Source:
https://eu.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2024/03/02/ankeny-man-files-suit-over-control-of-his-role-playing-game/72796356007/

Iowa ‘game master’ sues Texas company over control of his role-playing game
Clark Kauffman | Iowa Capital Dispatch

A “certified therapeutic game master” from Iowa is suing a Texas company
for libel, slander and copyright infringement over a planned Dungeons &
Dragons spinoff.

Shawn Thomas and his Ankeny company Tabletop Adventure are suing Geek
Therapeutics and its founder, Dr. Anthony Bean, a licensed psychologist,
in U.S. District Court for Southern District of Iowa.

The lawsuit revolves around Thomas’ development of a role-playing
tabletop game called Realms of Kymoria. The lawsuit claims that players
of the game inhabit a fictional world that provides an inclusive and
welcoming environment for all types of individuals.

Clark Kauffman | Iowa Capital Dispatch

A “certified therapeutic game master” from Iowa is suing a Texas company
for libel, slander and copyright infringement over a planned Dungeons &
Dragons spinoff.

Shawn Thomas and his Ankeny company Tabletop Adventure are suing Geek
Therapeutics and its founder, Dr. Anthony Bean, a licensed psychologist,
in U.S. District Court for Southern District of Iowa.

The lawsuit revolves around Thomas’ development of a role-playing
tabletop game called Realms of Kymoria. The lawsuit claims that players
of the game inhabit a fictional world that provides an inclusive and
welcoming environment for all types of individuals.

More: How Dungeons & Dragons helped me come out

Thomas alleges that in creating Realms of Kymoria, he produced graphical
maps, stories in the form of written prose, and graphic depictions of
various characters within those stories. In 2021, he created a limited
liability company, Tabletop Adventure, to hold the copyrights,
trademarks, and other rights associated with the game.

That same year, the lawsuit alleges, Thomas acquired his “therapeutic
game master certification” from Geek Therapeutics, signaling his ability
to host role-playing games in therapeutic environments. Soon thereafter,
Thomas and Bean allegedly began discussing a potential licensing
agreement whereby Geek Therapeutics would manufacture, market, and
distribute Realms of Kymoria.
Clash over Dungeons & Dragons change leads to lawsuit

Clark Kauffman | Iowa Capital Dispatch

A “certified therapeutic game master” from Iowa is suing a Texas company
for libel, slander and copyright infringement over a planned Dungeons &
Dragons spinoff.

Shawn Thomas and his Ankeny company Tabletop Adventure are suing Geek
Therapeutics and its founder, Dr. Anthony Bean, a licensed psychologist,
in U.S. District Court for Southern District of Iowa.

The lawsuit revolves around Thomas’ development of a role-playing
tabletop game called Realms of Kymoria. The lawsuit claims that players
of the game inhabit a fictional world that provides an inclusive and
welcoming environment for all types of individuals.

More: How Dungeons & Dragons helped me come out

Thomas alleges that in creating Realms of Kymoria, he produced graphical
maps, stories in the form of written prose, and graphic depictions of
various characters within those stories. In 2021, he created a limited
liability company, Tabletop Adventure, to hold the copyrights,
trademarks, and other rights associated with the game.

That same year, the lawsuit alleges, Thomas acquired his “therapeutic
game master certification” from Geek Therapeutics, signaling his ability
to host role-playing games in therapeutic environments. Soon thereafter,
Thomas and Bean allegedly began discussing a potential licensing
agreement whereby Geek Therapeutics would manufacture, market, and
distribute Realms of Kymoria.
Clash over Dungeons & Dragons change leads to lawsuit

The lawsuit alleges Thomas was concerned about losing control of the
intellectual property rights associated with the game and that Bean
agreed all such rights would remain with Thomas.

Negotiations continued through December 2022, when it was learned that a
California company called Wizards of the Coast was planning major
changes in its licensing agreements that allow third parties to create
games using rules that are compatible with its popular Dungeons &
Dragons role-playing game.

Among the planned changes was one that would grant to Wizards of the
Coast a perpetual royalty-free license to use the officially licensed
third-party games for any purpose. The lawsuit claims this plan
triggered “an uproar in the tabletop gaming community” because many game
developers had created business models centered on their compatibility
with Dungeons & Dragons rules.
Clark Kauffman | Iowa Capital Dispatch

A “certified therapeutic game master” from Iowa is suing a Texas company
for libel, slander and copyright infringement over a planned Dungeons &
Dragons spinoff.

Shawn Thomas and his Ankeny company Tabletop Adventure are suing Geek
Therapeutics and its founder, Dr. Anthony Bean, a licensed psychologist,
in U.S. District Court for Southern District of Iowa.

The lawsuit revolves around Thomas’ development of a role-playing
tabletop game called Realms of Kymoria. The lawsuit claims that players
of the game inhabit a fictional world that provides an inclusive and
welcoming environment for all types of individuals.

More: How Dungeons & Dragons helped me come out

Thomas alleges that in creating Realms of Kymoria, he produced graphical
maps, stories in the form of written prose, and graphic depictions of
various characters within those stories. In 2021, he created a limited
liability company, Tabletop Adventure, to hold the copyrights,
trademarks, and other rights associated with the game.

That same year, the lawsuit alleges, Thomas acquired his “therapeutic
game master certification” from Geek Therapeutics, signaling his ability
to host role-playing games in therapeutic environments. Soon thereafter,
Thomas and Bean allegedly began discussing a potential licensing
agreement whereby Geek Therapeutics would manufacture, market, and
distribute Realms of Kymoria.
Clash over Dungeons & Dragons change leads to lawsuit

The lawsuit alleges Thomas was concerned about losing control of the
intellectual property rights associated with the game and that Bean
agreed all such rights would remain with Thomas.

Negotiations continued through December 2022, when it was learned that a
California company called Wizards of the Coast was planning major
changes in its licensing agreements that allow third parties to create
games using rules that are compatible with its popular Dungeons &
Dragons role-playing game.

Among the planned changes was one that would grant to Wizards of the
Coast a perpetual royalty-free license to use the officially licensed
third-party games for any purpose. The lawsuit claims this plan
triggered “an uproar in the tabletop gaming community” because many game
developers had created business models centered on their compatibility
with Dungeons & Dragons rules.

More: Toymakers tap into growing older adult market for
brain-challenging games

Thomas was among the concerned developers because he had intended to
make Realms of Kymoria compatible with Dungeons & Dragons, but was
opposed to the Wizards of the Coast licensing arrangement, according to
the lawsuit.

Geek Therapeutics, however, opted to pursue compatibility and it moved
forward with its marketing plans for Realms of Kymoria. Despite the
alleged lack of a finalized licensing agreement between Thomas and the
Texas company, Geek Therapeutics launched a Kickstarter crowd-funding
campaign to get Realms of Kymoria to market. In April 2023, Thomas
allegedly demanded that Geek Therapeutics immediately cease all efforts
to reproduce and distribute his game.

According to the lawsuit, Geek Therapeutics announced, earlier this
month, plans to distribute and sell the game through its Kickstarter
campaign. “Hundreds of people have pre-registered” to provide support
for the game, the lawsuit claims, and various websites and merchandise
have been created to promote and sell the game.

In addition to an injunction, Thomas’ lawsuit seeks damages for
copyright infringement as well as libel and slander, with Thomas
alleging the defendants sent its Kickstart backers a supportive email
that falsely claimed to be from him.

The defendants have yet to file a response to the lawsuit.