First and foremost, let me begin with an acknowledgement and an apology. I acknowledge that there were issues that occurred and the national event, and I’m now in a position where I have to do a lot of research and listening. I want to discover the cause of the issues being brought to us, and the solutions for them. Next, my deepest, sincerest, and most heartfelt apologies to those who spent their time, money, and emotions investing in us as a game and a company who let them down. There is an inquest going, and if you have not yet reached out to me with your thoughts and concerns, please do so. You can reach me at kyle@dystopiarising.com, or via facebook or discord. You can find me in just about every DR discord server. We already have some ideas on finding better ways to ensure that many of the situations we heard about from this past event are never repeated, but I want to hear from you guys directly about your experiences.
All of the above being said, and understanding the seriousness of what occurred, I would be remiss if I did not give credit to everyone at this event who gave their all to make the best of a bad situation. I’ve had several people describe to me that they had some incredible personal moments, which is a testament to the storytellers and players who show up to make this game the best that it can be. To these people, I want to give a huge thank you, and hold them up as an example of how our community should function. If you had a moment with anyone that was wonderful, or saw someone being awesome, please reach out to me (and them!) with those experiences as well. The individual positive contributions deserve recognition just as much as we need to acknowledge the failures of leadership.
As to the leadership failures, at this time, I have not had the chance to speak to very many people on the staff side of things. And until I do, the only leadership failure I can acknowledge is my own. I approved this event, I was responsible for making certain it went off properly, and I placed my faith in individuals who had done well by me in the past. This made me feel confident enough not to have to travel cross-country as a diabetic during the pandemic, and confident that it would run smoothly. I hear what you are all saying, and I’d like to hear more. I’m truly sorry for what occurred, and I am looking for a way to make it right. That begins by listening to you all.
I know that this event has damaged some people’s faith and trust in DR as a whole, and the work to recover and restore that begins now.
-Kyle
11/9/21