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...

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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Sacrosanct

Legend
Well, in this case, only if 'TSR' has any money to lose. WotC has filed against TSR, not LaNasa or any other individual. And TSR is an LLC, so (according to my understanding) if they run out of money, then the company folds, the bills go unpaid, and LaNasa and co walk away untouched. That's the whole point of LLCs.

And if that happened, then I'm sure LaNasa would promptly start up TSR v4 and start churning out equally dumb publicity stunts.
Which begs the question. Justin is raising money to "fight in court" but is raising it under his name. Not TSR LLC. I'm not legal savy enough to know if a CEO can take personal funds to pay for court costs of an LLC while also gaining the protection LLCs provide.
 

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Which begs the question. Justin is raising money to "fight in court" but is raising it under his name. Not TSR LLC. I'm not legal savy enough to know if a CEO can take personal funds to pay for court costs of an LLC while also gaining the protection LLCs provide.
The owner of a company can invest his personal funds into that company at any time, I would have thought. If he did, he might well lose that money, but the risk is on him.
 



Sacrosanct

Legend
The owner of a company can invest his personal funds into that company at any time, I would have thought. If he did, he might well lose that money, but the risk is on him.
Or it's entirely plausible that he raised money to fight this in court, but keeps it all and doesn't spend a penny on the lawsuit and lets TSR LLC fold, protected by the LLC, and pockets fuller with money he raised by telling backers he was going to use it in court.
 

thirdkingdom

Hero
Publisher
Does it? How much profit have they made on this? Their crowdfunding campaign seems to sit under $3K. They have an enduring problem of having whipped up furor... but having no product to speak of to sell.
Yeah, I would have thought they'd at least have waited to have a book or two to sell before doing all this nonsense.
 

Sacrosanct

Legend
Yeah, I would have thought they'd at least have waited to have a book or two to sell before doing all this nonsense.
Nah. If they did, then WoTC could take those profits. By not having any marketable worth or valuation in the LLC, he can let TSR LLC fold without really losing anything himself.

The create another LLC. Like he's done in the past. so it's better he did this now before TSR LLC had any actual products tied to that corporation.
 


tenkar

Old School Blogger
and I should add, the TSR Army of one special individual doxxed me on the YouTube channel. I guess the attention this is getting isn't welcomed.

I'll share what I shared on youtube and FB:

So, VP-APNI (over at The Tavern's Youtube Channel) just spammed the channel with 10 comments on tonight's post, with my "real" last name, because of TSR3 defense "reasons". The posts are deleted, not because he was posting my "real" last name - Stiene - which is in Swords & Wizardry Light, Swords & Wizardry Complete, AND is listed at BoardGame Geeks (I don't hide it), but because he was spamming the channel with literal spam. Ah, the TSR ARMY, an army of one special individual. BTW, there never was a deli on Haspel Street, VP-APNI. Now get your f'n shine box!

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