Rooster Teeth Faces Major Backlash from RWBY Fans for Announcing New Qrow and Clover Merch

Spencer Baculi |

Feb 5, 2020

The same contingent of RWBY fans who were outraged that Rooster Teeth ‘queerbaited’ audiences with a relationship between Qrow Branwen and Clover Ebi have yet again taken issue with the studio, this time due to the announcement of new merchandise featuring the two characters.

On February 3^rd, Rooster Teeth announced the addition of a new t-shirt, keychain, pint glass, and pin set based on Qrow, with the pin set also including a pin referencing Clover, the former leader of the Ace Operatives, to their webstore:

Today’s your lucky day. 🍀https://t.co/Pjf1zsWBJg pic.twitter.com/smuRl2xAge

— RWBY (@OfficialRWBY) February 3, 2020

This simple advertisement for the RWBY merch store quickly resulted in a mass of responses from outraged fans who believed that this merchandise was tone deaf in the wake of Clover’s death and that studio was continuing to ‘queerbait’ their fans:

You’d think they’d have a little more respect for their audience and respond to the outcry from their fans, before promoting this. Your fandom is literally torn in half, and looking for answers.#CloverDeservedBetter

— Ace (@LuckyTheAce) February 3, 2020

This is messed up. This is precisely what we mean by y’all baiting the MLM community. Jesus H Christ. Really? R e a l l y?

— TankyCinna (@tankycinna) February 3, 2020

rwby be hyping up fairgame on twt only to kill clover for shock value and then sell merch of clover and qrow together…yikes.

— ally 🌹 (@evesappletini) February 3, 2020

Seriously who the hell is in charge of marketing putting those pins in a set?! Cause the shirt, the glass, and the keychain is all cool stuff, but to pair those pins after what happened? Hell no.

— Brandon (@CybertronGuy98) February 3, 2020

Here’s matching pins for the relationship we queerbaited! pic.twitter.com/mm91Z2XJuf

— 🍀Clover-Deserved-Better (@PanlieisCanon) February 3, 2020

Some fans were particularly outraged at the selling of a Qrow-themed pint glass due to the character’s status as a recovering alcoholic, despite the fact that the ‘pint’ in the term ‘pint glass’ refers to a literal ‘pint’ of liquid and not specifically a ‘pint of beer.’

Isn’t Qrow a recovering Alcoholic? And yall made a pint glass with him on it? Man what-

— Runaan / Ceo of Summer [RWBY7SPOILERS] (@awkwardnegro) February 3, 2020

Also hey roosterteeth???? Why a pint glass for the character who’s a recovering alcoholic??

— Nat 🔜 C2E2 (@shiieldmaiden) February 3, 2020

Oh we’re so in tune with our fanbase, look!

Here’s a PINT GLASS for our recovering alcoholic who’s on a downward spiral!

— Scopa tu Bootlicker™👢👅 @Fairgame (@ignis_azalea) February 3, 2020

The backlash was covered by anime YouTuber Hero Hei: