layoffs?

[gribble]

It seems to me that these attempts to flatten the revenue stream have not worked out so far.

That's a very good point. So maybe it's not that the senior management is doing a bad job - they do seem to be trying to become more predictable and avoid boom/bust cycles by smoothing the revenue stream.

They just failed.

Honestly, I'm not sure that this is a better scenario than poor management unfortunately...

 

[Darrin Drader]

Either way I don't see him as someone who would design for Pathfinder or anything 3E related. Honestly I couldnt see supporting anything that he would write for anything 3E related. I'd also guess that the 4E fans here wouldn't either...

Unless you were talking about him writing for something not D&D related...

There's a lot of room to write in the world of RPGs (one of the reasons I find it so enjoyable), some of which boils down to loads of descriptive text. For example, you could feasibly write a book on a campaign city that is 3/4 text. What little actual game design could come down to 3 or 4 stat blocks and a bunch of shorthand NPCs (ex Dervish McDervish: hp 75; Ftr 8, Drv 3). I suspect that even someone who is sick of 3rd edition design would go for a project like that.

Another option is to design a new system. I've had several ideas for new systems I think I'd enjoy playing. What is little more than one guy's idea of a cool RPG engine ends up being tomorrow's Savage Worlds or Cortex system.

Bottom line, I think that if he's really interested in continuing to write RPGs, he'll either go for the jobs that pay well or hold personal interest for him, just like the rest of us do.

 

[Vaeron]

Wow... this is the first time the bad economy has actually impacted me or something I enjoy. It's not surprising, since when people have less money they tend to spend it on food, and gas, and not so much on hobbys. That WotC is still developing DDI suggests they're doing a lot better than their contemporaries - or maybe that's the REASON for the layoffs. I can't help but notice an inordinate number were involved with digital services, and maybe expenses have been greater than expected.

To be honest, I couldn't tell you specific things Dave has done but his name stands out in my mind as being connected to a lot of stuff, such as the 4e MM. Certainly I strongly connect him to 4e due to his presence in podcasts and his DMing of the video podcast. That level of involvement would seem to make him an unlikely choice for a layoff.

I certainly wish him and his family well, and Jonathan Tweet also.

 

[SJ]

I don't know the real reason and don't care: this whole thing blows. Just like it blew when the layoffs hit around 3e's release.

I can accept that it's true that many buyers don't know who these people are. But I do, and I fully expect I'll miss their presence in future products. RPG games are a hobby of mine, and like many hobbyists I learn things beyond what the impulse buyer may care about, like the designer who created the material I buy. I would be surprised to learn that D&D is bought by consumers who do not consider it their hobby.

As many have said, I'm looking forward to where they go next, if they do stay in the industry. Some of the best gaming fun I've ever had happened after some brilliant people left WOTC before, I think it could happen again!

Sorry to hear it for all of you.

 

[scourger]

...it's hard not to laugh at the shocking and perhaps pitiable ineptitude of a company that makes role playing games that would lay off Jonathan Tweet, very likely the best rpg designer, well, period.

Seriously. His Omega World d20 was simply brilliant (and brilliantly simple). I'll look for things he does in the future.

 

[darkwing]

Good luck to those who were laid off and thank you.

Now with that out of the way, I hope Wizards uses the money saved to hire a good technical editor (or editorial team) that can spot and make unambiguous (or force the designers to make unambigous) contradictory or ill defined rules.

For example, Combat Superiority with it's Opportunity Attack stops movement and Opportunity Attacks happen before the action is finished (ok, so where is this guy actually stopped, halfway out of the adjacent square?). In the "Polearm Gamble" feat, what exactly is meant by "enters a square"? Does shifting count? Does forced movement or teleportation count? Where is the enemy actually stopped when taking into account Combat Superiority and "Opportunity Attacks happen before the action is finished" in the Polearm Gamble feat (halfway into the adjacent square?).

Anyway, yeah, hire a good technical editor.

