Line #145 Creator/TSR


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tsrlogocollection.png]]
2
3	TSR ('''T'''actical '''S'''tudies '''R'''ules) was an American game-publishing company first founded as Tactical Studies Rules in 1973 by Creator/GaryGygax and Don Kaye to publish ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''. When Kaye died in 1975, the company was restructured into TSR Hobbies, which became a gaming juggernaut led by its popular flagship title.
4
5	In 1983, TSR Hobbies ran into financial difficulties, causing the company to split into four independent businesses, with game publishing and development continuing as TSR, Inc. By 1995, TSR fell behind its competitors in sales, leaving it unable to cover its publishing costs. In 1997, TSR was purchased by Creator/WizardsOfTheCoast, who initially continued using the TSR name for their ''D&D'' products, but ultimately dropped the moniker in 2000 when they released the third edition of the gaming system.
6
7	In 2021, a new company using the TSR name was co-founded by Ernie Gigax, son of Gary Gygax (it should be noted that this is one of two companies named TSR Hobbies to honor Gary Gygax, with the other TSR being founded by Jayson Elliot) -- alongside some Tabletop games veteran designers with the tabletop game ''Giantlands.'' This was meant to be their first product, until some statements by Ernie that were perceived as anti-progressive and transphobic by many people, which led to a huge backlash that caused the people behind ''Giantlands'' to cut ties with Ernie's TSR Games. TSR has stated that they will still look for products to publish.
8	----
9	!!Titles published by TSR:
10	[[AC:Role-Playing Games]]
11	[[index]]
12	* ''TabletopGame/TheAdventuresOfIndianaJonesRolePlayingGame'' (1984)
13	* ''TabletopGame/{{Alternity}}'' (1998)
14	* ''TabletopGame/AmazingEngine'' (1993)
15	* ''TabletopGame/BootHill'' (1975)
16	* ''TabletopGame/BuckRogersAdventureGame'' (1993)
17	* ''TabletopGame/BuckRogersXXVC'' (1988)
18	* ''TabletopGame/ConanRolePlayingGame'' (1985)
19	* ''TabletopGame/{{Crimefighters}}'' (1981)
20	* ''TabletopGame/DragonlanceFifthAgeDramaticAdventureGame'' (Saga System) (1996)
21	* ''TabletopGame/DragonQuest'' 3rd edition (1989) - Published after acquiring Creator/SimulationsPublicationsInc
22	* ''TabletopGame/{{Dragonstrike}}'' (board game and VHS tutorial) (1993)
23	* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' (1974)
24	* ''TabletopGame/EmpireOfThePetalThrone'' (1975)
25	* ''TabletopGame/GammaWorld'' (1978)
26	* ''TabletopGame/{{Gangbusters}}'' (1982)
27	* ''TabletopGame/MarvelSuperHeroes'' (1984)
28	* ''TabletopGame/MarvelSuperHeroesAdventureGame'' (Saga System) (1998)
29	* ''TabletopGame/MasqueOfTheRedDeath'' (1994)
30	* ''TabletopGame/MetamorphosisAlpha'' (1976)
31	* ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}'' (1989)
32	* ''TabletopGame/StarFrontiers'' (1982)
33	* ''TabletopGame/TopSecret'' (1980) and ''TabletopGame/TopSecretSI'' (1987)
34	[[/index]]
35
36	[[AC: Wargames]]
37	* ''TabletopGame/AGleamOfBayonets'' (on the Battle of Antietam)
38	* ''TabletopGame/ALineInTheSand'' (on the Desert Shield and Desert Storm Campaigns 1990-91)
39	* ''TabletopGame/BattleOfBritain'' (on the Battle of Britain 1940-41)
40	* ''TabletopGame/{{Battlesystem}}'' (1985)
41	* ''TabletopGame/CavaliersAndRoundheads'' (1973)
42	* ''TabletopGame/{{Chainmail}}'' (1975)
43	* ''TabletopGame/ClassicWarfare'' (1975)
44	* ''TabletopGame/CorditeAndSteel'' (1977)
45	* ''TabletopGame/DivineRight'' (1979)
46	* ''TabletopGame/DontGiveUpTheShip'' (1975)
47	* ''TabletopGame/FightInTheSkies'' (1975) (later renamed Dawn Patrol)
48	* ''TabletopGame/{{Gammarauders}}''
49	* ''TabletopGame/TheHuntForRedOctober'' (1988)
50	* ''TabletopGame/LittleBigHorn'' (1976)
51	* ''TabletopGame/PanzerWarfare'' (1975)
52	* ''TabletopGame/RedStormRising'' (1989)
53	* ''TabletopGame/SniperSecondEdition'' (1986)
54	* ''TabletopGame/StarProbe'' (1975)
55	* ''TabletopGame/{{Tractics}}'' (1975)
56	* ''TabletopGame/{{Tricolor}}'' (1975)
57	* ''TabletopGame/WarriorsOfMars'' (1974)
58	* ''TabletopGame/WellingtonsVictory''
59	* ''TabletopGame/WilliamTheConqueror'' (1976)
60
61	[[AC:Other Games]]
62	* ''TabletopGame/AllMyChildren'' (board game)
63	* ''TabletopGame/AttackForce'' (microgame)
64	[[index]]
65	* ''TabletopGame/TheAwfulGreenThingsFromOuterSpace'' (board game, 1979)
66	[[/index]]
67	* ''TabletopGame/BloodWars'' (collectible card game, 1995)
68	* ''TabletopGame/BuckRogersBattleForThe25thCentury'' (board game, 1988)
69	* ''TabletopGame/{{Chase}}'' (board game)
70	* ''TabletopGame/{{Crosse}}'' (board game)
71	* ''TabletopGame/{{Dragonlance}}'' (board game)
72	[[index]]
73	* ''TabletopGame/DragonStrike'' (board game, 1993)
74	* ''TabletopGame/DragonDice'' (collectible dice game)
75	[[/index]]
76	* ''TabletopGame/{{Dungeon}}'' (1975)
