[Official Thread] SOE Restructuring Announcement

Lutefisk wrote:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/42362140

Lutefisk wrote:

Wow check out the forums some. Yes the red names have posted in this very thread, heck its even on eq2wire, and like 5 other websites. NO its not a joke I wish it were. I like can you not read. I dont actually want to be mean to you but honestly the red names at the top of the 1st page of this thread.

Wow. I remember when I got laid off from a game company. Not only is it rough on the person being laid off, it hurts the entire team.
Smokejumper, my thoughts are with not just those laid off, but the teams affected by the layoffs. I know it's hard to tell someone that they're being laid off, and I have a feeling it was you doing the layoffs. So, *hugs*. It's not your fault.

SmokeJumper wrote:

Thank you for being straight up about the situation. The economy over the past 3 plus years has affected many people. It's been a series of belt tightening and flexibity as many of us have lost jobs and had to restructure our lives and thinking. It's been a challenge for everyone.
When I think about Japan's current trials, my heart goes out to them and at the same time consider us to be oh - so lucky.
Removed link to to EQ Immulator, please do not link these.

We appreciate your feedback and sympathy regarding this matter however please be respectful to those folks most affected by this situation. We would ask that you let them have their privacy.

Please also keep this discussion civil... Thanks

Alvane@Unrest wrote:

Sorry, Ashlanne. I had no idea that was an EverQuest emulator. I thought it was just a game that was a take off on EverQuest series. And when SmokeJumper referenced ForeverQuest ............ well...... sorry.....My apologies.

Ok I'm a bit behind the times since I'm not playing anymore -- I just found out about this.
I feel really bad for the people who lost their jobs. Too much of that's been going around lately (I was looking myself last Fall). Here's hoping you all land something soon.
I guess it's good to hear that they consider the EQ franchise their backbone which I presume means they'll let everything else go before they let go of that. Considering the subscription numbers that just makes good business sense. I don't know if I'll be playing EQ Next but I'll at least give it a good hard look when there's something to look at.

For those who are no longer with SOE as employed, I am saddedned by this news. While I have been subscribing to SOE games for some 10 years, I have noticed the real challenges have and will be Customer Service. With the recent Destiny expansion we have been quite disturbed by the quality of this expansion and the client/server relationship. While we have asked, prodded, complained, requested, argued at Fan Fair for advertising and better customer service to the extent they are equipped and willing to resolve issues. It is not much better, improved, but not great.
Time and Time agan, "I am sorry but we can not offer any resolution. thank you for playing."
With guildies leaving for other games, stating any game but SOE, one must ask, Does the CEO of Sony Online games really understand? Does he actually play these games? If he had he may have found other options than to Lay off 205 Developers to take all the secrets and their code ideas to the competition. Had he advertised to the point that Server Merges were not needed but they needed to add servers. Add developers cause they actually have a great game, but need to equip customer service. Instaed we have what we have.
With this news and the issues regarding the Storm Gorge and Ring Wars it is evident that the ship is sinking. It is with Sad Heart, My wife and I have now both canceld our 4 accounts. Ok just 4 Accounts, some will say no biggie, but if you add them all up they equel complete servers gone!! Proff is staring them in the face, so to the flamers, I loved the games, but cant continue with a company which doesnt value My accounts NOR their Employees.

Gorrath wrote:

Afaik, the President of SOE mostly plays WoW.
Gorrath wrote:

MMO development is a very small community, like an extended family really. If you leave one MMO developer, there are only so many other places you can go to work and keep using that skillset.
EQ2 shed enough people to found a whole new development company -- Trion and their game Rift led by Scott Hartsman who launched EQ2.
My understanding is, the Agency had been troubled for some time. The team were great at producing promos and trailers, but the actual game went through many tribulations including its focus which I believe flirted with having a teenage girl angle at one point. After over-promising and under-delivering on Freerealms (Smedley suggested to the upper eschelons that it would catch on like WoW but with the age 8-14 crowd), and with the Agency having such a narrow focus in this down economy, I'm surprised no management have been replaced.
DC Universe cost $60 million to make, and already I am hearing about a huge rolloff in players just 3 months out. They're not sticking around like they did with City of Heroes. It's brown trousers time at SOE.

feldon30 wrote:

If true, the president needs to be replaced with someone who actually loves and plays the games he is tasked with sheparding.
It does seem to fit however. There has been an extreme lack of direction from SOE over the past few years, where they lost track of the things that they do better than anyone else while trying to chase mega profits.
Perhaps a shakeup in leadership is necessary to put this ship back on course to produce and maintain games that their customers love.

feldon30 wrote:

If the 60 mill figure is true they will be hurting. I been reading that folks are leaving dcuo in droves and most of the servers are ghost towns.