The head of the MMO studio Daybreak Game Company (H1Z1, Everquest Next, Planetside 2) John Smedley is stepping down from his position as CEO and President. A dispute against a group of cybercriminals preceded his resignation.
John Smedley is an industry veteran and one of the figures who has significantly shaped the MMO genre over the years. He held a leading position in genre milestones like Everquest and Star Wars Galaxies. Currently, his studio Daybreak Game Company, which he led away from Sony, is handling several high-profile titles in the MMO market with H1Z1, Planetside 2, and DC Universe Online; additionally, Everquest Next is being developed as one of the most promising MMORPG titles of the next few years.
As DGC told the business site VentureBeat, Smedley has stepped down as President and CEO but will not leave DGC; instead, he will take a break and then rejoin in a different position. The current Chief Operating Officer Russel Shanks will take over as President.
Smedley’s decision comes after a public drama in several acts involving cybercriminals. Smedley and his family were victims of a group of cybercriminals last year who played cruel tricks on them. A probation ruling against one of the participants led to a strong reaction from Smedley on Twitter, where he announced his intention to take legal action against the cybercriminal’s parents. Consequently, the games produced by Daybreak Game Company suffered from DDoS attacks. Fans criticized Smedley, claiming he brought this upon them.
