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

AllisterH · Dec 5, 2009

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

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

Then of course, there's the actual wages and the benefits. From what I gather, it is significantly better than what you could get in other companies. You can actually live comfortably on that one salary.

Pramas · Dec 5, 2009

catsclaw227 said:
I imagine they are laying off the ones with the biggest salaries, and that most positively affects the bottom line when the numbers need to be good at the end of the fiscal year.

That's part of it, but I doubt it's the whole story. These things often also hinge on internal politics, who your friends are, and how well you play (or insulate yourself from) the corporate game.

And to be clear, I don't have info on this specific round of layoffs. I'm just generalizing based on past history.

catsclaw227 · Dec 5, 2009

Pramas said:
That's part of it, but I doubt it's the whole story. These things often also hinge on internal politics, who your friends are, and how well you play (or insulate yourself from) the corporate game.

And to be clear, I have info on this specific round of layoffs. I'm just generalizing based on past history.

Absolutely, internal politics, who-you-know and how-you-behaved were all part and parcel of the layoffs I went through a number of years ago. But it had much more to do with divisions needing to reduce overhead, removing salaries that could be replaced with lower ones, and making the shareholders happy.

BTW.. do you mean, you DON'T have info on this specific round of layoffs?

Logan_Bonner · Dec 5, 2009

I can confirm that I was let go yesterday. I plan to stay somewhat active here at ENWorld. (Though I'll need a name change; how about just "Logan_Bonner"?) I'd like to keep working in gaming, so hopefully you'll still see my name from time to time.

The funny thing is, my best work isn't even released yet! Keep an eye out for HS1: The Slaying Stone. Buy a copy; that'll show 'em! (Okay, not really. But I think you'll like the adventure.) I went out working on something cool, too (that I can't tell you about, of course). I mean, I spent part of my last day writing about mind flayers! How many people who got laid off can say that?!

ggroy said:
It looks like the remaining overworked WotC full-time D&D designers left are Mike Mearls, James Wyatt, Rich Baker, Bruce Cordell working on the following 4E titles in 2010: (snip)

Let's not forget Peter Lee! He's mostly working on minis, board games, and other non-books products. Let's not forget Matt Sernett, who also does great stuff for Magic! Let's not forget Steve Schubert, Peter Schaefer, and Rodney Thompson, who'll be working a little bit harder with one less developer! Let's not forget the editors and managing editors (okay, I ran out of steam in listing names), who'll be dealing with text that's not had quite as much care and attention as it might have had with a bigger staff! Let's not forget the D&D Insider crew who'll be running without Mr. Sims.

I wish all my friends back at WotC the best of luck. They're a capable crew, and it's been a please working in an environment with such creative people for the last 3-1/2 years. I can design games anywhere, but not having all these great people to work with every day will be the hardest part.

fireinthedust said:
(snip) Please keep writing for 4e!

(snip)

For sure it'd be good to read blogs by you folks, on gaming and other topics like game design, etc.

I plan to, as long as I can find work. I still love the game and have more I want to get out there. I'd love to find a good way to get my thoughts on gaming out there, and I'll start looking for a venue soon.

Darrin Drader said:
(snip) The sad thing is that in all likelyhood, there are a number of others from throughout the company who are also getting the boot, but you rarely hear about them because they aren't names in the business. (snip)

Four people from CAPS (the graphic design and production side of making the games) were also let go. I don't feel comfortable divulging their information personally.

Frylock · Dec 5, 2009

A company that fires their best employees doesn't last as long as WotC has. It just doesn't happen like that unless politics (and thus emotions) are involved, and too much of that kills a business relatively quickly (depending on size). Any stories to the contrary are almost certainly urban legends originating from a former employee with "sour grapes," accepted without debate by those who take the easy "I hate big business" approach. If that we're truly their business method, they'd be long dead by now. Instead, they're the biggest force in the gaming universe, and the only one that has as large a payroll as it has.

I'm guessing, considering the talent that was let go today, those guys won't be blasting their former employer.

EDIT: Ninja'd in a sense by WotC_Logan.

rgard · Dec 5, 2009

My sympathies and prayers are with those who were laid off. I've been there and yes it is devastating to include the timing.

BTW, I have no doubt some execs at WotC and or Hasbro will get kudos in their annual reviews for 'keeping costs at or below budget'.

That's just the way it is.

Thanks,
Rich

Glyfair · Dec 5, 2009

I worked for a company that laid me off the day before Thanksgiving (note this was a seasonal layoff and I was back to work in January). The holidays happen to come at a time where layoffs are common in a lot of industries.

Banshee16 said:
I mean, Christmas is one of the most stressful times of year to begin with, and one of the times with the most suicides...

Just for the record, this is an urban legend and is false.

Darrin Drader · Dec 5, 2009

Frylock said:
A company that fires their best employees doesn't last as long as WotC has.

So you're arguing that WotC doesn't let their best talent go? I'll be sure to mention that to Jeff Grubb, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Julia Martin, Jim Butler, Chris Pramas, David Noonan, Stan!, Owen Stephens,and a handful of others (AKA - a who's who of the gaming industry, even today, most of whom were considered essential personnel and moved to Seattle from TSR). These are people who made D&D a success in the modern era and remain deeply concerned with the state of the game today.