MMO specialist website Massively claims that, according to a “tipster”, Blizzard’s John Staats has been laid off. Who is John Staats? Only the senior level designer of the company’s next big MMO, the successor to World of Warcraft.
Staats (pictured), who has worked for Blizzard for a decade, been described as a “hero of the WoW dev team” and whose credits involve every single World of Warcraft raid dungeon, Blackrock Mountain and Booty Bay, was obviously a big part of the team working on Titan, the codename for Blizzard’s next massively-multiplayer game.
Of course, he still may be a big part of the team; we’ve contacted Blizzard for confirmation, and will update if we hear back.
Rumor: Senior Titan designer laid off by Blizzard [Massively]
Gorzilla
Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 10:24 PMI was wondering how this was news when I looked at the title on the main page. Then I realised there was another word on the next line.
Matt
Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at 6:50 AMWhat a way to shoot yourself in the foot, if true eh Blizzard? You’re already facing a decline in players, and firing one of the main people who could make the game interesting again.
matt
Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at 12:11 PMCause and effect, you said yourself they are losing players, and right after Blizzcon (which is always a loss for them) it makes sense they need to lay some people off, he might have left on good terms you don’t know.
Nayrion
Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at 10:55 AMWell after reading that the new expansion is going to be a land of panda’s I’m not surprised he got the sack, I stopped playing wow after lich king, it just seemed liked they had run out of ideas and were just rehashing old stuff
Paul
Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at 11:59 AMPoor guy, may he RIP..
What? They didn’t kill him, few!