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 Justin LaNasa, Stephen Dinehart, and Ernie Gygax. The controversy has been raging for over a week, since TSR3 announced itself with a press release.

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

Stephen Dinehart and Ernie Gygax have since deactivated their Twitter accounts; Justin LaNasa doesn't appear to have one, but it is believed he is the person operating TSR3's Twitter account. A couple of days ago, Ernie Gygax posted about recent events on Facebook (note that he edited the post, but the original can be seen here).

I wish to state in the strongest terms that I never meant to hurt anyone of any race, creed or color. My video From the Bunker caused some to feel that they would not be welcome or would be looked down upon. That was never the intent, I was reacting to focus of modern role play into a more background and Role Play rather than the wargame that so made so many lives happy over 40 years ago.

As a gamer it meant that most of us were not worthy of any attention from others of our own age. We were Nerds. We were brainy-acks and others would snicker. Older classmen would ask to "borrow" something of ours to then pass back and forth a game of keep away. I used to receive some special attention from about 4 Juniors in my Freshman year. I played the Violin and often I began to wish that I had Super Powers, perhaps become a Giant.. I was far to shy and then embarrassed as attractive ladies would just lower the eyes while the jocks or other socially vibrant fellows had some fun at another geeky nerds expense. Thank goodness I grew 4 inches my junior year.

The only real comfort zone we all could share was a table in the lunch room. At least the fledgling TSR found fertile minds in those who had only those like us - gamers. Rather than have to risk embarrassing myself, since Phy Ed was going to force us to dance with those wonderful and yet scary girls. Well to get my Diploma I had to slave for a month to Mr. Gerber the head of the Phy Ed department. Fortunately I knew all about janitorial work as before D&D and TSR dad only made $5,000 as a Cobbler (five children) and we had food stamps and even free school lunches. Yes you had to go to the councilors office every week to collect your free lunch passes. Obviously you could feel all the eyes on you and the talk about....

Everyone has been welcome at my gaming table and multitudes of new friends have been created by the time spent playing the games we Love. Look at pictures of gaming on my site or anywhere I run games. Everyone is welcome, just like a Boot Hill game leave your guns at the bar until you leave town. If you come to the Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum Jeff R. Leason will show you courtesy and a smile and you will see that gaming with elder gamers is a safe and entertaining environment.

TSR - Ernie Gygax on New TSR, WotC Beefs, Trademarks, Licensees, 5E, & More

A YouTube channel, 'Live From the Bunker', interviewed Ernie Gygax about the new TSR. I've watched and decided to try to transcribe the most relevant parts of it, but the full hour-long video is below if you want to see the whole interview and full context. Ernie Gygax is one of D&D...

www.enworld.org

 

[Bolares]

Considering that gender non-comformity and neurodivergence are highly correlated, I'm not really sure what he's on about.

It's been days since I was sure what he's on about...

 

[Riley]

Yikes. If Ernie is on the autism spectrum, that’s really tough, but he still needs to make the effort to understand how what he said was wrong. It probably feels unfair, but that doesn’t change anything.

Yep. That shot from out of left field is absurd. No one has attacked Ernie for being 'people on the spectrum', they have criticized him for his statements.

'People on the spectrum' are also not granted a free pass to misbehave. No one is.

 

[embee]

But, again, that would stop when you left the microphone and Foley Square
You could opt out and stop consenting to the dialogue. Leave the discussion

You can't on Twitter. And people there never stop

Yes you can.

You can delete your account. You can mute or block other users. You can just not open the app or load up the website. You can ignore your mentions.

And, of course, you can refrain from spouting off in the first place.

And, just as a reminder, what happened here was Ernie went on camera and started shooting his mouth off, saying things like:

• "American Indians did the same thing they would, um, wipe out another tribe many times take the women and children and murder off everything else" (while comparing Native Americans to 'corporate raiders');
• "They're basically trying to say 'we're a better company and a better type of person' than those who started playing. At least that's somewhat of the impression they've given and 'please switch over and be part of the new wave'. You know. Join the pack of lemmings, oh yeah!"; and
• "There's a ton of artists and game designers and people that play..... and recently they were dissed for being old-fashioned, possibly anti modern trends, and enforcing, or even having the concepts of gender identity."

No one forced him to do any of this. He decided to go in front of a camera and ramble on about a bunch of "old-fashioned, anti-modern" (again, Ernie's words) nonsense.

Speaking of quotes by Ernie in that interview, he himself spoke of how "my fighter returns antagonism for antagonism."

So even Ernie is on board with antagonism being returned for his antagonism.

 

[Bolares]

Yes you can.

