NCsoft Brighton more trouble?
By
3dent,
Posted on: 2009-02-11 11:33 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
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What? This?
Is anyone actually surprised by such a move?
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Looks to me like that link is now 404...
EDIT: And a search on the site isn't bringing up todays news - only the cuts from last year.
EDIT2: Ah - appears to be here now - it's not indexed in the search and maybe been moved as the phrase 'mothballs' the office was deemed too dodgy compared to 'cuts dow'[sic].
By my mohawk shall ye know me!
my toons
Funny: Ee-Ai-Ee-Ai-Oh! #3662 * The foul-mouthed Handyman! #1076 * City of Norms #132944
Serious: To Save A Single World (#83744) * Marketing Opportunity (#83747)
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What? This?
Is anyone actually surprised by such a move?
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Looks to me like that link is now 404...
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It got superceded by this one
Initially they said 70 people were laid off, now it seems like 55 are with some remaining which is why I started wittering on about the forums probably merging but the servers staying unchanged.
If you go to the homepage it's the top story (maybe why it isn't coming up on Search, it mightn't be added to the search index yet for some reason).
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What? This?
Is anyone actually surprised by such a move?
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Looks to me like that link is now 404...
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Bit early for April fools...
Guess were not supposed to know yet...
@MrMac & @MrMac2
http://faces.cohtitan.com/profile/MrMac/
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What? This?
Is anyone actually surprised by such a move?
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Looks to me like that link is now 404...
EDIT: And a search on the site isn't bringing up todays news - only the cuts from last year.
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Information control?
I am sorry to hear about the job loses. I await eagerly for some kinf of official statement.
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What? This?
Is anyone actually surprised by such a move?
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Looks to me like that link is now 404...
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Bit early for April fools...
Guess were not supposed to know yet...
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Nevermind
@MrMac & @MrMac2
http://faces.cohtitan.com/profile/MrMac/
Now it says 5 departments closed down whereas the original said 4.
Latest Test:
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NC West cuts down European office
NCsoft has made 55 staff redundant at the Brighton office of NC West, as five internal departments are axed, following a similar cull last year when in-house development was halted.
GamesIndustry.biz understands that 30 staff will remain at the Brighton office to cover off sales, marketing and customer support functions, while localisation, creative services, IT, QA and community roles have been cut.
NCsoft Europe exec Geoff Heath has so far declined to comment.
The formation of NC West was announced last September in a bid to make the company's activities outside of Korea more profitable under one banner, and combined the US and European activities in a single entity.
Around 70 posts were lost then as the impact of failed Richard Garriott MMO Tabula Rasa hit the company's profits significantly.
It is not yet known if NC West in North America is affected by similar cuts to headcount.
UPDATE: More precise numbers have now been added to the story, as well as details on which departments have been axed. It was originally reported that around 70 jobs had been lost.
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http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...uropean-office
Thelonious Monk
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Now it says 5 departments closed down whereas the original said 4.
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Yeah but how many departments where there originally?
That's a question I'd like answered.
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Now it says 5 departments closed down whereas the original said 4.
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It said "IT QA" initially, which I thought a bit odd. Now it says "IT, QA" so clearly just a typo.
EDIT: Just looked at Rockjaw's blog. Seems his Twitter feed now has comments that it's actually between 15 and 30 people left.
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
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Now it says 5 departments closed down whereas the original said 4.
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I have both open and a quick comparison-by-eye suggests that the only 3 differences are:
* Mothballs -> Cuts Down (in headline)
* Four -> five (departments , in 1st paragraph)
* IT QA -> IT, QA (in list of cut departments in 2nd paragraph)
i.e the departments affected stayed the same, but in the earlier copy they had IT and QA departments wrongly listed as a single 'IT QA' and so counted one fewer department than they should.
By my mohawk shall ye know me!
my toons
Funny: Ee-Ai-Ee-Ai-Oh! #3662 * The foul-mouthed Handyman! #1076 * City of Norms #132944
Serious: To Save A Single World (#83744) * Marketing Opportunity (#83747)
Ouch! this REALLY hurts, my heart goes out to all affected.
Regarding server merges/transfers we (Mrs ? and I) would want to keep our vet rewards, characters, NAMES, purchased packs and definitely our Global names. not that we wouldn't enjoy playing them up to 50 again, but why should we?
They were happy to take our money when it was all fine...
A little bit of payback goes a LOOONG way to keep us paying that money.
Man, this isn't looking good. My sympathies to those who have been cut.
To think I was looking to get a job down there too
"The Hamidon is a what what of what?" - Brian the mission guy.
Response 1:
This is a load of b*****x!
I haven't spent so much time on characters, just to see them destroyed because of poor management handling. I have paid the same and possibly more money than a lot of the american players have, I have rights two you know. We deserve a response. We are paying for this service!
Response 2:
DOOM!!!!! +1
Response 3:
Its all gone to teh Americans!!!
Response 4:
...
My Response:
This is quite a blow to the games industry within the U.K. as well. If NCSoft are likely to make this many cuts to their sector within the U.K. some other developers could follow suit, you are a small island. (Though Ireland would be much better, much more scenic tbh 
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I feel sorry for the people who got axed and I hope that their talents are quickly picked up by other developers. And i hope they further their career do the line. Hell this will be one hell of a C.V. filler, so look on the bright sidish.
