Re: Lead developers leave Apex

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@EREGDS wrote:
@hayhor wrong, people leave jobs only if:

a) they messed up and don't want to clean it (might be Apex case) or they are just fired for it

b) people realize that they can't "act like working" no more and employer finally demands results

c) someone pays more for the same amount of work

d) current employer is just a D#$#, values do not match between the person and the company, company shifts from startup mentality to corporate efficiency mode aka milk the cow atmosphere

But I mean that it can't get much worse :D hope he was responsible for anti-cheat development :D

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Kinda wrong, IT / Game development has one of the highest turnover rate.
Changing jobs is just now more frequent and doesn't always has a good reason. 

@ZeelmaekersYes my buddy who works in the same field also switches companies like every other year. But is it kinda worrisome that most of the core team members of the Apex team left in a short span of time of around less than half a year?
Having said that, new people in these positions will have fresh new ideas for the game. Apex definitely needs fresh new ideas for content. I still go back to JayBiebs replacing DZK as the head of game balance and now the legends and weapons balances are better than ever. 

Definitely!
You can also look at the bright side, new people = new ideas, different viewpoints.
I think it's positive that they switch jobs and explore other companies/jobs.

Of course, the switch can sometimes have a worse effect, but as long the person in question is leaving saying he has an amazing time, I'm not worried that the game will be affected in the future.

I don't think there is something going on in the back like Blizzard/Activision atm, they just fired part of their QA team.

@EREGDSsometimes people might also change jobs just to experience a new environment. 

I don't think I've seen mentioned yet that people who make a career out of creating things like to - you know - create things.  Rather than working on maintaining a several year old game.

@hayhormy point was more about the fact that if people work in a good or let's be honest closer to the ideal place they are less likely to leave, because:

a) they know stuff they are doing and most of us are reluctant to change

b) they are paid the most or close to that in the industry, sure at some point you get 100k in your savings account or more and say "money is not a motivation for me" but still rarely people do take pay cuts

c) usually companies that pay the most also are leaders in other important aspects of the job - the scale of the projects, ability to improvise, experiment, invent aka waste resources for a greater good, less stressful environment, etc.

And in this case, I mean the dude you mentioned is a lead developer for the currently most popular BR game that makes billions in revenue...question arises what is there not to love.

Also from a development perspective or any other production perspective, there is room for worrying when a lead person leaves:

- how much knowledge will be left untransferred

- who will step in and will he/she be able to guide the team/process as well or there will be short term chaos

- what will be new ideas - outright crazy that will kill the vibe or be in line with the previous flow

- etc.

Staff rotation is common everywhere because as many said people sometimes are just irrational and want to change for the sake of change and a potential realization that it was the worst mistake of their lives, yet they still do it 🙂 but that definitely involves some risks, worries, room for error, and potential underwater stones that indicate something bad about the particular company they used to work for.

Anyway let's wait and see 🙂

If I was a game developer and loved what I do, have passion for the game I helped create - If I saw that the community was asking for this or that, wanted to see fixes etc... I assume, my passion would be to continue to build to the game to try and make as many people happy and address issues and concerns. Now - if I worked for a company, like ...... well, lets just say, like EA - and my bosses told me something like - "NO, do not work at fixing the bugs and issues, I want your team focused on events and skins etc, so we (EA), can continue to watch the money roll in." 

Myself, I would probably feel at that moment, that it was my time to leave. Why take so much abuse because your bosses won't let you do what you want to do to a game you developed and help create. My passion would quickly dissipate - and I would be announcing my leave. However, I doubt I would give the exact reasons why, or slander my former bosses, in fear that it may effect my future endeavors within the gaming industry. 

Anyway - that's just my take on what would be my opinion if that was my situation : )

Wonder if anything like the above was the situation in these two cases.....hmmm.  

it doesn't necessarily matter, it's who's calling the shots on the game design that matters.

Right now, I think the game ethic of the design is bad.  What's good is the art, and the feel of the action, but the game itself is meant to be a cash hole for EA, and a  game second, so we'll have to wait to see what goes on.

It takes too long for things to change anyway, so I wouldn't expect awe inspiring alterations in any case, even if for the better.