TSR TSR3.5 Launches IndieGogo Campaign to "Stop" WotC

The latest in the TSR3 saga, which has gone quiet for a while, is a new IndieGoGo campaign launched to "stop Wizards of the Coast". They cite wrongful bullying of TSR, and refusal to answer requests that WotC show TSR "proof of their claims" (although the campaign page doesn't mention what those claims are).

The IndieGoGo campaign was launched yesterday and has so far raised $675 (at the time of writing).

The action TSR seeks is a "Trademark Declaratory Judgement of Ownership" which is a court declaration about the status of something in dispute.

TSR has launched a campaign to stop Wizards of the Coast

Become a Champion of TSR and Support TSR’s campaign against Wizards of the Coast!

TSR is taking a stand against Wizards of the Coast (“WOTC”) and its wrongful bullying of TSR, our trademarks, and its public libeling and slander of all those who helped create TSR based Dungeons & Dragons and products.

Wizards of the Coast has continually bullied TSR regarding TSR’s legally owned Trademarks. Wizards of the Coast has refused to answer all of TSR's repeated requests that they show any proof of their claims. Wizards of the Coast has the vast resources behind them and is implying to bring them to bear down on TSR.

The new TSR suffered widespread pushback when it launched, which they blamed on WotC, claiming that they were under a "coordinated assault across various channels being mounted.... by [WotC]" The company announced itself earlier this year, having acquired the TSR trademark after the previous holder accidentally let it lapse. It was run by Ernie Gygax, Justin LaNasa, and Stephen Dinehart. After several weeks of controversy, the company split into two -- Wonderfilled (Stephen Dinehart), and TSR (Ernie Gygax and Justin LaNasa).

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...

www.enworld.org

The page also indicates an intention to "fight to have WotC's legacy product disclaimer removed" from older products (that's the disclaimer on the older books available on DMs Guild which indicates that those books are products of their time) by claiming that the disclaimer portrays the creators of those older products as "as supporting those alleged prejudices, stereotypes and bigotry, wrongfully claimed to be part of those products".

TSR will also Fight to Have the WOTC Legacy Disclaimer Removed

TSR is suing WOTC for Trademark Declaratory Judgement of Ownership . TSR will also pursue in the near future having WOTC remove the legacy content disclaimer placed on TSR based Dungeons & Dragons and other products, and retractions of any other libel and slander which alleges that racism and other heinous beliefs are incorporated into those products.

This disclaimer attempts to make a statement of fact argument, and therefore paints all of the writers, editors, artists and consumers of those products as supporting those alleged prejudices, stereotypes and bigotry, wrongfully claimed to be part of those products. This statement by Wizards of the Coast opens the possibility for the producers and players of these "Legacy Products" to face ridicule, and face the labeling as "bigots", "racists", "misogynists", and worse Cyber & Physical Attacks!

Wizards of the Coast legacy content disclaimer.

"We (Wizards) recognize that some of the legacy content available on this website does not reflect the values of the Dungeons & Dragons franchise today. Some older content may reflect ethnic, racial, and gender prejudice that were commonplace in American society at that time. These depictions were wrong then and are wrong today. This content is presented as it was originally created, because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed. Dungeons & Dragons teaches that diversity is a strength, and we strive to make our D&D products as welcoming and inclusive as possible. This part of our work will never end".

TSR3's Justin LaNasa spoke about the campaign in a YouTube video.

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

 

[Ibrandul]

You might not be far off. Considering in his failed run for office, Justin LaNasa's top donor was Justin Lavasa...

Wow, that’s fantastic.

Complete list of donors (this is legit):
1. Justin W Lavasa
2. Justin W Lanasa
3. Justin Lanasa
4. (someone who has a real or realish name)
5. Justin Lanaga

I do give the man props for staying loyal to his D&D hobby when crafting aliases. The next evil serpent creature my party faces is definitely going to be named Justin Lanaga.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Yeah that's my point, they need actual writers and artists, at least 1, for this to go anywhere and they don't appear to have any (likely because of the fear that WotC and its allies will destroy their careers).

