More lay-offs at WOTC! [Merged]

[Henry]

*clunk*crackle*

oops, there went another brick.

that makes - what - the fifth one in a year's time?

At this rate, there won't be a wall left.

Not to mention that certain people (such as Monte, Peter A, Ryan D, and others) saw the writing on said wall in early 2001.

I'm not going to slam the upper management making the past 8 months' worth of decisions, but - what in the world can their game plan possibly be? I am mystified.

My most fervent hope is that Anthony Valterra (assuming he is still there) pushes feverishly to get the rest of the SRD completed and released, before someone decides to put an end to the advancement of what could be the most influential license in gaming history.

 

[Lizard]

Didn't Monte predict more WOTC layoffs a few articles ago?

gk

Predicting WOTC layoffs is like predicting strife in the Middle East.

 

[Rashak Mani]

WOTC no more... now its called LiTC = Leftovers in the Countryside. Soon they will have to hire people in order to be able fire anyone.

Dumbsizing...

 

[Henry]

Predicting WOTC layoffs is like predicting strife in the Middle East. [/QUOTE]

...Or rain in Seattle...

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Re: J. Tweet

But he's been producing some remarkible stuff for eyars. Everway, Over the Edge, the PH and Chainmail.

And let's not forget Ars Magica...

 

[Breakdaddy]

Predicting WOTC layoffs is like predicting strife in the Middle East.

...Or rain in Seattle... [/QUOTE]

Or that a tornado will hit a trailer park...

 

[Gonzo the Mofo]

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....

Nothing like having the pseudo-intellectual come along and set everybody straight.

 

[Drkfathr1]

I'm saddened like everyone else. My company does this kind of crap all the time, they get rid of the higher paid veterans that know what they're doing. You just can't replace experience.

And its not that WOTC is unprofitable. They're making good money....they're just not making the ridiculously high profits they made from Pokemon, which was a slight fluke anyways.

For a gaming company, to focus more on its management style than its designers is just ignorant. Sure you have to run things responsibly, but for GAMING, if you don't keep up the creativity and the design work, you've got NO product. Or worse, you've got CRAPPY products.

I'm glad now that I didn't make it to the next round of setting proposals....I don't think I'd like to work for WOTC at all. (Although $120,000 would be nice, I'd hate to be laid off in a few years after management had used me up and spit me out).

 

[drakhe]

Re: yep

i fear that in 20 years DnD may morph into something so banal it will be unpalatable.

I fear it will not take that long !

What scare's me the most (based not just on what is happening with WOTC but what is going on with my current employer [a bank]) is the speed these kinds of drastic changes can happen. At the bank I work for the same thing happened. We were one of the lead banks in our country but were bought out by an international giant bank and now, a couple of years later, the new management is kicking people out and reorganising the bank because: we're not making enough money (rings a bell?)

There are two things I hope for:

a) that D&D gets sold off and that somebody with a heart for the game and for its fan-community gets to buy it and take car of it

b) if a) doesn't happen, that D20 and the OGL saves this hobby of ours and allows people to at least carry on playing with new and exciting material.

Maybe the people that developed D20/OGL had foresight?

 

[Henry]

No offense but I prefer someone with guts and a rebel at heart.

Yes, but this "Gutless Non-Rebel" now has a LOT of operating capital to spend on projects for which stock Share-holders are NOT in the chain of responsibility. For Peter, and for the WotC share-holders at the time in late 1999, it was a very smart and sensible move.

But once he sold, he couldn't "fight" anything. He wasn't president of the company any more, just the CEO, correct me if I'm wrong.

I've heard the stories (from John Tynes and others), and believe me - you won't find a bigger "RPG rebel" than Peter Adkison.