Just read on several twitter accounts that there were quite a few layoffs at WotC today. I haven't seen who thro.
I doubt these are MtG layoffs...more likely D&D as I think WotC and Hasbro care much more for the D&D name than actually producing product for it, but just in case, heads up.
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Intensity, Integrity, Intelligence, Personified and Penguinified.
Jennifer came to Wizards of the Coast in 1995 as the editor for Ars Magic. She later moved to editing Magic: The Gathering until 1999, when she became an RPG editor. She has been involved with many games in the company, from writing world documents and flavor text, to playtesting various TCGs and board games, to occasionally trying her hand at RPG design. In January 2013, she returned to Magic, joining the creative team.
Emphasis added. It seems a bit disappointing. Magic's Creative Team has been doing a strong job as of late & with the move to two blocks a year losing a member that's been with the company so long doesn't make much sense.
They laid off 6 people at my work last week (There are about 500 employees). They called it a "Workforce Reduction". It was an excuse to fire people IMO. They all got a decent compensation package at least.
IIRC (not sure if it was the metamorphosis article or his blog), MaRo stated that part of preparing for the two-block paradigm was increasing their personnel, since expansions usually had more people working on them than the core sets, so the new structure would mean a bit more work than they were used to each year. Perhaps they overestimated the increase in work load and didn't need quite as many people as they thought?
Just trying to think of a reason for the layoff. As others have said D&D probably isn't exactly raking in the cash these days, so layoffs in that area of the company wouldn't be too surprising. However Jennifer Clark Wilkes was working on MTG so far as we know, so that shows that it wasn't just D&D related.
I can't imagine making money off of D&D is easy these days
No? I though anything geeky was gold these days.
I haven't played D&D in many years, but what I had heard from people who did was that 3.5 was essentially the end of the road for many of them buying any of the books. After that, they started to change things just for the sake of selling books. Also, some players seemed to resent the WoW-ification of the game, which is ironic, because the same people who were telling me this actually play World of Warcraft. In reality, I understand, D&D is D&D and shouldn't and couldn't be WoW.
Perhaps that was just the small subset of players I knew, but none had bought any book past 3.5 and they still used that ruleset (at least until about 2 years ago, but I doubt that's changed).
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"The Ancients teach us that if we can but last, we shall prevail."
—Kaysa, Elder Druid of the Juniper Order
Yeah, 4th edition was a mess, not a good system following the success of 3 and 3.5. They were obviously trying to make the game easier to run (for DMs)and to write content for (for them), but the actual game was lackluster and occasionally boring. It was too simple for people who number-crunch and involved each class learning a laundry list of very specific powers with somewhat marginal upsides (tough for casual/new players). The flavor and art definitely felt more WoW, which turned many people off. Moreover, thanks to their open d20 initiative, another company essentially expanded and continued 3.5 (Pathfinder), which earned a large number of converts.
5th edition (which came out last year) is actually a step in the right direction. But, from the people I've talked with, a lot of the enthusiasm is sort of gone. It's unfortunate really, 5th seems good and I'd hate for there to be a world without D&D.
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Yeah, 4th edition was a mess, not a good system following the success of 3 and 3.5. They were obviously trying to make the game easier to run (for DMs)and to write content for (for them), but the actual game was lackluster and occasionally boring. It was too simple for people who number-crunch and involved each class learning a laundry list of very specific powers with somewhat marginal upsides (tough for casual/new players). The flavor and art definitely felt more WoW, which turned many people off. Moreover, thanks to their open d20 initiative, another company essentially expanded and continued 3.5 (Pathfinder), which earned a large number of converts.
5th edition (which came out last year) is actually a step in the right direction. But, from the people I've talked with, a lot of the enthusiasm is sort of gone. It's unfortunate really, 5th seems good and I'd hate for there to be a world without D&D.
Agreed. We play 4th edition, and it feels a lot like Tabletop WoW to me. I'm mostly in it for the socialization aspect - I hang out with my friends, and we happen to play this game. The mechanics are very clunky, and I have a stack of cards representing my character's powers that I have to keep reading every session, because I can't remember any of them. It's not roleplaying. It's dicechucking.
I liked Jennifer Wilkes' Uncharted Realms stories. I've not been a fan of the writing style of these last few Sarkhan stories. The plot is fine, but the style seems awkward and stilted, with poor word choices sometimes.
