Mike O'Brien is not the only one leaving

[Vintoleth.6170]

@Dante.1508 said:Not good at all.. But not surprising seeing what this modern GW2 has become.

is the state of the game not good currently then? i started playing on release having played wow for 6 years at that point. i think i stayed until shortly before the first expansion came out, then went back to wow. but came back when path of fire came out for a few months, then left and now have updated everything and am considering should i come back. i do like MANY aspects of gw2. i just dont have any friends here, though tbh i only have 3 real friends on wow :\

im going to give gw2 a chance anyway, but should i expect problems in the future which are known now?

[Acheron.4731]

@Vintoleth.6170 said:

@Dante.1508 said:Not good at all.. But not surprising seeing what this modern GW2 has become.

is the state of the game not good currently then? i started playing on release having played wow for 6 years at that point. i think i stayed until shortly before the first expansion came out, then went back to wow. but came back when path of fire came out for a few months, then left and now have updated everything and am considering should i come back. i do like MANY aspects of gw2. i just dont have any friends here, though tbh i only have 3 real friends on wow :\

im going to give gw2 a chance anyway, but should i expect problems in the future which are known now?

It truly depends on which gamemode you like.PVE, you should be finePVP, probably would stick with WoWWvW, dead game mode

[Vintoleth.6170]

@Acheron.4731 said:

@Vintoleth.6170 said:

@Dante.1508 said:Not good at all.. But not surprising seeing what this modern GW2 has become.

is the state of the game not good currently then? i started playing on release having played wow for 6 years at that point. i think i stayed until shortly before the first expansion came out, then went back to wow. but came back when path of fire came out for a few months, then left and now have updated everything and am considering should i come back. i do like MANY aspects of gw2. i just dont have any friends here, though tbh i only have 3 real friends on wow :\

im going to give gw2 a chance anyway, but should i expect problems in the future which are known now?

It truly depends on which gamemode you like.PVE, you should be finePVP, probably would stick with WoWWvW, dead game mode

that is a MASSIVE shame :( although im not great at it in any game, i always enjoy pvp. considering the state of wow pvp, this is worrying to hear about gw2 pvp. also about wvw as the concept of it is amazing and i did like taking part in the past when there were was decent battles going on. i have never raided, and never got into dungeons or fractals so instanced pve would probably not be something i would focus on, though i may try them once or twice.

this is very sad to hear, though i will still give the game another chance as it has so much right with it. thank you for your reply :)

[WhatLiesBeneath.9018]

@Vintoleth.6170 said:

@Acheron.4731 said:

@Vintoleth.6170 said:

@Dante.1508 said:Not good at all.. But not surprising seeing what this modern GW2 has become.

is the state of the game not good currently then? i started playing on release having played wow for 6 years at that point. i think i stayed until shortly before the first expansion came out, then went back to wow. but came back when path of fire came out for a few months, then left and now have updated everything and am considering should i come back. i do like MANY aspects of gw2. i just dont have any friends here, though tbh i only have 3 real friends on wow :\

im going to give gw2 a chance anyway, but should i expect problems in the future which are known now?

It truly depends on which gamemode you like.PVE, you should be finePVP, probably would stick with WoWWvW, dead game mode

that is a MASSIVE shame :( although im not great at it in any game, i always enjoy pvp. considering the state of wow pvp, this is worrying to hear about gw2 pvp. also about wvw as the concept of it is amazing and i did like taking part in the past when there were was decent battles going on. i have never raided, and never got into dungeons or fractals so instanced pve would probably not be something i would focus on, though i may try them once or twice.

this is very sad to hear, though i will still give the game another chance as it has so much right with it. thank you for your reply :)

Dont listen to the doom and gloom people. PvP and WvW isnt dead, but we're currently waiting for some new systems that are taking more time then we and Anet anticipated, so some people are just very vocal about their disappointment with the whole thing.

[Pifil.5193]

@mindcircus.1506 said:

@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.

After playing it for 57 years I can only say beware the fnords!

Also, I'll play until they shut the doors.

[zealex.9410]

@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...

Theres for sure other projects anet is working on atm. But wether that will continue being the case remains to be seen.

[Super Hayes.6890]

Thank you to all the devs that are leaving! You have a great game to be proud of. Best of luck!

