Is Now the Time to Send WOTC a Real Message?

[broghammerj]

The news of the recent layoffs has left a real bitter taste in my mouth. Is now the time for the roleplaying community to send a message with their pocket books? I find it difficult to support a gaming company that rids itself of its most productive and dependable talent. I would almost rather see the company fold and sold off to someone else than continue to ride this dead end train to no where.

I had been planning to purchase the D20 Modern setting, but with the letting go of Jeff Grub, what will be the outcome be of this product? It's insane that one of the main creators is gone prior to the product's release.

I think we should vote with our pocketbooks. I personally will now only buy products from 3rd party companies. I want to make OGL the noose from which to hang WOTC by. They can let their talent go. They will only breed more competition to drive them into the ground.

Are you with me?

 

[Christian Walker]

I think your bitter resentment is misplaced. I think that Hasbro, the parent company, is the entity calling for the job cuts.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Also consider that if the company was making more money, they'd probably be keeping more people (heck, maybe all of them). Holding back from buying their product will only lead to further layoffs.

If you want to send a message, folks should write in about which designers they like the most and the least, which would at least effect who gets cut when cuts are made.

 

[J Lloyd]

I think this might just be a natural process. I think Malhavoc shows that former WotC people can leave and still do quite well.

What is more fascinating to me is where are these people going? I think you'll see them create their own companies (and thus create a polarization in the field when it comes to authoritative d20 statements or products), or they may sign up with other companies.

 

[John Crichton]

I'm with you in spirit...

I hate to see all those fine people lose their jobs. But I want to see where Hasbro is going with all this before I go too nuts. The public has known about possible layoffs for months now. I'd like to hear from the folks who were let go and something from the company itself in reguards to this situation. I want to see what happened and get as many facts as I can.

But either way, it's a shame. I hope all the creative talent that was let go continues to produce great gaming products. I know I will continue to support them with my dollars.

Amen.

 

[Dr Midnight]

I'm all for a course of action, Brog, but they're right... boycotting WotC will hurt D&D, not Hasbro. Hasbro will just shrug and snip a few more jobs.

 

[thundershot]

Yeah, that's a great thing to do to WotC. Kick them where it hurts while they're still on the ground bleeding... Let's give them a chance to lick their wounds. As far as I can see, there are still several products that some of these people HAVE worked on that I want.

Monster Manual II
Book of Vile Darkness
d20 Modern
Savage Species
Fiend Folio
Arms & Equipment Guide (though Kenzer's "Complete Arms & Equipment Guide" in November may be more than enough, since it sounds like a combo of the original A&EG and Aurora's)

Of course, there's more coming out from 3rd party publishers that I'm getting, but that's besides the point. ;D

Chris

 

[Nathal]

Boycott

In this case, I will not support a company that treats its employees like cattle. These are not ordinary people getting tossed away like wheat chaff...

Its damn hard enough making a living from creative work, and a company like Wizards was like one final bastion of such folk. Layoffs happen yes, and a company must survive, but these layoffs can only mean a drastic change in the direction of quality for the game. This action was not done with any thought or concern for the game itself and sure as hell not with any thought of its fans. For the better? If so, I'll eat my hat.

The message here is that "brand" is more important than its authors. Bull. I will not buy another D&D product until it changes hands and a reasonable number of "old guard" is hired back. I'll write my own game.

And who is this that writes of "bitter resentment"? Have no you empathy for these people whose life long dreams and efforts were just swept out the door? Yeah, that's business all right. D&D. Excuse my french.

~Dan Cross

 

[DonAdam]

I hate to say this, but in a way it's a good thing now that the core rules for d20 have been established.

Just look at Monte. Monte has been able to publish whatever he feels like since he left Wizards. Even if you don't like his ranger, bard, and sorcerer, for instance, his ability to flex his creative muscle without the "suits" overseeing him has provided the internet d20 community with more and varied options. I don't like his ranger, but I love his sorcerer and wizard, I'm glad that he put all three out there.

Now, maybe, we'll get to see Skip, JD, and the oher talented designers strut their stuff as much as they want to.

These people are way too talented to starve.

Also being an avid Star Wars d20 player, I realize that the Star Wars brand will do fine with freelancers. Remember that Monte still does contract work for Wizards, and I know that JD and Rodney "Moridin" Thompson can put out quality products whether they are regular employees or not.

Job security as a whole is a thing of the past. People can click to it, or we can embrace the inevitable advent of economic flexibility. There will be bad decisions made (this is one) but on the whole very few jobs will be secure as the economy involves.

To me this isn't good or bad, until people do something good or bad with it. On one hand Skip might not know where his next paycheck is coming from, but on the other his horizons for what he wants to do are now much more broad.

Everyone will do fine, and these talented individuals will find a way to turn this whole scenario into something positive. That's what a flexible, free, competitive market composed of competent people with valuable skills does.

 

[Xarlen]

I have to agree with Thundershot. I mean, the loss of these fellas is bad, but I still want the MMII, BoVD, and the Savage Species (Though it'll likely suck like some splat books).

What would be Cool, is if Grubb, and Williams went over with Monte.