More lay-offs at WOTC! [Merged]

[jasamcarl]

Moronic speculation...

Read the subject line....all of this bemoaning comes off as the self-interested fanboys crying satan because their 'niche' markets and idols are not viable financially. Please don't place a moral quaility to what i'm sure were very pragmatic descisions that effect a very minor hobby. This MIGHT not be good news for some of you, but this mix of populism and neo-con style lauding of the 'little guy' is really pathetic....

 

[Vaxalon]

I wonder which company some of these folks will start working for? Or will they get out of the gaming business altogether?

Hmmm...I'd like to see Skip Williams continue on, somewhere.

Oh, he will.

He already has contacts at Malhavoc, for example.

Will these people be able to make a living doing this stuff full time? I hope so, but it'll be tough, I think.

It's my wager that WotC will be handling a lot of their creative work freelance.

 

[TiQuinn]

The OGL ensures the consistency of mechanics but no game company can make a d20 product that includes character creation and combat rules. Meaning, they all have to use the rules as found in WotC's core rulebooks. Meaning, if some third-party publisher creates a wildly popular setting, then that's GOOD for WotC, because everyone who wants to play in that setting will want a core rulebook. Cha ching, without the cost of developing and marketing the setting.

(apologies if I misunderstand the OGL)

-z

True, but of course WotC doesn't just put out the three core rulebooks. They also have Forgotten Realms, Oriental Adventures and other game supplements that are not part of the OGL. These products could be slammed very, very hard by a perceived drop in quality.

 

[ForceUser]

Can we please stop talking about the mythical "4th edition?" It doesn't exist, and mentioning it does nothing but fuel speculation.

 

[TiQuinn]

Re: Moronic speculation...

Read the subject line....all of this bemoaning comes off as the self-interested fanboys crying satan because their 'niche' markets and idols are not viable financially. Please don't place a moral quaility to what i'm sure were very pragmatic descisions that effect a very minor hobby. This MIGHT not be good news for some of you, but this mix of populism and neo-con style lauding of the 'little guy' is really pathetic....

BS.

We're saying that we don't attribute quality automatically to a company just because the title says it's a WotC product. We recognize who are good designers and are more likely to buy products they've worked on. As pointed out, there are other places to take our money.

 

[Bugaboo]

If they were asked to leave the company, it's probably because they did something bad or just didn't see eye-to-eye with Hasbro's creative vision or financial plans. It's a good guess that they deserved it.

But if the ex-employees shape up and change their ways, the company *might* allow them to come back and help on 4th edition some day. It's possible. Hasbro has proven to be a considerate corporation before.

 

[fett527]

Re: Moronic speculation...

Read the subject line....all of this bemoaning comes off as the self-interested fanboys crying satan because their 'niche' markets and idols are not viable financially. Please don't place a moral quaility to what i'm sure were very pragmatic descisions that effect a very minor hobby. This MIGHT not be good news for some of you, but this mix of populism and neo-con style lauding of the 'little guy' is really pathetic....

Uh...maybe you should take your negativity somewhere else. These messageboards are dedicated to this "very minor hobby" and if you think that way why are posting here?

 

[Zaruthustran]

Can we please stop talking about the mythical "4th edition?" It doesn't exist, and mentioning it does nothing but fuel speculation.

?

Sure, it doesn't exist now. But 4th Edition will exist one day, as sure as there'll be another Survivor after Thailand. Since the discussion drifted over to the topic of the future of WotC and the future of D&D, it's logical to include in that discussion the certain eventuality of 4th Edition.

 

[Zaruthustran]

If they were asked to leave the company, it's probably because they did something bad or just didn't see eye-to-eye with Hasbro's creative vision or financial plans. It's a good guess that they deserved it.

But if the ex-employees shape up and change their ways, the company *might* allow them to come back and help on 4th edition some day. It's possible. Hasbro has proven to be a considerate corporation before.

Hee hee. Good one.

And since when does Bugaboo have only 2 posts?

 

[TiQuinn]

Sure, there could be a 4th edition. Doesn't mean Hasbro/WotC will be producing it.