Mike O'Brien is not the only one leaving

[Erasculio.2914]

So Mike O'Brien is leaving ArenaNet.

He's not the only one, though.

Isaiah Cartwright is also gone. Tirzah Bauer, too. Apparently some others as well.

While they may not have been founders, they also deserve a farewell. I wish all of them luck on their next game studio.

[Endless Soul.5178]

We will watch their career with great interest!

[Erasculio.2914]

Apparently, 8 developers have left ArenaNet.

[Randulf.7614]

@"Erasculio.2914" said:Apparently, 8 developers have left ArenaNet.

Interesting article despite being from Kotaku

[Erasculio.2914]

@"Randulf.7614" said:Interesting article despite being from Kotaku

The "behind the scenes" articles at Kotaku are often very good (despite all their other issues).

Interesting to see how much the layoffs continue to impact ArenaNet.

[Blude.6812]

Is maintenance mode just around the corner?

[Erasculio.2914]

@Blude.6812 said:Is maintenance mode just around the corner?Doesn't look like ArenaNet is too deep into finantial trouble.

However, my main concern after the layoffs was the company's morale - now that GW2 is the only (and likely last) game ArenaNet has, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the employees who have been there for a long time decide to leave. There's only so much time one can stand working on the same project, after all.

Whether or not GW2 can afford to lose that many experienced developers, in other hand...

[Addiction.9685]

He's not the only one leaving. After playing the GW franchise for nearly 20 years it's time for me to say goodbye as well.

[Blocki.4931]

@Blude.6812 said:Is maintenance mode just around the corner?

Why would it be?

@Addiction.9685 said:He's not the only one leaving. After playing the GW franchise for nearly 20 years it's time for me to say goodbye as well.

Because devs who were most likely not working on GW2 left? Okay then, rationality seems to be lost on some

[Dante.1508]

Not good at all.. But not surprising seeing what this modern GW2 has become.

[Sylum.1806]

@Blocki.4931 said:

@Blude.6812 said:Is maintenance mode just around the corner?

Why would it be?

@Addiction.9685 said:He's not the only one leaving. After playing the GW franchise for nearly 20 years it's time for me to say goodbye as well.

Because devs who were most likely not working on GW2 left? Okay then, rationality seems to be lost on some

Rationality ends at time travel. Apparently this person played at least 6 more years of the franchise than any of us did.

[mindcircus.1506]

@Addiction.9685 said:He's not the only one leaving. After playing the GW franchise for nearly 20 years it's time for me to say goodbye as well.

...and after 35 years of playing the franchise (thanks in no small part to my flux capacitor) I'm hanging around.

[Bloodstealer.5978]

@Sylum.1806 said:

@Blocki.4931 said:

@Blude.6812 said:Is maintenance mode just around the corner?

Why would it be?

@Addiction.9685 said:He's not the only one leaving. After playing the GW franchise for nearly 20 years it's time for me to say goodbye as well.

Because devs who were most likely not working on GW2 left? Okay then, rationality seems to be lost on some

Rationality ends at time travel. Apparently this person played at least 6 more years of the franchise than any of us did.

Well to be fair @Addiction.9685 did say almost 20 years.. what is an over exaggeration of 5 or 6 years amongst friends ....

[Dashingsteel.3410]

sinking ship

[Substance E.4852]

@Blocki.4931 said:

@Blude.6812 said:Is maintenance mode just around the corner?

Why would it be?

@"Addiction.9685" said:He's not the only one leaving. After playing the GW franchise for nearly 20 years it's time for me to say goodbye as well.

Because devs who were most likely not working on GW2 left? Okay then, rationality seems to be lost on some

Man who co-founded ArenaNet and ran it that entire time leaves

"Nothing to see here folks..."

[Dami.5046]

I am personally excited for what Mo and company will do. If it's anything like Guildwars (one) I will be playing my new main game.

[Danikat.8537]

FYI for those concerned: Anet is also hiring, they've got at least 13 jobs advertised: https://www.arena.net/en/careers

I don't know how those match up to the people who are leaving, they might have promoted people internally and then they're hiring for the jobs those people left, or otherwise rearranged teams. But they're definitely not just letting the staff go and not replacing them.

(And once again I wonder if there was this kind of speculation when I left jobs, or if it's only in the games industry that someone getting bored with working on 1 thing for years and moving on is considered a bad sign. I got one previous job because 4 people left in the same year, and 2.5 years later I left around the same time as 2 other people (out of a total of 35 employees) and internally that was just considered business as usual. We found better positions elsewhere, had gone as far as we could go internally and moved somewhere with more opportunities for progression or in my case moved away because my husband changed jobs. I hope none of our clients took it as a sign that the organisation was in trouble and we were being driven out or quitting while we had the chance.)

[Bloodstealer.5978]

I remember when my first boss left.. I was only a few years out of my degree andt it was a real nervy experience - at least until they offered me a major promotion, pay rise, company car and the opportunity to step up to the plate a few hours later.... that single experience gave me some real impetus and set me on a path I haven't looked back on since... 30 years later my own business has afforded me the luxury to be able to bring up my 2 children on my own following my wife's death, to play games more than I should have many good friends both in the real world and online in game.Give those now tasked with steering this ship and our enjoyment the chance to fail at least before we hammer nails in the coffin... thus far IBS has been pretty decent as updates go - not perfect by any means, but what is perfect these days where everyone is a critic (me included)

[kratan.4619]

@Erasculio.2914 said:

@Blude.6812 said:Is maintenance mode just around the corner?Doesn't look like ArenaNet is too deep into finantial trouble.