77	* ''TabletopGame/DungeonFantasy'' (1989)
78	* ''TabletopGame/{{Elixir}}'' (board game)
79	* ''TabletopGame/EscapeFromNewYork'' (1981) (board game)
80	* ''TabletopGame/FantasyForest'' (1980) (board game)
81	* ''TabletopGame/FourthDimension'' (board game)
82	* ''TabletopGame/TheGreatKhanGame'' (card game)
83	* ''TabletopGame/HoneymoonersGame'' (board game, 1986)
84	* ''TabletopGame/{{Icebergs}}'' (microgame)
85	* ''TabletopGame/{{Kage}}'' (board game)
86	* ''TabletopGame/KnightsOfCamelot'' (board game)
87	* ''TabletopGame/MaxiBourse'' (board game)
88	* ''TabletopGame/PartyZoneSpyRingScenario'' (party game)
89	* ''TabletopGame/PerryMason'' (board game, 1987)
90	* ''TabletopGames/RememberTheAlamo'' (microgame)
91	* ''TabletopGame/RevoltOnAntares'' (microgame, 1980)
92	* ''TabletopGame/{{Saga}}'' (microgame)
93	[[index]]
94	* ''TabletopGame/{{Spellfire}}'' (collectible card game, 1994)
95	[[/index]]
96	* ''TabletopGame/SnitsRevenge'' (boardgame) (1977)
97	* ''TabletopGame/{{Steppe}}'' (board game)
98	* ''TabletopGame/TheyveInvadedPleasantville'' (microgame)
99	* ''TabletopGame/{{Vampyre}}'' (microgame)
100	* ''TabletopGame/VikingGods''
101	* ''TabletopGame/WarOfWizards''
102
103	[[AC:Magazines]]
104	[[index]]
105	* ''Magazine/AmazingStories''
106	* ''Magazine/{{Dragon}}''
107	* ''Magazine/{{Dungeon}}''
108	* ''Magazine/{{Imagine}}'' (AD&D magazine)
109	[[/index]]
110
111	[[AC:Comic Books]]
112	[[index]]
113	* ''ComicBook/ThirteenAssassin''
114	* ''ComicBook/BirthrightTheSerpentsEye''
115	* ''ComicBook/BuckRogersComicModule''
116	* ''ComicBook/DragonlanceFifthAge''
117	* ''ComicBook/DragonlanceSaga''
118	* ''ComicBook/FineousFingersCollection''
119	* ''ComicBook/ForgottenRealms''
120	* ''ComicBook/IntruderComicsModule''
121	* ''ComicBook/LabyrinthOfMadness''
122	* ''ComicBook/RIPComicsModule''
123	* ''ComicStrip/SnarfQuest Collection''
124	* ''ComicBook/{{Spelljammer}}''
125	* ''ComicBook/WarhawksComicsModule''
126	[[/index]]
127
128	[[AC:Game Books]]
129	[[index]]
130	* ''Literature/EndlessQuest'' (1982)
131	* ''Literature/HeartQuest''
132	* ''Literature/SnarfQuest'' (game book series) (1983)
133	[[/index]]
134
135	[[AC:Novels]]
136	[[index]]
137	* ''Literature/Agent13TheMidnightAvenger''
138	* ''Literature/{{Dragonlance}}''
139	* ''Literature/ForgottenRealms''
140	* ''Literature/{{Greyhawk}}''
141	* ''Literature/{{Ravenloft}}''
142	* ''Literature/{{Spelljammer}}''
143
144	[[AC:Video Games]]
145	* ''VideoGame/ForgottenRealms''
146	[[/index]]
147	----
148	!!Tropes relating to TSR
149	* BadBoss: A lot of the higher management at TSR had issues with those underneath them. Gary Gygax, having equated TSR's success with providing for his family became extremely defensive when others in the company deviated from what he expected, and was particularly petty towards Dave Arneson despite creating [[Franchise/DungeonsAndDragons a game changing product]] together. The Blooms were highly self enriching to their entire extended family, and almost were caught changing records to cover their tracks, which lead to several long time partners quitting in disgust. And as for Loraine Williams, while she was in part brought in to bring stability after a downturn in the 80's, her micromanagement and reckless greenlighting of new products eventually lead to the downfall of TSR as an independent company. At one point she was against playtesting products in the office because she believed it to be goofing off on clock.
150	* HeadInTheSandManagement: TSR was started not by Business people but gamers. In part because they didn't want business people ruining the products. But this would also turn against them when they assumed that business would grow forever after D&D got big, when down periods were inevitable.
151	* {{Nepotism}}: As part of their explosive growth in the 1980's, they ended up needing to hire as many people as possible. And so often, the people who got hired were members of [[TheClan The Bloom Family]] who had 2 people in upper management.
152	* NoSuchThingAsBadPublicity: TSR first got national prominence thanks to their association with a missing teen genius case, and a misunderstanding of the intent of D&D. While this created a negative connotation with conservatives regarding not only spellcasting but "mistaking the game for reality", it did bring them to national attention. Thus exploding sales and allowing a blockbuster deal with a national publisher.
153	* RagsToRiches: From a business existing on paper and a tiny shop in a basement to one of the largest hobby game companies in the US.
154	* SelfFulfillingProphecy: After their initial troubles with Dave Arneson, TSR became reluctant to hand out stock options as it would possibly bring in people who would work against the company. Of course, promising then rescinding a stock offer is a perfect way to then turn people against you.

Context Creator / TSR