BG3 CEO/DEV Hasbro laid off everyone we worked with
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Timmius
Well-known member
1,100 people is a lot. I'm wondering if they're planning to use a lot of AI tools going forward
I wouldn't read too much into it - 1,000 people across all of Hasbro isn't a huge number and these type of layoffs tend to target people who are either underperforming, in a role where the value has declined significantly or if they think the role can easily be filled by a lower-cost employee or cheaply outsourced.
People that attend alot of meetings with third-party partners tend to be paid higher and people that spend an excessive amount of time in meetings are often easy to replace and have a minimal impact on actual operations. So it's not shocking that those were people targeted by the layoff even if they were in a more profitable division.
I've seen the wrong people layed off for sure over the years, but layoffs I've seen tend to be right much more often than they are wrong. I doubt this will have much if any impact on wotc customers. It's always tough for the people getting laid off, but most will bounce back and earn more money in their next job.
People that attend alot of meetings with third-party partners tend to be paid higher and people that spend an excessive amount of time in meetings are often easy to replace and have a minimal impact on actual operations. So it's not shocking that those were people targeted by the layoff even if they were in a more profitable division.
I've seen the wrong people layed off for sure over the years, but layoffs I've seen tend to be right much more often than they are wrong. I doubt this will have much if any impact on wotc customers. It's always tough for the people getting laid off, but most will bounce back and earn more money in their next job.
Purr
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I was sad there was no PG version of Karlochs dialogue.
Lazuli
Well-known member
Not really, they are laying off not just fillers, but also seniors who have been with the company for decades and have influenced its success. Nor is it a question of doing poorly financially. Despite the bad reputation problem that WOTC generated at the beginning of the year, it has achieved record profits this year.
It's all a matter of greed. Chris ***** (the CEO) is making all the “right” decisions. After all, his job isn’t to ensure that the company makes good products. That’s just a thing that they happen to do. His main function (and the function of Hasbro itself) is to funnel as much money as possible to the executives and shareholders.
The CEO received a $9.4 million compensation this year. But the $9.4 million compensation and massive layoffs in the face of record profits is the system functioning as intended. It’s only the worst face of a savage capitalism.
Don't get me wrong, in general I am in favor of capitalism. But like all things, when taken to extremes it is not good. Playing with people's livelihoods and jeopardizing the creation of good products to inflate investors' wallets is definitely one of those not good extremes.
Note-- for some reason, the filter is censoring the CEO's last name. Really, SSG, stop using overprotective filters that censor normal words.
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J1NG
I can do things others can't...
Well, considering they were going all out graphically with other adult themes including "actual 'classic' Vorpal" on the violence, betrayals, thievery, the works. It would be very strange to not include seduction and content of a sexual nature. Also remember, you don't have to run into these aspects of the game if you don't play towards it. It's there (as an option) if you want it. It's also not there if you actively avoid it.
J1NG
TavernBrawler
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Unbridled Toxic Capitalism. Welcome to USA 2023.
When the discussion turns political emotion sometimes overshadows the facts.
"Hasbro in October tallied a fourth straight quarterly loss as third-quarter sales fell 10%. "
As I witnessed a few times in my career when a company is involved in mass layoffs they take the opportunity to get rid of high priced employess that may no longer be worth the cost and might be otherwise difficult to get rid of - even if they are in profitable divisions. Those people tend to get very generous severance packages to minimize the chance for a lawsuit.
I've seen cases where a good employee gets caught in the crossfire- usually due to a poor relationship with their direct boss or bosses boss, but generally the turnover is good turnover for the company. Most of those people will bounce back with better jobs and higher pay. A few might not have the value in the marketplace equal to their prior pay, but those corrections have always happened and always will and are the exception rather than the rule.
Oliphant
Well-known member
I'm still into DnD properties if they are really good. I still like DDO. BG3 was fantastic. The DnD movie was pretty frikin great even. But after all the WotC real life shenanigans this year I'm over "DnD per se". "DnD per se" is just not a draw to me anymore, though I won't hold DnD against stuff that is good, will still support good stuff but no particular interest in WotC and DnD anymore "per se". I think a lot of people reached this conclusion about WotC/DnD this year. Kinda sad that a great movie, a game of the year, and PnP dnd is like the definition of table top lame now.
Blunt Hackett
Well-known member
As far as D&D goes, I'm not surprised. It's mostly the players making the content these days. When it is WotC, the product often lacks the substance that made great products. Add AI into the mix and they hardly need to lift a finger.
DilemmaEnder
Thelanis Player
I feel like I would be remiss if I did not remind everyone that Hasbro did not "develope" BG3, they out-sourced it to Larian Studios.
It is not even the same as EG7 and SSG where there is a parent company and a studio within it doing the work.
This is an out-right sub-contracting of an outside company to make a game from the ground up while the "Owner" (Hasbro) retains avenues of control through consultation and greenlight/redlight meetings.
I note this because Larian Studios has not done layoffs. They are moving into their next project with the team that did such a wonderful job on what has become the Game of the Year as well as the Gold Standard for RPG based video games going forward.
I think it is important to separate the heartless and greedy corporation from the hard-working and successful studio whose CEO actually works on the projects with his employees, actively engaging in the profit generation of his company.
It is not even the same as EG7 and SSG where there is a parent company and a studio within it doing the work.
This is an out-right sub-contracting of an outside company to make a game from the ground up while the "Owner" (Hasbro) retains avenues of control through consultation and greenlight/redlight meetings.
I note this because Larian Studios has not done layoffs. They are moving into their next project with the team that did such a wonderful job on what has become the Game of the Year as well as the Gold Standard for RPG based video games going forward.
I think it is important to separate the heartless and greedy corporation from the hard-working and successful studio whose CEO actually works on the projects with his employees, actively engaging in the profit generation of his company.
Lazuli
Well-known member
nah Larian studios and their CEO have nothing to do with this. In fact, what Vincke says in that article is that all the WOTC people he worked with refining the ideas of BG3 (the game is entirely developed by Larian, but there was a flow of communication between them and WOTC due to bankground issues, etc. ) have been fired. And it's not surprising, because the layoffs are one-fifth of WOTC's workforce (that's what I read, at least).
Taking into account that Hasbro has had losses this year (10%) but WOTC has had record profits and in fact constitutes about 60% of Hasbro's profits, it is clear that this is not due to wanting to increase productivity, but to fill the wallets of their shareholders and executives. And let's not forget, the decision regarding the OGL that could have cost WOTC so much came from the same directive board who now processes the layoffs, not from the laid-off workers. In fact, it was an internal leak from a worker that uncovered the matter and prevented it from being carried out by exposing the plan to public opinion. Taking this into account and that there were critical voices within the wotc staff regarding these intentions with the OGL, I wonder if these layoffs also have to do with desires for revenge...
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HoopleHead
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Does this bug anyone else when capitalism is confused with profiteering? Capitalism is the process of the market determining costs by demand.... that's not what this is... this is greed anchored profiteering
Lazuli
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Yes, it bugs me. Because it is not the system that is the problem, but the bad practices within that system, as I have said before. Although I am more concerned about people who justify these bad practices (these extremes) as if they were something reasonable and logical.
Capitalism is the process where the owners of capital control the processes. Profiteering is inevitable when capitalism is left unchecked.
Well regulated capitalism can do some great things, but profiteering attempts are baked into the system.
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