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

 

[Malmuria]

As discussed previously, EG was trying in that interview to contrast nu-TSR from WOTC and doing so by interjecting themselves into the culture war. He and nu-TSR are certainly not contrasting themselves based on game mechanics or philosophy, as they don't properly exist yet (though you can pre-order a boxed set for $80 or donate to a future theme park). So, imo, evaluating their comments as if they were a politician or public figure is the wrong frame. They don't (seem to) want to be "forgiven," they want clicks and for people on one side of a culture war to buy their (non-existent) product.

 

[Essafah]

Who is doing that?

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.

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.

Well to your points

1. Page 1 post #3 of this thread for starters. Plenty of people have sneered that his story is not true. In fact go to the opening post of the thread. One person down into this thread says something like "Well, so he (Ernie) was an INCEL" in school and that don't help matters dog. This was said in this thread and this is one reason that prompted me to post in here. To quote use your quote, "like, just because you have not seen it does not mean it does not exist." If you act one way to me you get it right back.

2. Straw Man. I like never said he didn't say it. In fact, I like said like evidently he like came out and said a bunch of other stuff online. So like like where does I said it doesn't exist come into play. Like how? Again get what you give. See how this works?

3. If someone generally makes a mistake or has a wrong point of view and then sees that what they did was wrong but knows for a fact that if they go to the person they wronged to apologize they would just be more derided and belittled then I would see no reason to apologize. Not saying they should keep their views but if let's say if I had the wrong view of oh...dog lovers. I said something stupid and someone corrected me and I learned what I said was erroneous. While, my view might change if I KNEW I would be lamblasted and derided for apologizing HELL NO I would not.

 

[Ulfgeir]

Did DS9 predate Willow and vampire Willow meeting on Buffy?

According to IMDB:
Star Trek: DS9 ran betweeen 1993 and 1999, Buffy ran1997-2003 so, it appears the answer is yes.

 

[Malmuria]

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.

Well, I believe the default character sheets of each edition (except 5e) has had a line for "sex," so it's been a part of your character in that sense. Regardless, many many people, especially women, have shared their negative experiences with toxic masculinity at the gaming table. It's the central theme of "rpg horror stories" probably. So, obviously your individual experience is valid and true for you, but you can't really say how "most people" experience those issues.

 

[Essafah]

Well, I believe the default character sheets of each edition (except 5e) has had a line for "sex," so it's been a part of your character in that sense. Regardless, many many people, especially women, have shared their negative experiences with toxic masculinity at the gaming table. It's the central theme of "rpg horror stories" probably. So, obviously your individual experience is valid and true for you, but you can't really say how "most people" experience those issues.

I never said how most people experience issues. I said, that long before WOTC's diversity push in the 80's and 90's being nerdy was not considered cool. Therefore nerds were misfits that consisted of people of various origins. The anger expressed at the comment was not about "toxic masculinity"or how women have been viewed in the industry it was about transphobia.

 

[Gradine]

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.

More specifically, he was making a not at all subtle reference to the efforts in D&D 5e to be more inclusive of trans and gender non-comforming folx, efforts he was very clearly laughing off as not a part of "his roleplaying".

You might not be familiar with the term "dog-whistle", but that's what this is; a call to others who are equally dismissive of trans and non-binary inclusion.

Funny though I have not heard them complaining or taken it to this world shattering level of offense.

Go ahead, downplay the harm and imply I'm overreacting again.

 

[Essafah]

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

I will agree as I said in my initial posts that I was confused about why that even came up or was mentioned in the interview.

 

[Gradine]

And if that's not enough, how about the part where, when Ernie's partners were called for clarification, trans women were called out as being "disgusting".

Shall I share the death threats I've received for speaking out about this?

So yes, go ahead and explain how you, presumably a cis person, feel enlightened enough to downplay the glaring transphobia.

 

[Rob Kuntz]

Well to your points

1. Page 1 post #3 of this thread for starters. Plenty of people have sneered that his story is not true. In fact go to the opening post of the thread. One person down into this thread says something like "Well, so he (Ernie) was an INCEL" in school and that don't help matters dog. This was said in this thread and this is one reason that prompted me to post in here. To quote use your quote, "like, just because you have not seen it does not mean it does not exist." If you act one way to me you get it right back.

2. Straw Man. I like never said he didn't say it. In fact, I like said like evidently he like came out and said a bunch of other stuff online. So like like where does I said it doesn't exist come into play. Like how? Again get what you give. See how this works?

3. If someone generally makes a mistake or has a wrong point of view and then sees that what they did was wrong but knows for a fact that if they go to the person they wronged to apologize they would just be more derided and belittled then I would see no reason to apologize. Not saying they should keep their views but if let's say if I had the wrong view of oh...dog lovers. I said something stupid and someone corrected me and I learned what I said was erroneous. While, my view might change if I KNEW I would be lamblasted and derided for apologizing HELL NO I would not.

You know you seem like a good soul who would like to ferret out the truth and see peace on both sides. It's an honorable position. When I communicated with Ernie I stated that whatever the result, good or bad, he had to apologize. He accepted my view and then a day later got back to me that he considered he had made an apology already and would do no more, said that Justin was no longer going to comment (not sure where) and that they would only be making announcements of company biz and gaming stuff, the latter which later proved to be false. My response was short and reminded him that his fellows were following a known race-hater, neo-nazi named Varg, and if he was really enforcing his Christian principals he'd do something about that. Otherwise I sensed a complete change in attitude from the phone call, like he consulted with some one and then concocted a response. His final e-mail to me was weird, as it did not address the issue of Varg and only stated rather offhandedly that they were trying to make their community safe for everyone. Then he reminded me of some past childhood experiences between us and stated that he wished we could go back to those times, then ended that I was the 2nd best DM (his dad being first) that he'd played with. A trailing ending totally unrelated to the issues if one thinks about it only in the moment, but if you study the nuance, well, it was goodbye. And I don't mean goodbye as in the ending of the e-mail. Ernie has decided to side with other than what he was raised to believe in. I know this. I think I know why. But it's not because he is misunderstood. He's always avoided facing problems, some real, some imagined. In his mind that way he never has any... PAX.

 

[OakenHart]

I will agree as I said in my initial posts that I was confused about why that even came up or was mentioned in the interview.

And that was the initial issue that started all this. Then they made it worse by doubling down on social media, including calling a trans person "disgusting", hiding behind their religion for stating their bigoted views, then once everything boiled over so badly that it was obvious that the company was going to suffer for it, issued an "apology" that was completely absent of mentioning the party they specifically have been attacking this entire time.

This doesn't seem to be a particularly difficult thing to observe and see why people would be offended by all this.