TSR Just when you thought it was all over.... now there’s a fourth TSR!

In the story that will never end, after having this week turned itself into Wonderfilled, Inc, and deleted its Twitter account, TSR is BACK AGAIN! Like again, again, again, again. Complete with old-school logo! And Michael appears to actually exist!

Michael K. Hovermale says in a press release that an unnamed individual (I’m guessing Stephen Dinehart) apparently ran all the social media accounts for TSR, Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum, Ernie Gygax, Justin LaNasa, and Giantlands. He goes on to say that this person has been replaced, and that all posts on those social media accounts are "invalid". There's no mention of Stephen Dinehart's social media accounts though.

Dinehart has left TSR3, taking Giantlands with him. Given that Star Frontiers mentions have been quietly removed a week or so ago, that would leave TSR3.5 without any roleplaying game products, as far as I can tell.

The existing (TSR3} website still says it's WONDERFILED (sic), Inc. However there’s now a NEW one at TSR Hobbies. We’ll call that TSR3.5 for now. I’m struggling to distinguish TSRs from tribbles at this point. They just keep on coming!

TSR - TSR3 Throws In Towel, Rebrands Wonderfilled

In the news story that never ends, after reversing its position earlier and admitting that it was NOT the original TSR reincarnated, the new TSR company, embroiled in acrimony for the last two weeks, and having blamed the widespread criticism it has received on Wizards of the Coast, has deleted...

www.enworld.org

I don't really know what to say anymore, but my job is to report the news. So here's the news.

TSR Appoints New Public Relations Officer; Responds to Social Media Mismanagement - PR.com

TSR has replaced the individual that was serving as both social media manager and information technology manager for TSR and The Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum.

www.pr.com

TSR Appoints New Public Relations Officer; Responds to Social Media Mismanagement​

Lake Geneva, WI, July 09, 2021 --(PR.com)-- TSR has replaced the individual that was serving as both social media manager and information technology manager for TSR and The Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum. This individual was also the social media manager for Giantlands, Justin LaNasa, and Ernie Gygax.

All posts on all social media accounts for TSR and Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum should be considered invalid.

All posts on all social media accounts of Justin LaNasa and Ernie Gygax should be considered invalid.

TSR is in the process of recovering the social media accounts of TSR, The Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum, and the personal Twitter accounts of Justin LaNasa and Ernie Gygax.

Michael K. Hovermale
Public Relations Officer
TSR

Ernie Gygax:
“I wish to speak directly to the transgender community regarding this incident. The individual who was speaking to you on Twitter does not represent me or TSR in any way. Trans people are always welcome to play with us. Everyone is welcome at our table.”
Contact
TSR LLC
Michael K. Hovermale PR Officer
(209) 819-7504

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Unusual races I’ve used in homebrews that would work for S&S:

1) Gnolls
2) Nehwon Ghouls
3) Seshayans
4) River Folk (anthro snapping turtles)
5) Lupins
6) Vertolaiinen (Elves with woodling template- aka planty elves)
7) Thri-Kreen (modified to be size S, plus other tweaks)
8) Nephilim (rewritten Planetouched using racial class levels and without distinct subtypes)

 

[piers]

I note that the Press Release contains a phone number for Michael K Hovermale.

Has anyone tried calling him?

 

[Ancalagon]

I note that the Press Release contains a phone number for Michael K Hovermale.

Has anyone tried calling him?

What would it gain though?

If you reach this person, if they are a prankster and spin you a yarn, you won't be able to tell if you've just been lied to or if Michael does exist

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I'm over 40 and am not crying out for a return to attack matrices and bigotry. It's this narrative that there's all these people clamoring for a return to the old days, whatever that means, which we've seen repeated again and again. When you're in that little bubble, it's awfully easy to think that that represents how things are. Nevermind that the sample population just isn't big enough. Part of their decrial of Wizards is so that they can ignore the data points that indicate how successful D&D is right now. If D&D and Wizards are "culturally" wrong, then it's easy enough to discount anything they do.

The fact that he perceives this huge demographic as being pro-him just shows how small of a bubble he’s living in. This whole TSR debacle has been about protecting that little bubble and resenting the rest of the world.

 

[Gnarlo]

The new series, from the new publisher, is a reimagining of Buffy in the present day. So some things are the same, but lots of other things are different, like Willow being out from the start and things don't always go the way you expect them to. Storylines that dragged originally are fast-forwarded through until the good parts start, etc.

Are they going to explore the premise that I've heard somebody make that Buffy (and Seinfeld, and so many other shows from the 80s and 90s) would lose most of their episodes if someone had just had a cellphone to pull out?

 

[Bolares]

Well.. what did you expect of the people who made a company fail by not knowing their customers then? It's expected for Ward to have no idea what people over 40 need from the game

 

[Saracenus]

Where is my next fix TSR! Come on! You cannot go out with a whimper, go big or go home...

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Are they going to explore the premise that I've heard somebody make that Buffy (and Seinfeld, and so many other shows from the 80s and 90s) would lose most of their episodes if someone had just had a cellphone to pull out?

Yes.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I'm not kidding. You start up that company, I will write for you.

I will write up an Old School setting and adventures. I'll do system designs for optional mechanics people can use to expand their game into different mechanical paths. Whole nine yards.

I would work for T5R out of spite and delight.

In all honesty, while it was a bit fun to create that logo (and take a dig at the current TSR IP holders..), I don't see a real business case to go and register this T5R TM and brand it from a business standpoint. I mean, who is the audience this would appeal to, exactly? I'm assuming it would have to be folks who are familiar and fans of TSR D&D to catch the reference. When I do the Venn diagram between those people, and people who want to see old school settings and adventures done in a diverse and inclusive way with modern 5e rules, that's a small overlap. Believe me, my current KS project (Chromatic Dungeons) is proving that in spades lol. There are some of us, sure, but enough to justify the TM process to do this? That's what I'm not so sure about.

I have an open mind, however, and could be persuaded with the right argument.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Are they going to explore the premise that I've heard somebody make that Buffy (and Seinfeld, and so many other shows from the 80s and 90s) would lose most of their episodes if someone had just had a cellphone to pull out?

I recently (last year) rewatched the first couple seasons of X Files. And yes, that was my first thought. How most of the episodes could have been resolved and/or eliminated risk if they just had cell phones