SOE acquired by investment firm, is now Daybreak Gaming Company

[mercutiouk]

Yeah, most folks seemed to like him quite a bit. I haven't noticed anything with lag/latency recently, though I've not played a whole hell of a lot in the past week or so. I'd chalk that up more to standard "sometimes lag happens" type deals than anything else.



According to Smedley, if we can believe him, the EQN team is still the largest single team at Daybreak.

I get the feeling EQ and EQ2 have gone to "cash cow" status with just about enough folks to keep it afloat. If you look at the glassdoor ratings there's a lot of dead wood at SOE (as was) so maybe there's some "cleaning shop" going on. We'll see. Fingers crossed EQN survives

What's your server/faction for PS2? I ended up TR on miller Been playing since.... almost start of beta, played PS1 from release day for a few months (long before the battleframes debacle killed it) then went back as things were building towards PS2.

[MoanaLisa]

My anticipation for EQN continues to wane.

I think EQN is mostly dead. It will take a while and they'll make some noise about it but I don't know how it continues on with the promise that it was showing. Guess we'll see.

[Kathranis]

I think EQN is mostly dead. It will take a while and they'll make some noise about it but I don't know how it continues on with the promise that it was showing. Guess we'll see.

I've always said it was too ambituous for this studio. I don't think there was any way they could deliver on the vision they showed when they first announced it, and in the last year it seems they've had to refocus most of their efforts onto Landmark just to get that up and running.

I doubt that it's dead, but I have a feeling that if EQN does emerge as a product, it'll be very different from the game they originally pitched.

[Dsonsion]

I had very high hopes for EQN. I thought it would bring many innovative concepts onto the field of AAA mmos. After SOE's acquistion I felt reassured when they told us they would have more funds to bring their game to completion. Then the first thing they do is fire people from the core development staff.
I don't think EQN will ever become what was promised, if it ever gets delivered. There go my hopes and the $6.67 dollars. I'm glad it wasn't any more than that.

[carnifex2005]

Too bad. Hope this means they still are in the MMO business. Curious about how EQN will turn out.

JOHN SMEDLEY RELINQUISHES HIS POST AT DAYBREAK

VentureBeat is reporting that John Smedley has stepped down as President of Daybreak Game Company, the studio behind multiple MMOs, including the entire EverQuest franchise. Chief Operating Officer Russell Shanks will take his place.

[Edge-]

Too bad. Hope this means they still are in the MMO business. Curious about how EQN will turn out.

JOHN SMEDLEY RELINQUISHES HIS POST AT DAYBREAK

VentureBeat is reporting that John Smedley has stepped down as President of Daybreak Game Company, the studio behind multiple MMOs, including the entire EverQuest franchise. Chief Operating Officer Russell Shanks will take his place.

Why would they get out of MMO's? That's been what they do since forever, and I can't imagine he's been the only one keeping them working on MMO's at the company.

Honestly, it's not that surprising after so long. He's been CEO for well over a decade, has been subject to a ton of harassment for being too honest/putting his foot in his mouth and more recently because of the lizard squad nonsense. Dude needs/deserves a break, especially hearing a lot of the shit he's had to deal with (attempted swattings, identity theft, attempted credit card fraud, doxxing his family etc).

Hope he enjoys some time off and while I'd love to see him come back (I really dig the dude), I'm curious as to where he decides to go if he doesn't. I can't imagine him working on anything but MMO's after so many years >.>

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Seems like he has realized that the SOE now isn't the good ole' SOE of old, and he's had enough. I wish him well! Seems like he should either 1. start his own company or 2. look at retirement options. He's earned both.

[Edge-]

Seems like he has realized that the SOE now isn't the good ole' SOE of old, and he's had enough.

Or, you know, he's had enough of being harassed on social media and targeted by trolls who have literally fucked with his personal life and family very severely.

I can't imagine he has any less faith in Daybreak now than he's ever had since he took over SOE.

[Drakhar]

Smed needed to go during the initial layoffs. Still don't get why he was spared. Seeeeee ya

[Deleted]

Smed needed to go during the initial layoffs. Still don't get why he was spared. Seeeeee ya

Seems like he has realized that the SOE now isn't the good ole' SOE of old, and he's had enough. I wish him well! Seems like he should either 1. start his own company or 2. look at retirement options. He's earned both.

Well he's not even leaving the company if you read their statement... He's just stepped down from the current role which is not really surprising considering how much harassment the poor guy and his family gets combined with the fact he's been in that post for 10 years now.

“I can confirm that John Smedley will be taking some time off from the company for the near-term and transitioning to a different role to be determined. Upon finalization of his plans, further communication will be provided.”

[Acidbaron]

As i said before he was not a person people wanted or should be at the top of the company, the new name alone was not enough they have to break with the past and Smedley was a relic of the past.

He was too outspoken, too little of a moderate to be the head of a company that requires a strong public figure that is generally also humble.