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Crispy Gamer editorial staff laid off, CEO resigns in protest
Just one month after purchasing GamerDNA, the promising stat-driven video game community site, Crispy Gamer has laid off its entire editorial staff, on the authority of the company's board of directors. We're told Chris Heldman, the CEO, former head of media entertainment at Google and co-founder of Crispy Gamer, has resigned in protest. Last September, Crispy's other co-founder, John Keefer, left to join the editorial staff of the influential GamePolitics blog. The staff was told that they'll be paid for the month, but their termination is effective immediately, leading us to believe the site is going on a similarly immediate hiatus. Editorial staff affected include former Joystiq writer Kyle Orland, along with Scott Jones, John Teti, Evan Narcisse, James Fudge, Ryan Kuo, Managing Editor Elise Vogel, and Chief Marketing Officer Anne Mischler. Writing about his sale of the company to Crispy Gamer just last month, GamerDNA CEO Jon Radoff said that the site "has very ambitious plans to build a media company around the gaming market." Today's news would seem to indicate that however ambitious those plans are, they no longer include an editorial component. We've reached out to both Radoff and Heldman and will update this post when we learn more. Update: Jon Radoff told us, "I just heard it for the first time from you. And just got another call from another journalist a minute ago. I'm afraid I don't know anything about the situation -- if true, it's surprising and unfortunate." Indeed. Update 2: Mr. Keefer wrote in to clarify some of the editorial positions and to let us know that Mr. James Fudge was also laid off. He also had this personal response to add: "It's hard to see a dream die, especially one you put your heart and soul into. The site was created for the readers and to give them an alternative voice, to dig deeper than many of the sites out there and to make readers think about what they play and why they play. Personally, I had a lot of fun in the process. Thanks to all the people that read the site and became part of the growing community."
Crispy Gamer buys GamerDNA
It looks like Crispy Gamer's review of GamerDNA -- following the partnership announced back in February, known as the "Try It" period -- has come back and the verdict is: Buy It. Mass High Tech Business News reports that the Cambridge-based GamerDNA has "found a buyer" in NY-based game site, Crispy Gamer, but will "continue to exist as a separate entity." GamerDNA CEO Jon Radoff writes that the social-networking-slash-data-driven gaming site he founded two and a half years ago has "merged" with Crispy Gamer and the serial entrepreneur won't be sticking around long. "I'll help out Chris Heldman (the CEO of Crispy Gamer) for a little bit to make sure things go smoothly -- but I'm an entrepreneur, and I'll start something new in 2010," Radoff says. This follows last week's news that GameSpot would partner with GamerDNA-competitor Raptr. If that sounds like a partnership that may have forced Radoff's hand in selling the company, we'd be inclined to agree; GamerDNA cut its staff nearly in half back in October, and Radoff writes that "it didn't make sense for us to 'go it alone' in the market any longer." While Crispy Gamer is no GameSpot, Radoff says that the site "has very ambitious plans to build a media company around the gaming market." We're hoping to finally get used to that name by the time those plans come to fruition. [Via @eliciab35]
WoW in the running for Game of the Decade
2009 is coming to a close, and with it, "the aughts," which means we're about to get flooded with list after list of the best of the decade. It's been a raucous ten years for gaming (some, including me, might call it the best ten years in gaming so far), and Crispy Gamer is the first to step up and try to pick the best games we've seen so far. In their Game of the Decade showdown, World of Warcraft is still in the running, up against Bioware's legendary Knights of the Old Republic RPG, as the latest post has readers trying to pick the final four choices. If you think our game is more deserving than KotOR (note that this isn't the MMO, it's the old RPG with your friendly meatbag hater droid, HK-47), you can vote for WoW over on this page until Tuesday at 6pm. KotOR is a great game, but as a decade-defining game, I'd have to think WoW will pull that one off. After that, though, there's some tough competition: BioShock and Half-Life 2 are up against each other, Halo and Left 4 Dead are facing off in another bracket, and Super Smash Brothers Melee and Shadow of the Colossus (which I guess I need to go play now) are the challengers in the third. I have to say -- as a "Game of the Decade," BioShock and Half-Life 2 are definitely in competition, but if you want to pick a game which has really defined both the online and casual gaming movements of the last ten years? We'll have to see what the readers choose, but I'd have to think World of Warcraft is your game. [ via BlizzPlanet and kyleorl ]
Metamorial: Game writers remember Dave Arneson
Somewhere between co-creating Dungeons & Dragons and teaching at Full Sail College, Dave Arneson left an indelible mark on the gaming landscape. Every time we roll for initiative or challenge the dungeon master's ability to adapt, Arneson's guiding hand can be felt. We've gathered sentiments shared by our colleagues around the internet for you here, and encourage you to share your thoughts in the comments section below, about the man that helped move role-playing into the limelight of gaming.Ars Technica: "Get out your classic rule books. Invite some friends over. Keep a chair empty for a fallen friend, and play for a few hours. Not online, in person. Order a pizza ... Remember Dave Arneson, a man who wasn't satisfied with the game when his parents brought home an Avalon Hill title. When he began changing the rules, he began changing the world."
