Is his health a factor in this, YEP! But if you think the lackluster sales and poor subscriber retention in WS has nothing to do with this then you need to set the kool-aid down.
Every time a AAA MMO launches to lackluster sales, senior managers are blamed and asked to leave. If a company puts millions into a project and that project does not return on the investment, you can bet someone is gonna be let go. It just amazes me that every time this happens some of you swear on your mommas grave that losing a butt-load of money for the company had nothing to do with the person leaving. In a few months to a year you will see this guy back to work at another company in a lower position. It has happened again and again but some of you keep drinking the kool-aid.
I wish him well and have no ill feelings about him or his company and I am sure he has re-thought his life after surviving cancer. I just dont believe that is the main reason for him leaving especially when you consider he continued to work while having cancer and through his surgery and now that the game has been released for a bit to poor revenue this happens
"Sean (Murray) saying MP will be in the game is not remotely close to evidence that at the point of purchase people thought there was MP in the game." - SEANMCAD
Is his health a factor in this, YEP! But if you think the lackluster sales and poor subscriber retention in WS has nothing to do with this then you need to set the kool-aid down.
Every time a AAA MMO launches to lackluster sales, senior managers are blamed and asked to leave. If a company puts millions into a project and that project does not return on the investment, you can bet someone is gonna be let go. It just amazes me that every time this happens some of you swear on your mommas grave that losing a butt-load of money for the company had nothing to do with the person leaving. In a few months to a year you will see this guy back to work at another company in a lower position. It has happened again and again but some of you keep drinking the kool-aid.
I wish him well and have no ill feelings about him or his company and I am sure he has re-thought his life after surviving cancer. I just dont believe that is the main reason for him leaving especially when you consider he continued to work while having cancer and through his surgery and now that the game has been released for a bit to poor revenue this happens
It is both really. Because if wants to spend more time with his family no matter what position he fills in gaming industry it is going to be very demanding.
He also mentioned that at some point he would completely leave carbine. I am sure Ncsoft is pressuring him to do so.
"In my case, it is part of my reason for stepping down - through 2013, my wife and I lost six members of our families to various reasons – mostly cancer. I myself was diagnosed at the end of last year with a fatal-if-untreated form of skin cancer. I had let it go untreated/undiagnosed for over 9 months while focusing on work instead. I dodged a bullet; surgery was successful and I’m cancer-free - but (if you ever go through anything similar you’ll know) that’s a hell of a wake-up call."
IMO there's a lot more to this than medical reasons.
My opinion below:
If WS was doing great financially and grown the playerbase - he wouldn't be stepping down, as I don't think that this is his decision.
The real story is that the game underperformed, NCSoft execs didn't give him much choice but let him "step down" , which as a president means - getting canned.
Again just my opinion.
I agree and I think it was a bit misleading to use his illness as a cover for his demotion. I do have empathy for the guy, but you have to wonder. He said that he was cured and the game is launched, the hard parts of the last year should be well behind him seems silly to step down at this point.
As a normal human: smart move taking time to care for your health, kudos to you Mr. Gaffney!
As a gamer: goodbye and good riddance!
He was a plague on Wildstar, kept the game in development pointlessly for ages! I mean, look at it! A smart studio could make Wildstar in 2-3 years MAX with the level of content that's in the game right now.
And no offense, it's been obvious that no one has been holding the reigns for the past months, Carbine has been sleeping.
I would be shocked if sub numbers were above 300k. Not even F2P would save Wildstar as it is now.
not going to trivialize it per say because i went through it, but i would wager his cancer was simply a mole that he had cut out with a margin for certainty. While it is a "surgery" it really is a disservice to catagorize it as such to try to make a mountain out of a "mole hill" from the treatment stand point.
That alone kind of makes me think his reasons are a litle shady, his choice his life, i just nit pick when people fluff up big excuses. guy quit end of story, i am sure he made a lot of doe and wants a break.
