RPG: TSR Games Claims To Be Attacked By WotC
Ernie Gygax Jr. and Stephen Dinehart deactivated their Twitter accounts yesterday after claiming WotC was assaulting TSR Games.
After a week that saw TSR Games barred from Gen Con, Origins, the GAMA Expo, and more, two of the people listed as the crew that “reformed TSR Games” in 2021, made statements alleging a “coordinated assault” by Wizards of the Coast before deactivating their Twitter accounts.
These screenshots come from the accounts of Ernie Gygax Jr. and Stephen Dinehart, two of the people whose names are listed in the company bio, as seen here:
“The Game Wizards, founded in 1973 by Gary Gygax & Don Kaye, reformed in 2020 by Justin LaNasa, Ernest G. Gygax Jr, & Stephen E. Dinehart.”
Shortly after making these tweets, the accounts for Gygax Jr. and Dinehart appear to have been deactivated.
This comes after a week of pushback from statements on an interview that Gygax Jr. gave last week. Gygax Jr. recently issued a statement on Facebook addressing the events:
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.
No further mention has been made about WotC, and Wizards of the Coast have not issued any statements about TSR Games’ claims.
