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

Kzach · Dec 4, 2009

Everyone is assuming this is some nasty corporate stratagem cooked up at the last minute to punish the innocent and all that but have we ever actually heard the real story behind these lay-offs?

I mean, as far as I'm aware, we know nothing about them. For all we know, it could've been simply their end of contract and something they have known was coming ever since they signed the contract. They could be getting redundancy pay-offs and freelance contracts.

All I'm saying is that we don't really know anything other than they're no longer working as WotC employees.

Banshee16 · Dec 4, 2009

Morrus said:
I don't know any more than the above, I'm afraid. But WotC does this every year.

I'm in two minds about the timing - on the one hand it makes for a sucky Christmas for those affected. On the other hand, I guess it's better to be laid off before you spend all that money rather than immediately after Christmas.

Having been through it last year myself, I can generally say that it sucks either way. I'm not sure that getting laid off before Christmas really helps with respect to saving money though. I mean, Christmas is one of the most stressful times of year to begin with, and one of the times with the most suicides, heart attacks, etc. And to be laid off on top of that just adds extra stress. Plus, not many companies are hiring in the month or two before Christmas, and as a result, it makes it very difficult to find a replacement position. So you lose your job, you still don't want to disappoint your kids by canceling Christmas presents, you're stressed about the holidays, stressed because you're out of work, and other companies out there aren't hiring, because *they* are focused on Christmas, and most new ventures, including hiring, are put off until the New Year (which means you're often stuck until about mid-way through January before you can do much about being out of work).

Not cool. It's a despicable practice, and I can empathize for Rob and the others. It's especially despicable when the executives then get bonuses because they found ways to cut costs and save money.

Banshee

Banshee16 · Dec 4, 2009

Nymrohd said:
Commiserations In the current climate, even healthy businesses that are doing well still downsize if they can afford to do so I'm afraid. Hope everyone can bounce back reasonably fast.

It's too bad that downsizing only actually improves a business maybe 30% of the time. 30% of the time, things don't get better or worse...just more of the same, and 30% of the time, your remaining staff are even more overworked, more stressed, performance and customer satisfaction suffer, and the business is weakened.

Banshee

Drammattex · Dec 4, 2009

Double post?

ggroy · Dec 4, 2009

Banshee16 said:
It's too bad that downsizing only actually improves a business maybe 30% of the time. 30% of the time, things don't get better or worse...just more of the same, and 30% of the time, your remaining staff are even more overworked, more stressed, performance and customer satisfaction suffer, and the business is weakened.

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:

Mike Mearls - Psionic Power, Demonomicon, Monster Manual 3, PH Races: Tieflings, Hammerfast, Player's Handbook 3

Bruce Cordell - Dark Sun Creature Catalog

James Wyatt - D&D Player's Strategy Guide, PH Races: Dragonborn

Rich Baker - Dark Sun Campaign Guide, Dark Sun Creature Catalog, Marauders of the Dune Sea, Martial Power 2

Umbran · Dec 4, 2009

Drkfathr1 said:
I really couldn't imagine working for WoTC knowing that layoffs were coming every Christmas.

As I understand it, most places that have a strongly scheduled budget also have yearly layoffs as that budget year closes. That they come before Christmas is not really all that much worse than coming any other time of year.

The way the economy is running, where on average it takes six months or more to get a new position, they could have been laid off back in September and still not have something new by X-mas. So, really, the exact timing isn't as bad as one might imagine.

Matt James · Dec 4, 2009

Drkfathr1 said:
I really couldn't imagine working for WoTC knowing that layoffs were coming every Christmas.

As others have said, this just gives some of us even more reason to no longer support WotC.

We're not sure this didn't come from Hasbro.

messy · Dec 4, 2009

Haffrung Helleyes said:
If you want to do something for these people, support Paizo -- they seem to hire quite a few victims of the annual WoTC layoffs.

Ken

that's good. paizo seems to be on the right track.

did they hire david noonan after he was laid off last year? whatever happened to dave? he deserves to have a job with a gaming company...

messy

Drammattex · Dec 4, 2009

Raising a glass to everyone's glorious achievements while at WotC. All of you have touched my life and my many, many games with your talent.

And one extra toast to Rob for his work on the D&D Miniatures game. You're a heck of a guy, a hell of a designer, and I loved interviewing you at Gen Con. To you, sir!