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

 

[Ancalagon]

I'm just wondering what next ridiculous twist will this saga have...

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I'm just wondering what next ridiculous twist will this saga have...

The tweets are coming .... from inside the house!!!!!!

 

[MarkB]

I'm just wondering what next ridiculous twist will this saga have...

Give it a little while. They try to get the bigger revelations out late in the week, just to make sure @Morrus's news podcast is out of date by the time it airs.

 

[Steampunkette]

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.

True... True.

Though honestly I'd write for you -without- T5R, too. Still probably a lot out of spite, as I start Project Chronicle...

 

[Kravenjest]

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.

For some people, I understand what “the old days” means and it’s better left dead. Other than a little bit of AD&D in grade school, my first experience was playing 2e in the 90s with a group that thought it was great fun for my character to be brutally and graphically raped. That was the kind of experience some women had with TTRPGs back then, and if we didn’t want to put up with that then we obviously didn’t like these games

That’s the kind of thing “keepgamingfantasy” means for some people: Rape, attacking marginalized groups, satisfying their power thirst. Back then, gaming allowed them to be the gross human beings they wanted to be IRL. And now they resent being told to make gaming inclusive because their fantasies come unraveled when they have to include everyone as equals.

We’ve seen plenty of comments from these gross people during the TSR mess, and yet no one from this “old school” circle has called them out. The acceptance of these people just shows how sick the whole “old school” mentality is. Sure a lot of it is about nostalgia, but making the game more inclusive today isn’t an insult to anyone’s childhood memories.

 

[Sacrosanct]

We’ve seen plenty of comments from these gross people during the TSR mess, and yet no one from this “old school” circle has called them out. The acceptance of these people just shows how sick the whole old school mentality is.

Uh, yeah we have. And been pretty vocal about it. There are entire FB groups of OSR fans that are also welcoming of diversity and have called these jokers out. Even if you don't consider any of us to fit into that group, Tim Kask, Luke Gygax, Jeff Dee, Janelle Jaquay, and many others have also been very vocal in calling them out. If they aren't "old school" I don't know who is.

So I'd ask you to not lump all of us old school fans as people with a sick mentality.

 

[GuyBoy]

Both comments immediately above have resonance, and yet they also oppose on a detail of old schoolers opposing the likes of Ernie G ( which many, though not all, have done).
We need to be careful that Kulturkampf does not divide those of us who oppose it, because that will give it a victory. The hatred espoused on a global scale by the likes of Breitbart, Brexit and the Former Guy is clearly macro compared to TSR3’s micro version but it all hurts and it must all be battled in unity. Kravenjest and Sacrosanct are on the good side of this debate.

 

[Kravenjest]

Uh, yeah we have. And been pretty vocal about it. There are entire FB groups of OSR fans that are also welcoming of diversity and have called these jokers out. Even if you don't consider any of us to fit into that group, Tim Kask, Luke Gygax, Jeff Dee, Janelle Jaquay, and many others have also been very vocal in calling them out. If they aren't "old school" I don't know who is.

So I'd ask you to not lump all of us old school fans as people with a sick mentality.

This is poor wording on my part, and I apologize for that. When I said “old school” (in quotes) I specifically meant those people who are anti anything new because of inclusion, and not the people who just enjoy OSR and have played for a long time. I missed the quotes in error the second time. Maybe there’s a better term to umbrella them.

Those people are self-identifying as the only “old school” because they think all people beyond a certain age are allied with them, which certainly isn’t true.

 

[Steampunkette]

This is poor wording on my part, and I apologize for that. When I said “old school” (in quotes) I specifically meant those people who are anti anything new because of inclusion, and not the people who just enjoy OSR and have played for a long time. I missed the quotes in error the second time. Maybe there’s a better term to umbrella them.

Those people are self-identifying as the only “old school” because they think all people beyond a certain age are allied with them, which certainly isn’t true.

We should refer to them as "Ol' Skewl Bigots" to differentiate.

Makes sure everyone knows we're calling out a specific group of abject jerks who are uneducated and cannot spell correctly.

Like Wonderfiled.

 

[Bolares]

We should refer to them as "Ol' Skewl Bigots" to differentiate.

Makes sure everyone knows we're calling out a specific group of abject jerks who are uneducated and cannot spell correctly.

Like Wonderfiled.

Lets just call them bigots. No need to differentiate. If you are a bigot, it doesn't mather what kind of game you like to play.