Forked from WotC Layoffs: Industry Size

[Nai_Calus]

Plus, Sehanine receives far too little love for her portfolio.

(*rimshot*)

That's because Corellon, even 4e Corellon, is still about a billion times cooler.

 

[Jack99]

@Chris

Thanks for answering my question. Both your answer and the replies from other industry insiders were very telling...

 

[PaizoCEO]

May I ask how many people Paizo has annually had to lay off to help with cost control?

We actually don't release that kind of information because it is personal between us and the employee. Every company has to do layoffs at various times either because their business has changed or because times are tough. Paizo hasn't been immune in the past to layoffs. But I can tell you that it is one of the most gut-wrenching, tear-jerking things that a CEO has to do, and if I never had to let another employee go, then that would be amazing. But I am not that naive. I am sure Paizo will have to layoff people in the future. Just as Wizards will. Just as Fantasy Flight will. Just as Steve Jackson will. Just as White Wolf will. And so on. It is part of running a business. One that I hate, but you can't run a business without having to let employees go at various times. I am just happy that this Christmas won't see any layoffs at Paizo. That is something to be thankful for.

-Lisa

 

[Snoweel]

you might well be able to convert the adventures to 4e.

We can and do.

Unfortunately the APs set in Golarion are so well tied to the setting that I find they require re-writing rather than just conversion.

The Greyhawk ones (SC, AoW, ST) go pretty well though.

Paizo truly has the best fluff. I've been tempted to just run my game in their setting but the mechanics feel outdated and I'd hate to have to convert everything.

Still, I'd say I've got WotC and Paizo supporting my game.

 

[Bluenose]

Games Workshop is much much larger than WotC. The marketing model demands support of over 300 retail stores globally where they realize approximately 50% of their sales resulting in 1000+ employees worldwide. In 2005 it was reported to be 3200 employees, but they've closed omse stores since then and have been altering their store hours and how their store managers work. Some stores now have only two employees total and are open most days 1:00 PM to ~10:00 PM in the states to catch the target demographic at key hours.

Their latest financial report has 2,285 employees in 2009.

Is it plausible that's more than everyone else put together?

 

[avin]

The company has never conducted "regular" annual layoffs, if that's what you're asking.

That's the reason I admire Paizo and get some products at your website from time to time, even not playing Pathfinder. Heck, I'm still considering buying the monster stuff just for the fluff...

(Shame on people trying to push their edition like a child showing his favorite to to his father... tsc tsc tsc)

 

[Mark]

Paizo has laid off about a half-dozen people since it started 7 years ago, mostly because the magazines they were working on had to be closed for various reasons.

The company has never conducted "regular" annual layoffs, if that's what you're asking.

--Erik Mona
Publisher
Paizo Publishing

We actually don't release that kind of information because it is personal between us and the employee. Every company has to do layoffs at various times either because their business has changed or because times are tough. Paizo hasn't been immune in the past to layoffs. But I can tell you that it is one of the most gut-wrenching, tear-jerking things that a CEO has to do, and if I never had to let another employee go, then that would be amazing. But I am not that naive. I am sure Paizo will have to layoff people in the future. Just as Wizards will. Just as Fantasy Flight will. Just as Steve Jackson will. Just as White Wolf will. And so on. It is part of running a business. One that I hate, but you can't run a business without having to let employees go at various times. I am just happy that this Christmas won't see any layoffs at Paizo. That is something to be thankful for.

-Lisa

Thanks, both. I can see how releasing the names might be problematic for the individuals involved, so I won't ask for them. It's good to know that an annual layoff policy need not be part of the business model of a successful RPG company in this economy.

 

[wedgeski]

Thanks, both. I can see how releasing the names might be problematic for the individuals involved, so I won't ask for them. It's good to know that an annual layoff policy need not be part of the business model of a successful RPG company in this economy.

Oh for heaven's sake, Mark.

 

[Mark]

(Shame on people trying to push their edition like a child showing his favorite to to his father... tsc tsc tsc)

Oh for heaven's sake, Mark.

Oh, stop trying to make this an edition thing. Our group starts its Hommlet 4E campaign in a week or so. You guys aren't really so enthralled as to think that if you like a game then that company that makes it can do no wrong, do you? WotC has made some incredibly poor decisions over the last few years (some would say longer) that have adversely effected the lives of the people who wrote the game you are apparently trying to defend by stifling policy discussions. There are ways to run a company, or division of a corporation, that do not require a business model with built-in annual layoffs. Companies in this small industry who value their employees in a manner that avoids cyclical layoffs as a matter of course are to be commended, IMO. Others who have business practices that leave employees and their families out in the cold should not be shielded by smokescreens of fan-edition-favoritism. Someone might not be able to completely change a corporate policy by expressing outrage, or simply posting displeasure like I do while pointing out a better way and companies who follow it, but it sure beats the alternative of quietly accepting what should be considered unacceptable. I feel incredibly bad for the employees who have lost their means of income from WotC this year just before the holidays, and each year that it happens, and for their spouses and their children who depend on that income. I think it is a shameful business practice that need not be. If you two wish to defend it, feel free, but don't try to twist it into an edition war because I'll have none of that.

 

[Umbran]

It's good to know that an annual layoff policy need not be part of the business model of a successful RPG company in this economy.

Maybe I missed something.

Has anyone from WotC said "this is part of our business model"? Have we even established evidence that they do really fire folks every year, that it might be part of a preplanned model?