Crithto's Farewell

[Mormolyce]

Being a Blizzard community manager seems like a cool job (it's not as cool as people think once you read the job requirements and the typical day of what they do) but it's something of a dead-end for advancement.

What does it even pay? I've never worked in that industry and it may be very different, but in finance the equivalent would be the call centre and that's minimum wage, bottom of the ladder employment.

Not to disparage people in those kind of roles. I've done sit-ins with them from time to time and man, those people have a will of iron to put up with that job IMO.

[Orkwuzhere]

Do you guys have jobs? People don't just join a company and stay there forever you know. Staff moving on to new roles is a regular occurrence in any business. It has nothing to do with size. I work for one of the 4 biggest banks in my country and still few people work here longer than 5 years.

Some people stay in their jobs for more than 5 years (sometimes by choice). Not everybody leaves their job for something else.

[Eleccybubb]

Some people stay in their jobs for more than 5 years (sometimes by choice). Not everybody leaves their job for something else.

And not everybody stays. People move on. Times change.

[DrStiglit]

Irvine definitely sucks, but Santa Monica is just "ok" imo. I lived in Westwood for a few years and got very tired of the demographic of SoCal in general.

I lived in West LA on Wilshire right between Santa Monica and Westwood. I loved it, absolutely regret moving to NY..

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Trade you in a heartbeat. You can enjoy 95% old and/or incredibly rude assholes in Fort Lauderdale/Tamarac, Florida.

I grew up in Sarasota.. Terrible place..

[Super Kami Dende]

Where in the world do people leave their secure 10+ years jobs at one of the biggest companies in the industry to seek an opportunity somewhere else? I can't believe people are so naive. Whatever i'm out, enjoy your evening or whatever time of the day it is where you are.

Many places? I don't get this thinking of HAVING to stay in one Job for your entire life after only being in it for 10 years.

Hell I know plenty of people in their 40's who have gone back to Uni and started a new Career after working the same job since their 20's.

Must an an American thing since I only ever seem to see Americans saying that leaving a company after a decade is a bad thing.

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I don't understand how so many people are like "gonna miss you pug" when he fucking sucked at communicating. Communication been worse than usual (and that's saying something) this entire x-pack. Most info we've had to gather from twitter and 3rd party websites. As a Cm that's a fucking disgrace.

Boo fucking Hoo for you that some people actually enjoyed communicating with Blizzard on a level that wasn't "HURR DIS GAME IS DEAD GUYS!!!!"

[DrStiglit]

I don't understand how so many people are like "gonna miss you pug" when he fucking sucked at communicating. Communication been worse than usual (and that's saying something) this entire x-pack. Most info we've had to gather from twitter and 3rd party websites. As a Cm that's a fucking disgrace.

I would imagine that isn't their choice and they are directed to do so. I am a financial analyst and handle property investment portfolios. What I can communicate to the owners in regards of performance and reasons for lack thereof is very minimal and often times needs to be approved.

[MoanaLisa]

What does it even pay? I've never worked in that industry and it may be very different, but in finance the equivalent would be the call centre and that's minimum wage, bottom of the ladder employment.

Not to disparage people in those kind of roles. I've done sit-ins with them from time to time and man, those people have a will of iron to put up with that job IMO.

It's more akin to high-level marketing. Most of what they do is not visible to anyone outside the company. For the Irvine crew there is apparently a lot of co-ordination with marketing worldwide and many other responsibilities. About the very last thing they do is hang out on forums and actually communicating with players through those forums is way down the list. Glassdoor.com says that full Community Managers make upwards of 80K. Associate CM's about 50K. I'm sure someone will find this an outrage but the job is very much more than and not at all what people think. They are basically part Customer Service and part Public Relations with a lot of responsibilities that straddle both of those things.

I tried to find a job description for a CM on the Blizzard site but the only thing they currently have up for WoW/CM is an associate position. You can hunt it down if you like.

[Seefer]

I think it's a fair comparison. Many of us have spent decades with this IP. It's almost like a pet at this point.
It's more than just 'any' game to many that's for sure.

Not even close, you don't sit there and pay 15 dollars a month while your cat dies........logic on these forums seems to have flown the coop.

[Kaneiac]

Seems natural. With a company like Blizzard, there's an extraordinarily low turnover rate, especially at this level. I mean, think about it - you might love where you work right now and think you're making enough money - but you can eventually get bored and want to climb the ladder some. If there's no openings at Blizzard, competitors seem fine.

[DrStiglit]

Not even close, you don't sit there and pay 15 dollars a month while your cat dies........logic on these forums seems to have flown the coop.

Yea, the cat's a lot more expensive..

[Seefer]

Yea, the cat's a lot more expensive..

Comparing a dead cat to a video game is just frigging stupid ok?

[Eleccybubb]

Comparing a dead cat to a video game is just frigging stupid ok?

Half of us are stupid!

[Deleted]

Yeah because Blizzard is such a small company that people just use it as a stepping stone. Please...

Size of the company means fuck all. I've recently left a huge 90k employee company and joined a 30 man start-up.
Maslow's hierarcy of needs. Look it up, it's about the top parts of the pyramid

[MoanaLisa]

Seems natural. With a company like Blizzard, there's an extraordinarily low turnover rate, especially at this level. I mean, think about it - you might love where you work right now and think you're making enough money - but you can eventually get bored and want to climb the ladder some. If there's no openings at Blizzard, competitors seem fine.

I went and read his farewell. He clearly implies that he was recruited by another company so he must have been offered a sweet package to move. And that's how working at Blizzard can help you once you bump up against the wall of old-timers there who aren't going anywhere.

[Deleted]

Half of us are stupid!

Severe underestimation

[MoanaLisa]

Severe underestimation

Well, I dunno. Half of everyone is below average.

[Barkloud]

Well, I dunno. Half of everyone is below average.

Technically it would be 49.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999%

[MoanaLisa]

Company loyalty is dead in this day and age. Many places don't give a damn about their employees until it starts affecting their bottom line. I can't speak for a job like he did. But i left a place after 14 years because I didn't feel like i mattered at all. and hell i get paid more and work less. My boss also is awesome. I can't complain.

It's about progression. Game or career. When progression stops other things will look better. Blizzard gets this I'm sure although they can't just create new higher-paying jobs out of thin air just to promote people.

The one thing that continues to pop up in comments about working there is "great place to work but there are a lot of senior people there that aren't going anywhere." It's a recipe to have mid-level people willing to entertain other possibilities.

[Deleted]

I can understand the feeling of having a dead end job in the WoW team, since it just about wsiting for it to end now.
If he can find something new and exiting no one can blame him for leaving.

[Deleted]

Twist: He had the original idea of the Shipyard.