TSR TSR3 Blames Widespread Pushback On WotC

In an unexpected turn of events, the primary individuals behind TSR3 have claimed the pushback they've received on social media and elsewhere was orchestrated by .... D&D publisher Wizards of the Coast (a company which has thus far remained completely silent on recent events).

TSR3 is run by Justin LaNasa, Stephen Dinehart, and Ernie Gygax. The controversy has been raging for over a week, since TSR3 announced itself with a press release.

TSR - Companies & Freelancers Distance Themselves From The New TSR

The new TSR (which I refer to as TSR3 to avoid confusion) has doubled down on its stance--which has been widely condemned online--via an ongoing series of tweets and replies from its TSR Games, Giantlands, and Dungeon Hobby Museum social media accounts (possibly operated by Justin LaNasa) in an...

www.enworld.org

Stephen Dinehart and Ernie Gygax have since deactivated their Twitter accounts; Justin LaNasa doesn't appear to have one, but it is believed he is the person operating TSR3's Twitter account. A couple of days ago, Ernie Gygax posted about recent events on Facebook (note that he edited the post, but the original can be seen here).

I wish to state in the strongest terms that I never meant to hurt anyone of any race, creed or color. My video From the Bunker caused some to feel that they would not be welcome or would be looked down upon. That was never the intent, I was reacting to focus of modern role play into a more background and Role Play rather than the wargame that so made so many lives happy over 40 years ago.

As a gamer it meant that most of us were not worthy of any attention from others of our own age. We were Nerds. We were brainy-acks and others would snicker. Older classmen would ask to "borrow" something of ours to then pass back and forth a game of keep away. I used to receive some special attention from about 4 Juniors in my Freshman year. I played the Violin and often I began to wish that I had Super Powers, perhaps become a Giant.. I was far to shy and then embarrassed as attractive ladies would just lower the eyes while the jocks or other socially vibrant fellows had some fun at another geeky nerds expense. Thank goodness I grew 4 inches my junior year.

The only real comfort zone we all could share was a table in the lunch room. At least the fledgling TSR found fertile minds in those who had only those like us - gamers. Rather than have to risk embarrassing myself, since Phy Ed was going to force us to dance with those wonderful and yet scary girls. Well to get my Diploma I had to slave for a month to Mr. Gerber the head of the Phy Ed department. Fortunately I knew all about janitorial work as before D&D and TSR dad only made $5,000 as a Cobbler (five children) and we had food stamps and even free school lunches. Yes you had to go to the councilors office every week to collect your free lunch passes. Obviously you could feel all the eyes on you and the talk about....

Everyone has been welcome at my gaming table and multitudes of new friends have been created by the time spent playing the games we Love. Look at pictures of gaming on my site or anywhere I run games. Everyone is welcome, just like a Boot Hill game leave your guns at the bar until you leave town. If you come to the Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum Jeff R. Leason will show you courtesy and a smile and you will see that gaming with elder gamers is a safe and entertaining environment.

TSR - Ernie Gygax on New TSR, WotC Beefs, Trademarks, Licensees, 5E, & More

A YouTube channel, 'Live From the Bunker', interviewed Ernie Gygax about the new TSR. I've watched and decided to try to transcribe the most relevant parts of it, but the full hour-long video is below if you want to see the whole interview and full context. Ernie Gygax is one of D&D...

www.enworld.org

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Discovery is gay, DS9 is queer. Never forget the amazing chaotic bisexual energy brought to us by Mirror!Kira. The MCU might be giving a certain character crap for falling in love with themself, but Mirror!Kira did it first, and way more queer.

Did DS9 predate Willow and vampire Willow meeting on Buffy?

 

[Essafah]

I'm confused by the contradicting statements here. If gaming is for all the nerds, why sneer at "Geek Chic" or "models looking" gamers? Is the table only welcoming for people whose CHA is below a certain cutoff, or who have played for a particular number of years?

I'm also puzzled in that you hold up your own experience as indicative of what the gaming community was like back in the day, but admit that your own experience of not being bullied or harassed is very different than what Ernie describes and what Stranger Things, in your view, accurately depicts.

I am genuinely glad that you've never run into bigotry in the gaming community or bullying outside of it. Plenty of others have different experiences. Admitting those experiences are a problem, and that we can do better than retreading dumb tropes and stereotypes, doesn't hurt us.

I can't help you are confused but I will try to address your comments.

First, I don't really care how the Critical Role crowd looks. What I will sneer and take issue with is people acting like Ernie's story is so rare. Nerdy culture is cool now. That is a recent development. It was not cool in the 80's or 90.s Hell, being into comic books wasn't even cool then. I think it is interesting and I enjoy the fact that it changed now and being a comic book fan, being a gamer is certainly more acceptable even hip but I hate people who act like that was always the case. It was not.

When I said it was like Stranger Things more so than Critical Role and it by far was I was speaking in terms of it being a niche thing that cool kids did not do. Just because someone was not involved with the most cool crowd or was a nerd or was unpopular does not mean that they were automatically bullied either. I didn't think I had to break a concept down like that but being unpopular does not automatically equal victim. So yes, I played DnD. I hung out with the nerds because their interest aligned with mine but I didn't have any bullying or any groups that hated me per se and vice versa. Again, I honestly didn't think the concept was that hard to understand or confusing.

