Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter) and other companies, recently sparked intense discussion after publicly pondering the acquisition of Hasbro. This comes hot on the heels of his announcement of xAI’s new AI game studio. The possibility of Musk owning iconic franchises like Power Rangers, Dungeons & Dragons, Transformers, G.I. Joe, and My Little Pony has sent ripples of concern through fan communities.
Musk’s interest in the gaming world became apparent with his stated goal to “make games great again” through his xAI venture. However, his recent comments about Hasbro have generated a significantly larger reaction, given the company’s vast intellectual property portfolio.
The initial spark came on November 22nd. Responding to a tweet criticizing the foreword in “The Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons” for addressing problematic language and stereotypes in the game’s first edition, Musk vehemently defended D&D creators E. Gary Gygax and his team. He stated, “Nobody, and I mean nobody, gets to trash E. Gary Gygax and the geniuses who created Dungeons & Dragons.”
This ignited a further debate when Jason Tondro, Dungeons & Dragons Project Lead and Senior Designer at Wizards of the Coast, dismissed critics of the foreword. Musk, responding to Tondro’s dismissive comments on November 27th, tweeted, “How much is Hasbro?” This seemingly offhand remark ignited a firestorm of speculation and anxiety across social media.
Fan reactions ranged from apprehension to outright panic. Many expressed concern over the potential impact on beloved franchises. One user visualized a Musk-influenced Power Rangers, while others voiced fears about the future of Transformers and Power Rangers. The sentiment echoed across various fandoms, with some expressing disbelief and others lamenting the potential “ruin” of their favorite properties.
Dungeons & Dragons fans also voiced their concerns, with one user stating they couldn’t imagine anyone worse to play D&D with than Musk. Others criticized Musk’s acquisition history and predicted the potential downfall of the game under his ownership. The general consensus among many fans seemed to be one of negativity and dread regarding the potential takeover.
While Musk’s inquiry into Hasbro’s value might be a provocative gesture, it’s undeniable that his interest has generated significant discussion and concern among fans. The future of Hasbro and its numerous iconic franchises remains to be seen.
