TSR TSR (2) Confirms TSR (3)'s Acquisition of Trademark (Updated!)

Jayson Elliot registered the TSR trademark back in 2011 and used it to launch Gygax Magazine along with Ernie and Luke Gygax. The two Gygax's left the company a few years later after Gary Gygax's (co-founder of TSR (1) back in the 1970s) widow, Gail Gygax, forced the closure of Gygax Magazine. Then, earlier this year, TSR (3) swooped in on the TSR trademark, after Jayson Elliot accidentally let it lapse, as TSR (2) confirms:

We have owned the TSR trademark since 2011. Last year, we missed a filing date, and another company registered it, though we are still using it in commerce. While we could win a lawsuit, we frankly don't have the money to litigate. So, we're licensing it back from them.

As a result, there are two companies now using the name TSR. You can tell when it's us because we're the only ones using the new logo.

They're opening a museum in Lake Geneva at the old TSR house, and we wish them success with it, it's important to celebrate the legacy that Gary Gygax created.

Ernie Gygax, formerly of TSR (1) under Gary Gygax, then working with Jayson Elliot as part of TSR (2), is one of the founders of of TSR (3), and confirmed in his (now infamous) interview --

The other TSR is a licensee because [Jayson Elliot] let it lapse. But he had absolutely ... love for the game and the products. There was no reason to say 'oh you've screwed up, oh it's all ours, ha ha ha ha!' Instead, Justin [LaNasa] came to him and said ... we love that you're doing Top Secret things, we have a much broader goal for the whole thing. But there's no reason for you to stop or even have any troubles. Justin said, I'll take care of the paperwork, you just give me $10 a year, and you put out all this love for old school gaming that you can. And we appreciate that you were there to try and pick up things, and you produced Gygax Magazine, for in its time that you're also working on a game that you love to play ... because Top Secret was Jayson's love, as a young man.

TSR (2), still run by Jayson Elliot, publishes Top Secret, and is not connected to TSR (3) other than now having to license it’s own name from them. TSR (3) has also registered the trademark to Star Frontiers, a game owned by and still currently sold by D&D-owner WotC.

In other news the GYGAX trademark appears to have lapsed.

UPDATE! TSR (2) has decided NOT to license its own name from TSR (3):

Update to our earlier tweet - we will NOT be licensing anything from the new company claiming rights to the TSR logos. We are not working with them in any fashion.

 

[overgeeked]

Basically everyone is doubling down on this at this point. Jim Ward is retweeting alt-right "its the wokescolds' fault!" videos.

Other than maybe Larry Elmore, everyone else involved has decided to back bigotry and transphobia. All are culpable.

Supporting these people, products, businesses, is enabling this element in our hobby. It's not okay.

How utterly disappointing. Not surprising, unfortunately, but disappointing.

 

[Gradine]

Yeah, you can miss me with all these "No, LaNasa is the real problem, if we could only get pure innocent Ernie away from this bad bad influence!" takes.

Man made his bed, and he gets to lie in it, no matter how much worse others in his circle are.

 

[overgeeked]

Yeah, no. Bigots GTFO of our hobby.

There is no place in our fandom for hate, discrimination, or willful ignorance.

 

[Umbran]

Someone’s a sensitive lad.

Mod Note:
So, taking the personal shot isn't good.

Taking a personal shot at someone who has been removed from the thread, so you know they can't defend themselves, a cheap shot and really poor form.

You're done in the thread. Be better next time.

 

[Umbran]

Mod Note:
So, now three people have been booted from the thread, because they couldn't keep themselves in check.

The topic is legitimate gaming news, so we'd prefer to keep the thread open. But maybe threadbans are insufficient inducement to folks to keep things civil. Maybe we will have to up the ante, and give folks vacations from the site.

So, from this point on, please consider what you are writing. Ask yourself if what you want to say is worth a week away from the site. Because moderators will be considering that.

Thanks all.

 

[Riley]

Yeah, the more I read into LaNasa the more I think he's the one at the heart of this mess.

Luke Gygax apparently thinks the same.

 

[PsyzhranV2]

I mean LaNasa is the same guy who forced his female employees to wrestle in grits to see who would get a promotion.

Wait wait wait, I didn't catch this earlier. Grits, as in the food? WTF? What a waste of perfectly good grits...

 

[Riley]

Wait wait wait, I didn't catch this earlier. Grits, as in the food? WTF? What a waste of perfectly good grits...

Google "lanasa grits" if you dare. There seem to be multiple news articles that discuss what Sacrosanct describes.

Apparently, it became an issue during his failed campaign for a North Carolina state office.

 

[Hussar]

show Ernie isn't this raving bigot.

Not being a "raving bigot" is kinda damning with faint praise though. Most people aren't "raving bigots" but are still holding onto some ... questionable beliefs.

 

[overgeeked]

TSR 2.0 is Jayson Elliott, who partnered with both Ernie and Luke Gygax on the short-lived Gygax Magazine. Elliott has put out a statement that he does not affiliated with TSR 3.0 or Ernie Gygax anymore, nor does he endorse Ernie's views.

TSR 3.0 is Justin LeNasa, who's partnering with Ernie on Giantlands and the Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum. Ernie, of course, is the heart of the discussion, but LeNasa is the "voice" behind TSR 3.0 on twitter. It's LeNasa dissing Luke Gygax, not Ernie. LeNasa has tweeted some hateful stuff during this debacle, and deserves the condemnation coming his way.

There is definitely a lot of confusion between the two TSRs, and Jayson Elliott is the one getting shafted by LeNasa and his former partner, Ernie Gygax. Luke seems to be doing his best to remain above the fray, but has tweeted that he is not affiliated with either TSR and finds TSR 3.0 (LeNasa) behavior to be reprehensible.

I think Jayson Elliott needs to do one of two things . . .

1) Start a gofundme for legal fees to challenge TSR 3.0's registration and use of the TSR trademark, name, and logos. Or . . .

2) Just drop the TSR name himself, and put as much distance between himself and this dumpster fire as possible.

Considering this sh¡tstorm it would be better for TSR(2) to just change their name and move on.