D&D 5E Mearls' "Firing" tweet

[Zardnaar]

Honestly, I will also cop to initially questioning her qualifications and hiring.

First, because she has played with Chris Perkins in the Acquisitions Incorporated stream and is thus a friend of a friend. There is the hint of nepotism.
But I like to *believe* I'd also think this if they hired someone like Jerry Holkins or Jared Knabenbauer.

Second, because WotC is the biggest name in the industry, you'd expect them to hire someone with LOTS of qualifications. Someone with a wealth of freelance credits and their name in a dozen books and multiple products for sale on the DMsGuild. I expected to know the past work of the new hire. To be able to go through their catalogue of work. Someone without even an AL credit was a surprise. (Especially when her past projects were listed here and writing wasn't listed.)
Again, I want to believe this isn't a reflection of gender. When Paizo hired Crystal Frasier and Amanda Hamon Kunz I never batted an eye (beyond the "Wait… Crystal Frasier doesn't already work for Paizo? How many credits does she have again??")

When Ms. Welch reminded people she has been working as a game designer for the past seven years and was an experienced writer, that partially put my mind to ease. 50% of the doubt evaporated. Really, the big skill needed is being able to compose a coherent sentence.

Then I remembered that game design in 5e is an iterative process based with designers & developers plus playtesters and that she'd be working with the creators of the game. And the remaining doubt faded. Good ideas are more important than good mechanics, as the later will been done collaboratively. After six months of behind-the-curtain advice, she'll probably be a better 5e game designer than someone who has been homebrewing since the books dropped.
(Ditto lore. I have no idea how much D&D she knows. But that wasn't much of a concern as WotC literally has someone whose job is wrangling lore. So no concerns there.)

I don't think having doubts is inherently sexist.
But continuing to have strong doubts after being reassured or the irrelevance of the concerns is pointed out suggests at another factor at play....

Yeah I know Paizo has several women designers, never bothered me any because I knew they had done good work. And their staff post on their own forums (imagine that).

Playing with Chris Perkins would get you contacts I suppose, I would not call that nepotism though as contacts with jobs are actually more important than qualifications (unless someone is blatantly unqualified). Maybe she used Chris as a reference IDK. Employers often tend to hire people they like sometimes at the expense of qualifications even (I have seen this in real life, truck driver got hired with no license). Its really hard to be blatantly unqualified in RPG design if you are remotely creative though as you could be an ideas person for example although the ability to write would be important.

I can just think of better candidates however or at least well known ones like DMGuild writers (PT Black), Crystal/Amanda. Social media presence is important these days maybe that factored into it and that may be more important to sell the game than write it (which they can already do).

I think she will be alright. Worst case scenario she leaves in a year or two and does something else.

 

[Gardens & Goblins]

Maybe to put another way - if someone is trying to defend the due respect and honor of someone, yet in the process of that are being disrespectful and dishonoring to someone else, it's a good chance that they aren't going to be taken very seriously... even if what they are trying to do is in fact noble.

Yeah, I like it - well put!

 

[Shasarak]

Funny how many of the same “fans” who insist on gatekeeping via rules complexity and lore density also have a problem with women in tabletop gaming.

Hey guys! You’re all fired from D&D. Find another game.

How quaint Mearls thinks he owns DnD.

 

[cmad1977]

If this tweet chases a few roaches away from the game I’m all for it.
A business is reflected in its costumer base. No one needs those type of costumers.


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[Obryn]

Maybe to put another way - if someone is trying to defend the due respect and honor of someone, yet in the process of that are being disrespectful and dishonoring to someone else, it's a good chance that they aren't going to be taken very seriously... even if what they are trying to do is in fact noble.

Nah. "Taken seriously" is only half a phrase. "Taken seriously by whom?" is the question.

Again, the point may not be (and probably isn't) to persuade the person you're calling out and convince them of your correctness.

How quaint Mearls thinks he owns DnD.

Eh, as much as anyone does, I suppose! More than most, I'd even say!

More to the point, it's a clear statement of position, and that's symbolically important at a minimum.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Yeah I know Paizo has several women designers, never bothered me any because I knew they had done good work. And their staff post on their own forums (imagine that).

Playing with Chris Perkins wold get you contacts I suppose, I wold not call that nepotism though as contacts with jobs are actually more important than qualifications (unless someone is blatantly unqualified). Maybe she used CHris as a reference IDK. Employers often tend to hire people they like sometimes at the expense of qualifications even (I have seen this in real life, truck driver got hired with no license). Its really hard to be blatantly unqualified in RPG design if you are remotely creative though as you could be an ideas person for example although the ability to write would be important.

I can just think of better candidates however or at least well known ones like DMGuild writers (PT Black), Crystal/Amanda. Social media presence is important these days maybe that factored into it and that may be more important to sell the game than write it (which they can already do).

I think she will be alright. Worst case scenario she leaves in a year or two and does something else.

A lot of companies offer their current employees bonuses if they get a friend or family member to apply for a job and that person get hired and lasts with the company. It is really only nepotism if the people running/owning the company hire their own relatives or friends who are also generally not qualified for the job.

As for who WotC hires, people need to remember that they think of D&D as a multimedia brand, so someone who is just a writer will be at a clear disadvantage if they cannot handle the other aspects of what that multimedia covers.

 

[cbwjm]

My reaction when I heard she was hired was pretty much just "Oh neat, she's cool". I never even questioned her qualifications because she had been hired so why wouldn't she be qualified.

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[Sacrosanct]

How quaint Mearls thinks he owns DnD.

He manages it. And guess what? Manager can tell people to sod off all they want. Sort of the norm, actually. I used to be a manager for a dept, and I didn't need the owner's (CEO) permission to hire and fire people.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

He manages it. And guess what? Manager can tell people to sod off all they want. Sort of the norm, actually. I used to be a manager for a dept, and I didn't need the owner's (CEO) permission to hire and fire people.

True, but he can't really fire people of course.

 

[billd91]

What was Mearls thinking?

This is one of the worst societal conflicts in recent history. Both sides are openly engaged in a holy war with each other and actively harass each other, to the point of ruining lives and sometimes driving each other to suicide.

Sure, but one of the sides is right. I'd rather have Mearls stand up on the side that's right than duck and cover. That happens way too often. Just ask over 100 female gymnasts how well they've been served by the ducking and covering engaged in by MSU, USA Gymnastics, and the USOC.