AreanNet has now openly commented on recent events in an interview. The MMORPG Guild Wars 2 is not affected by the layoffs and is still successful.
What was the problem? In February, NCSoft announced that over 100 employees at the developer studio ArenaNet had to be laid off. Reasons for this were declining revenues, rising costs, and delays in new projects.
Even many long-term employees had to leave.
Guild Wars 2 is barely affected
What impact does this have on Guild Wars 2? ArenaNet’s Linsey Murdock explained that the layoffs and the associated restructuring mainly affected new projects. When these were halted, some of the employees returned to the Guild Wars 2 team.
This means that Guild Wars 2 is not as heavily affected by the layoff wave. Linsey Murdoch said: “Many people who were pulled away from Guild Wars 2 for other projects are now returning. There have been hardly any changes in the core team of the MMORPG.”
According to Murdock, work on Guild Wars 2 continues as usual. The finale of the current season is approaching. Plans for the fifth season of the MMORPG are also progressing, and this season will definitely come.
However, the team is reconsidering some aspects of the development of Guild Wars 2. A kind of routine had set in, and now they are thinking about how to “refresh” everything a bit.
The MMORPG is still successful
How is Guild Wars 2 doing? According to Linsey Murdock, the game is doing well. “Guild Wars 2 is still very successful,” she said. “We believe in the brand and the game. Every game loses players over time. That is also the case with Guild Wars 2. It’s just happening slower than expected for us. Guild Wars 2 still generates enough revenue. It is not going away.”
What about future projects? Some new projects have been canceled, but according to Linsey Murdock, a developer studio like ArenaNet is always working on new ideas. This is the only way a company can remain viable. She does not see the projects that have now been canceled as lost; they are just on hold.
This is how ArenaNet wants to take care of its employees: With significantly fewer employees, one might think that the remaining employees have to work harder. But that is not supposed to happen.
It is always asked whether something can be achieved without crunch time, and no one should be forced to work overtime. No one should burn out because they are working too much.
Murdock herself explains that she has not once been asked in 13 years if she is working overtime. According to her, ArenaNet has a healthy corporate culture where employees are cared for, and that should remain so.
So Guild Wars 2 will remain with us and will be expanded with a new season of the Living Story. This should at least reassure the fans for the time being.
