Sean Reynolds Let Go

[Sam]

Maybe D&D was sold to another company... Who knows? (Well besides Sean). I don't know what else could cause a NDA for layoffs.

It's actually fairly common to have an NDA (or some other form of gag clause) when someone is laid off, especially when there is a severance involved. I'm sure that SKR was involved with a lot of stuff at WotC that is/was in development, and as a condition of his receiving the severance, WotC wants to make sure that he doesn't speak about that. They are trade secrets after all. Companies also generally don't want people talking about why he was laid off, or about how much $$$ he received, or any other details.

--Sam

 

[Heretic Apostate]

Might WOTC be using the game designers more as freelancers? Just a thought....

 

[BluWolf]

WoTC being a sub of Hasbro, as publically traded company, NDAs in layoffs are entirely common place.

Information dealing with how and why a company makes adjustments in its cost control measures has direct bearing on stock prices.

Not that the R&D group of roleplaying games at WoTC makes much of a dent in Hasbro's forcasts, good or bad. Most likely just standard corporate procedures. Almost a neccesaity in severance situations. I'm suprised he could even admit to getting a severance package.

 

[Simon Magalis]

I'm certainly not saying that WOTC doesn't have a strong lineup coming out... I'm just saying that I haven't heard alot of excitement about it. The Epic Level Handbook for example has produced lots of DISCUSSION, but not excitement. Most folks seem to say that at $40, they will try to live without it and would never probably use it anyway. I don't see how, on most gamers' budgets, that all of the d20 stuff out there hasn't taken SOME of the cash out of WOTC's pocket. Could be wrong though.... happened back in '82 I think... no it was '84 (man, that's TWICE!)

 

[Darkness]

Boy it's hard to see this as anything other than very, very bad news.

Word, Eric, word...

 

[gubaru]

Based on what Sean says on his site, he's been planning to leave for a while. If that was known at WotC, the decision to let him go in these cuts actually makes a good bit of sense.

 

[Olive]

well i was actually wondering if certain people were offered the chance to jump as often happens in these situations. it sounds like pramas didn't, but maybe not reynolds...

 

[Zaukrie]

I'm not an OGL/SRD/D20 expert. Does any of this mean I should be downloading all of SKR's Realms stuff off of his site? Is WOTC going to make him remove it?

 

[Finkin Swiftfingers]

Well, I am a little worried by Sean Reynold's release from WotC. He was someone who I had confidence in a quality product when released. I liked what he had done with the release of the 3e Realms. I hope we do not see weaker products in the future.

I hope he maintains his presence on the Realm's mailing list.

 

[kamosa]

Re: HUH?

The above is quoted directly from SKR's site. What could have happened that would require a NDA?

Don't get paranoid. Large companies that deal in intellectual property always make you sign an NDA when you come on board. Then when they can you for what ever reason, they make a big deal about how your still under NDA and you can't talk about why you got fired. They do this so disgruntled employees don't post diatribes about corporate mismanagement on boards like this. NDA's are standard operating procedure, not something you can make reasonable conjecture about the furture of D&D with.

Now, the fact that they are firing SKR and other creative people, that's something you can speculate on!