Originally posted by waxmask You can give any reason. Even excusing beforehand for the comming cliche. Still sounds alot like "Take tha moneh and run!"
That's a very cold statement after the guy pretty much gave you a look into the reason on what's going on with him and his families personal life. Let hope this type of thing doesn't happen to you.. I'm sure if it did then you might have a different outlook on things.
Originally posted by waxmask You can give any reason. Even excusing beforehand for the comming cliche. Still sounds alot like "Take tha moneh and run!"
It's astonishing someone would even think, let alone say, such a thing. After your first close call health-wise (and it'll happen sooner or later), you'll rethink that callousness.
As a cancer survivor myself, all I can say is, "Godspeed, Mr. Gaffney. Congrats on taking time for what truly matters in this life."
Agreed. If I were him I would take a year off to focus on things that are actually important like friends and family instead of work.
God speed sir and I hope the best for you and the family. After having a 4 way bypass and almost not making it I understand why this could be a part of the reason for stepping down. What ever the other reason's may be, never forget family and health is the most important.
A hell of a wake up call indeed! Although its awesome that you continued to finish something like a (or for some people The) game. Personally i would say to hell with it. Family is much more important. They stick with you no matter what (or at least that is what should be) while gamers don't even know who you really are and just think of themselves. (most of them anyway) They don't care if you continue or not. All they care about how they can play and win. Well sir... you won. I'm still not convinced if lucky is the term. but you won and live to fight another day. My own father dodged the bullet twice and i'm gratefull for that. It shows and i really hope no one has to get that awefull waku up call. That you have 'dodged the bullet' is a blessing and i really hope you enjoy life / living just as much as i do.
NOBODY would chose to work on a video game over getting their cancer treated. Unless they're incredibly dumb.
Reeks of a PR stunt. As someone who has had a family member with cancer, it's pretty crappy to try and use this as some kind of "The game was so important to me, I risked my life for it."
He had 6 family members die of it and he decided to just...wait 9 months while he finished the game? I"m sorry, but I don't believe this story in the least. He has a wife...and she let him go 9 months untreated while he created a VIDEO GAME? And she didn't leave him over this? Seriously?
Marc Jacobs of Camelot Unchained recently had some early stages of skin cancer, what did he do? Made a lengthy post about it and took the time he needed to get treated, and TRUSTED IN HIS TEAM. Much more believable than risking your life for a video game. Your life, your family, is what matters. Not the creation of a video game.
Help get Camelot Unchained made, a old-school MMORPG, with no hand holding!
NOBODY would chose to work on a video game over getting their cancer treated. Unless they're incredibly dumb.
Reeks of a PR stunt. As someone who has had a family member with cancer, it's pretty crappy to try and use this as some kind of "The game was so important to me, I risked my life for it."
He had 6 family members die of it and he decided to just...wait 9 months while he finished the game? I"m sorry, but I don't believe this story in the least. He has a wife...and she let him go 9 months untreated while he created a VIDEO GAME? And she didn't leave him over this? Seriously?
Marc Jacobs of Camelot Unchained recently had some early stages of skin cancer, what did he do? Made a lengthy post about it and took the time he needed to get treated, and TRUSTED IN HIS TEAM. Much more believable than risking your life for a video game. Your life, your family, is what matters. Not the creation of a video game.
Personally, my cancer then no. My wife or kid's cancer, I'd be more lenient to working on said game.
Seriously, I can't believe you knuckleheads started an argument on wether Gaffney was lying, partially truthful, turfed out my NCSoft or whatevers. If there are reasons other that what he stated, then so what. First, you can't do anything about it. Second, its none of our business. Everyone deals with their own mortality in different ways, and I wish Gaffney nothing but the best. I swear some of you people will hen peck over anything.
The price those people pay for going trough publishing MMO is insane.
Its so life wrecking that the Bioware doctors, after publishing numerous games, selling their company for huge amount, becoming top people at EA - decided to leave the business alltogether after launching SWTOR.
