More lay-offs at WOTC! [Merged]
- Thread starter jaults
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SHARK
First Post
Greetings!
You know, in my opinion, getting rid of Skip and penny Williams is just sooo dumb, you know? I see people involved in things like this--as well as others--as intellectual, creative resources. Getting rid of such crucial resources is just stupid, and to my mind, can't be good for a company.
Sorry--it's like a platoon of Marines. Sure, every Marine is important--but the veterans, even more so. The veterans are the leaders, and the ones to inspire the rest of the team to greatness.
Wizards may have a hundred other game designers--but some game designers, like Skip, are not so easily found. They take time, skill, experience, and investment to build. This is a terrible loss for Wizards, whether they realise it or not.
I wish all the people that were fired the best. I do hope they will find excellent employment with other companies. If these companies in the end begin to make a bigger splash, and DO MORE as far as contributing great game material, well, Wizards can just eat cake!
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
You know, in my opinion, getting rid of Skip and penny Williams is just sooo dumb, you know? I see people involved in things like this--as well as others--as intellectual, creative resources. Getting rid of such crucial resources is just stupid, and to my mind, can't be good for a company.
Sorry--it's like a platoon of Marines. Sure, every Marine is important--but the veterans, even more so. The veterans are the leaders, and the ones to inspire the rest of the team to greatness.
Wizards may have a hundred other game designers--but some game designers, like Skip, are not so easily found. They take time, skill, experience, and investment to build. This is a terrible loss for Wizards, whether they realise it or not.
I wish all the people that were fired the best. I do hope they will find excellent employment with other companies. If these companies in the end begin to make a bigger splash, and DO MORE as far as contributing great game material, well, Wizards can just eat cake!
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
Zaruthustran
The tingling means it’s working!
In regards to D&D, Wizards is taking a cue from computer game makers: release a solid core game, make the code open source, and let the fans (or third-parties) do all the expensive game development/testing/refining.
Look at Counter-Strike. That's a user-created modification to a very old game called Half-Life. But CS is the most popular game on the 'net. The sequel to Half-Life and CS are pretty much done, but the game's publisher has zero incentive to release these games because CS (or rather, Half-Life) is still selling like crazy.
Wizards, I predict, will take the same stance: release fewer and fewer original products, and just keep selling core rule books to new fans.
Or, if you prefer, you can view D&D as the game operating system. They'll just keep revving the OS, and let other companies spend the money on applications. Except, of course, for their Microsoft Office suite: FR and GH.
Smart! Why spend $$$ on staff and production when there's a whole stable of 3rd party developers ready to go?
Look at Counter-Strike. That's a user-created modification to a very old game called Half-Life. But CS is the most popular game on the 'net. The sequel to Half-Life and CS are pretty much done, but the game's publisher has zero incentive to release these games because CS (or rather, Half-Life) is still selling like crazy.
Wizards, I predict, will take the same stance: release fewer and fewer original products, and just keep selling core rule books to new fans.
Or, if you prefer, you can view D&D as the game operating system. They'll just keep revving the OS, and let other companies spend the money on applications. Except, of course, for their Microsoft Office suite: FR and GH.
Smart! Why spend $$$ on staff and production when there's a whole stable of 3rd party developers ready to go?
Re: The Sage? Gone?
Um, what do you expect them to do? There isn't anything else for them to write really.
They have the 3 core books, (PHB, MM, DMG)
They have the meta-books out (ELH, DDG, PsiHB, MotP)
They have the expansion books (The splatbooks)
There really isn't much to put out.
While I am saddened to hear that so many designers got fired (really, who is left?) unless there is something for WOTC to produce, you can't simply just keep them on staff.
Cougar said:
Um, what do you expect them to do? There isn't anything else for them to write really.
They have the 3 core books, (PHB, MM, DMG)
They have the meta-books out (ELH, DDG, PsiHB, MotP)
They have the expansion books (The splatbooks)
There really isn't much to put out.
While I am saddened to hear that so many designers got fired (really, who is left?) unless there is something for WOTC to produce, you can't simply just keep them on staff.
Re: Re: The Sage? Gone?
As much as I hate to agree with you, I do.
But I can really see these decisions coming back to bite WotC in the future. Some of the separations between Wizards and their talent pool have been amicable (take Monte for example - he still does freelance work for them), but I'd hate to see them make a misstep and alienant someone that could be instrumental in putting together 4th Ed 7 years down the road.
Allister said:
As much as I hate to agree with you, I do.
But I can really see these decisions coming back to bite WotC in the future. Some of the separations between Wizards and their talent pool have been amicable (take Monte for example - he still does freelance work for them), but I'd hate to see them make a misstep and alienant someone that could be instrumental in putting together 4th Ed 7 years down the road.
BlackMoria
First Post
This smacks of a new type of corporate mindset - get rid of the high priced help.
A friend of mine was hired by a software firm in Ottawa. The guy he was replacing made a cryptic remark to enjoy the moment and to take the next few years to pad his resume. Of course, my friend thought this guy was just sour grapes.
Except my friend was sacked in turn after 4 years with the company.
The reason - around the 4-5 year mark with this company, you are shown the door. The company has a very attractive wage increase scale - so much so that my friend nearly doubled his salary in about four years.
Guess who replaced him - yep, you guessed it. Some 'just out of university' student who could do the job for about half the money.
With the exception of the CEO and a few 'founding' members, no one in the company has more than 5 years experience - they all get the boot. And why not when you can get some 'not experienced in the real world' kid to do the job for half the money.
Apparently, the recruiting pitch for this company is the rapid advancement in salary.....they just omit to tell you that you are 'put out to pasture' in 4-5 years.
I heard of other companies doing similar practices.
So, Hasbro is just getting rid of the high priced help, IMO.
A friend of mine was hired by a software firm in Ottawa. The guy he was replacing made a cryptic remark to enjoy the moment and to take the next few years to pad his resume. Of course, my friend thought this guy was just sour grapes.
Except my friend was sacked in turn after 4 years with the company.
The reason - around the 4-5 year mark with this company, you are shown the door. The company has a very attractive wage increase scale - so much so that my friend nearly doubled his salary in about four years.
Guess who replaced him - yep, you guessed it. Some 'just out of university' student who could do the job for about half the money.
With the exception of the CEO and a few 'founding' members, no one in the company has more than 5 years experience - they all get the boot. And why not when you can get some 'not experienced in the real world' kid to do the job for half the money.
Apparently, the recruiting pitch for this company is the rapid advancement in salary.....they just omit to tell you that you are 'put out to pasture' in 4-5 years.
I heard of other companies doing similar practices.
So, Hasbro is just getting rid of the high priced help, IMO.
jgbrowning
Hero
Re: Re: The Sage? Gone?
well there was that campaign search thingy they put out. and i guess all the subsequent material on that.
joe b.
Allister said:
well there was that campaign search thingy they put out. and i guess all the subsequent material on that.
joe b.
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