 

[GameDaddy]

This is a prime example of how gaming and gaming business doesn't mix well. I feel for you recently departed team members, and offer my condolences on this whole situation. I also feel for you folks remaining with WOTC, and the things you'll have to deal with in the near future.

With that said, revenues are down, on average one to twenty-five percent (1-25%) in just about every industry in the United States at the moment. There's plenty of behind the scenes activity going on everywhere, and a lack of common sense reminiscent of my days on the Florida coast during Hurricane seasons.

When the great storms approached and the evacuation order was given, people automatically went into a hysteria-trance like state two to three days before the hurricane arrived and remained that way right up until the storm struck. Just a simple trip to Home Depot for some extra supplies was an adventure, what with the crowds competing over lumber, sand, sandbags, and cases of distilled water. I witnessed heated exchanges and some fistfights over these mundane items. It was a sight to behold.

So too, with the current economic crisis, only now the folks are fighting over money plain and simple. The Fed has printed more extra money and put that into circulation. More in the last three months than they have at any time in recent memory. The inevitable result of a rapid increase in the money supply is an inflationary backlash as the currency is devalued by the natural order of supply and demand. Right now we have seen number one of a vicious one-two punch the economy is fixing to deliver to good Americans everywhere.

There's never been a better time to start a new company. We all know everything that went wrong already, so there's really no need to ruminate on that much. Ruminating won't improve your lot in life either.

Executing a carefully designed plan though, complete with some new features like maybe including some real profit-sharing options, a retirement plan that doesn't rely on the goodwill of others, and a plan to keep a reserve for your employees in times of trouble might just be the best decision you'll make, and even if you don't create such a company, merely joining one will suffice.


For some of you, I'm sure, this is an unplanned detour. Keep your vision of where you wanted to go, and share that with others. People will help you if they can, especially if you can show them a better way. Remember that even if you are the leader, almost 90% of what happens is out of your direct control anyway, So you might as well enjoy the ride, and make it pleasant for others as well.


Economically, my inquiries have been met with the general opinion that the economy will improve (and rapidly too) starting in the 1st quarter of 2009, and will be noticeably better by summer. At least that's what all the execs say I'm speaking with these days, so get out your business surfboards and get ready to ride the cresting wave, Eh!


~GameDaddy
"Managed to attend both Origins and Gencon in 2008! and looking forward to gaming goodness in 2009!"

 

[burntgerbil]

Yes, wizards dropped the ball. They should have had a TON of peripherals ready 2 - 4 weeks before the core books came out or on release day. Game aids - counters, dice, Power Cards, and more should have been made. It sounds like they are still in the works - don't fault them for that.

Bottom line is : If you like your game and like new things for it, let them know with your wallet. Buy their products. They need that revenue to make more cool things for your game. I know money is tough right now for everyone - but please - purchase the product you want to use to keep them afloat and keep our hobby alive.

 

[jinnetics]

So how do we punish them? Should we spend more money on their products, because that seems more like a reward.

Talented workers in all industries are dropping left and right. If you boycott because someone is laying people off, then you won't be a consumer of anything.

 

[Zil]

No offense, Monte, but I think perhaps you underestimate the impact of current economic events on business.

I always thought the conventional wisdom was that games were somewhat cushioned from economic downturns because they are a relatively inexpensive form of entertainment and escape from the economic gloom.

Second, we've been lead to believe that 4E was selling well. Why the cuts to the RPG section then?

And third, I'm curious if these cuts were part of a general Hasbro workforce reduction and this was WoTC trying to meet their cutback quota?

Finally, I can certainly understand where Monte is arguing from. I'm seeing a similar lack of appreciation for expertise in the organization that I work for and we're losing a large amount of expertise due to indifference as I see most of those around me losing their employment ... and we maintain and develop critical computer systems whose failure can mean losing lives. A lot of organizations simply fail to appreciate expertise and instead reduce everything down to a numbers game.