More layoffs for ZeniMax (Update: Confirmed)

RinaldoGandolphi · August 2015

http://massivelyop.com/2015/08/19/rumor-more-layoffs-for-zenimax/
More layoffs for ZeniMax (Update: Confirmed)

The end of this post has been updated with confirmation from Bethsoft as of August 20th.

Comments by a gaming industry recruiter and tech consultant have sparked a Twitter rumor that ZeniMax, the conglom that backs Bethsoft and The Elder Scrolls Online sub-studio ZeniMax Online Studios, has suffered a round of layoffs today, potentially at its hub in Ireland, which primarily supports ESO.

The Galway, Ireland, branch took significant hits to its customer support staff last summer. The ESO studio has lost several key devs this year.

We reached out to Bethsoft several hours ago for comment and will update as we learn more; we welcome more information from involved persons, whose anonymity will be protected.

Update 08/20/2015 8:04:32 AM EDT: A spokesperson from Bethsoft confirmed customer support layoffs to Massively OP in the following statement: “Following the successful PC and console launches of The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited, we have a thriving online community and have adjusted customer support to meet the ongoing needs of our players.”

Entertainment software company Zenimax Media lays off in Md.

http://thedailyrecord.com/2015/08/20/maryland-zenimax-media-layoffs/

"Rockville-based Zenimax Media Inc. on Wednesday laid off workers from its Hunt Valley location, according to Maryland state records.

"In all, 25 of Zenimax Media’s employees at 101 Schilling Road lost their jobs in the layoff. The action was described in the records as a mass layoff rather than a closure of the site where Zenimax Online Studios operates.

"The company sent notice of the layoffs on Aug. 14, according to the records.

"Zenimax Media did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Thursday."

Twitter Explodes about layoffs in Ireland Supprt Center.

Newspaper reports lay offs at Zenimax in Maryland

Discuss

Edited for Clarity

whyB · August 2015

Business is about a bottom line. And to restructure after launch is not new. Stakeholders enjoy profits. This is the same as a department store hiring a lot of "temporary" staff for holidays.

Mighty_oakk · August 2015

Who ever decided to lauch Ps4 IC on the same day as Destiny expansion should get laid off as well.

Gilvoth · August 2015

untill we see Vvardenfell, dark brotherhood, and also correct class ballances in eso, then i dont see it mattering who is let go of. game should never have existed without those 3 items in it from the very start.

WhiteCoatSyndrome · August 2015

Note to self: Do not send resume in to Zenimax.

Maotti · August 2015

Mighty_oakk wrote: »

Who ever decided to lauch Ps4 IC on the same day as Destiny expansion should get laid off as well.

Probaby already happened!

KaleidoscopeEyz · August 2015

Mighty_oakk wrote: »

Who ever decided to lauch Ps4 IC on the same day as Destiny expansion should get laid off as well.

Prepare for the PSN to crash. Is Microsoft the same day too?

Reverb · August 2015

Makes sense to reduce support staff. No reason to pay people to copy/paste this, add a few Knowledge Base quips that have nothing to do with the details provided in the ticket, and close the case. A script can do it much more efficiently.

Greetings,

Thank you for contacting The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited team. In light of the excitement and great demand for ESO TU, we are currently experiencing high contact volume. We encourage you to search our support site at https://help.elderscrollsonline.com for any in-game topics or issues you may have questions about. There are lots of helpful FAQs and links to our social pages.

If you are experiencing any in-game UI issues (including NPC, quest problems and missing crowns/entitlements) can be resolved by logging out for five minutes then back in which will load you into a new game instance.

Tandor · August 2015

RinaldoGandolphi wrote: »

any outside investor that was looking to invest would seriously be given a long pause at these recent occurrences.

Most outside investors are interesting in lean businesses, they're not interested in companies with bloated payrolls. If they can see that a company's management has taken decisive action to streamline the company then that will give them confidence, not cause to hold back from investing.

