Russell Brower Leaving Blizzard

[Queen of Hamsters]

How many more people have to forced out of working for Blizz before you actually believe its happening? He didn't even want to leave, it wasn't his choice.

You're hilarious. Your ilk have been singing this same song since TBC, and the game is more profitable than ever with a bigger dev team and as far from dead and dying as it can come.

Get over it.

I'll believe that WoW is dying when it's actually a fact, rather than listening to the retarded shit spouted by random nobodies with a hard-on for the idea latching onto everything they can in order to spark a flicker of hope that their dream is to realize.

[Doffen]

Not been bothered by any of those leaving blizzard/warcraft/etc but this was sad.

For me, music in a game is very important, and the music in WoW has been awesome all the way, and a BIG thanks to Russell Brower for making such excellent music experience in the game.

Not that I think the music and sound in the game will be worse in the future, but Brower is awesome!

[Ragb]

So much ignorance in this thread, probably all 8 yo kids that dont know how industry works, the guy has his style, wich is good, but with time it becomes repetitive, its like asking shakira to start playing heavy metal, it just wont fit, and they need to keep things fresh, so the logical.move here is letting the guy go and get some new people, its how it works, period. There inst anything more to it.

[Granyala]

Sad to see him go. He and his team made a lot of awesome music that is still playing for me, even if I do not play the game at the moment.

[thilicen]

Oh no!!! Not.....wait who is this guy again?
Russel?....oh ya
NOT RUSSEL BOWER!!!! Such a shame the guy who's name I never cared about is becoming a consultant.
Totally tilted my whole day. What a waste

In short he is someone much, -much- more successful than you.

[Varitok]

You're hilarious. Your ilk have been singing this same song since TBC, and the game is more profitable than ever with a bigger dev team and as far from dead and dying as it can come.

Get over it.

I'll believe that WoW is dying when it's actually a fact, rather than listening to the retarded shit spouted by random nobodies with a hard-on for the idea latching onto everything they can in order to spark a flicker of hope that their dream is to realize.

"ilk" lol okay then

OT: Remember, they reported time played numbers (since they are too afraid to tell investors actual sub numbers anymore) they were on par with end of WoD numbers, Which is some of the lowest subs WoW has ever had. If that isn't a sign of a dying game, I don't know what is. Maybe if the WoW team actually played their own game, they'd understand why people aren't playing. You are clearly just a fanboy who won't look at facts and I am someone who wants to love WoW, I can't love it in its current form, the new team just have lost the plot on what makes WoW fun. But its okay, I guess me and my "ilk" just don't get it man, those numbers are more than we think.

[FelPlague]

There should not be .



Looks to me he got fired. Most likely due to with reorganizations / rebuilding the sound design team and he didn't really fit / wanted any other spot that most likely would be a downgrade for him.

wait im confused, what did he do?
like anyone here good with sound and music and able to tell me what he did, what he changed?

[Moozart]

I have had wow sound muted for almost 8 years now

[Queen of Hamsters]

"ilk" lol okay then

OT: Remember, they reported time played numbers (since they are too afraid to tell investors actual sub numbers anymore) they were on par with end of WoD numbers, Which is some of the lowest subs WoW has ever had. If that isn't a sign of a dying game, I don't know what is. Maybe if the WoW team actually played their own game, they'd understand why people aren't playing. You are clearly just a fanboy who won't look at facts and I am someone who wants to love WoW, I can't love it in its current form, the new team just have lost the plot on what makes WoW fun. But its okay, I guess me and my "ilk" just don't get it man, those numbers are more than we think.

No, you're not "someone who wants to love WoW", you don't even bother looking at earnings calls to form an informed opinion. If you did, you'd see that WoW pulled 800 million USD on a bad year (end of WoD), and is now around the 1 billion USD mark before Legion is even in its final patch. If that's a dying game in your little mind, then that's all the proof one needs of what sort of ilk you belong with.

Pathetic.

I'm an actual fan of this game, and I'll voice concerns and give feedback rather than just sit around acting like a toddler with a speech impediment uttering the same nonsensical phrase over and over in the form of; "WoW is dying!". A phrase which hasn't come to fruition in the 12+ years that idiots have been throwing it around.

[FelPlague]

Oh no!!! Not.....wait who is this guy again?
Russel?....oh ya
NOT RUSSEL BOWER!!!! Such a shame the guy who's name I never cared about is becoming a consultant.
Totally tilted my whole day. What a waste

im sure EVERYONE will know your name when you quit
all... 2 of them

[Deleted]

Really sad to see him go..the fact that WoW music is the main reason I started playing WoW back then in vanilla makes his leaving even sadder...

Vanilla was mostly Jason Hayes. Brower only joined Blizzard in TBC, and even that was mostly Matt Uelmen (though the Blood Elf zones where his).

WOTLK was when he really came into the forefront.

Not to diminish his input, he crafted some great pieces of music, but Jason Hayes is, for me, the definitive WoW composer, and I'm really glad he returned to Blizzard a couple of years ago.

I also think that Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3 (sans Reaper of Souls) had a disapointing musical direction under his watch.

Though I'm still sad with Brower's departure.

[Stormykitten]

If you read his leavetaking message, you'll note he seems quite excited about his future as a freelance musician. I have no doubt in my head he could have negotiated another position at Blizz.

[Bompibjornen]

Im not familiar with your work, or your name but the impression you left with the statement tells me youre a fantastic person! Keep on making life better through music for people around the world!

[Esper]

I think we could just take it at face value. Blizzard is no longer using just a single audio director and instead has a large team of audio engineers and composers that do all of the work that Russel previously did. It is likely at least partially about money; I doubt they just up and fired him without offering him another position that may have paid less than he was willing to accept.

[Malico]

I wish you good luck! Blizzard still stronk company! So dont be negative!

[Jarg]

Wonder how long it will be before we get the usual "another rat fleeing the sinking ship" crap?

Untill the first reply.

OT: Im sad to see him leave, he made remarkable work at Blizzard. But as any other creative work sometimes you need fresh air to continue.

[MoanaLisa]

I strongly suspect that Blizzard will come to regret this. Brower has been the shaping force driving much of the music coming out of Blizzard for a very long time now.

He'll be fine. It won't be long before you see his name popping up as music composer for major movies.

Blizzard? Hard to say. They have a very talented team but Brower was more or less the leader of that team. I think it's a mistake myself.

[Lahis]

You're hilarious. Your ilk have been singing this same song since TBC, and the game is more profitable than ever with a bigger dev team and as far from dead and dying as it can come.

I sincerely doubt they are selling enough mounts to offset the millions of monthly subs missing from the peak numbers from around Wrath.

[Unholyground]

Considering all music is now mostly made digitally with applications from pre recorded high quality sound sampling it makes sense they would down size the sound team. I have seen and heard amazing music that just one or 2 people can make. It is shitty but it is the nature of progress and automation.

[Queen of Hamsters]

I sincerely doubt they are selling enough mounts to offset the millions of monthly subs missing from the peak numbers from around Wrath.

Who cares if you doubt it? You can doubt all you like, the facts are in their earnings calls, which are free for everyone to examine. And no, the store mounts are not the only revenue they have outside of subs in regards to this game.

Believing that WoW hasn't grown profits or been a financial powerhouse since WOTLK is not only factually wrong, it's hilarious.