[Updated] Chris Sims & Jennifer Clarke Wilkes Let Go From WotC

The details are unclear, but D&D editor Chris Sims has reported that he is now in need of a job, and is willing to relocate. He was hired by WotC in 2005 after working for them as a freelance editor. Part of the D&D 5E launch, he was one of the editors for the Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide, and was responsible for stat block development in the Monster Manual. The reasons have not been revealed, nor is it clear whether he left or was laid off.

Whether this is an isolated thing or part of more layoffs if unclear right now. More if I hear anything! In the meantime, if you can hire an excellent writer and editor, please do!

For more on ex-WotC employees, please check my list here!

UPDATE: Jennifer Clarke Wilkes is also in the same boat. She has worked on both D&D as an editor and on Magic: the Gathering, and has been working for WotC for many years.

UPDATE 2: Chris Sims confirms here that he and Jennifer were both laid off.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Interesting that they're both editors. Seems more like an internal re-structuring thing than the hobby failing or other doom-n-gloomery. Possibly post-Edition-cycle stuff, given that one team was hit twice.

It sucks that this has to happen sometimes, and I hope both of 'em land on their feet. I hear WotC is a better company to get fired from than most. I wish I could do more than spend money on WotC products and evangialize the hobby and support robust financial safety nets for the unemployed....

 

[Austerius]

As Alphastream alluded to, Paizo and WotC are apples and oranges, the key difference being that Hasbro (WotC parent company) is publicly traded vs Paizo being a privately held company. As such, private companies have much more flexibility as to how to run their business. They are not beholden to public shareholders, or, more importantly, Wall Street analysts. This means they can decide to accept lower profits if they feel it benefits the business and they can also ride out tough financial quarters without making knee-jerk reactions.

I think it goes without saying that tabletop RPG's are a dwindling hobby, although much beloved by those engaging in them. The writing is on the wall though. The world is digital. WotC needs a digital interface for 5e to keep it relevant (beyond MMO's). Cell phones and tablets will be at the table. For goodness sake WotC....USE THEM.

P.S. Based on their recent offerings, Paizo could use a couple good editors. ;-) Just sayin'......

 

[Kinak]

Man. I thought they were good to go because they'd made it past Christmas.

I hope they, and anyone else who's effected by this sort of thing, are able to land on their feet. Getting laid off sucks even if you sort of know it's coming.

 

[Kramodlog]

So, from 15 employees working on D&D to 13? A cancelled splatbook? I smell another financial success. Oh well.


Out of curiosity. How hard would it be for them to have their books in PDF formats ready for download on Drivethru RPG? Would they need to hire someone or could they potentially do it with what they sent to the printers?

I'm asking cause if it is not a WotC/Hasbro policy to not have difital books, well it seems like bad allocation of resources. The revenue from PDFs could pay the salary of some employees. I guess. Maybe. If enough people care.

 

[mlund]

If they aren't going to vomit splat-books then it probably makes sense that they downsized their editorial staff after the release of the Big 3.

Does WotC even keep part-timers and freelancers for their core product teams? It seems like the RPG industry status quo outside of Wizards is to have a large stable of part-time / freelance / by-the-word staff on-call and string them along with a widely fluctuating volume of work requests (and thus pay) rather than actually make them salaried staff. I mean, you don't call it a lay-off when you suddenly reduce a contractor's workload to something that wouldn't even bring him over the poverty-level but it happens to artists and writers in creative industries all the time.

Marty Lund

 

[Morrus]

So, from 15 employees working on D&D to 13? A cancelled splatbook?

It doesn't sound great.

 

[cletusk82]

Since no one else is, thought I'd point out that I don't see anywhere were this explicitly says these folks were laid off. Though that could be the case, it could also be a host of other things which led to the separation.

 

[TreChriron]

This is why we lamented the sale of WOTC to Hasbro in the first place. Corporate America is broken. There is no investment in people anymore. If Paizo can run a private company twice the size of the D&D division without layoffs it's fairly obvious that something is amiss at Hasbro WOTC.

I just jumped into 5e with a warm heart excited about supporting the new edition. I thought they had their together. Do the Hasbro (like has been bros) understand in this hobby this kind of behavior has a direct impact on the emotional currency of the customers? It's like your local bakery firing the bakers for making tasty cakes. "ooops, we ran out of money, I guess we'll just hire bakers when we need 'em" You mean like everyday? Is there a "Simpson's" cartoon bubble hovering over Hasbro HQ?

My heart goes out to these two. It's even worse to be laid off when you are doing something you love.

 

[Morrus]

Since no one else is, thought I'd point out that I don't see anywhere were this explicitly says these folks were laid off. Though that could be the case, it could also be a host of other things which led to the separation.

It could have been a mutual resignation pact, sure. Or aliens. But I wouldn't bet on it.

 

[TreChriron]

IF there is another reason (like sexual harassment, summoning restricted type demons in the office, using the copier to spread viruses to North Korea...), then I take back my disgust with Hasbro. I reserve my general distaste of corporate America however. Our system IS broken.