And I think this is pretty much reflecting in industry and less and less people and companies want to have anything to do with MMOs
I smell bullshit... You lost 6 family member's to cancer and got fatal if untreated cancer yourself, I love that he says "Focusing on family" is often, in my opinion a horseshit excuse you hear from executive types." That's hat this sounds like to me!
Originally posted by Robotzh8teme Seriously, I can't believe you knuckleheads started an argument on wether Gaffney was lying, partially truthful, turfed out my NCSoft or whatevers. If there are reasons other that what he stated, then so what. First, you can't do anything about it. Second, its none of our business. Everyone deals with their own mortality in different ways, and I wish Gaffney nothing but the best. I swear some of you people will hen peck over anything.
Its called calling bullshit when people see it. People paid money for a product that apparently many aren't happy with and hold people accountable. People don't like being lied to.
"Fatal-if-untreated form of skin cancer" and yet you continued to work on a game? This is a huge pile of horseshit and he is being a hypocrite with his opening statement. One does not continue working in a high radiation zone when they are diagnosed with radiation sickness.
Call things as they are and don't hide behind some lame excuses or cover up you own failings.
Originally posted by waxmask You can give any reason. Even excusing beforehand for the comming cliche. Still sounds alot like "Take tha moneh and run!"
It's astonishing someone would even think, let alone say, such a thing. After your first close call health-wise (and it'll happen sooner or later), you'll rethink that callousness.
As a cancer survivor myself, all I can say is, "Godspeed, Mr. Gaffney. Congrats on taking time for what truly matters in this life."
I agree with you SBFord. Can you just do us all a favor and just ban that account forever. This site and really the world would be a better place without someone like waxmask in it.
Cancer is a bitch and it is respected that he is stepping down because of it. However, I do not believe that it is just the cancer that made this decision.
Comments
Is his health a factor in this, YEP! But if you think the lackluster sales and poor subscriber retention in WS has nothing to do with this then you need to set the kool-aid down.
Every time a AAA MMO launches to lackluster sales, senior managers are blamed and asked to leave. If a company puts millions into a project and that project does not return on the investment, you can bet someone is gonna be let go. It just amazes me that every time this happens some of you swear on your mommas grave that losing a butt-load of money for the company had nothing to do with the person leaving. In a few months to a year you will see this guy back to work at another company in a lower position. It has happened again and again but some of you keep drinking the kool-aid.
I wish him well and have no ill feelings about him or his company and I am sure he has re-thought his life after surviving cancer. I just dont believe that is the main reason for him leaving especially when you consider he continued to work while having cancer and through his surgery and now that the game has been released for a bit to poor revenue this happens
It is both really. Because if wants to spend more time with his family no matter what position he fills in gaming industry it is going to be very demanding.
He also mentioned that at some point he would completely leave carbine. I am sure Ncsoft is pressuring him to do so.
"In my case, it is part of my reason for stepping down - through 2013, my wife and I lost six members of our families to various reasons – mostly cancer. I myself was diagnosed at the end of last year with a fatal-if-untreated form of skin cancer. I had let it go untreated/undiagnosed for over 9 months while focusing on work instead. I dodged a bullet; surgery was successful and I’m cancer-free - but (if you ever go through anything similar you’ll know) that’s a hell of a wake-up call."
Did this guy work for Adrian Veidt or something?
I agree and I think it was a bit misleading to use his illness as a cover for his demotion. I do have empathy for the guy, but you have to wonder. He said that he was cured and the game is launched, the hard parts of the last year should be well behind him seems silly to step down at this point.
As a normal human: smart move taking time to care for your health, kudos to you Mr. Gaffney!
As a gamer: goodbye and good riddance!
He was a plague on Wildstar, kept the game in development pointlessly for ages! I mean, look at it! A smart studio could make Wildstar in 2-3 years MAX with the level of content that's in the game right now.
