SOE to own VG - Sigil fires employees

[FloridaGamer]

Originally Posted by Nino

I promised not to be publically scornful, but I will say this: I hope those truly responsible for the deep rooted failings of the company lay in bed tonight and relive the events that transpired today in their heads, over and over. For not ONE of you is without your job come tomorrow morning.

I'll read between the lines for you guys:

Fuck you Brad, I hope you rot in hell and can never get a good night's sleep again..

[Nathaniel F]

Originally Posted by Twobit Whore

Sigil could have paid off the debt in 3 minutes flat if they just wrote a tell-all book.

Awesome idea.

[Cantatus]

Originally Posted by tad10

If so, why the fuck did Smed let it get released in Jan when everyone knew it wasn't even close to ready?

He already went through the EQ2 experience why would he deliberately put himself through it again?

How often does SOE learn from their mistakes?

[Destructis]

Maybe he knew it would fail and it was part of the plan to get his grubby hands on VSoH pretty cheaply.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Originally Posted by Cantatus

How often does SOE learn from their mistakes?

About half the time?

[I'm Rich Bitch]

Originally Posted by FloridaGamer

I'll read between the lines for you guys:

Fuck you Brad, I hope you rot in hell and can never get a good night's sleep again..

Don't forget Jeff Butler also.

Nino is certainly a class act and I am sure he will be successful in the "new" project. Anyone who has passion for his job like that will achieve greatness regardless of the challenge. The Asshatery of Vanguard Management was too much for even someone like this however.

[Xaxius]

Actual press release...

SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT ACQUIRES LEADING ONLINE GAMES STUDIO -- SIGIL GAMES ONLINE

SOE Strengthens Portfolio with State-of-the-Art Development Studio & its Marquee Game Vanguard: Saga of Heroes

May 15, 2007 San Diego, CA – Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), a global leader in the online games industry, today announced that it has completed a transaction to purchase key assets of Sigil Games Online, Inc. Through the deal, SOE now owns Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, Sigil’s tentpole property, a highly-successful massively multiplayer online game. The Sigil acquisition also builds on SOE’s successful strategy of cultivating game development studios around the world to further boost the company’s capabilities. The announcement was made by John Smedley, President, Sony Online Entertainment.

As part of the acquisition, a majority of the Sigil team will join SOE, integrating into SOE’s worldwide group of studios which includes offices in San Diego, Seattle, Austin, Denver, Los Angeles and Taiwan. The acquisition will strengthen SOE’s position as a leader in the online gaming space by expanding the company’s portfolio of gaming offerings.

“With an unparalleled team and exceptional product, Sigil has been a creative force in the online games space. We look forward to continuing the vision for Vanguard and to continue to deliver some groundbreaking game play,” said Smedley.

In May 2006, SOE acquired the title’s rights and the two companies agreed to co-publish Vanguard. The MMO launched in late January of this year and has sold nearly 200,000 retail and digital units worldwide. Sigil CEO and Vanguard creator, Brad McQuaid will become a consultant with SOE as Vanguard Creative Advisor.

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes takes place in the fantasy setting of Telon, a vast and ancient world of magic, intrigue and adventure where thousands of players from around the world have formed a steadfast community exploring the grandeur of a world crafted by the seminal fantasy artist Keith Parkinson. The game introduced many groundbreaking new features and an art direction second to none.

About Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends™, and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies™, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development. SOE is owned by Sony Pictures Digital and Sony Computer Entertainment America.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest and PlanetSide are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. Untold Legends is a trademark of Sony Online Entertainment LLC.

[Rayne]

Originally Posted by Nino

I promised not to be publically scornful, but I will say this: I hope those truly responsible for the deep rooted failings of the company lay in bed tonight and relive the events that transpired today in their heads, over and over. For not ONE of you is without your job come tomorrow morning.

Man, I gotta give you credit, and some serious kudos for remaining so restrained. But I think FloridaGamer's assessment was likely spot-on. If fortune is to shine on those at Sigil who lost out today, I hope its at the very least to see that fucker burn in hell.

