WotC D&D's Christopher Perkins Promoted to Creative Director

On Twitter WotC's Christopher Perkins clarified queries about his new role after it was revealed that the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide would be his last book as Product Lead--he is now D&D's Creative Director, which looks like a broader, more overview-type job. Creative Director was the role that Mike Mearls held until 2018 before moving over the Magic: The Gathering, and George Krstic held a similarly named role until August this year.

Not true. I was a Game Design Architect. Now I’m the Creative Director, which is a more “behind the scenes” gig that lets me play quietly in a bunch of different sandboxes. #wotcstaff

 

[darjr]

Starter Set is a loss leader, Basic was not. Yeah, they can lower costs to the bone if they need to...but then it isn’t replicating that old TSR modules feel.

As per Mike Mearls the starter set was not a loss leader. They made a profit on it.

 

[mamba]

Wow. I wouldn't have been surprised if he only lasted a year in this (to me obviously) superfluous role, but five months, damn.

wonder what happened there, I doubt that was his original plan, or the intent for this role

 

[Ruin Explorer]

wonder what happened there, I doubt that was his original plan, or the intent for this role

It's always hard to guess, but personally my suspicion would be that Perkins realized how superficial and superfluous the role was in practice, as cool as it might have sounded in theory, and didn't feel fulfilled by it, and then agreed with WotC that he'd retire.

It doesn't feel like a hidden firing or that they were urgently downsizing or w/e (though that may well happen in the next few months for other reasons).

 

[mearls]

WotC is very unstable right now, at least from what I hear. There were people on Sigil who were there less than a year. They shut down a video game studio in Toronto even though they hired people on to it less than six months ago. Hasbro/WotC is having mini-layoffs every month to cut costs.

I also know that they have been offering early retirement packages to everyone age 55 on up, so it might be as simple as that.

 

[mamba]

It doesn't feel like a hidden firing or that they were urgently downsizing

no, it doesn’t, but it does sound like the role was not thought out well and he jumped on it before having a clear idea what it would entail either (and as important what it would not…)

 

[mamba]

I also know that they have been offering early retirement packages to everyone age 55 on up, so it might be as simple as that.

that would fit

 

[darjr]

WotC is very unstable right now, at least from what I hear. There were people on Sigil who were there less than a year. They shut down a video game studio in Toronto even though they hired people on to it less than six months ago. Hasbro/WotC as having mini-layoffs every month to cut costs.

I also know that they have been offering early retirement packages to everyone age 55 on up, so it might be as simple as that.

Is the early retirement thing normal or new?

 

[mearls]

Is the early retirement thing normal or new?

I think it was a thing McKinsey implemented to help cut costs by generating more turnover among older employees.

 

[darjr]

I think it was a thing McKinsey implemented to help cut costs by generating more turnover among older employees.

Ooof! When did they bring in McKinsey!

 

[mearls]

Ooof! When did they bring in McKinsey!

Maybe early 2023 or late 2022?