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).


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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.


 

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Really good explainer.

Tangentially, what is up with the seemingly huge numbers of lawyers that game?
To start off, gaming supposedly attracts smarter hobbyists. Then, when some start hearing rumors of “rules lawyering”, it’s like bees to flowers. Then they find out one gets to be a kind of JUDGE?

“Pflaergllelelglglergggogg!”
brainsplosion

Besides, lawyers or not, we ALL know people who like to do the essentially the same things for fun they do for work, and a LOT of this hobby involves manipulating pages of information across a multitude of tomes into desired results.
 
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Really good explainer.

Tangentially, what is up with the seemingly huge numbers of lawyers that game?
No idea, but the lawyer that gamed with us back in the '90s defined the concept of a Saurig* barbarian for our group. I think he did far too much wheeling & dealing during the week, and by Thursday night he was ready to hack & slash.

*Basically a tough lizardman, from the Arduin Grimoire.
 


No idea, but the lawyer that gamed with us back in the '90s defined the concept of a Saurig* barbarian for our group. I think he did far too much wheeling & dealing during the week, and by Thursday night he was ready to hack & slash.

*Basically a tough lizardman, from the Arduin Grimoire.

Saurig! I got an early Arduin bonanza from my folks for Christmas. :)
 


To start off, gaming supposedly attracts smarter hobbyists. Then, when some start hearing rumors of “rules lawyering”, it’s like bees to flowers. Then they find out one gets to be a kind of JUDGE?

“Pflaergllelelglglergggogg!”
brainsplosion

Besides, lawyers or not, we ALL know people who like to do the essentially the same things for fun they do for work, and a LOT of this hobby involves manipulating pages of information across a multitude of tomes into desired results.
I can see that. D&D is how I came to love stats, I am pretty sure.
 




So... the campaign is just shy of $4k.
And it looks like someone bought into this at the $1000 "Diamond" level. Which means that lucky sucker has bought, among other things, a lifetime admission to TSR Con Con... which I suspect means that they will be the only person at TSR Con Con, if and when it ever happens.
What are you talking about? That donor, who probably goes by some variation of Justin Lasagna, will have lots of company:

Justin LaNasa
Justin Lanana
Justin Las Nasa
Justine LaNasau
Justine LasVegasnasa
 

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