Xendyn · August 2015

Doesn't surprise me, we saw this after PC launch, too. I was kind of expecting it as I've noticed fewer Mods here on the forums sorting threads and such.

Personofsecrets · August 2015

Well, when the company waits for console release in order to release content, then what else can we expect?

This game and brand has been irreparably harmed by whoever made that choice.

Kuroinu · August 2015

So I see that the OP has recently quit as of yesterday(as stated in their signature); and the first thing they do is to create a thread and word it in such a way that it's all "doom and gloom". Some people can't quit in peace, I'm sorry you got tired of ESO, but try not to act like the mainstream media.

Personofsecrets · August 2015

Riko_Futatabi wrote: »

So I see that the OP has recently quit as of yesterday(as stated in their signature); and the first thing they do is to create a thread and word it in such a way that it's all "doom and gloom". Some people can't quit in peace, I'm sorry you got tired of ESO, but try not to act like the mainstream media.

Thank you for that fresh and nuanced perspective. I forgot that people who quit aren't able to give their opinion.

RinaldoGandolphi · August 2015

Riko_Futatabi wrote: »

So I see that the OP has recently quit as of yesterday(as stated in their signature); and the first thing they do is to create a thread and word it in such a way that it's all "doom and gloom". Some people can't quit in peace, I'm sorry you got tired of ESO, but try not to act like the mainstream media.

nah nice try though.

I actually want this game to do well as the TES Franchise as a whole depends on it, this game fails there may not be a TES 6 so me wanting to say that is absurd.

My reasons for stopping playing have nothing to do with this, Im just posting this as news because its factual and relevent...its not doom and gloom at all, its just current events, nothing more.

I apologize for not liking layoffs.
i apologize for thinking it sucks people are losing their jobs.
I apologize that i feel sympathetic for these people who probably have families to feed.

Nope, all doom and gloom eh?

Doom and Gloom would be posting false statements, verified reports of layoffs isn't posting false statements trying to start doom and gloom.

Im sorry my opinion of thinking layoffs suck is taken as doom and gloom.

RAGUNAnoOne · August 2015

Reverb wrote: »

Makes sense to reduce support staff. No reason to pay people to copy/paste this, add a few Knowledge Base quips that have nothing to do with the details provided in the ticket, and close the case. A script can do it much more efficiently.

Greetings,

Thank you for contacting The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited team. In light of the excitement and great demand for ESO TU, we are currently experiencing high contact volume. We encourage you to search our support site at https://help.elderscrollsonline.com for any in-game topics or issues you may have questions about. There are lots of helpful FAQs and links to our social pages.

If you are experiencing any in-game UI issues (including NPC, quest problems and missing crowns/entitlements) can be resolved by logging out for five minutes then back in which will load you into a new game instance.

am I really the ONLY one that did not get this at all, I highly doubt it. do you people actually read what they want/need you to include in the instructions, do you curse and point fingers?

LegacyDM · August 2015

Riko_Futatabi wrote: »

So I see that the OP has recently quit as of yesterday(as stated in their signature); and the first thing they do is to create a thread and word it in such a way that it's all "doom and gloom". Some people can't quit in peace, I'm sorry you got tired of ESO, but try not to act like the mainstream media.

Here's what I see in his signature "Sorcerer's - The ONLY class in the game that is punished for using its class defining skill (Bolt Escape)".

Go play a NB. At least BE works every time you cast it and there aren't a dozen ways to instantly counter it. At least your own dots don't stop BE from working correctly. At least your class defining skill hasn't been riddled with problems since launch to the point where people say cloak is broke.

RinaldoGandolphi · August 2015

joshdm2001_ESO wrote: »

Riko_Futatabi wrote: »

So I see that the OP has recently quit as of yesterday(as stated in their signature); and the first thing they do is to create a thread and word it in such a way that it's all "doom and gloom". Some people can't quit in peace, I'm sorry you got tired of ESO, but try not to act like the mainstream media.