Thanks OP, I wasn't aware of the others leaving. You're right, they deserve a thank you thread too :)

[Acheron.4731]

@WhatLiesBeneath.9018 said:

@Vintoleth.6170 said:

@Acheron.4731 said:

@Vintoleth.6170 said:

@Dante.1508 said:Not good at all.. But not surprising seeing what this modern GW2 has become.

is the state of the game not good currently then? i started playing on release having played wow for 6 years at that point. i think i stayed until shortly before the first expansion came out, then went back to wow. but came back when path of fire came out for a few months, then left and now have updated everything and am considering should i come back. i do like MANY aspects of gw2. i just dont have any friends here, though tbh i only have 3 real friends on wow :\

im going to give gw2 a chance anyway, but should i expect problems in the future which are known now?

It truly depends on which gamemode you like.PVE, you should be finePVP, probably would stick with WoWWvW, dead game mode

that is a MASSIVE shame :( although im not great at it in any game, i always enjoy pvp. considering the state of wow pvp, this is worrying to hear about gw2 pvp. also about wvw as the concept of it is amazing and i did like taking part in the past when there were was decent battles going on. i have never raided, and never got into dungeons or fractals so instanced pve would probably not be something i would focus on, though i may try them once or twice.

this is very sad to hear, though i will still give the game another chance as it has so much right with it. thank you for your reply :)

Dont listen to the doom and gloom people. PvP and WvW isnt dead, but we're currently waiting for some new systems that are taking more time then we and Anet anticipated, so some people are just very vocal about their disappointment with the whole thing.

I agree. Don't take my opinion for it. Definitely try it for yourself.I wouldn't say doom and gloom describes my attitude but I have not been 'thrilled' with ANET's direction lately ;) . I certainly admit that. But, most of our wvw servers have suffered pretty high losses and alliances took so long to implement that their arrival alone is unlikely to 'fix' what has already been broken.

[Razor.6392]

Less employees to pay = more money = none of the layoffs were from marketing and gemstore depts = NEW EXPANSION CONFIRMED!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111111111111111111

[Erasculio.2914]

@"kratan.4619" said:Everybody is replaceable, a lot of people think they are not, but they all are.

Sure...

...If, and that's a big if, ArenaNet gets new people as talented as those who left in order to replace them.

And is ArenaNet going to get new talented and experienced people right now?

Above I used Kotaku as an example; let's see their headlines under the "ArenaNet" tag in the last 12 months:

• Source: Departing ArenaNet Co-Founder Was Working On Potential Guild Wars Sequel
• Guild Wars Gets An Update For Its 14th Birthday
• Guild Wars 2 Developer ArenaNet Plans For Mass Layoffs
• The ArenaNet Catastrophe Has The Whole Game Industry Rethinking Harassment Policies

So we get a co-founder leaving, an update to the older game in the franchise, mass layoffs, and the whole JP issue.

If you were a talented game developer, would any of the above entice you to work there? How about ArenaNet's reputation of paying less than most other gaming studios?

Saying everyone is replaceable doesn't mean everyone will be replaced.

@"Greg.7086" said:Glass if half-full style point of view: Old developers can become lazy & complacement, lack direction or any fresh new ideas

It's interesting that the "half-full" point of view is the one insulting some of the most important ArenaNet's developers.

[Rashagar.8349]

@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)

Irritable bowel syndrome?I'm lost...

[XatraZaytrax.2601]

There have been massive layoffs industry-wide. I think there are plenty of talented people out there who might love to work for GW2. And don't count out existing talent. It's not like anet only had one small a team.

[Svarty.8019]

@Randulf.7614 said:

@"Erasculio.2914" said:Apparently,

8 developers

have left ArenaNet.

Interesting article despite being from Kotaku

Deride Kotaku all you like, but they've had the insider scoops on multiple occasions.

[Sojourner.4621]

@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

Apparently so does math cause 14 is pretty close to 20 now.

[Donari.5237]

@Rashagar.8349 said:

@Bloodstealer.5978 said: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)Irritable bowel syndrome?I'm lost...

Ice Brood Saga. People did point out the acronym difficulty there when it was announced :)

looks up a few posts, sees Kotaku comments unrelated to Rashagar's question, but does not double post About those Kotaku headlines -- of course news sites that want clicks will focus on the more negative spin on things. Sure, it's been a rocky year, but anyone who knows the industry and the news sites isn't going to shy away from applying based purely on some bad articles. They're going to research a bit more, maybe find a way to privately talk to employees, get the overall picture.

As others have said above, employee turnover in some degree is normal in most any industry. The employees aren't hostages, and they're learning valuable skills in their job that may let them move on to other work that suits them even better. If I had any wish to do so I could probably be a judge by now, and several of my colleagues from my decades of legal work did in fact become judges. That doesn't mean that the Public Defender and State's Attorney offices were sinking ships that the attorneys had to bail out from. Rather the opposite, in fact, they were intense training grounds of practical legal knowledge.

