More lay-offs at WOTC! [Merged]

[Piratecat]

Okay, guys. I know that you're probably upset and worried, but that doesn't excuse insulting other people on the board. Please stop personal attacks as of right now. Please try to maintain a modicum of politeness - and thank you, everyone who is already doing so.

This doesn't surprise me a whole lot. When Adkison made the decision to sell to Hasbro, he chose to get a major payoff for long-term employees as a tradeoff for giving up control. Everyone I spoke to at WotC expected that Hasbro would try to assume more control after a few years. I'm surprised and disappointed at the particular people who they've laid off, but not surprised or worried in the least that layoffs have occurred.

Incidentally, I'd say that there are more than "a handful" of consistent, competent d20 publishers at this point. An insistence that WotC is the only people worth buying from seems laughable to me. Other people certainly wouldn't agree.

Finally, my big concern is that public perception might mean less sales for d20 modern. Third party companies will be less willing to write for it if it seems to be in danger, and I imagine that WotC is banking on it as another source of significant revenue. I hope they aren't disappointed.

 

[Henry]

Levekius:

Posting direct personal insults is not only bad form, but could get this thread closed in very short order.

Let us all please consider what we say before we say it.

 

[Nine Hands]

Well,

...as a playtester, heck my name (as well as my group) is in the 3rd Edition PHB, Forgotten Realms, Alternity's Gamma World Revamp, and other books, I can say that we've had one item in the past nine months, or so.

I'm hoping someone else gets it, but I'm really feeling the pain of the playtesting department - we've had zilch since Fiend Folio, before that was (three months or more) Races of Faerun.

Anyhow, it's sad to see this happen, that's for sure.

I completely agree, I have been disappointed in the entire playtest process in the last 7-8 months. After FRCS and the ELH, I expected things to be a little better. As a playtester, I like LOTS of feedback, even a private messageboard would do wonders (especially if they can support ALL of the members of the group).

Oh, well, we will see what happens in the future.

 

[alsih2o]

jeez, who would wanna be in a business serving and providing goods to all these folks throwing around the "screw you" s???

what does this help?

 

[Ashy]

I'm only a third of the group, but anybody who wants to put the power to the kobold is good in my book.

A third? Don't cha mean a fourth!??! Jeez, us mephits...er....tiefers never get any respect!

 

[Leopold]

Finally, my big concern is that public perception might mean less sales for d20 modern. Third party companies will be less willing to write for it if it seems to be in danger, and I imagine that WotC is banking on it as another source of significant revenue. I hope they aren't disappointed.

i HIGHLY doubt this will happen. The masses have been screaming for a modern genre game and WOTC has answered their call. The ball is already rolling and it'll be impossible to stop unless they somehow decide to cancel the whole book...


The only issue with D20Modern now comes with the fact that it may or may not be released into SRD the day it's released....

 

[Allister]

I'm wondering why more companies aren't pursuing D&D licenses. I mean, Ravenloft is currently licensed as is Dragonlance with rumours of Darksun being shopped around.

From all indications that I've read, even a low selling campaign setting such as Birthright generated more sales than most campaign settings from other companies. Probably only Vampire, Werewolf and a couple other settings would have sales greater than even a setting like Spelljammer.

 

[EarthsShadow]

d20 Modern will be a very good thing, I know many people where I live who have already started working on modern day campaigns, the most common of which is DarkMatter type settings.

This game will save them for a while, and I am sure that there will be many published modern day settings, hopefully mine will be one of them someday (it will be really good also for those who might be interested in something good). Beyond that, I agree that bickering and fighting over this decision won't change the decision at all. They are still let go, there is no changing that. It just came as a shock, and usually after a decision like this it will take us a few days to get over the shock and deal with it, and that's all we have to do.

Move on, adapt to the new situation, and play the game. It will only get better. And I still favor the motion that WotC doesn't deserve the game anymore, some other company who cares for the game does. But, I will still play it regardless.

 

[Zaruthustran]

I think I misrepresented my intention. By shame I was merely referring to the corporate aspects that our 'hobby' has taken on.

But thank you nonetheless for thw ever witty, if sarcastic, reality check. You make some good points, points I largely agree with.

Ultimately I feel horrible for those facing the layoffs, I have been there and it stinks. I have faith, however, that they will rebound. The industry is to ravenous for talent and solid product right now, I don't suppose it matters too much what the label is.

Wow, thanks for the kind reply. I agree that the hobby is more corporate, and sometimes that's a bit jarring. Here we have this fun hobby, but it's also a big business. Kind of like movies, or video games. I want the man behind the curtain to stay there, so I can just sit back and enjoy the game/movie/whatever--without recognizing how precisely said entertainment is crafted and targeted.

Yeah, I too feel horrible for those laid off. I'm in the tech industry (like many of you, I'd guess) and am not unfamiliar with the pink slip. It sucks. I hope all those without a job rebound swiftly and safely.

-z

 

[jasamcarl]

obviously

few on this board understand the concept of oppurtunity cost. It matters little that DND is currently profitable, but what its optimal profit would be with neccesary reforms. To assert that an emphasis structural efficiency equates with irrational expectations is just hyperbole...I'm with Da Man on this.