Paizo Mark Seifter leaving Paizo

[Philip Benz]

Apparently, Mark Seifter is leaving Paizo and turning to the Battlezoo team full time.
Some of the news is here: And here: paizo.com - Forums / Paizo: General Discussion: Farewell, Mark Seifter

Doubtless, Paizo will continue, and Mark has said on several occasions that he will continue freelancing for them. But this is a big move, and I can't help but feel it will shake things up in the PF2 community.

 

[Nilbog]

Apparently, Mark Seifter is leaving Paizo and turning to the Battlezoo team full time.
Some of the news is here: And here: paizo.com - Forums / Paizo: General Discussion: Farewell, Mark Seifter

Doubtless, Paizo will continue, and Mark has said on several occasions that he will continue freelancing for them. But this is a big move, and I can't help but feel it will shake things up in the PF2 community.

I can't help but feel this is the beginning of the end for paizo, I don't think they can afford to pay the staff more given their market share, which will lead to more talent drain.
It's a shame as they do make fantastic products, and PF2E is my game of choice, but market forces being as they are it is what it is.

 

[Philip Benz]

They have a lot of talented people there at Paizo, so it would only be "the beginning of the end" if there were a massive exodus of personnel following in Mark's footsteps. Even then, they could continue by farming out future work to freelancers (doubtless many of the same people). I think it is far too soon to be predicting an end to Paizo.

And of course, even if the worst happened and Paizo closed its doors for good, we already have loads of material for PF2, so there are no worries about whether or not we can continue running games.

 

[Morrus]

One person leaving Paizo is hardly the beginning of anything. WotC and Paizo have always had staff turnover. And small companies can often be very competitive with salaries (until they grow).

 

[JThursby]

Changing companies is how you get a salary raise in America. This is pretty standard stuff. Still, he did great work on the APG, Secrets of Magic and Guns and Gears, and I'm looking forward to Dark Archive as well, so the loss of one of their premier class designers is a bit of a bummer.

I haven't checked out Battlezoo before, but if it has the confidence of veterans of the industry maybe I should. Having their first Bestiary already available for purchase on Foundry is a big plus, they clearly know where their audience is and what they want. That being said, what I would like for PF2e is adventures that utilize the system and either Golarion or a really interesting home setting. If the Battlezoo team starts making their own modules or adventure paths I would be more than happy to purchase them day 1.

 

[Stonesnake]

Changing companies is how you get a salary raise in America. This is pretty standard stuff. Still, he did great work on the APG, Secrets of Magic and Guns and Gears, and I'm looking forward to Dark Archive as well, so the loss of one of their premier class designers is a bit of a bummer.

I haven't checked out Battlezoo before, but if it has the confidence of veterans of the industry maybe I should. Having their first Bestiary already available for purchase on Foundry is a big plus, they clearly know where their audience is and what they want. That being said, what I would like for PF2e is adventures that utilize the system and either Golarion or a really interesting home setting. If the Battlezoo team starts making their own modules or adventure paths I would be more than happy to purchase them day 1.

We are! Our first adventure path is being written by three of the current adventure Paizo leads -- Patrick Renie, Ron Lundeen and Linda Zayas-Palmer. You can find out more details about this upcoming adventure path here: Pre-order 5e & Pathfinder Monster Hunting & Crafting, Dragon PCs, and Pirate Adventure! on BackerKit

 

[payn]

Changing companies is how you get a salary raise in America.

Man, I wish that wasnt true, but it often is.

 

[dave2008]

Doubtless, Paizo will continue, and Mark has said on several occasions that he will continue freelancing for them. But this is a big move, and I can't help but feel it will shake things up in the PF2 community.

I am not familiar with Mark's work or his role at Paizo, why would his depature shake up the PF2 community?

 

[Stonesnake]

About Mark Seifter
Mark’s RPG credits are extensive; included is a sample of some of his significant contributions to the industry:

• Pathfinder 2nd Edition Cover Credit
  • Pathfinder 2nd Edition Rulebooks
    • Core Rulebook
    • Bestiary
    • Gamemastery Guide
    • Advanced Player’s Guide
    • Beginner Box
    • Secrets of Magic
    • Guns & Gears
    • Dark Archive
  • Battlezoo Rulebooks
    • Battlezoo Bestiary
    • Battlezoo Ancestries: Dragons
• D&D 5th Edition Cover Credit
  • Battlezoo 5e Rulebooks
    • Battlezoo Bestiary
    • Battlezoo Ancestries: Dragons
• Pathfinder 2nd Edition Rulebook Design Lead
  • Gamemastery Guide
  • Advanced Player’s Guide
  • Pathfinder 2nd Edition Bestiary 3
• Pathfinder 2nd Edition Class Lead
  • Barbarian
  • Bard
  • Champion
  • Swashbuckler
  • Summoner
  • Inventor
  • Thaumaturge
• Pathfinder 2nd Edition Lost Omens Design Lead
  • World Guide
  • Character Guide
  • Gods & Magic
  • Absalom: City of Lost Omens
  • Legends
  • Pathfinder Society Guide
  • Ancestry Guide
  • Mwangi Expanse
  • Grand Bazaar
  • Monsters of Myth
  • Knights of Lastwall
  • Impossible Lands
• Pathfinder 2nd Edition Adventure Path Design Lead
  • Extinction Curse AP
  • Abomination Vaults AP
  • Strength of Thousands AP
  • Quest for the Frozen Flame AP
  • Kingmaker Hardcover & Companion Guide
• Pathfinder 2nd Edition Adventures Design Lead
  • Fall of Plaguestone
  • The Slithering
  • Night of the Gray Death
  • Malevolence
  • Shadows at Sundown
  • Crown of the Kobold King Anniversary Edition
• Pathfinder 2nd Edition Bounties Design Lead
  • All 18 bounties released to date
• Pathfinder 2nd Edition One Shots Design Lead
  • Mark of the Mantis
• Pathfinder 2nd Edition Scenarios Design Lead
  • All 77 scenarios released to date
• Pathfinder 2nd Edition Design credit
  • Bestiary 2
  • Book of the Dead
• Pathfinder 1st Edition Design credit
  • Pathfinder 1st Edition Rulebook
  • Unchained
  • Occult Adventures
  • Bestiary 5
  • Ultimate Intrigue
  • Horror Adventures
  • Villain Codex
  • Ultimate Wilderness
• Pathfinder 1st Edition Class Lead
  • Kineticist
  • Medium
• Paizo Pathfinder 1st Edition Author Credit
  • Familiar Folio
  • Occult Origins
  • Occult Realms
  • Legacy of Dragons
  • Psychic Anthology
  • Legacy of the First World
  • Aquatic Adventures (cover credit)
  • Blood of the Coven
  • Planar Adventures
  • Martial Arts Handbook
• Developer Showcase: Final Conflict from Midwives to Death
• Paizo Fiction Credit
  • Meet the Iconics: Yoon
  • Iconic Encounter: Swimming Lessons

 

[billd91]

I am not familiar with Mark's work or his role at Paizo, why would his depature shake up the PF2 community?

Probably the additional commentary/reason - pay too low for the cost of living in the area and "if you want a future, step 1 has to be leave Paizo". That's another dead canary in the coal mine.