Jayson Elliot has formed a company with a name that will tweak the nostalgia bones of many a gamer: TSR. And the first product TSR is launching isn't a game or gaming product or rule book. It's a magazine called Gygax Magazine.
The publication aims to revive the spirit of great gaming magazines such as Dragon, White Dwarf, Adventure Gaming, and Pegasus.
On Saturday, January 26, at 1:30pm, Gygax Magazine will be launched at a "unboxing party" at The Brooklyn Strategist (333 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY). Copies will officially go on sale at 2:00pm EST, with a broadcast of video coverage of the event streaming live at GygaxMagazine.com. Editors and writers will be on hand, and games will be played.
>"TSR is a new company. ... Credible people had to be involved.."
The magazine will feature content about tabletop gaming and the tabletop gaming community. The debut issue includes contributions from Cory Doctorow, Luke Gygax, Ernie Gygax, Dennis Sustare, Michael Tresca, Lenard Lakofka and many others. [Disclosure: It also features an article by yours truly.]
So what is the reason Elliot, the magazine's publisher and creative director, is taking the risk to put out a new magazine about role-playing games, when you might argue it's video games, not Dungeons & Dragons and other RPGs, that are getting all the attention?
"The purpose of forming TSR, the reason for doing this, [and to] rescue the trademark and to start a magazine called Gygax, and using these terms that are obviously going to resonate with gamers, was because I wanted to ensure the viability of tabletop gaming for future generations," Elliot said. "I wanted to look at how we play games today with all the new distractions that are available – from video games to IMAX films. What does that mean in the 21st century?"
His magazine will focus on the culture of gaming – past, present and future, featuring stories and content about tabletop games and RPGs, such as 1st and 2nd editions of AD&D, Pathfinder and D&D Next. "What's exciting to me is being able to look at this magazine and feel that we've really managed to put together a gaming journal that's for the whole hobby."
There is a clear interest in retro-gaming. We reported earlier this week about dndclassics.com, a new website for downloading old TSR and Wizards of the Coast D&D products.
Elliot stressed that his "TSR is a new company." TSR, Inc., the original company that published D&D, was founded by Gary Gygax; it was purchased by Wizards of the Coast in 1997. Elliot, who co-founded the Roll for Initiative podcast, discovered that the trademark for TSR had been abandoned about nine years ago. He registered it in 2011. With an idea to launch TSR, Elliot then got key people involved from the old TSR's past, he said, for credibility. Among them: Luke and Ernie Gygax, sons of the deceased D&D co-creator Gary Gygax. Both were instrumental to the development of D&D in its earlier years.
"I decided there was no way I was going to to move on with TSR unless Luke and Ernie Gygax were involved – people who were involved from the beginning. Credible people had to be involved." With the Gygaxes on board, he then approached Tim Kask, former editor of Dragon magazine, who serves as an advisor on Gygax Magazine's editorial board.
"I wanted someone who was around at the beginning," Elliot said. "I wanted someone to guide me. The most obvious choice was to choose Tim Kask, the founder of Dragon magazine." Also involved with the magazine are James Carpio and Jim Wampler. Margaret Weis will be the first member of TSR's board of directors.
"I'm really excited about the cast of characters we've been able to assemble, a mix of the old and new. Names people will recognize from the old days." He also has managed to keep alive the now-defunct magazine Kobold Quarterly, in a regular feature called "Kobold's Cavern."
The publication "is the first step in a number of things we want to do." But for now, Elliot has no plans to release games, gaming product, or rules book. "There are already great rules book and games out there." Future products, he said, will likely "be focused on helping people play the games that people play now."
At the launch party, the Gygax brothers Wampler will chime in via the live stream from their respective cities. "There will be a chance for anyone who's watching to ask whatever questions they like," said Elliot. "People in the store will get to ask stuff, too."
After the official "box opening," at 3 p.m., special guests will be running gaming events, and invited participants can roll some dice and play. The marquee event will be Stefan Pokorny, founder of Dwarven Forge, who is bringing "a bunch of their amazing dungeons" for a dungeon delve game. "He's going to be setting up some of his best terrain," Elliot said. (You can see an example here.) Another offering: a game show-style event called "Cube of Death" that anyone can join. There will also be a Geek Chic Sultan table to play on.
At some point in the afternoon, Elliot said, he'll turn on the "buy" button on the web site so the general public can buy the magazine. After Feb. 7, Gygax Magazine will be available digtially as a PDF and Apple Newsstand for the ipads. The magazine will be available at game shops soon, and it will also be for sale at some upcoming game conventions, including Gen Con, Origins, Gary Con, TotalCon, and North Texas RPG Con.
For more information, visit Gygax Magazine.
