Mythic Employees Forced onto Waaaaaaaghbulance

[NiX]

Word is EA Mythic will be losing somewhere between 60 to 70 employees today. Rumor has it that EA hasn't cut costs in downsizing and will be having meetings that may or may not include a real, live executioner. This isn't the typical shedding of low-level QA/CS that's been happening a round the industry. Though they're letting go of more CS, they're also letting go of designers, artists, programmers, and community management folks - including some senior level employees. But no actual management! It looks as though famed jackass Paul Barnett gets to keep his job.

Edit: I can confirm that the numbers being tossed around on other websites are wrong. Also, other rumors:
 
Mythic, as of right now, is NOT moving to Austin, despite rumors.
Mythic, as of right now, is NOT closing CS, despite rumors.
Mythic, as of right now, is NOT going to get folded into another company, despite rumors.

[Ookii]

Too bad we can't have the F13 tradition of schild interviewing some of the formers after they get the axe.  Those were always fun times.

[schild]

Too bad we can't have the F13 tradition of schild interviewing some of the formers after they get the axe.  Those were always fun times.

As someone else said it "Mythic executives aren't going to fire themselves." Since no one at EA is canning them yet, no such interview could exist. Also, what could the interview possibly amount to? Mark Jacobs has a GIANT HEAD and Paul Barnett is an egotistical, irresponsible, unprofessional jackass with a propensity towards being a sycophant?

Yea, not exactly the most surprising of interviews.

[Merusk]

Remember back when Mythic was bought-out and we said, "You're doomed" only to have Mark come out and say "No, no, they're different now.  It won't go down like that. EA's changed!  They won't force us to release the game early and then slash jobs when things go south.  They're totally different now! They mean it this time!"

Yeah. 

So you say you ran into a wall, Sally? Pity.

[Venkman]

Err, how much of that is EA vs Mythic's dated understanding of the genre?

[Nija]

Does it really matter? Both places are clueless.

[Bismallah]

But it's the player's fault, I mean economy, I mean...

[schild]

But it's the player's fault, I mean economy, I mean...

New fish, do try to keep up, we don't do green anymore.

Also, he said that these were - in short - planned.

http://warhammerherald.com/warherald/NewsArticle.war?id=607

That company desperately needs PR people.

[NiX]

Also, he said that these were - in short - planned.

http://warhammerherald.com/warherald/NewsArticle.war?id=607

I was going to mention this. Claiming this is their shift from launch to post-launch is, sadly, bullshit I think most fanboys will buy into.

[Soln]

Sad and not surprising.  Which is all the more sad.

For the record, I hope they turn WAR around so I can try it.  But I also hope someone will stab Paul Barnett with a canoe and I'm not sure which is the more likely to happen first.  I can't wait forever.

[LC]

Also, he said that these were - in short - planned.

http://warhammerherald.com/warherald/NewsArticle.war?id=607

I was going to mention this. Claiming this is their shift from launch to post-launch is, sadly, bullshit I think most fanboys will buy into.

He can always get a job selling used cars if this doesn't work out for him.

"So tell me again why gas mileage doesn't matter um... Mark?"

[Mrbloodworth]

What a sad turn of events. Small fish gets eaten by big fish. I wonder if they would have been better off just doing their own thing like they were.

[kildorn]

Don't you typically use your spare dev staff after a launch to, you know, start new projects? I can't recall any company I've worked for being in a good place, releasing a product, and then saying "thanks guys, great work! Clean out your desks."

[Nevermore]

You haven't worked for EA.

[NiX]

You could blame EA, but I recall Mark saying that Mythic was still his to run. Sometimes it hurts to open your mouth and say too much.

[Goreschach]

Also, he said that these were - in short - planned.

http://warhammerherald.com/warherald/NewsArticle.war?id=607

I was going to mention this. Claiming this is their shift from launch to post-launch is, sadly, bullshit I think most fanboys will buy into.

Since it hasn't been definitively pointed out yet, if Blizzard (and common sense) have taught us anything about staffing it's that once an MMO launches you should be resizing upwards. Mythic was trying to finish an MMO; now they're trying to finish an MMO and service millionsthousands of paying customers.

They still haven't made it out of the 90's era 'Make Game, Get Paid, Go Home' mentality.

[NiX]

TheyThe industry still hasn't made it out of the 90's era 'Make Game, Get Paid, Go Home' mentality.

[Arthur_Parker]

Mark said recently Mythic weren't starting work on another game, as if that was a good thing.  Doesn't look that way now.

[Salamok]

What a sad turn of events. Small fish gets eaten by big fish. I wonder if they would have been better off just doing their own thing like they were.

for whatever reason this statement was crosswired in my brain to the following imagry:

[Nebu]

New fish, do try to keep up, we don't do green anymore.

Blame me too.  I still use green.  I'll quit, I promise.

[Arthur_Parker]

Elite management team still in place.

[HaemishM]

What... the... fuck?

[Soln]

he's now a vid-blogger, keep up.

PaulBarnett^TM wacky celebrity is his main concern.  The self-promotion train is now leaving for all parts new-work.

[Signe]

I haven't even started to use green yet!  This sucks.

[waffel]

It was Mark's goal to keep growing and adding servers, not the other way around. Seriously, he had no clue the game would bomb like it did, he actually somehow thought this game would continue to grow like... that other game did...

So really, it makes sense that they kept so many extra people on the staff. They were all planning for a million+ subs at the end of Q4 and thus their spots in the office were justified.

But not anymore. Now it's being spun to sound like "Oh, we were totally planning on cutting all these jobs."

edit: Dragon Age actually sounds decent. That combined with D3 could be fun...

[Riggswolfe]

New fish, do try to keep up, we don't do green anymore.

Blame me too.  I still use green.  I'll quit, I promise.

What? When? How? How am I supposed to know sarcasm without color coding!

Seriously, when did we stop using green and why? Inquiring minds want to know and knowing is half the battle! Or is saying we're not using green yet more sarcasm that's not color coded? I'm so confused...

[Goreschach]

Someone pointed out to Schild in one of the WAR threads that VN started using green for sarcasm, too.

[Evil Elvis]

Elite management team still in place.

I look forward to his future Shamwow infomercials.

[kildorn]

Elite management team still in place.

Dear god what the hell is that, and why is it not being burned with fire.

[Nija]

Somehow I don't think he's going to approve my comment.

[LK]

I imagine you can make a comparison between Paul Bartnett and theatrics to explain his "success" the same way you could explain how theatrics applies to Chris Nolan's Batman.

[waffel]

Someone pointed out to Schild in one of the WAR threads that VN started using green for sarcasm, too.

Actually it was MMORPG.com forums I believe.

[schild]

It doesn't matter. We should be able to just read and figure out when something is sarcasm.

My opinion, if sarcasm isn't immediately recognizable, the writer sucks.

[sidereal]

What?  No.

What?

If sarcasm isn't immediately recognizable, it's good sarcasm.  If your sarchasm is too shallow for anyone to fall into, what's the fucking point of it?  Just say 'bad things are dumb' and get it over with.

[Prospero]

I always figured green text existed because readers suck. It's the like a giant neon sign that says "take a deep breath internet tough guy"