Conjecture and Prognostication concerning "The Rouse"

[PeelSeel2]

Smith & Tinker (Bellevue, WA)
Electronic entertainment company merging online and offline game play. Recently licensed PC games like MechWarrior (originally developed by S&T’s founder) from Microsoft.

Catalyst Games Lab/InMediaRes Productions (Classic Battletech and Shadowrun)

This is my bet. I believe Smith & Tinker own Catalyst. They supposedly have great things in the work. This would be great fit for his skill set.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

He's building a 4E-port for the XBox 360.

Or he's a new blackjack dealer at a local Native American gaming concession.

I'm not sure which.

 

[Maldin]

He's probably hooking up with Elvis and Buddy Holly, who, as everyone knows, run a bait ship together in a small town about 2 hours south of Seattle.

Denis, aka "Maldin"
Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com

 

[Mark]

Perhaps he found someone who liked his pitch for TBI, Tetherball Insider?

 

[Wayside]

Yeah, that'd be my guess although I'm not familiar with the computer game industry at all and don't know who is in Seattle.

In addition to the ones already listed, ArenaNet. Guild Wars is basically 4e meets Magic, too, and Jeff Grubb happens to be a lead designer there.

 

[Gizmoduck5000]

So first Sara Girard leaves, then Scott Rouse...both brand managers for WotC's D&D line.

I wonder if this means something big is coming down the pipeline...it seems unlikely at this point, but could WotC be selling off the Dungeons & Dragons license?

I mean, the new edition seems to be a success...but D&D isn't the companies biggest bread winner, and the game would look pretty attractive to potential buyers at this point in time.

 

[avin]

Or he's a new blackjack dealer at a local Native American gaming concession.

We have a winner.

 

[Umbran]

I wonder if this means something big is coming down the pipeline...it seems unlikely at this point, but could WotC be selling off the Dungeons & Dragons license?

There is no indication that WotC let Scott go. It is just as likely that Scott left of his own choice. Standing between complaining gamers and corporate bigwigs probably wears a guy out, you know.

Plus, when you're planning something big, you tend to want to keep it quiet until the thing is fully-baked. Companies usually try to minimize how much they "telegraph" that something is up. Letting brand managers go invites scrutiny, so is generally counter to the desire of things going without notice until they are ready.

 

[ggroy]

So first Sara Girard leaves, then Scott Rouse...both brand managers for WotC's D&D line.

I wonder if this means something big is coming down the pipeline...it seems unlikely at this point, but could WotC be selling off the Dungeons & Dragons license?

I mean, the new edition seems to be a success...but D&D isn't the companies biggest bread winner, and the game would look pretty attractive to potential buyers at this point in time.

Girard and Rouse could have left for reasons completely unrelated to D&D, such as: burnout, something family related, better job opportunities somewhere else, health problems, etc ...

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

It would be kind of fun if he ended up at Paizo, helping Pathfinder thrive in the fantasy gaming environment...