As for the speculation, I don't play as much as I have in the previous years. So going by other peoples suggestions I personally will have to make a big decision to come back to this game. What will tip my decision to stay or go are these two points;
a, Lose our names, I will be extremely disappointed, because I am the original Lucius *cough of defiant*, I am the original Wormhole *cough of defiant* I am the original Silvius *cough of Union* I don't want to become "the guy that was once known as Lucius" I want to keep my name god damn it! I've spent enough time trying to make a name for myself, why should my name be sundered by someone who can't live up to it!!! *cough* I better be able to fit "The Original Lucius of Defiant" into my new american name tray!
b, If we are given the restart of our accounts from scratch, I'll be gone, it took me long enough to get Lucius to 50, and i haven't managed another 50 since, just don't have the drive and im a serious alt-aholic! I'll be gone and city of heroes will be a little less Irish!
EDIT:
I feel sickened that i have jumped on the speculation band-wagon!
I guess we should take a moment to hold fire.
We're all concerned because we're worried: We care about this game, this community and people we've come to know and like who help run the community.
This isn't necessarily NCSoft/NCWest's fault. If we have to point the finger then let's blame the [censored] who caused the credit crunch.
But let's also not assume too much. We're going to wind ourselves up with rumour, speculation and guesswork - to no good end. Let's not damn the management until they give us reason to. In times of global crisis they are going to want to get hold of every penny they can so they are unlikely to act irrationally for fear of [censored] us off. So if they have their wits about them, they'll look at this and decide how they can keep us happy and keep their income.
In short, however sad it is for those individuals who've lost their jobs, it'll do us no good to get in a tiswas - yet.
Thelonious Monk
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I guess we should take a moment to hold fire.
We're all concerned because we're worried: We care about this game, this community and people we've come to know and like who help run the community.
This isn't necessarily NCSoft/NCWest's fault. If we have to point the finger then let's blame the [censored] who caused the credit crunch.
But let's also not assume too much. We're going to wind ourselves up with rumour, speculation and guesswork - to no good end. Let's not damn the management until they give us reason to. In times of global crisis they are going to want to get hold of every penny they can so they are unlikely to act irrationally for fear of [censored] us off. So if they have their wits about them, they'll look at this and decide how they can keep us happy and keep their income.
In short, however sad it is for those individuals who've lost their jobs, it'll do us no good to get in a tiswas - yet.
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I heard they were going to delete everyone 1 in 13 accounts as well until we "cooperate" like nice little customers!
lol is that like a detuned decimation?
Thelonious Monk
its an unlucky decimation!
QR
LOL i13 lost subscribers now people lose there jobs.
Bound to happen with that sort of business sense tbh.
CoH PvP SG = SuperUnion - Co-Leader - Union/Freedom
CoV PvP VG = Disruption - Co-Leader - Union/Freedom
Global = @Rent & @Rent.
Playgroup are all **** - Global Handle
13 13 13 im seeing a trend going on here! OH DEAR JEBUS... its friday the thirteenth this friday!!! 
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it'll do us no good to get in a tiswas - yet.
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Agreed, what we need is out very own UniqueDragon to lighten the impending sense of Doom. 
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QR
LOL i13 lost subscribers now people lose there jobs.
Bound to happen with that sort of business sense tbh.
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Funny, I thought subscriptions had went up since I13... oh well.
My regrets to all those losing their jobs. It's not an easy time in the UK job market right now.
"Idealism is such a wonderful thing. All you really need is someone rational to put it to proper use." - Kerr Avon
Myopic Aardvark on Twitter
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13 13 13 im seeing a trend going on here! OH DEAR JEBUS... its friday the thirteenth this friday!!!
[/ QUOTE ]And another in March (which is the day I'll be flying to the US on).. good thing I'm not suspicious >_>
On topic:
Feeling for those who have been laid off. Shall wait for word from GR though before speculating on EU CoX's future though
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13 13 13 im seeing a trend going on here! OH DEAR JEBUS... its friday the thirteenth this friday!!!
[/ QUOTE ]And another in March (which is the day I'll be flying to the US on).. good thing I'm not suspicious >_>
On topic:
Feeling for those who have been laid off. Shall wait for word from GR though before speculating on EU CoX's future though
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Just hope they dont fire the pilot mid-flight >_>
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QR
LOL i13 lost subscribers now people lose there jobs.
Bound to happen with that sort of business sense tbh.
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Funny, I thought subscriptions had went up since I13... oh well.
My regrets to all those losing their jobs. It's not an easy time in the UK job market right now.
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Yeah cause more profit always equals redundancies.
CoH PvP SG = SuperUnion - Co-Leader - Union/Freedom
CoV PvP VG = Disruption - Co-Leader - Union/Freedom
Global = @Rent & @Rent.
Playgroup are all **** - Global Handle
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Well if sunset does happen with the EU servers I think it would be more likely that this would happen.
All active EU accounts made before [ enter date here ]
Will receive;
Lineage II client and 2 months playtime free!
Aion Early access code and client free!
City of combined edition client ( US ) and 2 months playtime free!
We thankyou all for your continued support!
Btw that's not speculation on my part that's what the subscribers of Tabula rasa got.
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If any such offer was that Impersonal I would be (quite frankly) rather insulted: (see pre-prepared reply to any such offer below).
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Have to echo this.
I'm sorry for the jobs lost, but if we get an offer like this ncsoft can go screw themselves.
As most of have said I've spent a lot of time and money on this game. Theres a lot of emotion in my characters. A lot of cherished memories.
Whatever happens I want to keep my characters and my names or i'm gone aswell.
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I'm echoing the echo then.