EQ2 Developer Layoffs: Lyndro, Endymion, Gnobrin, Amnerys, Ashlanne, Afista

Arkain

From EQ and EQ2 Creative Director and awesome fire dancer Akil “Lyndro” Hooper‘s facebook (a public post):

Sitting in a room, getting laid off with some of the brightest and most talented developers I’ve had the pleasure to work with.

No idea what comes next, but if history holds true I’m sure that it will be fun.

From @Douglastweets (Endymion) who worked on EQ2 as a programmer and added a ton of stuff including Gear Sets to EQ2, helping EQ2U and Dragon’s Armory on Census stuff, and the planned Public Quests which were supposed to be released this summer with Game Update 71. on Twitter:

It was fun everyone. Time to update my Twitter profile… again.

this was probably my one stint in the games industry.  I don’t want to go back to Seattle either.

From Aaron “Gnobrin” Bisnett’s facebook, who had been producing every piece of armor and weapons for the last several years, and is just a fantastic guy.

Well. That was a good run in game development. Thank you for the last 12 years, SOE.

Update

Community Manager Tiffany Spence (@KindaTiffy) ;announced on twitter:

It’s been an honor and a privilege.

Community Manager Aimee Rekoske (@Ashlanne) posted on Facebook.

Community Manager Kyle Manchester (@Hats) also announced. He did a lot of social media posts and livestream chat moderation.

Update @ 2:42pm PST

EQ2 Community Manager Racheal (@Afista) ;announced on Twitter that she’s been let go:

It appears as if I’ll have some more time for running some #EQ2 Heroics soon. Level 100 Warden LFG!

It sounds like all contracted employees may have been let go.

As for who’s safe?

So far we’ve heard from Kander, TTobey, Gninja, Windstalker, Covic, Phatkins, and Kaitheel.

Will update as we hear more of this terrible news…

 

 

Here is the site:  http://eq2wire.com/

Pepeq

I don't understand why they call it layoffs... you're getting the pink slip with a severance package (or so you hope).

mangar

And I just turned off my All Access sub.   Did not mind paying for what I was getting but now that I do not know what I will get I will hold onto my cash till the new team shows me something.  Best wishes to all that are still working on these projects but my cash goes to a proven system not a "hey, I have an idea!  Let's get rid of all of the highly paid talent, back fill it with eager new people that are willing to take less to earn their stripes and in the end we come out ahead".  That system fails in business, it fails in gaming, but it does succeed in short term revenue gains so congratulations on that.  Hope things turn around in 3-5 years when you have rebuild your talent base with home grown noobs... that do not see the writing on the walls and opt to take their talents to someone that will value them.