In the Daybreak Gaming Company (H1Z1, Planetside 2, Everquest Next, Landmark, etc.) several employees were laid off on Wednesday morning US time. Among them was David Georgeson, the face behind Everquest, Everquest 2, Landmark, and Everquest Next.
Last week it was announced that Sony Online Entertainment is no longer part of Sony, but has been acquired by the investment firm Columbus Nova. At that time, it was still seen positively. They changed the name to “Daybreak Gaming Company” and aimed to continue independently with “more resources.” Studio head Smedley mentioned that he was excited to now also develop for the Xbox.
Today there were layoffs. As the Creative Director of Planetside 2 tweeted, it was quite a number:
Big round of layoffs this morning. Losing a lot of talented, hard working, irreplaceable people. Very sad day.
— Matthew Higby (@mhigby) February 11, 2015
Among those was also David Georgeson, the head and the figurehead of Everquest Next and Landmark.
Yeah, I’m sorry folks but it’s true. LM, eqn, eq and eqii are no longer guided by moi. Other dreamers will steer now.
— David Georgeson (@DaveGeorgeson) February 11, 2015
According to a source that has come to the US magazine kotaku, the employees had already learned shortly after the acquisition that layoffs were forthcoming. Management, however, tried to keep morale high and motivate the employees.
The studio itself issued a press release in quite a cool manner. They speak of strategic decisions and the redistribution of resources. These are needed to be able to grow in the future. The current games are not supposed to be affected.
As part of a strategic decision to rationalize the business, Daybreak Game Company announced today that it will eliminate positions in both its San Diego and Austin studios. This alignment of resources better positions the newly independent studio for future growth opportunities and developments, including delivering on its legacy of making top online games and establishing a solid foundation for future multi-platform success. These reductions will not affect the operation of current games and the company will continue on its mission to partner with its player community to drive the future and push the boundaries of online gaming.
Update: More reports are coming in about who had to leave. The layoffs apparently hit the Everquest teams particularly hard. But some employees from H1Z1 are also affected.
Update 2/12, 11:00 AM: Some employees from H1Z1 and Planetside 2 were indeed affected. But the main concern is about the future of the Everquest franchise. Not only are dark clouds hanging over the future of Everquest Next. The already relatively small team of the Free2Play title Everquest 2 has been further reduced.
In the meantime, one of the laid-off producers from Planetside 2 addressed the community in a letter on reddit. He does not blame the investment firm Columbus Nova, but states: The numbers simply did not add up, and a “shake-up” was needed. He refers to Columbus Nova as the “White Knight.” This is a term from finance. It refers to a company that saves another from a hostile takeover or bankruptcy. This means that without the investment firm, SOE would no longer exist … That paints a bleak picture, much bleaker than analysts assumed a few days ago.