[Locithon]

I feel sorry for Nino, Brad really had me fooled. I got in in Beta 3 and Brad posted quite a bit.... but little did we all know he was basically doing nothing but paying us lip service. I guess Nino and some others were the real people running the game, and in retrospect it makes sense now because Brad hardly ever commented on any specific in-game things.

I have to say I'm a little disenchanted by this whole thing. I'm sure a lot of you had the same experience with some of those dealings in EQ1/SWG so are used to this sort of thing...but man I was following this game for more than 2 years and never thought something like this would happen.

[Campa]

Originally Posted by I'm Rich Bitch

Don't forget Jeff Butler also.

Except:

However a small team of five people will work out of SOE's San Diego's offices. One of those five people is Sigil Games' co-founder and president Jeff Butler and we were told that the five person team will be working "on an undisclosed new MMO".

Which I took to be part of the little group Nino is now in. I'd be shocked if he felt Jeff was one of the problems VG had that he'd work with him again.

Just my $0.02

[Kaylena]

Why do I feel like I'm signing the Congratulations/Sorry for your Loss Hallmark Card?

Anyway, grats on the new beginning Nino!

I wasn't planning on ever playing another SOE game but I guess I can make an exception. I'll look forward to see where your newfound freedom leads you.

You're a great guy, multi-talented and your honesty is priceless! And you don't like kool-aid! Which is very important.

GOOD LUCK!!!

[Faelor]

Originally Posted by Nino

There is much I would love to unload about right now, but seeing as I am feeling pretty emotional while trying to respect the wishes of remaining Vanguard management, I will refrain.

I knew this was coming months ago, as did most others, so I made arrangements prior to the whole unfolding of events today. Sony was kind enough to invite me and a few others to form a small team and to start prototyping a 'new' project. While we've done some 'secret' preliminary work, we begin in earnest tomorrow after we officially sign on with SOE. Don't bother asking about details, because you won't get any.

I became increasingly disenfranchised with the situation since the forced premature launch, which then culminated several weeks back when I decided I could not, in good conscience, continue serving the Sigil management staff in my over-extended capacity and stepped down. I would have walked away completely if this recent opportunity had not presented itself when it did.

I did the best I could with the time and resources I had at my disposal, but in the end it simply wasn't enough to bring the game up to the standards we all had hoped for in the time we had remaining. I apologize for any disappointments players have experienced. During the final year, I was pulling 80-100 hour weeks, and I was not at all alone in the building. I wish things could have been different.

While I was fortunate to stay employed, there were near 50 people today who were not, and it was painful watching the procession of stunned coworkers packing their belongings into little cardboard boxes with blank looks on their faces. I've never had to endure something like this, and I hope to never have to do it again. I know it is easy to point fingers at 'why' things ended up this way, but the vast, vast majority of the folks losing their jobs today had very little control on how events unfolded and many were skilled and creative people who simply wanted to make a great game.

The Vanguard team, obviously now much smaller, will go back to improving and fixing the game tomorrow. Myself and four others will be moving to a new location and beginning anew. The others will begin the process of trying to find a new place to work.

I promised not to be publically scornful, but I will say this: I hope those truly responsible for the deep rooted failings of the company lay in bed tonight and relive the events that transpired today in their heads, over and over. For not ONE of you is without your job come tomorrow morning.

Good luck on your future endeavors, we'll be watching that is for sure. You deserve better.

[Digits]

I think Nino just delivered one of the soundest bitch slaps in the history of our industry with those closing lines. It is really quite impressive.

[Twobit Whore]

That press release has so many nuggets of gold/shit that it makes my head hurt.

Leading studio? Highly successful? Unparallelled team exceptional product creative force. Please God, make it stop.

[Xaxius]

Originally Posted by Twobit Whore

That press release has so many nuggets of gold/shit that it makes my head hurt.

Leading studio? Highly successful? Unparallelled team exceptional product creative force. Please God, make it stop.

I threw up a little bit in my mouth when I read it.