WotC Gatekeeping Oni’s Right Hand?

Gatekeeping Adventures? Why Limiting Oni’s Right Hand to Japan Is a Misstep by Wizards of the Coast

By Ed Bell | Drunkards & Dragons

Wizards of the Coast’s newest Dungeons & Dragons campaign, Oni’s Right Hand, is generating a wave of interest—and frustration. Announced as a Japanese-exclusive release with no confirmed plans for localization, this stylish, culturally immersive adventure might become one of the most inaccessible D&D releases to date for global players.

And that’s a problem.

A Gorgeous, Globally Untouchable Experience

Set in Phandalin and steeped in Japanese folklore, Oni’s Right Hand introduces players to a haunting mystery involving a cursed glove, premade characters with personal stakes, and a narrative drenched in supernatural tension. The art, crafted by Duel Masters illustrator Toshiaki Takayama, is visually stunning. Everything about this product screams "instant classic."

And yet, Wizards of the Coast is limiting its release to Japan—language and all—with no guarantee of translation or digital access for international fans.

Wizards, this is not how the tabletop community thrives.

You Can’t Contain a Good Campaign

The notion that a D&D product can be region-locked is naive in the age of Reddit, Twitter, Discord leaks, and third-party fan translations. This will get out. Images will surface. Spoilers will spread. Bootleg PDFs will circulate.

And when they do, the release becomes even more problematic—not less.

Not only will WotC have lost control over the tone and context of the adventure, but they’ll also have inadvertently encouraged piracy and unofficial translations, which are far more likely to introduce the kind of cultural missteps they’re likely trying to avoid.

This Isn’t Wizards’ First Trip to the East

Back in the TSR days, we had Oriental Adventures—a rulebook first released in 1985. Was it a perfect product? No. But it was groundbreaking, and honestly, it respected the cultures it drew from more than many give it credit for. TSR didn’t treat it like a novelty—there were follow-up articles in Dragon Magazine, entire Dungeon adventures themed in that world, and even AD&D 2e’s Kara-Tur campaign setting to expand the lore.

In other words, TSR embraced cultural inspiration with long-term support. They didn’t treat Japan as a one-off marketing experiment.

What WotC Should Do Instead

If Oni’s Right Hand truly comes from a Japanese-led creative team—as reports suggest—then it is uniquely positioned to succeed globally. This isn't cultural appropriation. It's authentic cultural contribution. The proper move here is a thoughtful, accurate localization effort that shares this creativity with the rest of the D&D community.

Just like Curse of Strahd let Western horror fans indulge in gothic vampire dread, Oni’s Right Hand could invite the broader D&D audience into the world of yokai, honor-bound oaths, and supernatural karmic forces.

This isn't just about access—it’s about inclusion. And Wizards of the Coast is on the verge of failing both.

Final Thoughts

Dungeons & Dragons is supposed to be the world’s greatest roleplaying game—not just Japan’s, not just America’s, but the world’s. Locking content to one country, in one language, with no firm plans for expansion, sends the wrong message.

We already know this adventure will leak. Why not lead with intention?

Release it globally. Translate it with care. Celebrate it as a collaboration—not a walled garden. The players are ready, the fans are eager, and the game is better when everyone has a seat at the table.