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Chaosium Inc. has officially renamed the Great Old One Shub-Niggurath to Shub-Gorath for its upcoming tabletop game, Call of Cthulhu: Old Ones. This decision, announced via a Gamefound project update, aims to address concerns regarding the original name's potential association with a racial slur.
The publisher explained that while scholars agree the name was not derived from the slur, it frequently triggers automated content filters, a technical issue known as the Scunthorpe problem. Furthermore, Chaosium noted that the original name could be hurtful, particularly given H.P. Lovecraft’s well-documented history of racist and xenophobic views.
To justify the change in-universe, the company noted the game is set in a pre-human era before these entities received formal names. The new moniker, Shub-Gorath, draws inspiration from Shuma-Gorath, a deity created by Robert E. Howard. Chaosium stated this adaptation aligns with the collaborative tradition of early mythos writers.
The announcement has sparked mixed reactions within the community. While many fans remain indifferent, others have expressed disagreement. Notably, Sandy Petersen, the original creator of the Call of Cthulhu tabletop game, publicly stated on X that he could not defend the company's decision.