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They laid off 6 people at my work last week (There are about 500 employees). They called it a "Workforce Reduction". It was an excuse to fire people IMO. They all got a decent compensation package at least.
They laid off 6 people at my work last week (There are about 500 employees). They called it a "Workforce Reduction". It was an excuse to fire people IMO. They all got a decent compensation package at least.
>Layoffs
>Excuce to fire people
you don't say...
Well, technically he didn't. He said it was an excuse to fire people
Let's face it, Magic needs helps with their story telling...there's a reason they are no longer doing novels, even as only Kindle versions. Their novels have been a mixed bag from the beginning,
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Intensity, Integrity, Intelligence, Personified and Penguinified.
It's not just a question of storytelling, Creative also works on naming cards, flavor text, worldbuilding, etc etc.
We're approaching the Two-block paradigm, which will require lots and lots of work from creative (basically double the worktask), and even if Jennifer Clarke Wilkes' writing style isn't what you like (and that's your right), she was still a part of that team...
Reminds me of when Brady's position was eliminated :/
I doubt these are MtG layoffs...more likely D&D as I think WotC and Hasbro care much more for the D&D name than actually producing product for it, but just in case, heads up.
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I write flavor articles for RoxieCards.
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Chris Sims
Jennifer Clarke Wilkes
Apparently there are cancelled books too, but nothing named. Looks like Magic is spared, but that's not confirmed.
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I spoke to a creative member over the weekend at PAX, and was told that creative is currently six persons and miss Wilkes was one of them. :/
She might have been a flex spot who worked on both games. Shrug.
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I write flavor articles for RoxieCards.
I play and judge at Giga Bites Cafein Marietta, Georgia.
Also layoffs is usually a couple dozen people, one two, three, not so much. Probably the end of a contract, since you mentioned book-cancellation.
Selling some cards I don't want.
Generally less than tcg mid.
And? That was done about a year ago. if I understand how far ahead they work on stuff.
Selling some cards I don't want.
Generally less than tcg mid.
It's just sad for her. That's all I wanted to say. Worked on a succesful product, and laid off anyway
Just trying to think of a reason for the layoff. As others have said D&D probably isn't exactly raking in the cash these days, so layoffs in that area of the company wouldn't be too surprising. However Jennifer Clark Wilkes was working on MTG so far as we know, so that shows that it wasn't just D&D related.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
No? I though anything geeky was gold these days.
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I haven't played D&D in many years, but what I had heard from people who did was that 3.5 was essentially the end of the road for many of them buying any of the books. After that, they started to change things just for the sake of selling books. Also, some players seemed to resent the WoW-ification of the game, which is ironic, because the same people who were telling me this actually play World of Warcraft. In reality, I understand, D&D is D&D and shouldn't and couldn't be WoW.
Perhaps that was just the small subset of players I knew, but none had bought any book past 3.5 and they still used that ruleset (at least until about 2 years ago, but I doubt that's changed).
—Kaysa, Elder Druid of the Juniper Order
Yea I thought her contribution for Uncharted Realms was fantastic.
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
5th edition (which came out last year) is actually a step in the right direction. But, from the people I've talked with, a lot of the enthusiasm is sort of gone. It's unfortunate really, 5th seems good and I'd hate for there to be a world without D&D.
Agreed. We play 4th edition, and it feels a lot like Tabletop WoW to me. I'm mostly in it for the socialization aspect - I hang out with my friends, and we happen to play this game. The mechanics are very clunky, and I have a stack of cards representing my character's powers that I have to keep reading every session, because I can't remember any of them. It's not roleplaying. It's dicechucking.
I liked Jennifer Wilkes' Uncharted Realms stories. I've not been a fan of the writing style of these last few Sarkhan stories. The plot is fine, but the style seems awkward and stilted, with poor word choices sometimes.
>Layoffs
>Excuce to fire people
you don't say...
Well, technically he didn't. He said it was an excuse to fire people
Honestly, I found her writing style dry and a little bit stilted.
Still, rather unfortunate that she's no longer with Wizards.
Owner of IcyGeek.com
We're approaching the Two-block paradigm, which will require lots and lots of work from creative (basically double the worktask), and even if Jennifer Clarke Wilkes' writing style isn't what you like (and that's your right), she was still a part of that team...
Reminds me of when Brady's position was eliminated :/