I I were an artist or a writer I would be far more afraid of the damage to my reputation to be associated in any manner to TSR(3) than anything WoTC/Hasbro might do to me.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I I were an artist or a writer I would be far more afraid of the damage to my reputation to be associated in any manner to TSR(3) than anything WoTC/Hasbro might do to me.

Not to mention the small fact that ... this isn't libel.

First rule of the internet- when someone says something is libel (or slander, or defamation), it isn't.


Those aren't just synonyms for, "Words I don't like."

 

[Jer]

What surprises me is the vitriol so many have for WotC. Like them or not, Wizards saved D&D. Atkinson saved D&D. No one else was going to. Without them, the game would most likely not exist. It certainly wouldn't become as mainstream as it's become. Those are all good things.

Eh - there's always vitriol towards corporate owners of beloved media. Sometimes deserved, sometimes not. Wizards has been up and down with the D&D property since they acquired it IMO.

However they've never been as bad a steward of the D&D brand as TSR was. I feel like a lot of folks have rose-tinted glasses when it comes to TSR - forgetting (or being too young to know about) their hostility towards fans, their lawsuit-happy attitude towards competitors, the management that was utterly inept when it wasn't outright corrupt. Even things that they did that I like - like their publishing push in the 90s that created tons of setting material - were driven by a need to basically juggle a kind of pyramid scheme of debt and keep their creditors off their backs until it all finally collapsed on them.

In comparison, the worst you can say about Wizards is that they've stumbled around a bit in their 2 decades of ownership to try to figure out a business model for D&D that works. Nobody in charge now is, for example, at the level of a Lorraine Williams having TSR license the Buck Rogers property from her and her family so she could personally profit from it.

 

[the Jester]

That is circular logic.

Honestly I doubt the case will win, although hope it does, because it doesn't seem to have any of the writers involved and they are the ones slander by the disclaimer.

First, how is it circular logic?

Second, how is the disclaimer slander?

Come on now.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Not to mention the small fact that ... this isn't libel.

First rule of the internet- when someone says something is libel (or slander, or defamation), it isn't.


Those aren't just synonyms for, "Words I don't like."

I agree but it is not what they are alleging that would make me not want to associate with them but the fact that they are idiots. Justin Lanasa would have make more money panhandling out side a train station somewhere, in an hour or two than the crowd funding effort has managed so far.

 

[Umbran]

I I were an artist or a writer I would be far more afraid of the damage to my reputation to be associated in any manner to TSR(3) than anything WoTC/Hasbro might do to me.

I think "folks who give you the hairy eyeball for choosing to work for the Grits Wrestling Association" are the "allies" he's talking about.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I agree but it is not what they are alleging that would make me not want to associate with them but the fact that they are idiots. Justin Lanasa would have make more money panhandling out side a train station somewhere, in an hour or two than the crowd funding effort has managed so far.

I don't know ... there's a lot of idiots that you are defaming!*

I know for a fact that most idiots are of a much higher quality that Justin LaNasa. I, myself, call many an idiot a friend. Whereas I would be hard-pressed to find a good reason to be in the same zip code as Justin LaNasa.

*

 

[darjr]

Wow, that’s fantastic.

Complete list of donors (this is legit):
1. Justin W Lavasa
2. Justin W Lanasa
3. Justin Lanasa
4. (someone who has a real or realish name)
5. Justin Lanaga

I do give the man props for staying loyal to his D&D hobby when crafting aliases. The next evil serpent creature my party faces is definitely going to be named Justin Lanaga.

You should call the monster a Lanaga. Lean into it. Then when the players finally meet them have it introduce itself in a smarmy deceitful condescending way, “Hello, my name is Justin”

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

“Hello, my name is Justin”

Just to be more precise:

" Hello, my name is LORD Justin''


Never forget the guy is a lord! It seems to be really important to him, and forgetting to use his totally-not-fake-title would be bullying and slander and libel......right? That's how it works?