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

 

[Ulfgeir]

If I recall correctly, the first version of this TSR claimed that they would have a bunch of artists that had been involved in previous D&D-versions working with them for new material, and a lot of those artists went "Hell no. We don't have anything to do with this flaming wreck, and we don't support the bigoted grognard views that certain persons there spout." I can not recall if they all did though. Anyone who knows more?

 

[Deset Gled]

I believe there are two things driving this.

First, this isn't a lawsuit or crowdfunding, this is marketing. TSR isn't really expecting to go to court, they're attempting to capitalize off of the publicity. Over the past few months, they have leaned really heavily into playing up anything "controversial" in their marketing. If you watch some of the interviews LaNasa and Michael have done, they spend a lot of time talking about "putting down rumors", "setting the record straight" on misunderstandings, and similar things. This crowdfunding/lawsuit is just another offshoot of that. They want to make waves, and this is how they're going to get attention. The timing of filing this is because they just released a new board game, and want to sell copies.

Second, I am guessing that most of the actual "trademark" issues are related to their "Star Frontiers New Genesis" product. It seems like nuTSR has been poking at WotC with their semi-real release of SFNG to see what they can get away with. My guess is WotC has been sending C&Ds about it. The use of some old TSR logos may also be a factor; WotC let the trademark drop but they probably still have copyright on the images.

 

[Umbran]

Well, sure, but we shouldn't forget this all started with Ernies statements...

Yep. But those statements were, all in all, pretty limited, and suggested (to me) more an old guy's entitlement and lack of understanding than the conviction and clear dogwhistles we see from the LaNasa.

Basically - Ernie publicly screwed up once. LaNasa's been keeping it up for six months. I don't feel like they are equivalent. If Ernie publicly puts his foot in his mouth again, I'll grant you the point.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Their argument seems to be, "I really like Kanye West, and these people said Kanye did bad things, so that means they are saying I do bad things."

Yeah, pretty weak.

Even dumber. Some of Kanye’s songs have homophobic slurs, and I likeKanye, therefor they’re calling me homophobic.

 

[Bolares]

Yep. But those statements were, all in all, pretty limited, and suggested (to me) more an old guy's entitlement and lack of understanding than the conviction and clear dogwhistles we see from the LaNasa.

Basically - Ernie publicly screwed up once. LaNasa's been keeping it up for six months. I don't feel like they are equivalent. If Ernie publicly puts his foot in his moth again, I'll grant you the point.

Oh, they are for sure not equivalent. But Ernie did say stuff he didn't back down from and I think it's fair to assume he endorses everything LaNasa says, otherwise he would have said something. And he has shown he can be pretty upspoken about stuff he disagrees on.

 

[jdrakeh]

If I recall correctly, the first version of this TSR claimed that they would have a bunch of artists that had been involved in previous D&D-versions working with them for new material, and a lot of those artists went "Hell no. We don't have anything to do with this flaming wreck, and we don't support the bigoted grognard views that certain persons there spout." I can not recall if they all did though. Anyone who knows more?

This is accurate. Even Ernie's own brother (Luke) and GaryCon distanced themselves from this nuT$R, as I recall. People in the industry who matter want to be associated with nuT$R like people want explosive diarrhea.

 

[Lanefan]

Well, they're still digging themselves a hole, but it's gotten so deep that now they're digging sideways.

If they keep digging a while longer and then fill that sideways hole with monsters and traps for brave adventurers to deal with later, at least something useful might come of this....



I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Bolares]

If they keep digging a while longer and then fill that sideways hole with monsters and traps for brave adventurers to deal with later, at least something useful might come of this....



I'm not holding my breath.

That would come to close to actually doing some work

 

[Umbran]

Oh, they are for sure not equivalent. But Ernie did say stuff he didn't back down from

Nobody backs down from pretty much anything in the heat of the moment. Human ego rarely allows that.

I mean, we can't generally get people on this little message board to do something so crazy as apologize to one individual, in private. We should not expect to see an old guy in the middle of a PR disaster the likes of which he couldn't imagine to back down publicly.

and I think it's fair to assume he endorses everything LaNasa says, otherwise he would have said something.

So, I am not sure of that, at all. You seem to be thinking of LaNasa and Ernie as some sort of equals in this enterprise and that he would stand up to his business partner, but I don't think we should assume that's the case.

 

[darjr]

Marketing? I did notice they acquired a board game called Dungeon Crawl