Here's what I see in his signature "Sorcerer's - The ONLY class in the game that is punished for using its class defining skill (Bolt Escape)".

Go play a NB. At least BE works every time you cast it and there aren't a dozen ways to instantly counter it. At least your own dots don't stop BE from working correctly. At least your class defining skill hasn't been riddled with problems since launch to the point where people say cloak is broke.

I did have a Nightblade...it was fun...every bit as good as my Sorc just a different playstyle. That has nothing to do with anything, all class can be OP in the hands of great players....Sorc's are toned down a bit in the upcoming update, they can still be powerful with slight changes to playstyle however.

Hope499 · August 2015

Normal practice in game company these days.

Less work to maintain than to build,.

RinaldoGandolphi · August 2015

RAGUNAnoOne wrote: »

Reverb wrote: »

Makes sense to reduce support staff. No reason to pay people to copy/paste this, add a few Knowledge Base quips that have nothing to do with the details provided in the ticket, and close the case. A script can do it much more efficiently.

Greetings,

Thank you for contacting The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited team. In light of the excitement and great demand for ESO TU, we are currently experiencing high contact volume. We encourage you to search our support site at https://help.elderscrollsonline.com for any in-game topics or issues you may have questions about. There are lots of helpful FAQs and links to our social pages.

If you are experiencing any in-game UI issues (including NPC, quest problems and missing crowns/entitlements) can be resolved by logging out for five minutes then back in which will load you into a new game instance.

am I really the ONLY one that did not get this at all, I highly doubt it. do you people actually read what they want/need you to include in the instructions, do you curse and point fingers?

No one knows if thats really the real reason

Zenimax only has 250 Employees in their Maryland Location, a small amount really to begin with, they laid off 25 of them which is 10% of their staff at headquarters, thats nothing to sneeze at...has nothing to do with doom and gloom, its just news, it happened.

Not only did their top 3 devs leave(Paul Sage, Nick Konkle, and Maria Aliprando), but now they can another 25 from headquarters? You draw your own conclusions, thats not doom or gloom at all its fact...im sorry you don't like that fact, but its fact nonetheless.

RinaldoGandolphi · August 2015

Hope499 wrote: »

Normal practice in game company these days.

Less work to maintain than to build,.

Maybe, maybe not.

Regardless, you all know it happened, you know the situation, your draw your own opinions, thats why i posted it. Good day.

OmniDevil · August 2015

Hope499 wrote: »

Normal practice in game company these days.

Less work to maintain than to build,.

This.

Completely normal, for any game company/producer, to let go a large chunk of "non-essential" staff and only keeping around enough to keep things going for maintenance/development.

No one should be looking at this, in any other way, besides this.

Stop predicting "DOOM" Nostradamus. ESO isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

RinaldoGandolphi · August 2015

OmniDevil wrote: »

Hope499 wrote: »

Normal practice in game company these days.

Less work to maintain than to build,.

This.

Completely normal, for any game company/producer, to let go a large chunk of "non-essential" staff and only keeping around enough to keep things going for maintenance/development.

No one should be looking at this, in any other way, besides this.

Stop predicting "DOOM" Nostradamus. ESO isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Not predicting Doom Gloom, just posting news.

I hope your right, because TES 6 needs the money, so ESO needs to keep chugging and hopefully keeps its head above water.

You need to understand, i have no hate for this game, i spent since launch as a sub. I didn't leave or stop playing out of some sort of rage, there are just a few issues in the game i don't agree with that need fixing, but no rage or ill will. I'll probably be back at some point, hopefully they get enough cash from this new DLC that they can get more stuff fixed and polished. Until then i'll pursue other adventures

Just understand, there is no ill will for me...there are parts of this game that are truly great. So take it easy

Kuroinu · August 2015

RinaldoGandolphi wrote: »

Riko_Futatabi wrote: »

So I see that the OP has recently quit as of yesterday(as stated in their signature); and the first thing they do is to create a thread and word it in such a way that it's all "doom and gloom". Some people can't quit in peace, I'm sorry you got tired of ESO, but try not to act like the mainstream media.

nah nice try though.

