news scoop: insider account of how the statement was drafted, and the fear-based culture in Wizards offices

[Scribe]

Cool! So ... Hasbro just has to wait this out? Because nobody cares about anything for very long, right?

Your going to see pretty much exactly that if history is anything to go by.

You'll see some edition warrior types carry on, and it will have a material impact on many, but most?

People are out here declaring their eternal love to a brand name, thanking a corporation for its benevolence and already justifying going to the movie, because it's a boycott of other things that matter.

Paizo struck while hot, and they needed to.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Well, as a traditionally central source for D&D news (ENW was founded on “leaks”), it would be good if @Morrus would develop a closer relationship with those whose insider leaks have turned out to be true, so that EN News can be in a position to intelligently and quickly sort the wheat from the chaff, and thus remain at the forefront of its original mission.

This seems a little forward.

 

[Umbran]

Also, I'm interested in what WotC do. I find this ongoing soap opera about the internal goings on within the company somewhat distasteful, to be honest.

It isn't just soap opera. It is business practice.

Research has demonstrated the impacts of lacking what is commonly termed "psychological safety" in the workplace. It leads to reduction in productivity, and an inability to overcome problems. Such fear makes your overall organization stupid.

Which is at least consistent with the externally observed behavior.

 

[Umbran]

Any outrage about that? Can we stop linking and giving any impressions to that company? For more actual, demonstrated, non-hyped harm to real people?

That depends. What do you want more - to not give twitter clicks, or to hear the newest, newsiest news that ever newsed?

 

[Dungeonosophy]

This seems a little forward.

i don’t work for ENW, nor is ENW my grandparents.

 

[Umbran]

you didn’t say: “interesting scoop! i just take issue with delaying further release—it smacks of clickbait.”

so i took your disdain to apply to the entire post.

Except clickbait form implies clickbait content, which is often not the most accurately presented content the world has ever seen... to put it mildly.

i’m impressed with your high professional standards when it comes to amateur reporting on a quickly unfolding situation.

If he wants to be seen as a trustable source, mirroring the behavior of untrustworthy sources is a bad choice.

"Wait until you actually have the story you can print," is pretty basic. If he has to wait until sources are protected, then he should wait, not tease.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I came across this yesterday on Facebook. There's part of it we can check: "Numerous employees have reportedly been fired from Wizartds of the Coast's D&D division for nothing more than voicing their opinion when asked for it."

Has anyone heard even a glimmer of multiple firings?

That stuck out to me as well. I assume (but do not know for sure) that if there had been numerous employees fired by WoTC's D&D division recently, we'd have heard about it.

 

[Staffan]

Except clickbait form implies clickbait content, which is often not the most accurately presented content the world has ever seen... to put it mildly.

I saw this video about 10 methods for avoiding clickbait, and number 7 really knocked my socks off.

 

[Nikosandros]

That stuck out to me as well. I assume (but do not know for sure) that if there had been numerous employees fired by WoTC's D&D division recently, we'd have heard about it.

Yeah, I was wondering about that one as well.

 

[Velderan]

I saw this video about 10 methods for avoiding clickbait, and number 7 really knocked my socks off.

#9 is one simple trick you can do to avoid clickbait that the government is ready to ban!

 

[Dungeonosophy]

Except clickbait form implies clickbait content, which is often not the most accurately presented content the world has ever seen... to put it mildly.



If he wants to be seen as a trustable source, mirroring the behavior of untrustworthy sources is a bad choice.

"Wait until you actually have the story you can print," is pretty basic. If he has to wait until sources are protected, then he should wait, not tease.

Well Umbran, you and other ENW moderators/news gatherers, as representatives of respected ENW, are in a position where if y’all personally reached out to these sources (not just DnDShorts but also others), perhaps you could get a better idea of their trustworthiness, and if legit, develop a more direct and trust-engendering news pipeline as events continue to unfold over the coming months.

 

[Dungeonosophy]

I came across this yesterday on Facebook. There's part of it we can check: "Numerous employees have reportedly been fired from Wizartds of the Coast's D&D division for nothing more than voicing their opinion when asked for it."

Has anyone heard even a glimmer of multiple firings?

Ray Winniger?

 

[Umbran]

Well Umbran, you and other ENW moderators/news gatherers, as representatives of respected ENW, are in a position where if y’all personally reached out to these sources (not just DnDShorts but also others).

I am in no such position. I just moderate the messageboard. It is kind of like you are telling the janitor in the New York Times package room to follow up on news stories.

 

[Dungeonosophy]

I am in no such position. I just moderate the messageboard. It is kind of like you are telling the janitor in the New York Times package room to follow up on news stories.

Well, its a small world here a ENW, and in the TRPG community in general. Actually, I think your credentials might take you pretty far, if those in your position reached out.

 

[Reynard]

That stuck out to me as well. I assume (but do not know for sure) that if there had been numerous employees fired by WoTC's D&D division recently, we'd have heard about it.

On twitter, no doubt.
/where's that sit on the Morrissette scale?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

On twitter, no doubt.
/where's that sit on the Morrissette scale?

Actually, I thought that someone would probably notice from, you know, the change in status on linkedin?

Or the gossip in the industry ... when the biggest player starts terminating a lot of people, it tends to get noticed, simply because they start looking for jobs at other publishers.

 

[AnotherGuy]

I am in no such position. I just moderate the messageboard. It is kind of like you are telling the janitor in the New York Times package room to follow up on news stories.

Morrus makes you wear a uniform?

 

[Umbran]

Morrus makes you wear a uniform?

Down in the package room, nobody cares if you wear a uniform. Or pants.

 

[AnotherGuy]

i don’t work for ENW, nor is ENW my grandparents.

But that is my point. If you were more familiar with Morrus or ENW staff that would make sense to make a plea to them but you're just a poster like me, your post is on the verge of "Thanks for this forum but hey you are not doing your job. This is your job, please do it."

 

[jerryrice4949]

It may not be shocking, but it does provide a (perhaps newsworthy) image of the emotional tenor which is behind the strange goings-on.

True. I just assume that is the norm in every organization.