07-01-2003, 01:02 AM
So, Bill Roper, Max and Erich Schaefer and David Brevik are no longer with Blizzard as of today.
The following is pure speculation, a SWAG.
The quote from the Vivendi press release states: "resigned from the company to pursue other opportunities."
That's business code for "If they didn't quit they were going to be fired".
Roper was leading a Fansite chat just 2 weeks ago, it would seem that the parting of ways was not expected at that time. No company is going to let an imminently departing employee represent them at a puiblic forum, so we can assume that Roper and Co had not given their notice at that time. Also, it is somewhat reckless for a person to depart ways with an employer without providing at least two weeks notice, so let's also assume that Roper & Co did not expect to be leaving ( as of June 19 ).
I'm going to guess that something came to a head in the past week, something that one ( or more ) of the four did, or wanted to do, that senior management at Blizz could not live with.
The "Bill and Co are good guys" scenario - The execusphere told them that they were devoting too many resources to D2 1.10, that they had to hold off further work until well after TFT sales showed a trend. Bill and Co say, "No dammit!, our long suffering D2 fans want their patch now and we should give it to them without delay" The execs say no, Bill and Co do a Johnny Paycheck.
Liklihood - 20%
The "Bill and Co are bad guys" scenario. Exec: "Guys, we're taking some heat from the loyal fan base, and we're concerned that the negativity around D2 1.10 will have a spillover impact to sales of TFT and other titles, why has it taken so long to get this patch?" Bill and Co " Listen, we're tired of this product and it's whiny fans, we need to work on new stuff, if the fans can't wait then eff em" Exec: " Hmm, we want this D2 patch out by the beginning of July, or else...."
Liklihood - 20%
Reality is probably somewhere in the middle - Execs want happy customers, happy customers are repeat customers. However, Execs don't like giving stuff away - working on free stuff has very little cost recovery potential and while goodwill is positive ( as long as it doesn't cost too much ) I'd speculate that senior managment did not sign up to a patch the size and scope of 1.10 - putting the development team, and their management in the dog house. Creative people like to work on new stuff and don't like people criticizing their work - after 3 years of working on D2 and listening to the pissing and moaning of the customers dumping on their baby the creative team are probably ready to put D2 behind them and it wouldn't take much to make them walk.
Throw in the fact that Vivendi is trying to dump it's entertainment holdings and the speculation if rife that EA wants Blizz and you have the recipe for " I'm tired of this BS, nobody appreciates my work, all they do is whine and I'll be good and g*d-d@mned if I'll work for so and so".
All it takes at that point is one incident and the camel's back breaks.
Again, all of the above is pure speculation - feel free to add your own.
The following is pure speculation, a SWAG.
The quote from the Vivendi press release states: "resigned from the company to pursue other opportunities."
That's business code for "If they didn't quit they were going to be fired".
Roper was leading a Fansite chat just 2 weeks ago, it would seem that the parting of ways was not expected at that time. No company is going to let an imminently departing employee represent them at a puiblic forum, so we can assume that Roper and Co had not given their notice at that time. Also, it is somewhat reckless for a person to depart ways with an employer without providing at least two weeks notice, so let's also assume that Roper & Co did not expect to be leaving ( as of June 19 ).
I'm going to guess that something came to a head in the past week, something that one ( or more ) of the four did, or wanted to do, that senior management at Blizz could not live with.
The "Bill and Co are good guys" scenario - The execusphere told them that they were devoting too many resources to D2 1.10, that they had to hold off further work until well after TFT sales showed a trend. Bill and Co say, "No dammit!, our long suffering D2 fans want their patch now and we should give it to them without delay" The execs say no, Bill and Co do a Johnny Paycheck.
Liklihood - 20%
The "Bill and Co are bad guys" scenario. Exec: "Guys, we're taking some heat from the loyal fan base, and we're concerned that the negativity around D2 1.10 will have a spillover impact to sales of TFT and other titles, why has it taken so long to get this patch?" Bill and Co " Listen, we're tired of this product and it's whiny fans, we need to work on new stuff, if the fans can't wait then eff em" Exec: " Hmm, we want this D2 patch out by the beginning of July, or else...."
Liklihood - 20%
Reality is probably somewhere in the middle - Execs want happy customers, happy customers are repeat customers. However, Execs don't like giving stuff away - working on free stuff has very little cost recovery potential and while goodwill is positive ( as long as it doesn't cost too much ) I'd speculate that senior managment did not sign up to a patch the size and scope of 1.10 - putting the development team, and their management in the dog house. Creative people like to work on new stuff and don't like people criticizing their work - after 3 years of working on D2 and listening to the pissing and moaning of the customers dumping on their baby the creative team are probably ready to put D2 behind them and it wouldn't take much to make them walk.
Throw in the fact that Vivendi is trying to dump it's entertainment holdings and the speculation if rife that EA wants Blizz and you have the recipe for " I'm tired of this BS, nobody appreciates my work, all they do is whine and I'll be good and g*d-d@mned if I'll work for so and so".
All it takes at that point is one incident and the camel's back breaks.
Again, all of the above is pure speculation - feel free to add your own.
Some people are like slinkys, not really good for anything but you just can't help but smile when you see them tumble down the stairs.