Two delicious DC Universe Online 'preview doughnuts'
We've found two freshly baked DC Universe Online informo-doughnuts for your consumption. Now, while the Crispy Gamer doughnut is a bit smaller, it's also lightly crisped with a pinch of humor and will leave you surprisingly satisfied by the end of your meal. Way to live up to the name, crispy! On the other hand, IGN's doughnut is much bigger overall and even has a few new pieces of information regarding character creation and progression baked right into its creamy center. However, you'll have to chew your way through the slightly stale exterior in order to get to that warm, gooey information.Which doughnut should an adventurous reader pick? If you're like us, just eat both! Don't worry about the dizziness and urge to punch your stomach repeatedly aftewards -- that's completely natural. Did you enjoy this? We've donned our capes and tights to explore SOE's DC Universe Online in-depth. Come explore more of Metropolis and Gotham with your friends at Massively!
Dungeons & Desktops: The history of RPGs
In a recent article at Crispy Gamer, the topic is Matt Barton's book Dungeon & Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games. Crispy Gamer's prognosis for this book is not good, and it's their opinion that it is "a victim of poor editing, poor organization, and a frustrating inconsistency, as the book veers from true history to trite encyclopedia, as if Barton isn't quite sure what kind of book he is writing." According to this review, the MMO chapter is also lacking greatly, with Ultima Online and EverQuest not getting enough time in the spotlight. This might sound harsh, but they go on to talk about the good parts of the book eventually. The review acknowledges the fact that there was a real need for an offline encyclopedia for role-playing games, and this book delivers in that regard. After all of this, it seems to us that a book focused entirely on the history of the MMOG is what we need, instead of the topic cohabitating in a chapter here and there across general gaming books.
NCsoft fires one back across the bow
A few days ago I wrote about an article in the Korea Times that took aim at NCsoft's 2007 fiscal report by calling Tabula Rasa a "financial disaster." The ensuing explosion both here at Massively (the comments section) and abroad (a direct reply from the Korea Times writer himself) was akin to the Bane dropping a mortar round smack dab into the middle of our little virtual compound. Other sites reported on the Korea Times article in the same manner. And Amy "Critters" Crider, TR's official Community Coordinator, even issued a public warning about said reporter and said article. But NCsoft didn't stop there. David Swofford, head of NCsoft's North American PR department, fired off a response via a statement given to the gang at Crispy Gamer. It's a doosey! Swofford said, "The Korea Times English edition story is full of inaccuracies... No one at NCsoft said the product is a financial disaster." He comments on a great may things, including the cost of the sci-fi MMO: "The TR development did not cost $100 million... I don't know where that came from."Ah... justice is served. If you've been following this situation here you owe it to yourself to click on over to the Crispy Gamer site and check out their full article. It's got more searing rebuttal from Swofford (kudos to them for scoring this by the way). Then come on back here 'cuz we so want to hear what you have to say about this!