And no offense, it's been obvious that no one has been holding the reigns for the past months, Carbine has been sleeping.
I would be shocked if sub numbers were above 300k. Not even F2P would save Wildstar as it is now.
not going to trivialize it per say because i went through it, but i would wager his cancer was simply a mole that he had cut out with a margin for certainty. While it is a "surgery" it really is a disservice to catagorize it as such to try to make a mountain out of a "mole hill" from the treatment stand point.
That alone kind of makes me think his reasons are a litle shady, his choice his life, i just nit pick when people fluff up big excuses. guy quit end of story, i am sure he made a lot of doe and wants a break.
That's a very cold statement after the guy pretty much gave you a look into the reason on what's going on with him and his families personal life. Let hope this type of thing doesn't happen to you.. I'm sure if it did then you might have a different outlook on things.
want 7 free days of playing? Try this
http://www.swtor.com/r/ZptVnY
Agreed. If I were him I would take a year off to focus on things that are actually important like friends and family instead of work.
God speed sir and I hope the best for you and the family. After having a 4 way bypass and almost not making it I understand why this could be a part of the reason for stepping down. What ever the other reason's may be, never forget family and health is the most important.
God Bless and all the best in the future.
Star Citizen – The Extinction Level Event
4/13/15 > ELE has been updated look for 16-04-13.
http://www.dereksmart.org/2016/04/star-citizen-the-ele/
Enjoy and know the truth always comes to light!
A hell of a wake up call indeed! Although its awesome that you continued to finish something like a (or for some people The) game. Personally i would say to hell with it. Family is much more important. They stick with you no matter what (or at least that is what should be) while gamers don't even know who you really are and just think of themselves. (most of them anyway) They don't care if you continue or not. All they care about how they can play and win. Well sir... you won. I'm still not convinced if lucky is the term. but you won and live to fight another day. My own father dodged the bullet twice and i'm gratefull for that. It shows and i really hope no one has to get that awefull waku up call. That you have 'dodged the bullet' is a blessing and i really hope you enjoy life / living just as much as i do.
Take care of yourself and your family.
This is the height of bullcrap.
NOBODY would chose to work on a video game over getting their cancer treated. Unless they're incredibly dumb.
Reeks of a PR stunt. As someone who has had a family member with cancer, it's pretty crappy to try and use this as some kind of "The game was so important to me, I risked my life for it."
He had 6 family members die of it and he decided to just...wait 9 months while he finished the game? I"m sorry, but I don't believe this story in the least. He has a wife...and she let him go 9 months untreated while he created a VIDEO GAME? And she didn't leave him over this? Seriously?
Marc Jacobs of Camelot Unchained recently had some early stages of skin cancer, what did he do? Made a lengthy post about it and took the time he needed to get treated, and TRUSTED IN HIS TEAM. Much more believable than risking your life for a video game. Your life, your family, is what matters. Not the creation of a video game.
Help get Camelot Unchained made, a old-school MMORPG, with no hand holding!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/13861848/camelot-unchained
Personally, my cancer then no. My wife or kid's cancer, I'd be more lenient to working on said game.
You are out of mind my friend.
Dude, your signature is amazing!
Its called calling bullshit when people see it. People paid money for a product that apparently many aren't happy with and hold people accountable. People don't like being lied to.
"Fatal-if-untreated form of skin cancer" and yet you continued to work on a game? This is a huge pile of horseshit and he is being a hypocrite with his opening statement. One does not continue working in a high radiation zone when they are diagnosed with radiation sickness.
Call things as they are and don't hide behind some lame excuses or cover up you own failings.
I agree with you SBFord. Can you just do us all a favor and just ban that account forever. This site and really the world would be a better place without someone like waxmask in it.
Cancer is a bitch and it is respected that he is stepping down because of it. However, I do not believe that it is just the cancer that made this decision.
I do wish him the best.