I actually want this game to do well as the TES Franchise as a whole depends on it, this game fails there may not be a TES 6 so me wanting to say that is absurd.

My reasons for stopping playing have nothing to do with this, Im just posting this as news because its factual and relevent...its not doom and gloom at all, its just current events, nothing more.

I apologize for not liking layoffs.
i apologize for thinking it sucks people are losing their jobs.
I apologize that i feel sympathetic for these people who probably have families to feed.

Nope, all doom and gloom eh?

Doom and Gloom would be posting false statements, verified reports of layoffs isn't posting false statements trying to start doom and gloom.

Im sorry my opinion of thinking layoffs suck is taken as doom and gloom.

I apologize for being harsh and assuming on the reasons as to why you quit. But you can see why I made such an assumption since threads like this happen often when someone quits and wishes to vent some anger.

What was your intent in creating this thread? The forums can be negative enough without adding bad news that no one has control over. I don't like that people have to lose their jobs, but posting this here does not solve anything or help anyone out.

Personofsecrets · August 2015

Am I the only one that thinks customer support for this game is bad?

BigM · August 2015

OmniDevil wrote: »

Hope499 wrote: »

Normal practice in game company these days.

Less work to maintain than to build,.

This.

Completely normal, for any game company/producer, to let go a large chunk of "non-essential" staff and only keeping around enough to keep things going for maintenance/development.

No one should be looking at this, in any other way, besides this.

Stop predicting "DOOM" Nostradamus. ESO isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

LOL a really big one for you too. Almost 2 years since release of PC/MAC 2nd layoffs to come to company and we only have IC on PTS. You guys are funny, this isn't doom and gloom this is a nuclear explosion to the company PERIOD!.

dday3six · August 2015

Unless "big" names start disappearing in bulk I don't see much cause for concern.

How IC is received after launch, and what changes are made to the game between than and the next expansion have more consequential impact on the game's health than layoffs of what seem to be nonessential personnel.

Pallmor · August 2015

They had layoffs last September too. Then it was developers, this time it's customer service. It really sucks for the employees who put their faith in the company. Even if you're not laid off, you start to wonder if you're next.

sekou_trayvond · August 2015

RinaldoGandolphi wrote: »

I hope your right, because TES 6 needs the money, so ESO needs to keep chugging and hopefully keeps its head above water.

I'm fairly certain the future of TES6 is completely tied to FO4 and Todd Howard's team and not ZOS.

And Fallout 4 is going to set Beth sales records, methinks.

Yattaq · August 2015

This is a pretty standard "I quit and I'm going to only contribute content that pushes other people in the same direction so I can feel vindicated about my decision" thread. These are customer service layoffs. Customer service has nothing to do with the long-term development of the game. It does mean that the demand for CS is lower, and anyone would expect that it would be compared to the first month of console launch. Three developers leaving the studio also has nothing to do with customer service layoffs. You can bet more than three developers have left in the past year, and you can bet that new ones have joined. I'm not sure why people think the gaming industry is different in this regard. People, especially younger people, don't stick at the same gig for more than 5 years typically.

RinaldoGandolphi · August 2015

Pallmor wrote: »

They had layoffs last September too. Then it was developers, this time it's customer service. It really sucks for the employees who put their faith in the company. Even if you're not laid off, you start to wonder if you're next.

Its not only Customer Service this time, 25 Employees from Zenimax in MD also got the axe, thats 10% of their 250 employees if that number is still accurate from their Wikipedia page.

just saying. yes and it does suck that people got laid off, it makes me sad to hear this

EQBallzz · August 2015

I'm surprised it hasn't been more and sooner, honestly. Game has been on cash shop auto-pilot for a while now. How many people does it take to make 25 dollar horse skins, anyway?