AMpersand #400 Bill S leaving WotC (and others?)

[joethelawyer]

Good luck to all who got laid off today at WOTC. Hang in there.

(seems there were multiple people let go, per monte cook's tweet)

 

[catsclaw227]

You can add my sympathies to those laid off. In my previous post, I had assumed he was the only one leaving.

Does anyone know the reasons behind the layoffs at this time of year? Are there some issues with the D&D property?

 

[AeroDm]

Thanks for all the hard work to those folks leaving D&D today and best of luck now and in the future.

 

[Owen K.C. Stephens]

Does anyone know the reasons behind the layoffs at this time of year? Are there some issues with the D&D property?

I'm pretty sure this is the end of their fiscal quarter, and maybe their fiscal year.

 

[Riastlin]

As someone who was laid off just over a year ago my heart goes out to anyone who was let go. I got lucky and was only out of work 3 months, hopefully everyone let go today has the same luck. Hopefully D&D doesn't suffer too much from this, as much as people complain about WotC, I gotta say I have thoroughly enjoyed D&D ever since I started playing about 12 years ago.

 

[diaglo]

I hate to hear this. I loved Alternity, and many of the other products Bill contributed to.

I thought the WoTC layoffs usually took place near the end of the year.

they've had them prior to Gen Con in the past.

mostly though you are right they are around Xmas time.

 

[joethelawyer]

I'm pretty sure this is the end of their fiscal quarter, and maybe their fiscal year.

Earnings conference call coming up mid-July with Hasbro. This is typical proactive corporate CYA behavior when a division isn't meeting their expected earnings goals.

 

[Alphastream]

I can't thank Bill Slavicsek enough for his work on Dark Sun, Alternity, and so many other parts of D&D. Slave Tribes, a sourcebook for Dark Sun he wrote, was a big influence for the most recent chapter of Ashes of Athas.

I've been laid off twice. Each time it has initially been incredibly painful but eventually led to vast improvements in my life. I hope the same will be true when those that were laid off today look back a few years from now.

 

[MerricB]

I hope Bill, Michelle and Shoe manage to find new jobs soon. They've done some wonderful work over the years they've been with Wizards (and TSR, for Michelle and Bill).

I will be fascinated to see what happens to D&D now. Bill Slavicsek has been there for a long time now, and I think it's fair to say that the last few years (and especially the last one) have not been the best for D&D. Whoever takes over the job now has a massive task in front of them, and I hope it will be done well and in a manner that we appreciate.

Cheers!

 

[Mark CMG]

Best of luck and a speedy transition to all.