TSR Who's running the TSR3 social media accounts?

Ernie Gygax (before he and Stephen Dinehart accused the whole affair of being orchestrated by WotC and then deleted their Twitter accounts) indicated that Justin LaNasa was running the social media accounts for TSR3, Giantlands, and Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum.

After a full week of insults, barbed exchanges, and problematic statements from all three accounts, the following has been posted by somebody who identified themselves as "Michael", perhaps suggesting that Justin LaNasa is no longer with the company (which seems unlikely), leaving many on social media to question whether "Michael" exists. The new TSR3 was founded by LaNasa, Stephen Dinehart, and Ernie Gygax, and despite the acrinomious social media activity, the former two founders' names have largely escaped much of the criticism.

UPDATE -- the below tweets now appear to have been deleted.

​

Around the same time, the header above the available events at the Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum website was altered to read: "Most role playing games will be played in old school fashion so if you're easliy offended or Rude ! DO NOT PLAY !" (sic)

​

So who is TSR3 co-founder Justin LaNasa? He was an American politician who ran for office in 2014 and 2020, and who was involved in a minor scandal during the latter campaign.

​

 

[Parmandur]

Feels like a complete reversal from the “we are the real TSR” and “we already secured the rights to Star Frontiers” claims they were making a couple of weeks ago. Something must have happened.

They could have spoken to an attorney and figured out they had no chance to move forward with Star Frontiers.

 

[Nikosandros]

They could have spoken to an attorney and figured out they had no chance to move forward with Star Frontiers.

I'm not an attorney, I'm rather ignorant about law and even I could have told them that...

 

[Steampunkette]

Some further innovation for Giant Lands:


In addition to making the bulette a more literal land shark, than it has been recently, they're renaming several functions of gameplay. Class becomes profession, race becomes species, dungeon master becomes spirit keeper.

Very innovative!

 

[Parmandur]

Some further innovation for Giant Lands:

I mean...is this an elaborate prank? Are we being Punked??

 

[MarkB]

Some further innovation for Giant Lands:


In addition to making the bulette a more literal land shark, than it has been recently, they're renaming several functions of gameplay. Class becomes profession, race becomes species, dungeon master becomes spirit keeper.

Very innovative!

Is there a classProfession that would make me adept at leaping over the landshark?

 

[Sacrosanct]

I've always wondered why there are groups of people who think that the concept of treating people with basic human dignity and acceptance as being "leftist." Either way I suppose it's coming soon that we will have to roll for initiative again with these folks.

It goes back to what we were just saying. They are so used to be the only ones represented, that they don't know how to handle it. And they personalize every criticism.

"They said that old D&D has problematic issues! See, they are saying WE are bigots because we like that game!"

No man, no one is saying you automatically are a bigot for liking a game. I love the game too, and I don't think I'm calling myself a bigot. If you defend bigotry, however, well, then...

Marginalized groups have been lumped into negative stereotypes and assumptions their whole lives, so they have a better way of putting things into proper context. However, these guys are so used to being the only ones catered to, that any criticism of something they like they act like it's a personal insult to them. There's no context or perspective there. They ironically call others snowflakes while taking offense at literally everything.

And I get it. I was there in my younger days. The entire playbook is to portray things like progressives are attacking you, rather than the situation or scenario. Because that makes them the aggressor, and you the victim, which justifies an equal response.

Of course, when you step back and actually look at the facts, none of that is true. No one is calling for Ernie to be banned forever. No one is driving away white men from the hobby. It's all nonsense strawmen meant to confirm your bias that everyone is out to oppress you, despite the fact that you are still in the overwhelming majority of representation in the game.

 

[Ancalagon]

Civilized peoples do not pass judgements in the market place outside the law.

If this is correct, then free speech has no value.

What is the point of free speech? So that ideas may be discussed, challenged, evaluated AND JUDGED in the marketplace of ideas! That's why it's important that restriction to free speech be minimal - so that the good ideas rise up, and the BAD ONES get debunked.

Ernie made a statement about gender roles in gaming, AS IS HIS RIGHT. We disagree with this statement and are expressing our disagreement, as it our right.

I strongly urge you, incidentally, to look at this: Five Geek Social Fallacies It may help you understand your discomfort with the situation.

edit: I see you've been asked to step out of this tread, my apologies for quoting you after that.

 

[Steampunkette]

If this is correct, then free speech has no value.

What is the point of free speech? So that ideas may be discussed, challenged, evaluated AND JUDGED in the marketplace of ideas! That's why it's important that restriction to free speech be minimal - so that the good ideas rise up, and the BAD ONES get debunked.

Ernie made a statement about gender roles in gaming, AS IS HIS RIGHT. We disagree with this statement and are expressing our disagreement, as it our right.

I strongly urge you, incidentally, to look at this: Five Geek Social Fallacies It may help you understand your discomfort with the situation.

I mean... in -theory-... in Theory written by Frenchmen in the early to mid 1700s before the French Revolution.

Since then we've seen a lot of TERRIBLE ideas take hold, rise to the top, and become the big dog in the room, repeatedly. 200 years of bad ideas getting treated as really great ones with countless dead and wounded, damaged and lost, along the way. And even some of the -worst- bad ideas are coming back with a vengeance after having been violently quelled over the past century.

Free Speech is a good thing, by and large. But the Marketplace of Ideas is like a soufflé when you snatch the oven door open. It looks nice for a moment, then collapses under it's own weight as chilling reality sets in swiftly.

 

[FrozenNorth]

Make no mistake there is an effort to paint those critical of TSR as pure evil. You do not have to go far afield to find it either.

Nah, it’s more like diluted, lazy evil. TSR3 is the watered down, Coke Zero of evil.

Edit. I misunderstood the original post. Serves me right for reading too fast.

 

[Ancalagon]

I mean... in -theory-... in Theory written by Frenchmen in the early to mid 1700s before the French Revolution.

Since then we've seen a lot of TERRIBLE ideas take hold, rise to the top, and become the big dog in the room, repeatedly. 200 years of bad ideas getting treated as really great ones with countless dead and wounded, damaged and lost, along the way. And even some of the -worst- bad ideas are coming back with a vengeance after having been violently quelled over the past century.

Free Speech is a good thing, by and large. But the Marketplace of Ideas is like a soufflé when you snatch the oven door open. It looks nice for a moment, then collapses under it's own weight as chilling reality sets in swiftly.

... honestly, my faith in said Marketplace of Ideas has really been challenged by the... utter idiocy... we've been seeing flourish the last 10 years particularly. But some people still hold great value to it so I made the argument.