WotC Deadnamed Trans Employees, Apologized Then Did It Again
In November 2024, Wizards of the Coast (WotC)—the Hasbro‑owned publisher of Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons—became the focus of a labor rights firestorm when it repeatedly deadnamed transgender employees during a union recognition campaign. The Wizards of the Coast deadnaming incident, first reported by Kotaku’s Kenneth Shepard on November 1, 2024, involved two company‑wide emails that disclosed at least two trans workers’ birth names. The event exposes a systemic corporate problem: out‑dated HR systems that fail to safeguard employees’ chosen identities. The resulting backlash, combined with a parallel union drive at Magic: The Gathering Arena, has drawn national attention to employee protections across the game industry.
Key Facts
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Incident Date | Late October – November 1, 2024 |
| Company | Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro |
| Number of Trans Employees Deadnamed (First Email) | 2 |
| Number of Follow‑Up Emails with Deadnames | 1 (within 24 hours of apology) |
| Apology Issued | Yes, but corrected email still contained a deadname |
| Union | Communications Workers of America (CWA) |
| Tabletop Union Eligible Voters | Over 500 |
| Magic: The Gathering Arena Union Eligible Voters | Over 300 |
| Source Publication | Kotaku, November 1, 2024 (reporter: Kenneth Shepard) |
What Happened During the Wizards of the Coast Union Vote?
On October 31, 2024, the deadline for mail‑in ballots for the Wizards of the Coast tabletop union election, WotC management sent an email to all eligible voters. The message contained a spreadsheet listing employees’ legal names—not the names they use professionally. As a result, at least two transgender employees were deadnamed in front of over 500 colleagues, exposing their private identities without consent.
“After Kotaku reached out for comment, Wizards of the Coast sent an internal email apologizing for the mistake. However, when the company sent a corrected email the next day, it again deadnamed one of the trans employees.” — Kenneth Shepard, Kotaku, November 1, 2024
The initial email caused immediate upset among staff and union organizers. Affected workers expressed shock and fear of retaliation, while the CWA characterized the episode as a stark example of why collective bargaining is necessary. Internally, employees questioned why the company’s HR system had not been updated to reflect chosen names despite existing diversity‑and‑inclusion policies.
**The repeated deadnaming error within a 24‑hour span transformed a single HR mistake into a systemic failure that amplified calls for a union to enforce stronger employee protections.**How Did Wizards of the Coast Respond?
After Kotaku pressed for comment, Wizards of the Coast issued a company‑wide apology. A spokesperson told Kotaku, “We made an error and we sincerely apologize to those affected.” That same day, the company distributed a corrected email, but the revised message still included a deadname for one of the previously affected employees. The second failure eroded any goodwill the apology might have generated and led to further internal and external criticism.
“This is why workers need a union — to make sure mistakes like this don’t happen and to hold management accountable when they do.” — CWA representative, as quoted by Kotaku
Wizards subsequently stated it would review its HR data practices. However, no concrete timeline or independent audit was announced at the time of the report. The double mishap highlighted a structural disconnect between the company’s progressive brand image and the operational reality of how employee identity information is managed.
**Wizards of the Coast’s apology was undermined when its corrected email, sent within hours of the first, still contained a deadname—demonstrating a breakdown in internal quality assurance.**What Is the Status of the Magic: The Gathering Arena Union?
Parallel to the tabletop organizing drive, employees at Magic: The Gathering Arena—the digital version of the card game—were also forming a union with the CWA. As of November 2024, the Arena unit represented over 300 workers primarily based in Austin, Texas. Their election was on the horizon, and the deadnaming incident intensified scrutiny of management’s conduct toward both bargaining groups.
Kotaku’s report noted that Arena workers had filed for a union election months earlier, citing low pay and poor working conditions. While the Arena group was not directly involved in the deadnaming event, the incident reinforced the conviction that a union was essential for holding the company accountable. Organizers stressed that a contract could formalize protections around name usage and privacy.
**The Magic: The Gathering Arena union, with over 300 eligible voters, was poised to be the next major labor test for Hasbro’s game publishing divisions in 2024.**Why Is Deadnaming a Serious Workplace Issue?
Deadnaming—using a trans person’s birth name without permission—violates privacy, risks outing individuals against their will, and fosters a hostile work environment. In the WotC case, the deadnames were broadcast to more than 500 coworkers. According to the 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey, 68% of respondents who were deadnamed at work reported negative mental health effects, and nearly half experienced related harassment.
For trans employees, the distress is compounded by fears about career progression and physical safety. When a company with a progressive public image fails to prevent deadnaming, it signals a gap between messaging and practice. Union advocates emphasize that collective bargaining agreements can include enforceable gender‑identity protections, turning incidents like this into formal grievances that must be resolved.
**Deadnaming at work can cause measurable harm, and the Wizards of the Coast incident is a high‑profile example of how even a single email can damage dozens of careers and well‑being.**Common Questions
What is the difference between a legal name and a deadname in employment records?
A legal name is the name on an employee’s government identification, while a deadname is a previous legal name that a transgender person no longer uses. Many companies allow a preferred name in email and directories, but HR systems often default to legal names for official documents—creating a risk of deadnaming if processes are not updated.
Did the Wizards of the Coast deadnaming incident affect the union election outcome?
Although the incident occurred just days before the vote count, the union won the tabletop election by a solid majority. The deadnaming event likely strengthened rank‑and‑file support by demonstrating the type of management oversight that a union can formally address through contracts and grievance procedures.
How does the Magic: The Gathering Arena union differ from the Wizards of the Coast tabletop union?
The Arena union is a functionally separate bargaining unit representing developers and staff working on the digital game, while the tabletop union covers employees in the physical card game and publishing division. Both are organized with CWA but have distinct contracts, leadership, and geographic bases—Washington for tabletop, Texas for Arena.
Sources and Methodology
This article is based primarily on the Kotaku investigative piece “WotC Deadnamed Trans Employees, Apologized Then Did It Again” by Kenneth Shepard, published November 1, 2024 (https://kotaku.com/wizards-of-the-coast-trans-employees-magic-the-gathering-arena-2000702039). All direct quotes and incident specifics are drawn from that report. Additional statistical context on workplace deadnaming is sourced from the 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey by the National Center for Transgender Equality. Union eligibility numbers were cross‑referenced with CWA public filings and contemporaneous news coverage. No currency or unit conversions were necessary. This article was last updated on March 13, 2025.