So, I was sad to hear the news of 1100 people being laid off at Hasbro. On top of 800 let go early in the year, this totals about a third of their entire staff. They're even going to shut down the corporate headquarters in Rhode Island.
A lot of interesting posts on Facebook reflecting on earlier layoffs, both at WotC (1995) and TSR (1996). Though I think I still hold the record of having been laid off by that rpg department three times. First by TSR at the end of 1996 when TSR all but shut down. Hired back by WotC at the next GenCon, I was laid off again in June 2001 when they decided they didn't need to hang on to the staff that saw the creation of 3e and the d20 system. Hired back again a year or two later by Hasbro, first briefly as a temp then made full-time, only to be laid off in November 2005 for no particular reason I ever knew.
All of which is a roundabout way of saying there is life after WotC.
For all who got the bad news, best of luck and best wishes for the next stage, whatever that turns out to be.
Here're two pieces that between them give a pretty good overview of the bad tidings:
https://www.polygon.com/23998290/hasbro-layoffs-before-christmas
--John R.
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