So maybe ANet is in trouble. Probably it's not. For right now there's still a fun game with more content coming down the pike and I intend to enjoy my time in Tyria while I have it, which hopefully is for many years to come for both ANet and me.

[Erasculio.2914]

@Donari.5237 said:So maybe ANet is in trouble. Probably it's not.

And if it were, what would the signs be?

Big layoffs?

Important people who have had been with the studio for a long time leaving?

Lower earnings?

Unclear and uncomitted plans about the future?

[Dante.1508]

What if they don't replace these people? That is 8 less employees to build future content if there is any future content.. To be honest they need to stop throwing resources into t-shirts and bobbleheads and more into the actual game but hey what do i know..

[NanoEliteSixSixSix.8935]

@Pifil.5193 said:

@mindcircus.1506 said:

@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.

After playing it for 57 years I can only say beware the fnords!

Having played for well over 300 years myself, all I can say is that the fnords are downright tame compared to everything that comes after. Buckle up, people, because things are going to get messy in the future.

[Substance E.4852]

@kratan.4619 said:

@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.

Human beings are not interchangeable widgets, least of all in the creative sense

The only people who believe this are corporate bean counters and people who don't interact with others face to face enough

[Bloodstealer.5978]

@Svarty.8019 said:

@Randulf.7614 said:

@"Erasculio.2914" said:Apparently,

8 developers

have left ArenaNet.

Interesting article despite being from Kotaku

Deride Kotaku all you like, but they've had the insider scoops on multiple occasions.

Most being relatively un news worthy imo.. and this new "scoop" demonstrates that - just a big nothing burger imo, lacking in actual detail and as always in US media the good old anonymous sources and Chinese whispers.People leave jobs all the time and rarely get to take work away with them.Has it been one of those years to forget for ANET.. yeah I would say so and not just for the internal/external wrangles being broadcasted by click bait newsflashes, but again its nothing new around the business world.Personally I think the best we can do right now is wish MO and the others well and get behind those now tasked with delivering our fun fixes and trust in hope that the future holds better news for the studio, its employees and us the playing community. However, if things really are hitting the skids for GW2 then at least I personally can say, I have enjoyed the ride I have been on this past decade and more.

[Talindra.4958]

I will be keeping a good eye out on the game they are going to develop.. :) will likely to be moving to their game permanently if it is mmo, eventho its small scale.

[AlexxxDelta.1806]

@Erasculio.2914 said:

@"Donari.5237" said:So maybe ANet is in trouble. Probably it's not.

And if it were, what would the signs be?

Big layoffs?

Important people who have had been with the studio for a long time leaving?

Lower earnings?

Unclear and uncomitted plans about the future?

This.

I'm often wondering the exact same thing when reading "everything is fine, nothing to see here" posts on here or Reddit. If things like these aren't signs of trouble, then what would be?

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

'Important people' have left the studio these past 7 years. Not sure that meant anything in particular.'Lower earnings' have happened in-between higher earnings. Again, not sure that meant anything in particular.'Unclear and uncommitted plans about the future' have been something that has been commented on in the forums for years. Once again, not sure that means anything in particular.

Jus' sayin'.

[Erasculio.2914]

@"AlexxxDelta.1806" said:I'm often wondering the exact same thing when reading "everything is fine, nothing to see here" posts on here or Reddit. If things like these aren't signs of trouble, then what would be?

Exactly.

People can say "everything is fine" as much as they want, but we have had a lot of bad news recently. Between the JP incident, the big layoffs, ArenaNet's composer asking to not work exclusively for them anymore, a lot of important people leaving, and so on... It's more than enough for players to worry.

And what good news have we had? The disappointing announcement of the Ice Brood Saga? Or a feature requested for years released with a dubious monetization scheme? The alliances system for WvW being delayed yet again?

After the layoffs, some people said that it was fine - GW2 had lost some people, but also got people back who had been working on other projects. The question is, would those who had willingly chosen to work on something other than GW2 even want to go back? We have just been told that Mike O'Brien left because he was a cofounder, but ArenaNet hadn't told us about the other developers who left with him. I wonder how many other developers have also left after the layoffs.

[Tiviana.2650]

I think the bigger question is why he and those devs felt the need to move on to develop GW3? Remember they are inside , we are outside, they know a heck of a lot more about whats going on than we do.