You can delete your account. You can mute or block other users. You can just not open the app or load up the website. You can ignore your mentions.

And, of course, you can refrain from spouting off in the first place.

And, just as a reminder, what happened here was Ernie went on camera and started shooting his mouth off, saying things like:

• "American Indians did the same thing they would, um, wipe out another tribe many times take the women and children and murder off everything else" (while comparing Native Americans to 'corporate raiders');
• "They're basically trying to say 'we're a better company and a better type of person' than those who started playing. At least that's somewhat of the impression they've given and 'please switch over and be part of the new wave'. You know. Join the pack of lemmings, oh yeah!"; and
• "There's a ton of artists and game designers and people that play..... and recently they were dissed for being old-fashioned, possibly anti modern trends, and enforcing, or even having the concepts of gender identity."

No one forced him to do any of this. He decided to go in front of a camera and ramble on about a bunch of "old-fashioned, anti-modern" (again, Ernie's words) nonsense.

Speaking of quotes by Ernie in that interview, he himself spoke of how "my fighter returns antagonism for antagonism."

So even Ernie is on board with antagonism being returned for his antagonism.

It's funny how people who argue "both sides " (there are no sides here, there is right and Trs... I mean, wrong), rarely criticise the bigots.

 

[This Effin’ GM]

It's funny how people who argue "both sides " (there are no sides here, there is right and Trs... I mean, wrong), rarely criticise the bigots.

I am sure they are writing the same dissertations to TSR

 

[TrainedMunkee]

It's funny how people who argue "both sides " (there are no sides here, there is right and Trs... I mean, wrong), rarely criticise the bigots.

Right and wrong are subjective. Even those of us that are on the spectrum should take the time to take a good look at ourselves and see how we can change to better fit into society and promote a positive influence on those we come in contact with. It would appear that several folks involved with the newest TSR, have never hit bottom or been required to actually taken a good look at themselves. Individuals like this tend to blame others for their problems, instead of themselves. This is generally referred to as being immature. I doubt that this ends well at all.

 

[Bolares]

Right and wrong are subjective. Even those of us that are on the spectrum should take the time to take a good look at ourselves and see how we can change to better fit into society and promote a positive influence on those we come in contact with. It would appear that several folks involved with the newest TSR, have never hit bottom or been required to actually taken a good look at themselves. Individuals like this tend to blame others for their problems, instead of themselves. This is generally referred to as being immature. I doubt that this ends well at all.

Sure, but I’m talking about the specific case. Here, ernie and Co are clearly wrong

 

[Sir Brennen]

Considering that gender non-comformity and neurodivergence are highly correlated, I'm not really sure what he's on about.

He's on about playing the victim card (on behalf of Ernie), and avoiding the actual question about Ernie's statement. It's just another bad-faith tactic.

He also probably doesn't know and/or care about any correlation between gender identity and neurodiversity, and would probably use that in a negative way if he did.

(BTW, this correlation is news to me as well. Or is it that gender non-conformity falls under the neurodiversity umbrella rather than correlating? Do you have any info/links? )

 

[Gradine]

Here's a story about what happened to trans female sci-fi author last year

A sci-fi writer got meta about gender. The internet responded by ruining her life.

It's a long and very depressing story that fills me with equal parts sadness and rage.

In case any of y'all still want to play the violin for Ernie "getting bullied off of Twitter", this is what getting bullied off of Twitter actually looks like.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I have no interest whatsoever in a dialogue, with or without the capitalization, with people who don't consider me and the people close to me fully human. That's not a little misstep, that's a major example of bigotry. This attempt to paint people who don't consider it reasonable to put their basic humanity up for debate as unreasonable for insisting on being treated as full humans is and for not engaging in "Dialogue" about whether they are full humans just makes no sense.

If people in this thread were actually arguing that Ernie and his supporters should be taken and subject to imprisonment and torture until they say they've changed their minds, or that if they suffer an injury that EMTs should refuse to treat them and simply laugh as they bleed out into the street, I don't think you'd be here saying it's polarizing and unreasonable to condemn them. I just doubt that all of this 'both sides' stuff and talk of "Dialogue" would be your response (and certainly wouldn't be the mods' response). Yet the people who Ernie has chosen to ally with want exactly that for LGBT people in the real world (conversion therapy and laws to protect religious-based medical malpractice) and have already passed into law in many places.

I did not say both sides stuff.
And I prefer not to be quoted out of context.
Please direct me to the passage, where Ernie said such things or associated with those. Then I immediately take back everything I said and apologize for even hinting at dialogue.
Because that is way out of the spectrum of people I would want to talk with.
What I need is facts. If I missed them, I apologize in advance.