However, my main concern after the layoffs was the company's morale - now that GW2 is the only (and likely last) game ArenaNet has, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the employees who have been there for a long time decide to leave. There's only so much time one can stand working on the same project, after all.

Whether or not GW2 can afford to lose that many experienced developers, in other hand...

Everybody is replaceable, a lot of people think they are not, but they all are.

[Astralporing.1957]

@kratan.4619 said:Everybody is replaceable, a lot of people think they are not, but they all are.You might want to avoid saying that in the presence of your family.Just saying.

[Carnifex.3275]

@Bloodstealer.5978 said:I remember when my first boss left.. I was only a few years out of my degree andt it was a real nervy experience - at least until they offered me a major promotion, pay rise, company car and the opportunity to step up to the plate a few hours later.... that single experience gave me some real impetus and set me on a path I haven't looked back on since... 30 years later my own business has afforded me the luxury to be able to bring up my 2 children on my own following my wife's death, to play games more than I should have many good friends both in the real world and online in game.Give those now tasked with steering this ship and our enjoyment the chance to fail at least before we hammer nails in the coffin... thus far IBS has been pretty decent as updates go - not perfect by any means, but what is perfect these days where everyone is a critic (me included)

But.. wut about PvP? It's been neglected for like 3 years already. That's the gamemode that kept me in this game about 3-4 years. Once i noticed PvP is going downhill i quitted. So surely there are more ppl like me. When will they realise real end game is pvp/wvw and address that issue? Anyway. I'm hammering those nails down. Ppl are critics for a reason. If there were no reasons no1 would moan and we'd be happily playing the game and not even going to these forums. For example.. i wish i could just casually like old times join EotM train and chill out. Or i could actually roll a non-meta build on any class and be competitive in PvP. Right... We are way way too far from that.

[Bloodstealer.5978]

@Dave.6819 said:

@Bloodstealer.5978 said:I remember when my first boss left.. I was only a few years out of my degree andt it was a real nervy experience - at least until they offered me a major promotion, pay rise, company car and the opportunity to step up to the plate a few hours later.... that single experience gave me some real impetus and set me on a path I haven't looked back on since... 30 years later my own business has afforded me the luxury to be able to bring up my 2 children on my own following my wife's death, to play games more than I should have many good friends both in the real world and online in game.Give those now tasked with steering this ship and our enjoyment the chance to fail at least before we hammer nails in the coffin... thus far IBS has been pretty decent as updates go - not perfect by any means, but what is perfect these days where everyone is a critic (me included)

But.. wut about PvP? It's been neglected for like 3 years already. That's the gamemode that kept me in this game about 3-4 years. Once i noticed PvP is going downhill i quitted. So surely there are more ppl like me. When will they realise real end game is pvp/wvw and address that issue? Anyway. I'm hammering those nails down. Ppl are critics for a reason. If there were no reasons no1 would moan and we'd be happily playing the game and not even going to these forums. For example.. i wish i could just casually like old times join EotM train and chill out. Or i could actually roll a non-meta build on any class and be competitive in PvP. Right... We are way way too far from that.

I agree PvP and WvW have suffered... too long and I've been one of those critics.My take is that PvP in GW2 just doesn't have the same appeal, never really has because the game was always marketed for a more casual gaming experience so even though it can be considered end game it's a much smaller following than PvE and WvW (again my take on it). Add to that PvP has been continually corrupted by the ever present win trader's and match up bots, which has soured the experience for many.Www for me is the big looser from their lack of attention to the mode - it had so much potential, whether alliances sorts alot of the issues out, well SOON is all I'm gunna say about that as Forest Gump would say.

As for build diversity and balance... it's that moving goal post this g further comicated by trying to cater for all modes at the same time... splitting skills from modes and yeah some better focus on balance has certainly been a move in the right direction but there will always be more work to do cos that's the nature of the beast.

[Fozzie.5370]

...I think there are 2 ways to look at this:

Glass is half-empty style point of view: Sad that developers are leaving, doom & gloom, sinking ship spells the end blah blah blah

Glass if half-full style point of view: Old developers can become lazy & complacement, lack direction or any fresh new ideas, get totally burnt out with same project. Gives a chance for new or newish developers to step up and make some changes that players have been crying out for.

Personally I hope these departures mean other potential shining star developers (maybe currently or new) already with Anet, but over-shadowed by other developers, can bring some fresh ideas or decide on a new venture like re-working WvW that players have been crying out for, for so long.

Anyway I wish good luck to the staff that have departed, but additionally would encourage the ones that remain to take the helm of the ship to steer it away from any potential ice-berg, and into sunnier waters.

[XatraZaytrax.2601]

I read an article that, if true, said MO and others were working on other projects, possibly systems for GW3 at some point before his departure. If true, that indicates to me he was ready to move on to something new. If you are in that mindset, I believe that if you can't in your present position, then it's best to move on. Staying when you should go only kills your passion.

[Healix.5819]

@Danikat.8537 said:This isn't some impluse decision, it's obviously something he's been planning for months at least.

It's been years, really, he just hadn't been forced to make the choice. MO has basically always been on little side projects, then got serious within the last few years and began dumping major resources into one of them. He wanted something new, but then NCSoft stepped in and stopped it. That's probably when he decided to bail, as he lost his freedom to make what he wanted to, and if he stayed, it would have taken years to get to a point where he could try again.