TSR TSR Is Back.... Again!

TSR is back... again! A new company, using the name and logo of the original publisher of Dungeons & Dragons has just been launched, along with a limited edition new game called Giantlands, and a theme park! But first, some history! Because this isn't the first time TSR has been resurrected! TSR (or Tactical Studies Rules) was the company which started it all -- the firm, co-created by Gary...

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TSR is back... again! A new company, using the name and logo of the original publisher of Dungeons & Dragons has just been launched, along with a limited edition new game called Giantlands, and a theme park!

But first, some history! Because this isn't the first time TSR has been resurrected!

TSR (or Tactical Studies Rules) was the company which started it all -- the firm, co-created by Gary Gygax and Don Kaye, which launched Dungeons & Dragons back in 1974. The failing company was bought by WotC in the late 90s, who went on to revive D&D with the launch of D&D 3E. The TSR trademark itself expired in 2004, and Gary Gygax passed in 2008.

Jayson Elliot acquired the expired TSR trademark in 2011 and launched Gygax Magazine. D&D co-creator Gary Gygax’s sons, Luke and Ernie Gygax, were both involved, as was TSR-alumnus Tim Kask. The magazine was cancelled a few years ago as Luke and Ernie Gygax withdrew after a trademark dispute with Gail Gygax, Gary Gygax’s wife.




That company is still an operational company called TSR Games which currently produces the Top Secret RPG.

Confused yet?

Now TSR is back - again! A press release dated June 15th was released this week, and a Facebook page launched with a new version of the old logo. "Have you noticed the new art on our TSR.games site? It's an image created by Larry Elmore (pencils) Steve Ince (Ink & color) & Stephen E. Dinehart (Direction, Color, Layout, Graphics) for our first official product - GiantLands."

tsr.jpg

Lake Geneva, WI, June 15, 2021 --(PR.com)-- Tactical Studies Rules (TSR) was founded in 1973 by E. Gary Gygax and Don Kaye. Originally formed in 2020, TSR Games is officially back and under the leadership of E. Gary Gygax Jr.

“I am thrilled to be part of this next generation of gaming and hope that you all find it cut the same cloth as all my old TSR experiences as we forge a new TSR Games,” said Gygax, continuing, “Thanks to the vision of our CEO Justin LaNasa, and the help of Wonderfilled, we’re bringing TSR back home to Lake Geneva. It really means so much to me.”

TSR was behind the original Dungeons & Dragons first released in 1974, now a worldwide phenomenon owned by Hasbro on its fifth and most popular edition yet. The team includes Justin LaNasa (CEO), Ernest G. Gygax Jr (EVP), Jeff R. Leason (COO, and Stephen E. Dinehart (CCO). LaNasa is a visionary and entrepreneur that has set out to reunite brands like TSR with the original talent behind them.

“It’s with great pride that we’ve managed to secure the TSR brand, born here originally in 1973 and brought back to the people who created this new form of game that changed the world,” said LaNasa.

In addition to the classic lines of products at TSR Museum and Dungeon Hobby Shop, TSR Games is working to bring a new generation of role-playing games and more to players worldwide. “Now more than ever, the world needs TSR,” said game designer Jeff R. Leason. “We’re happy to be bringing it back for experienced and new players alike.”


The Facebook page contains a bunch of info about the people involved.
  • Jeff R. Leason -- Jeff is our Chief Operation Officer and comes with decades working as an game editor, master and designer. As a key member of the original TSR team, he's best known for his Advanced Dungeons & Dragons adventure "The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan" (1980). His TSR paystub from 1983 for $134.18 once sold at auction for $135! We're glad to have his mastery, wisdom and candor helping bring TSR back to life!
  • Ernest Gary Gygax Jr. -- Our Executive Vice President is none other than Ernest Gary Gygax Jr. aka "Ernie". The oldest child, Ernie was one of the first people on planet Earth to play Dungeons & Dragons (with another guy named "Gary" no less), and he still loves to play! You'll often still find him DMing for members of Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum in Lake Geneva, while working hard to bring TSR back to life! This weekend he's hard at play in Lake Geneva running 1E with the gang at Robert Donald Paiser Con III. How about you? What are you playing?
The new TSR's first product is called Giantlands. It's a science fantasy tabletop RPG, in a boxed set, and has an associated theme park! The original boxed set was originally Kickstarted in 2019 by Stephen E. Dinehart IV, which also included a limited edition boxed set which was limited to 100 copies, which would not be made again.

Be the first kid on your block to get our first blockbuster summer release GiantLands! This crowdfunded game is made in Wisconsin with some of the original TSR team, like Larry Elmore, Jeff Dee and James M. Ward. It will be among the first titles to bring TSR Games back to life. The GiantLands 1st Edition boxed set consists of three booklets, dice and more, a homage to the original D&D set.


Screen Shot 2021-06-19 at 12.25.54 PM.png

A radiant golden Sun rises over a devastated planet Earth of the 5th Age. Emerging from the destruction is a planet born anew where giants, tribes, mutants, androids and odd creatures from a multitude of worlds clash in an attempt to reclaim the Earth as their own! The GiantLands® 1st Edition Set includes there core rule booklets, character sheets, dice and few more surprises. While you can play this game at a table, it’s also the key to a new active world, where live-action roleplay and costumes are encouraged. Soon you’ll also be able to join us at live events and a GiantLands theme park where you can go on adventures as your favorite characters in a living game world!


