Mari Kolkowsky (D&D Art Director) got laid off yesterday

[Derren]

What you find complicated is a personal problem and one I can't help you with.

Of course you could by answering the simple question why you think there is a difference between the layoff of Mari Kolkowsky and everyone else from the list.

 

[Warbringer]

Jon Schindehette, WotC's senior creative director, stepped down recently to go to a different firm. My guess (and it's only a guess) is that Mari worked closely with Jon, and his replacement needed someone else in that position. At the very least, it seems unlikely to me that Jon's departure is unrelated to Mari's layoff.

If that's the case, in WA you can't hire into the same role for 6 months (if I'm remembering employment law right in this state)

Terrible decision

Wouldn't surprised to see a new 13th Age hire

 

[jonesy]

If that's the case, in WA you can't hire into the same role for 6 months (if I'm remembering employment law right in this state)

How similar is too similar for that law? Couldn't someone hire a person for a different job description that still had some of the same tasks? And then have the person focus on those tasks most needed for?

 

[Geek Art Director]

I'm not talking about the lay off in general. If she was doing her job well then she wouldn't have been laid off. Art is a major section of D&D and I'm sure she wasn't laid for cut back reasons.

Wotc is a strange bird... Here's the deal. They are not making money off of D&D anymore. Mari is a fantastic art director. She was blindsided by this. BTW, you do know that Jon Schindehette gave notice a couple of weeks ago. A lot of the creative team isn't happy there and I wouldn't be surprised to see D&D licensed out within the next 6 months.

 

[billd91]

I wonder, was there also a wave of layoffs shortly before 3E and 4E was released? I mean even when the core books and rules are finished, you still need art and writers for the splatbooks, campaign guides, etc.

There was a pretty big burst at the end of 2002 and 2003 was the release year for 3.5. So, kind of...

 

[Plaguescarred]

Sad news indeed

With recent comments from Chris Perkins at Game Hole Con panel about the future art of D&D Next, i wouldn't be surprised if WoTC are changing their art directors to shift views and art styles somehow.


"Chris Perkins: #dndnext is not going to look like any previous edition. Meticulously laid out. "We have a staggering art budget for this project"

 

[Jester David]

At least they're laying people off a month before Christmas.
The D&D brand hasn't generated a ton of profit in the last year, I'd be surprise if they didn't try and trim.

 

[Sunseeker]

I'm pretty sure regardless of what edition she worked on, it's a bad thing.

Why? Should people never get fired?

There's lots of reasons people get laid off. Aside from the fact that Wizards does this every year, there seems to be absolutely no facts behind what happened, so speculating that it was good or bad or french toast is farily pointless.

 

[Sunseeker]

Sad news indeed
...
"Chris Perkins: #dndnext is not going to look like any previous edition. Meticulously laid out. "We have a staggering art budget for this project"

I'm not really sure how to take his comment....is he to say that DDN's art isn't going to be a mish-mash of styles and concepts with no core themes or sources? I'm...kinda okay with that.

 

[Plaguescarred]

For anyone wandering who is Mari Kolkowski (and a little bit on how art comissioning work with WoTC), here is a panel at PAX to which she participated last year with other art directors;

PAX: Submitting For Success