Secondly, I am not the only Black guy I have gamed with I have game with many. So I can't hold up my experiences in gaming but if I tell a story of oppression in gaming THEN it can be held up as valid? Got it. People have told their anecdotal tales. I have telling mine but funny I don't hear Mike Pondsmith telling stories about horrible discrimination (at the gaming table).

It depends on what you consider dumb tropes. That is a very varied term and can apply to a lot of things.

 

[Kannik]

Do it Kannik, then we can all go to GaryCon!

Sure do. It's a hoot. And you can join me at the NDP! If I get enough ENWorlders, and as I informed Luke yesterday, and he has agreed, I will design and run a special event just for them! A coordination feat for sure, but not impossible if enough folks join sooner rt later.

This is tempting! Though a stretch away from where I am (and, alas, my limited vacation time per year)... lemme noodle on it! (What's the cutoff date for letting you know?)

 

[Essafah]

That's nice. Speaking as a trans person, I do

I watched the interview. At roughly 18m 55 sec He said people who get mad at DMs at the table for enforcing or even having the concepts of gender identity. That was all that was said in terms of gender politics. I have some degree of Cherokee Indian in me and I would consider what he said about Native Americans to potentially be more offensive. Funny though I have not heard them complaining or taken it to this world shattering level of offense.

When I heard this I also thought why would this ever even come up during a game? I have never asked as a GM or had a GM ask me, "So how does your character identify themselves gender wise?" The only reason I can see for that to come up during a game is in all honesty if someone was making that the focus of the game. I game to escape real world issues so never came up in any game I have ran or played in. I don't care and I don't think most people care how a character identifies during an adventure fantasy game.

 

[Dausuul]

I don't think he said anything just in that one interview that he could not make amends for.

He could have made amends for it, yes. The problem is, he didn't.

He could even make amends now, though it would take a lot more work. The problem is, he isn't.

He could just hang up his hat, quit TSR(3), and quietly exit the scene. That's the coward's way out, and it certainly isn't making amends--he would neither get nor deserve forgiveness--but it would get him out of the hot seat. If that's what he wants, it's in his power. (And I suspect it's where he will ultimately end up.)

But while he and his business associates keep feeding the fire, they have only themselves to blame for their burns.

 

[Essafah]

He could have made amends for it, yes. The problem is, he didn't.

He could even make amends now, though it would take a lot more work. The problem is, he isn't.

He could just hang up his hat, quit TSR(3), and quietly exit the scene. That's the coward's way out, and it certainly isn't making amends--he would neither get nor deserve forgiveness--but it would get him out of the hot seat. If that's what he wants, it's in his power. (And I suspect it's where he will ultimately end up.)

But while he and his business associates keep feeding the fire, they have only themselves to blame for their burns.

Let me ask, if no matter what someone days they will not be forgiven for their views or what they said and some folks say Twitter is like that. For example, Conservatives (and I am not deriding this group or the other side either but this argument has mainly come from the former vs the latter) that the crowds on Twitter don't change even if you apologize in fact they just dig in further and demand more.. IF this is true (I am not on social media) and from your statement it appears to be true; then why would any sane rational person apologize and engage with said crowd? I wouldn't.

 

[Dausuul]

Let me ask, if no matter what someone days they will not be forgiven for their views or what they said and some folks say Twitter is like that. For example, Conservatives (and I am not deriding this group or the other side either but this argument has mainly come from the former vs the latter) that the crowds on Twitter don't change even if you apologize in fact they just dig in further and demand more.. IF this is true (I am not on social media) and from your statement it appears to be true; then why would any sane rational person apologize and engage with said crowd? I wouldn't.

The part you bolded was talking about what happens if Ernie hangs up his hat and quietly exits the scene. If you think "doing a fade" is enough to earn forgiveness, I don't think there's much to discuss. We're just on different worlds here.

 

[Essafah]

The part you bolded was talking about what happens if Ernie hangs up his hat and quietly exits the scene. If you think "doing a fade" is enough to earn forgiveness, I don't think there's much to discuss. We're just on different worlds here.

I see. Well, I will agree with you that just fading out and not saying anything else would not amend the situation at all.

 

[Bolares]

What I will sneer and take issue with is people acting like Ernie's story is so rare.

Who is doing that?

I watched the interview. At roughly 18m 55 sec He said people who get mad at DMs at the table for enforcing or even having the concepts of gender identity. That was all that was said in terms of gender politics.

You know there was more said about that in other medias right? Even if you do not use social media, there are print screens of it all over this forum. And like, just because you haven't seen it, doesn't mean it does not exist.

then why would any sane rational person apologize and engage with said crowd? I wouldn't.

So... because maybe people won't forgive you you shouldn't apologize when you screw up? Apologizing doesn't entitle you (general you) to forgiveness, it just shows you understand what you did wrong and that you are willing to change. If you even don't do that (again, this is all a general you) it sends the message that you don't care about the issue or believe you did nothing wrong.

 

[Bradjalon]

That's nice. Speaking as a trans person, I do

Me too. I thought it was specially dropped in the conversation in a way to appear not "that bad". That is one thing that makes it problematic as I have seen this behavior from others before who wanted to get their position out there, but were hoping to avoid being seen as transphobic. I also think it was called out for Ernie to clarify his position expressly because this type of behavior has been seen before, and I think the way he and the rest of nuTSR/GiantLands have responded is very telling

I would love to be wrong, but mentioning gender identity unprompted in a conversation complaining about the state of gaming and how your way is better is typically the actions of someone who holds, if not outright transphobic views, problematic or misguided views on gender issues