The gaming community has been abuzz after Elon Musk’s remarks regarding Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) and its current owners, Wizards of the Coast (WoTC).
Musk, known for his outspoken views, criticized the handling of the legacy of D&D co-creator Gary Gygax and hinted at potentially acquiring Hasbro, WoTC’s parent company.
Musk Takes Aim at Corporate Game Studios
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on November 27, Musk voiced frustration over corporate ownership in the gaming sector. Responding to a critique of “manipulative” trends in gaming, Musk stated, “Too many game studios are owned by massive corporations.” He went on to reveal plans for xAI, his AI-focused venture, to set up a new game studio, adding, “xAI is going to start an AI game studio to make games great again!“
Controversy Over Gygax’s Legacy
The debate intensified following comments by Jason Tondro, D&D product lead at WoTC, in the foreword of Making of D&D: 40th Anniversary. Tondro appeared to distance the company from Gygax, sparking backlash among fans.
Musk joined the criticism, declaring, “Nobody, and I mean nobody, gets to trash E. Gary Gygax and the geniuses who created Dungeons & Dragons. What the f*** is wrong with Hasbro and WoTC? May they burn in hell.”
Speculation Over a Hasbro Takeover
The controversy took a new turn when Musk responded to the backlash with a cryptic post: “How much is Hasbro?” The comment sparked speculation about whether Musk might seriously consider acquiring the toy and game company to influence D&D’s future.
To be sure, he had previously acquired Twitter (now X) in a similar fashion. He had tweeted how much was Twitter before he eventually went to acquire the company and renamed it X.