Rumors Mass Layoffs To Impact Arenanet / GW2

[Vyndeleron]

A Kotaku post by Jason Schreier claims that NCSoft is in the works of mass layoffs to impact Arenanet

Quote from post: "Songyee Yoon, the CEO of Korean publisher NCSoft West, which owns ArenaNet, e-mailed employees this afternoon with the news. “Our live game business revenue is declining as our franchises age, delays in development on PC and mobile have created further drains against our revenue projects, while our operating costs in the west have increased,” she wrote. “Where we are is not sustainable, and is not going to set us up for future success.”

https://kotaku.com/guild-wars-2-deve...ffs-1832799804

Loved the launch days of Guild Wars 2 personally along several months later then the temporary content updates just got annoying

To add to that Live Service model is showing its problems and considering it feels like 90% games released these days to even years ago is showing instability.... average consumer I expect can only commit to one live service and the market is too saturated to sustain itself

[KainneAbsolute]

Sad news considering the game still have potential ut it seems the expectations of new products were high...

[korijenkins]

A Kotaku post by Jason Schreier claims that NCSoft is in the works of mass layoffs to impact Arenanet

Quote from post: "Songyee Yoon, the CEO of Korean publisher NCSoft West, which owns ArenaNet, e-mailed employees this afternoon with the news. “Our live game business revenue is declining as our franchises age, delays in development on PC and mobile have created further drains against our revenue projects, while our operating costs in the west have increased,” she wrote. “Where we are is not sustainable, and is not going to set us up for future success.”

https://kotaku.com/guild-wars-2-deve...ffs-1832799804

Loved the launch days of Guild Wars 2 personally along several months later then the temporary content updates just got annoying

To add to that Live Service model is showing its problems and considering it feels like 90% games released these days to even years ago is showing instability.... average consumer I expect can only commit to one live service and the market is too saturated to sustain itself

The last thing you said is very true.

Currently I'm being made to balance PoE, Fortnite, and a third game. I simply have no time for GW2, even though I love the game.

[Moxal]

Bad, bad time to be in game development. =/

[Aeluron Lightsong]

There has to be more to the layoffs then just live services being big right now.

[korijenkins]

Bad, bad time to be in game development. =/

The golden years were the late 90s and early 2000s.

[Nalorakk]

I haven't played GW2 in a year because the game is an unoptimised disaster, but I truly enjoyed most of the time I spent playing it.

This is sad to see, as I hoped one day it might improve. I'm curious to see if content design teams were hit by the cuts, or if it was similar to the Actiblizzion thinning out of admin positions. I know a friend of a friend who works for anet, so I'll ask and post back if there's anything worth saying.

[Shelly]

Bad, bad time to be in game development. =/

Or an excellent time if you are trying to start your own studio or indie projects.

[Rogalicus]

Strangely their revenues during LWS4 were up compared to HoT era, the only weak quarter was the last one that didn't see any patch releases.

[Khaza-R]

A little sad but the article itself highlights the problem that Arenanet seems to be aware of. Modern gamers aren't going to continue playing an aging game. Companies can't just be complicate anymore in game design

[Rogalicus]

I've read some updates, it looks like two unannounced projects will be affected.

Modern gamers aren't going to continue playing an aging game.

I don't think that was the problem, compare 2016 and 2017

to 2018

[nVIDIA]

I've read some updates, it looks like two unannounced projects will be affected.

I don't think that was the problem, compare 2016 and 2017

to 2018

they canceled new projects?

[Rogalicus]

they canceled new projects?

Seems like it.

"We can confirm that due to the cancellation of unannounced projects, ArenaNet will make staff reductions," the statement reads. "This is part of a larger organizational restructuring within NCSOFT in the west, but the Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2 game services will not be affected, nor is any upcoming game content canceled."

[Gray_Matter]

Seems like it.

Yes, it sounds like the layoffs aren't for GW1 or GW2:

https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/disc...-from-arenanet

We know you have a lot of questions about the future of Guild Wars 2. We want to share with you what to expect moving forward for the game. First and foremost, we are still fully committed to all of our players and ongoing support of the game. We will be moving directly from Living World Season 4 into Season 5 as promised, and we plan to continue a regular cadence of updates and releases.

We know Guild Wars 2 is important to you, and as our players, you are important to us. Rest assured that we are still working to add great new content to the game. We are deeply grateful to all of you for your support during this difficult time.

[PACOX]

This story is a bit all over the place. The game had a good year despite is Q4 numbers. Its nearly 6 years old so downsizing is expected. Apparently, a relatively small studio had two projects going on in the background??? NCSoft is reabsorbing Arenanet? The layoffs are related over a decent amount of time? This game is ran by ~400 people? Either someone made a really bad financial decision or the story leaked prematurely and seems worst than whats actually happening.

If NCSoft does take back over I imagine a huge upswing in cosmetic MTs...more than the game already has...ugh.

Sucks to be in the industry right now. Many companies being hit. Investors want that quick mobile/trend-of-the month (BR now) money.

[Gray_Matter]

This story is a bit all over the place. The game had a good year despite is Q4 numbers. Its nearly 6 years old so downsizing is expected. Apparently, a relatively small studio had two projects going on in the background??? NCSoft is reabsorbing Arenanet? The layoffs are related over a decent amount of time? This game is ran by ~400 people? Either someone made a really bad financial decision or the story leaked prematurely and seems worst than whats actually happening.

Sucks to be in the industry right now. Many companies being hit. Investors want that quick mobile/trend-of-the month (BR now) money.

From what I have read, NCSoft is tightening it's belt. A/Net has 2 extra projects that they have been working on and NCSoft has told them to pull the plug on the products. The people on those projects are getting let go. Some of the people who used to work on GW2 went across to those products over the years so it will hurt in terms of morale but it won't impact the current team directly.

[PACOX]

From what I have read, NCSoft is tightening it's belt. A/Net has 2 extra projects that they have been working on and NCSoft has told them to pull the plug on the products. The people on those projects are getting let go. Some of the people who used to work on GW2 went across to those products over the years so it will hurt in terms of morale but it won't impact the current team directly.

Can't argue with that because thats basically the job of a parent company. When scope creeps up someone has to make the tough calls and right the ship.

[dope_danny]

I'm not that surprised honestly. Unless you actively look for news of it when is the last time you saw anyone talking about Guild Wars 2? not to shit on the game but it seems like around the whole 'scarlet briar' period interest in the IP fell off a cliff and not many came back for heart of thorns and since then the games not exactly been showing signs of growth in players and income. Sometimes a game can be perfectly inoffensive and still fail because its interest isn't in the numbers it requires.

[Unholyground]

Nothing is going to effect GW2 it is a big money maker for them.

[Poppincaps]

Seems like being a buy to play MMO is a weird choice. ESO is buy to play as well but also has a sub to unlock additional content and perks. This seems to be a superior model honestly.