So, as far as I can make out, there are now two operational TSRs. There's TSR Games, at tsrgames.com, run by Jayson Elliot, which originally launched Gygax Magazine in 2012, and now publishes Top Secret. And there's this new TSR Games, at the confusing similar tsr.games, which is publishing Giantlands. Ernie Gygax was involved in the formation of both companies. I don't know if or how the two are related, or what the trademark situation would be there! More news if I hear it!

(Both company's logos below!)

tsr1.png
tsr2.png


tsr.jpg
 

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Dessert Nomad

Adventurer
For me the big question is how there can be TWO companies with the same name? Who owns the trademark right now? Are the two companies linked?

Isn't there a lot of dispute over who controls the IP in the Gygax estate? IIRC at least two of his sons have been suing and arguing with his widow over who owns what, and there have been words and legal actions since at least 2011, and the last I heard one of the sons had filed a new will that allegedly was actually the final will, firing off some new legal action early last year. I'm not sure if all of that has been settled.
 

Marc_C

Solitary Role Playing
For me the big question is how there can be TWO companies with the same name? Who owns the trademark right now? Are the two companies linked?
Yep... and do they own the rights to the three letter square logo design that looks like the old one.
 

Dire Bare

Legend
Isn't there a lot of dispute over who controls the IP in the Gygax estate? IIRC at least two of his sons have been suing and arguing with his widow over who owns what, and there have been words and legal actions since at least 2011, and the last I heard one of the sons had filed a new will that allegedly was actually the final will, firing off some new legal action early last year. I'm not sure if all of that has been settled.
Yeah, but . . . the Gygax Magazine iteration of TSR involved Luke and Ernie Gygax, and this Giantlands iteration involves Luke . . . I doubt the two brothers are fighting over the TSR trademark . . . or are they? Besides, the Gary Gygax estate has no ownership over the TSR trademark, but the estate did shut down Gygax Magazine.
 

Morrus

Well, that was fun
Staff member
Yeah, but . . . the Gygax Magazine iteration of TSR involved Luke and Ernie Gygax, and this Giantlands iteration involves Luke . . . I doubt the two brothers are fighting over the TSR trademark . . . or are they? Besides, the Gary Gygax estate has no ownership over the TSR trademark, but the estate did shut down Gygax Magazine.
Not quite. Both Luke and Ernie withdrew from the Gygax Mag iteration after the lawsuit from Gail Gygax, but the company is still running and still - presumably - owned by Jayson Elliot, publishing Top Secret. This newer Giantlands iteration involves Ernie, but there's no mention of Luke that I can see. So the two current versions of TSR appear to be Jayson Ellitiot and Ernie Gygax respectively, it seems.
 


Dire Bare

Legend
The geek news sites are all abuzz about the "original publishers of D&D, TSR, is back!" And . . . that take is BS. No shade on this new iteration of TSR, but it isn't the original company, even with the involvement of ONE of the old-school TSR's employees, James Ward. Plus, there is the confusion between the Gygax Magazine version, and this new version . . . the same company? Different companies?

Regarding the live play park aspect of things . . . one of the main creators of Giantlands, Stephen Dinehart, was one of the folks involved in the Evermore park in Utah . . . which is an awesome place! (check out some of the YouTube videos from visitors) However, it's not clear exactly how Dinehart was involved with Evermore.

There seems to be relevant info in the Giantlands kickstarter updates, but they are locked to backers only, so . . . .

I remain skeptical of the success of this new venture and company with the dearth of details released. The Giantlands game itself sounds like an okay project, if not to my personal tastes . . . hopefully this version of TSR Games will give us more details on what exactly is going on!
 

Morrus

Well, that was fun
Staff member
US Trademark searches for TSR. I can't find the 2011 registration, but I've not used this tool before so I may not be doing it right!

ImageAgentProxy

Jan 19, 2021
TSR, LLC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY WISCONSIN 723 WILLIAMS STREET LAKE GENEVA WISCONSIN 53147

ImageAgentProxy

Jan 26, 2021
TSR, LLC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY WISCONSIN 723 WILLIAMS STREET LAKE GENEVA WISCONSIN 53147

ImageAgentProxy

Jan 26, 2021
TSR, LLC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY WISCONSIN 723 WILLIAMS STREET LAKE GENEVA WISCONSIN 53147

ImageAgentProxy

March 5, 2013, cancelled Oct 11 2019
Hexagonist Publishing LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DELAWARE 200 E. 10th Street #511 New York NEW YORK 10003

ImageAgentProxy

October 26, 1994, cancelled March 22, 2003
TSR, Inc. CORPORATION WISCONSIN 201 Sheridan Springs Road P.O. Box 756 Lake Geneva WISCONSIN 53147

ImageAgentProxy

November 8, 1991, cancelled December 29, 2000
TSR, Inc. CORPORATION WISCONSIN 201 Sheridan Springs Road P.O. Box 756 Lake Geneva WISCONSIN 53147

ImageAgentProxy

February 22, 1982, cancelled November 20 1989
TSR Hobbies, Inc. CORPORATION WISCONSIN 281 Sheridan Springs Rd. Lake Geneva WISCONSIN 53147
 



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