WotC Layoffs - Rob Heinsoo, Logan Bonner, and Chris Sims

noretoc · Dec 5, 2009

Turtlejay said:
Wait, what? That sounds backwards to me. If your favorite drinking hole has to let one of their folks go, it is because money is tight. I'd imagine this applies to business on a larger scale, only more cutthroat. I'd say if you want your favorite designers to have jobs, buy stuff with their names on the cover, not stuff from their competition. Am I crazy?

Jay

Actually this is axactly what not to do. I mean if you have been supporting them because you like the writers, then you just got a kick in the face too. If you weren't supporting them before, then they should have been making a better a product to get thoes dollars from you and keep the work steady. Jumping in and buying now just rewards the company for getting rid of good people. As for the timing, Most places do this to avoid bonuses. I have had it happen to me several times. There is NOTHING good about losing your job right before christmas.

Keep an eye out for these writers from here, if you like them and make any of thier new projects successful. That is how you can support them.

freyar · Dec 5, 2009

I'd just like to say that I wish those laid off the best of luck finding new work. Can't be fun having to worry about that now.

DaveMage · Dec 5, 2009

catsclaw227 said:
I know..... who would want to get a job writing for D&D?

You can get a job writing for D&D without being a full-time employee with WotC....

catsclaw227 said:
I imagine that the writing credit alone would be able to land you more jobs than would be possible prior to working for them.

Which, apparenlty, is going to be needed by the folks laid off today. So they have that going for them....which is nice.

Friadoc · Dec 5, 2009

Best wishes and sympathies to those hit by this layoff, as it's already an emotional event without the undue stress that can sometimes be brought on by the holiday season. Hopefully you'll all land well on your feet and the holidays go well and good.

Khairn · Dec 5, 2009

Business is business, I understand that and have had to lay off employees (and been laid off) in the past. Eventually you pick yourself up and move on with your life. Its brutal on family, but its not the end of the world.

Having said that, WotC's continuing habit of laying people off just before Christmas, simply sucks. The decision to lay people off is not made in a vacum and is usually based on trends that are recognized and monitored ahead of time. Deciding that Christmas is the "right" time to pull the trigger on the layoffs says volumes about those making the decision.

Morrus · Dec 5, 2009

This is probably a far-fetched request, but it would be great for the news if anyone had a list of notable people both laid off and hired from WotC in the last ten years (with approximate dates). It would give a great insight into the pattern.

catsclaw227 · Dec 5, 2009

DaveMage said:
You can get a job writing for D&D without being a full-time employee with WotC....

Sure, but being around all the other developers and designers, playing in lunchtime games, working closely with the other D&D team.... That surely has to have more juice to it than to be a freelancer.

No knock on freelancers AT ALL.... the ones that write for WOTC and frequent this site, like our undead mouse, are awesome.

Banshee16 · Dec 5, 2009

Dragonblade said:
There is nothing evil or immoral about a layoff. Of course it sucks for those affected. I won't deny that. I have been restructured out of a position before. But if a company can't control costs because they of some misguided belief that they should never let anyone go, they will eventually go under and then EVERYONE loses their jobs. How is that somehow a more desirous result?

Not buying WotC products will have the exact opposite result from what you want. Lower sales only results in more employees being laid off. If you truly want WotC not to lay people off, to hire more people, and pay better, you should be buying all the 4e product you can.

I just don't understand how rewarding a company by buying their products in any way lets you tell them you disapprove of their business practices (particularly letting go the authors who wrote the products you happened to like)? I just don't see it.

Yeah, not buying their products will hurt them...but that's kind of the point.

There are companies out there who have management that isn't out there choosing to lay off staff first. I've had friends working at companies where the executives passed on their bonuses, and *all* staff, including management took a pay cut, with the understanding that there would be no layoffs.

If money is tight, I'm sure that many employees would rather be given the opportunity to forgo a bonus, or take a pay cut, rather than lose their job. But I've seen enough instances of companies where the executives did layoffs, and then got bonuses, to lack any kind of respect for the cycle.

Banshee

Perram · Dec 5, 2009

I'm really sorry to hear about these cut backs. Those who are loosing their positions have my deepest sympathies and I wish them a quick recovery and a long healthy life in the industry should that be their passion.

Regardless of our allegiences, any loss of these artists (of which I view every aspect of the creation of these games as art) is a horrible thing and makes our world a little less than it was before, a little less vibrant, a little less briliant, a little less fun.

Be well,

Perram

billd91 · Dec 5, 2009

Frylock said:
Your words, not mine.

Learn to read words in context.

What are you talking about? I've read your post a few times and I'm having a hard time figuring out what you're saying and why Derrin's characterization of your post is wrong. It sounds to me like you're directly challenging his statements about WotC's layoff practices. But he's the one with the first hand observations of WotC and he's not the only one who's made similar comments.

Also, companies can be fairly successful at managing their costs by getting rid of more expensive experienced talent in favor of lower-cost new employees, particularly when there's a lot of competition for the work as there is in the gaming industry. Same with getting rid of permanent staff in favor of freelancers and consultants. Sure, you often pay them more per hour of work, but you don't pay for their benefits. And that can be substantial savings.