Unconfirmed: More Layoffs at WotC

[ruemere]

You need far fewer people to maintain an edition than you do to create it in the first place. It's probably as simple as that.

Common reasoning, seriously flawed in context of long term endeavors.

Producing knowledge/information/content results also in certain culture and information barrier one has to scale to join the group of creative people. Once you fire people who made the product in he first place, you will have to deal with severance costs (of those leaving) and then introduction costs while hiring new developers.

Since there is time gap between these two points in time, it is quite often not factored in enterprise cost plan... however, cost is cost, and while clever accounting people can hide it, it is still there. Additionally, replacing creative people produces significant risk of damaging the brand - it is just betting that new folks are not worse that veterans who left.

To put it short: extremely shortsighted policy, results in short time gains at the expense of longterm profitability and quite often quality.
Oh, and it's evil - an employee is a commodity, not a person according to this perspective.

Regards,
Ruemere

 

[billd91]

You rely on each other for support. We formed bonds as we went through the traumatic times together. We became family and support systems for each other. And when we lost someone it hurt. Even if you yourself have already been let go it still hurts.

There's a grieving period. You deal with survivor's guilt. Then you get back to work and keep your nose down for a few months.

Also, I packed up my desk about once a year, so in case I was let go it wouldn't take long for me to get out of dodge. When I was let go I was out in 20 minutes.

Cripes, that sounds like a stressful environment.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

It seems to me like it is a strategy of bringing in new people, picking their creative minds for a while, then cycling some of them out to make space for new brains to pick rather than expect the many current ones to come up with new ideas.

Fresh meat = Fresh ideas

 

[Ampersand999]

One other possibility is that this is a part of a round of Hasbro-wide layoffs. Then their shareholders will presumably like, and the stock will soar after their latest quarterly conference call, or even before it. It's not like they are expecting their products to be the profit producers that they have been all together. Why hasn't Hasbro tried to sell off Wizards to another company by now is beyond me, even I am aware that selling off underperforming subdivisions of their company isn't Hasbro's usual modus operandi.

 

[ggroy]

Why hasn't Hasbro tried to sell off Wizards to another company by now is beyond me, even I am aware that selling off underperforming subdivisions of their company isn't Hasbro's usual modus operandi.

In the event that Hasbro sells off the D&D intellectual property, most likely it will not come cheap. No idea offhand who in the tabletop pen-and-paper rpg business would have the deep pockets to make such a huge acquisition.

 

[firesnakearies]

Sometimes I forget why I hate corporations. Now I remember.

 

[ggroy]

More from Chris Sims' twitter feed.

My sources say WotC laid off Andy Collins, Jesse Decker, and Torah Cottrill today. Peter Schaefer left lastFriday. Sad #dnd day for me. =(

 

[JohnRTroy]

Easier to do in the days when WotC supported the OGL and they could easily spot the odd Mearls or two. There will always be young turks willing to pack up their lives and move cross country to work in the big show, even if it only means for a year or two with constant job insecurity

Just a correction, it wasn't "easier to do" under the OGL, as many or most TSR employees got it through that method. Warren Spector came from Toon and SJG, Monte Cook from Rolemaster, many others via Dragon submissions or other industry work. So this has always been true, and will always be true.

But, I think the sad thing is now is that the game market is somewhat depressed, and with WoTC being at the head of the pack, the only way to go is down if you go with another publisher. The OGL did lead to a lot of former WoTC staff forming their own labels, but that market has depressed and I don't think those spin off opportunities are there.

So, I can only see people going in a few directions: The only place "up" in the same industry is the computer game market. It's possible they could end up at Paizo, White Wolf, or elsewhere, but

More likely, they will have to get a job in another field. Which might be better, financially speaking, but I have a feeling we'll be seeing more creative types taking this action in the future, and I know people will miss them.

 

[lurkinglidda]

More likely, they will have to get a job in another field. Which might be better, financially speaking, but I have a feeling we'll be seeing more creative types taking this action in the future, and I know people will miss them.

Case in point. I now market seafood. These people wouldn't know an orc if it hit them.

*gasp* I just saw Jesse's name on the list. That makes me a very sad panda. :-(

 

[Darrin Drader]

*gasp* I just saw Jesse's name on the list. That makes me a very sad panda. :-(

Me too. He and I share the same alma mater, and I owe a lot to him for his time as the editor in chief of Dragon.