout the 50-year history of Dungeons & Dragons, some of the characters in the game have been monstrous and evil, using descriptions that are painfully reminiscent of how real-world groups have been and continue to be denigrated. We understand the urgency of changing how we work to better ensure a more inclusive game," read the apology on the Dungeons & Dragons official website. It refers to the Hadozee, a race of ape-like humanoids who have the ability to glide. However, in their fictional history, the homeworld of the Hadozee is visited by a wizard who captures dozens of them with the assistance of his apprentices. He feeds them an elixir that makes them stronger and turns them into "sapient, bipedal beings."

The wizard then intended to sell the "army" of Hadozee to the highest bidder, but his apprentices enable the prisoners to escape and ultimately kill the wizard, returning to their planet with the elixir in their possession to give to the rest of the Hadozee. Additionally, the Hadozee now have a higher tolerance for pain as the "magic in their veins heightens their natural defences," which could be interpreted to play into incorrect and racist ideas of Black people not feeling pain like other races.

"Effective immediately, we will remove the offensive content about Hadozee in our digital versions – and these will no longer be included in future reprints of the book," continued Wizards of the Coast. "We are eternally grateful for the ongoing dialog with the D&D community, and we look forward to introducing new, engaging and inclusive content to D&D for generations to come. D&D teaches that diversity is strength, for only a diverse group of adventurers can overcome the many challenges a D&D story presents. In that spirit, we are committed to making D&D as welcome and inclusive as possible. This part of our work will never end."