While this does not quite apply to me (my roots in game design are different, and my current projects that touch upon D&D are not under WotC), I would like to take some time out to speak about D&D and the Philippine player and creator base. Perspectives are valuable and all. https://twitter.com/FallOnMyBlade/status/1279682378613559303

Some points to bear in mind:

+ I'm a community person in my country, being admin of the largest ttrpgs FB group and the head of a space that's out to support LGBTQIA+ & women gamers from all walks of life
+ I relate with local creators of D&D content and events folks regularly.

The most important thing to remember is that there is no ttrpgs industry in the Philippines. There are no big publication houses, either homegrown or international. What you all see from my end and beyond are local creators trying to strike out on their own.

There are some local collectives that are attempting to support creators of card games, board games, and ttrpgs. However, many of them are bad faith actors at worst, and cliques with toxic structures at best. There's also a general suspicion of anything that doesn't bear the

Badge of Honor that locals view as "international acclaim" - that you were published abroad, under a major company. In the eyes of many, self publishing on itch et al doesn't count as relevant.

Also, typical avenues for visibility and funding, like KS, aren't supported here.

So let's talk about D&D. As it is in many countries, this game is the gateway game to the hobby down here. There's a strong following for other major publications like Pathfinder, L5R and World of Darkness, but D&D dominates the player scene by a long shot.

But again, for people looking to design for D&D, there's no real access to WotC. The DMG is the only way to go. But the reasons for wanting to produce don't necessarily have to do with survival. Ttrpgs as a livelihood is even less viable for us than it is for our friends aboard.

The main reasons I've located for continuing to publish thru the DMG are:

1.) It's the only avenue for producing work for the game, as the only potential way to be noticed abroad
2.) Personal clout, the adulation of peers
3.) Amassing social capital

Shit gets toxic with 2&3.

Social networks down in the Philippines are tightly bound together, and culturally we put a lot of stock on reputation, who you know, and what is "acceptable" to the majority. There's still a big amount of importance placed on Just Having Fun, and not a lot of thought towards the

Colonized aspects of D&D. Since you'll never really make a lot of money from the product itself, where D&D hopefuls can make their bread and butter is in what the respect and trust of their peers can win them. Hence they push to lead communities and create things in order to be

Seen as relevant, important, and valuable. This power then lets them become masters of their own space, full of clout that they can use for themselves.

Unfortunately, D&D creators and playgroups alike in the Philippines have absorbed p much all the bad aspects of the play

Culture, and the white/colonized coded narratives therein. This then results in a LOT of tension. D&D is The Most Important & Respected Game, criticizing it/WotC is Bad, and making stuff for it makes you Cool and Important. With no local access to WotC, DMG is the only way to go.

This is a multilayered problem. For one, beginning the process of decolonisation means understanding that there is even an issue in the first place, and always runs into the defensive wall of I Just Wanna Have Fun. Then, once again, we have no industry here to speak of, plus a

Lot of gates and missing stairs in the way, as if bigotry and racism in itself weren't already massive issues that Filipino devs will face by default whenever they attempt to break into ttrpgs spaces. Then, locally, it serves those currently in "power" within local D&D spaces to

Harshly crush anything and anyone that does not align with their often shitty values, or anybody who "attacks" their friends. I and many others who have spoken up about the bad things in our spaces and the bad actors have been alienated in our own communities, even as we find

Growing support from our peers beyond our shores. So, going to alternatives for local creators or producing our own work, in sum, requires a fuckton of effort and support, and entails a lot of social and financial risk that many of us cannot afford to take.

How can you help?

1.) Vet Filipino creators/community persons that you see, esp D&D creators/community persons. Some of them are honest to god trying to do good. Some of them, however, are bad actors who have been complicit in perpetuating a hostile environment for creators.

2.) Support our indie work through endorsements, commissions, collaborations, signal boosts, Patreons, PayPal/KoFi, KS stretch goals, purchases, etc etc. Ours is a personal uphill battle as creators from a developing country. Help us smash through gates.

3.) Invite us to do talks, streams, interviews. This is inclusive of making such avenues friendly to our timezone, which is a big barrier even during pandemic season. Many of us still have day jobs, and miss out on opportunities for guesting, actual plays and whatnot by default.

4.) Understand that a lot of the good folks from here who are still involved in D&D are fighting a lot of systematic issues and barriers, including the painful process of decolonizing themselves, their play culture, and their game design. Compassion first!

I say this a lot, but I don't think I'll stop: DM me if you wish for more details about any one of these items, especially the part about bad actors. I try my best to push for better community spaces in the Philippines, and dream of one day being able to dismantle our current

Structures completely in the hopes of creating something better.

RTs welcome. Peace out.