Project Sigil 90% Of D&D’s Project Sigil Team Laid Off

Reports are coming in of a swathe of layoffs at Wizards of the Coast, constituting 90% of the team of the new Project Sigil virtual tabletop platform. In all, over 30 people have been laid off, leaving a team of around 3 people.

Sigil is still in beta, only recently made public three weeks ago. Recent reports indicated that the scope of the project was seemingly being cut back.

WotC’s Andy Collins—who has worked on multiple editions of D&D and other WotC TTRPGs going back to 1996—reported via LinkedIn that he was one of those laid off. He indicated that the small team left behind would continue to work on the project.

More news as it comes in.

 

[KYRON45]

Oh, I agree that 5e isn't that hard, and it's complexity (such as it is) is no excuse not to learn the rules. But I do think 1e/2e/BECMI were easier.

"Never memorize something that you can look up."....Einstein....we think he said this.
If i was good at memorizing things I'd have a better education.

When a player says....I'd like to do this thing...i say to them....ok, how does that work....and then we all learn it together in its intended application. No handwaving, no DM fiat....we learn it together. If something dopy like stealth or grappling comes up......we look at the board and see how it applies to the current situation and i do my best to apply those corner case things in such a manner that doesn't discredit a PCs choices or actions.

As A DM when i build an encounter i look at the PCs sheets and often build encounters (exploit) off of what they can and cant do. This gives value to the skills, abilities, items etc. that they have invested their time in. This was how i learned that drowning a PC is way harder than i wanted it to be.

Is my way better than your way? That would be up to the players to decide. And they don't like my way; they are dead to me for ever.

I have tried to be bothered by all of the things that annoy my fellow forum brethren (is that even the right term?) get upset about and I just can't. We engage in D&D for fun, not to litigate 50 years worth of grognardery. If that's not a word it should be.

We don't know who designed what, or what the earnings sheets are or the impact of AI or how well the movie did. We dedicate our time and effort to enjoying things as they unfold for us and mock all the rest.

Game your own game. If everyone comes back for more...you're doing it right.

 

[Micah Sweet]

"Never memorize something that you can look up."....Einstein....we think he said this.
If i was good at memorizing things I'd have a better education.

When a player says....I'd like to do this thing...i say to them....ok, how does that work....and then we all learn it together in its intended application. No handwaving, no DM fiat....we learn it together. If something dopy like stealth or grappling comes up......we look at the board and see how it applies to the current situation and i do my best to apply those corner case things in such a manner that doesn't discredit a PCs choices or actions.

As A DM when i build an encounter i look at the PCs sheets and often build encounters (exploit) off of what they can and cant do. This gives value to the skills, abilities, items etc. that they have invested their time in. This was how i learned that drowning a PC is way harder than i wanted it to be.

Is my way better than your way? That would be up to the players to decide. And they don't like my way; they are dead to me for ever.

I have tried to be bothered by all of the things that annoy my fellow forum brethren (is that even the right term?) get upset about and I just can't. We engage in D&D for fun, not to litigate 50 years worth of grognardery. If that's not a word it should be.

We don't know who designed what, or what the earnings sheets are or the impact of AI or how well the movie did. We dedicate our time and effort to enjoying things as they unfold for us and mock all the rest.

Game your own game. If everyone comes back for more...you're doing it right.

Well, nobody likes what they enjoy being mocked, but otherwise I agree.

 

[KYRON45]

Well, nobody likes what they enjoy being mocked, but otherwise I agree.

I’m not mocking anyone.
If you feel I’m mocking you; ask yourself why.

 

[AlViking]

"Never memorize something that you can look up."....Einstein....we think he said this.
If i was good at memorizing things I'd have a better education.

When a player says....I'd like to do this thing...i say to them....ok, how does that work....and then we all learn it together in its intended application. No handwaving, no DM fiat....we learn it together. If something dopy like stealth or grappling comes up......we look at the board and see how it applies to the current situation and i do my best to apply those corner case things in such a manner that doesn't discredit a PCs choices or actions.

As A DM when i build an encounter i look at the PCs sheets and often build encounters (exploit) off of what they can and cant do. This gives value to the skills, abilities, items etc. that they have invested their time in. This was how i learned that drowning a PC is way harder than i wanted it to be.

Is my way better than your way? That would be up to the players to decide. And they don't like my way; they are dead to me for ever.

I have tried to be bothered by all of the things that annoy my fellow forum brethren (is that even the right term?) get upset about and I just can't. We engage in D&D for fun, not to litigate 50 years worth of grognardery. If that's not a word it should be.

We don't know who designed what, or what the earnings sheets are or the impact of AI or how well the movie did. We dedicate our time and effort to enjoying things as they unfold for us and mock all the rest.

Game your own game. If everyone comes back for more...you're doing it right.

Just because I use DndBeyond it does not mean that I or my players would understand the rules better if we did not. But even if they did have a better understanding, so what? People have a lot of demands on their time and if you enjoy pouring over the rules and understanding them inside and out, good for you. The time you spend learning rule details was rewarding and worthwhile. For you. For a lot of people it would feel like homework and something that takes away from what little free time they have that could be spent doing other things they enjoy. Like actually playing the game.

I'd rather lower the barrier of entry so that more people can enjoy the game than raise the bar because of some hypothetical value attached to rules mastery.

 

[KYRON45]

Well, nobody likes what they enjoy being mocked, but otherwise I agree.

I see now what you meant. That part of my post was poorly phrased.

It was not my intention to indicate that I was mocking anyone here.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I’m not mocking anyone.
If you feel I’m mocking you; ask yourself why.

Edit: just saw your second post. Fair enough, no worries.

 

[Staffan]

If you're suggesting that WotC buy a chain of bars around the country and then dig a giant hole in the middle that leads into an underworld full of dangerous animals and death traps, you've clearly got a future in the Hasbro C-Suite.

We call that "Australia."

 

[Micah Sweet]

Just because I use DndBeyond it does not mean that I or my players would understand the rules better if we did not. But even if they did have a better understanding, so what? People have a lot of demands on their time and if you enjoy pouring over the rules and understanding them inside and out, good for you. The time you spend learning rule details was rewarding and worthwhile. For you. For a lot of people it would feel like homework and something that takes away from what little free time they have that could be spent doing other things they enjoy. Like actually playing the game.

I'd rather lower the barrier of entry so that more people can enjoy the game than raise the bar because of some hypothetical value attached to rules mastery.

There is, I think, a difference between knowing the rules of the game you're playing and your hyperbolic use of the term, "rules mastery". It is hardly all or nothing.

 

[KYRON45]

There is, I think, a difference between knowing the rules of the game you're playing and your hyperbolic use of the term, "rules mastery". It is hardly all or nothing.

There is also a difference between the context of a statement and the need to be offended by it.

 

[AlViking]

There is, I think, a difference between knowing the rules of the game you're playing and your hyperbolic use of the term, "rules mastery". It is hardly all or nothing.

Fair enough, but my point is that I see no inherent value to knowing the rules any more than necessary to play the game. I happen to enjoy reading and understanding stuff, even with classes I'll never run. I don't expect that from anyone else. Meanwhile there are people who seemingly will never remember the rules no matter how many times they read or are told what they are.

I would also note that for many people looking up information on DndBeyond is easier than pulling out books. DndBeyond and reading the rules are also not mutually exclusive.