Controversies
Torn stories about controversies, retold from the forum archive with every statement labelled and sourced.
- hill007's open letter on harassment and forum enforcement
In April 2018, hill007 demanded tighter control of harassment and rule-breaking. Replies accused the thread starter of hypocrisy, and Torn officers joined the argument.
Apr–Dec 2018 · Controversies
- Spam [2144013] asks bogie to reconsider an indefinite chat ban
After nearly 4 years under an indefinite chat ban, Spam asked bogie [148747] to restore at least faction chat. Players vouched for Spam, joked about Chat 2.0, and the appeal went to Graveyard.
Apr–May 2024 · Controversies
- Torn players call the 2023 Easter egg hunt a bust in an 85-reply thread
BongoMabdul opened a General Discussion thread on 07 Apr 2023 accusing that year's Easter egg redesign of leaving most players with zero eggs while a few had several. Eighty-five replies followed, split between complaint and mockery.
Apr 2023 · Controversies
- Forum callout brands Jeyam a scammer; repliers pick the accuser's story apart
LIMP-_-PUMPO accused Jeyam of months of unpaid work and missed trains; other posters immediately questioned the excuse given for it, and the thread ran away from its own starter.
Sep 2026 · Controversies
- "Wipe the staff": an open letter draws 59 dislikes and a multi accusation
On 11 Jun 2018 Evil-Duckbaby [2136399] asked Torn's owner to fire all staff and remove the player committee. The thread reached 87 replies. The poster was accused of running multiple accounts and denied it.
Jun–Dec 2018 · Controversies
- "Mass exodus": a D&D group announces it is quitting Torn, and the forum answers
In October 2024 Sugar_Tits [3082262] posted that a D&D group of 8 was leaving Torn and blamed Ched. The post drew more dislikes than likes, a run of mockery, and two replies from a Torn admin.
Oct–Nov 2024 · Controversies
- Players object as Halloween event drops masks for the top 250
In October 2020 a General Discussion thread objected that the Halloween event would give no masks to the top 250. Special masks were, the opening post said, only for community events. An Admin answered.
Oct 2020 · Controversies
- Ranked war auto-enlist change draws a forum revolt and is reverted
In July 2024 a patch kept factions enrolled for ranked wars until they opted out. HomelessE complained of being forced into one, players argued over it, and Chedburn wrote that the update would be reverted.
Jul 2024 · Controversies
- Torn FM donations questioned as possible RMT; an admin says they were approved
In September 2024 MOON- asked in General Discussion why Torn FM could run a Patreon and PayPal. Torn staff (Admin) PrincessJulie replied that admins allow it. The opening post got 104 dislikes.
2024–2025 · Controversies
- Jaiden's "Open letter to Ched" draws 67 dislikes and a run of critical replies
In October 2017 Jaiden posted a long open letter in General Discussion accusing staff members of bullying. Several replies answered with criticism of Jaiden's own conduct. By 11 Nov 2017 Jaiden was writing about a ban.
2017–2020 · Controversies
- "Corruption": a claim that staff ban criticism draws spam and alt accusations
In January 2018 Krombopulos [2056079] started a General Discussion thread claiming staff punish anyone who criticises them. Replies accused the poster of spamming and of having used multiple accounts.
Jan–Mar 2018 · Controversies
- "Pay to win? Cheat to win?": a 2019 complaint about Ched's promises and the replies
In November 2019 PatBenatar told the General Discussion board that Ched had broken a promise the game would never be pay to win. An admin's one-line reply drew 122 likes. Players argued over spending and exploits.
Nov–Dec 2019 · Controversies
- LegendaryKing11 says websocket muggers were jailed and mug bots persist
On 13 Jan 2026 LegendaryKing11 wrote that staff had jailed multiple websocket muggers, then argued mug bots still worked over the API. Admin bogie said more cases were under review.
Jan–Feb 2026 · Controversies
- An open letter asks Chedburn what Destructive Warring is for
In January 2019 Alexstrasza [1825532] asked Chedburn, in public, why Destructive Warring and buffed dirty bombs exist. Players, a Torn officer/committee member and a Torn admin answered.
Jan–Jul 2019 · Controversies
- Ruby's farewell letter to Ched turns into a row over the 204
In September 2017 Ruby posted a goodbye letter to Ched over the elimination competition. Replies argued about the 204 players accused of stacking a team, and whether Ruby's PP team was to blame.
Sep–Oct 2017 · Controversies
- Stock script thread graved, players open a new one demanding closure
In November 2016 johnnyrambo opened a new thread asking what the rules on stock scripts actually were, after an earlier thread on the same subject was graved. It drew suspicion, insults and a ruling from Chedburn on API use versus scraping.
2016–2017 · Controversies
- Player calls Mr. Torn entry a Nazi salute; staff say a gesture alone isn't enough
In July 2018 a player objected to a Mr. Torn entry and called for the approving staff member to be fired. A staff note said an arm gesture did not meet the discrimination benchmark. Players argued over the photo.
Jul 2018 · Controversies
- Kharma calls Chedburn's Duke move in the PP competition a mid-game rule change
In September 2017 Kharma [156342] said Chedburn had changed the elimination competition mid-play by pointing the NPC Duke at 204 players. Chedburn defended it. The thread drew 220 replies.
Sep 2017 · Controversies
- Torn admin proposes banning third-party casinos, rules updated within two days
In September 2026 admin bogie opened a General Discussion thread on restricting third-party casinos advertised on Torn. Within two days the rules page was updated, with a one-week wind-down.
Sep 2026 · Controversies
- Marc explains why a player committee member was deleted over a $300m auction
In November 2016 Marc [24377] told the forum a committee member had been removed and deleted for passing on an unreleased item. Players, officers and a moderator argued over whether deletion fitted the offence.
2016–2017 · Controversies
- L4suicide sells votes at 5m each on which faction gets a dirty bomb
In October 2017 L4suicide opened a paid vote on which faction would be dirty bombed once bombs returned. One poster showed $200,000,000 sent for JFA. Staff, critics and a reported merger followed.
2017–2019 · Controversies
- Hildegarde opens a paid manhunt on Buston after a bookie-bet dispute
In May 2018 Hildegarde [2050558] posted in General Discussion that they would pay players to attack Buston [2018371] over unreturned bet winnings. The thread drew jokes, roleplay and a scamming-is-legal argument.
May–Jun 2018 · Controversies
- Evil-Duck's "Official Wolf Warning" demands 25B from Relentless
In February 2018 Evil-Duck posted a 14-day demand for $25,000,000,000 aimed at the Relentless faction and three named players. By the archive's last fetch the thread had 629 replies.
Feb 2018 · Controversies
- DUDE's thread on Myhedin's fedding and the RMT accusation, March 2018
In March 2018 DUDE opened a thread on Myhedin's fedding. It drew an RMT accusation, a call to pay for a release, and comments from Torn officers and an admin. No staff reason appears in the sources.
Mar–Jun 2018 · Controversies