Comments on: Four Years Later http://www.hiwiller.com/2009/01/15/four-years-later/ Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:23:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: » If EA Tiburon Isn’t Recession-Proof, Is Anyone? | CounterfeitCulture.com http://www.hiwiller.com/2009/01/15/four-years-later/comment-page-1/#comment-572 » If EA Tiburon Isn’t Recession-Proof, Is Anyone? | CounterfeitCulture.com Fri, 23 Jan 2009 04:28:52 +0000 http://www.hiwiller.com/?p=316#comment-572 [...] While it’s unsurprising that EA is following through with their earlier announcement, it’s certainly unexpected to see them focus on one of their top studios in an effort to thin the herd. The idea that Madden is underperforming financially is a gloomy barometer of the current video game climate. If these guys aren’t safe then who is? Certainly not vested designers such as Zack Hiwiller, victim of the recent round of layoffs, as he points out in his blog. [...] [...] While it’s unsurprising that EA is following through with their earlier announcement, it’s certainly unexpected to see them focus on one of their top studios in an effort to thin the herd. The idea that Madden is underperforming financially is a gloomy barometer of the current video game climate. If these guys aren’t safe then who is? Certainly not vested designers such as Zack Hiwiller, victim of the recent round of layoffs, as he points out in his blog. [...]

]]> By: Northern Fire http://www.hiwiller.com/2009/01/15/four-years-later/comment-page-1/#comment-570 Northern Fire Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:54:14 +0000 http://www.hiwiller.com/?p=316#comment-570 Zack, Thank you so much for taking the time to give me your thoughts. It's very sound advice and I'll pass it on. She's actually salivating over Full Sail - it is her dream school. Her current plan is to pull off a Masters in Computer Science with a concentration in Development. 'Course, with 2 girls in college right now and the cost of tuition at Full Sail, we'll have to win the lottery or sell our souls to pull it off - ha! Happily, it looks like your little blog has garnered you a bit of attention. Who knew, eh? I hope it translates into opportunities for you. You seem thoughtful and intelligent and you're well-spoken. It would appear that you are definitely EA's loss. At least you have a lot of folks thinking good thoughts for you, it has to bode well for you. All the best!! Zack,

Thank you so much for taking the time to give me your thoughts. It’s very sound advice and I’ll pass it on. She’s actually salivating over Full Sail – it is her dream school. Her current plan is to pull off a Masters in Computer Science with a concentration in Development. ‘Course, with 2 girls in college right now and the cost of tuition at Full Sail, we’ll have to win the lottery or sell our souls to pull it off – ha!

Happily, it looks like your little blog has garnered you a bit of attention. Who knew, eh? I hope it translates into opportunities for you. You seem thoughtful and intelligent and you’re well-spoken. It would appear that you are definitely EA’s loss. At least you have a lot of folks thinking good thoughts for you, it has to bode well for you. All the best!!

]]> By: Zack http://www.hiwiller.com/2009/01/15/four-years-later/comment-page-1/#comment-569 Zack Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:24:53 +0000 http://www.hiwiller.com/?p=316#comment-569 Northern Fire, I don't think games is any less stable than IT or any other comparable field. Everyone is hurting now unless they are in some sort of untouchable government job or a tenured professor. If it is her dream, she should pursue it. Game companies are eager to hire female designers as it is a very male-dominated industry. She should get a degree in something tangential to the industry like Computer Science so that if game industry jobs dry up she has the skill set to move around. My degree is in Information Systems and it helped quite a bit. Best of luck. Northern Fire,

I don’t think games is any less stable than IT or any other comparable field. Everyone is hurting now unless they are in some sort of untouchable government job or a tenured professor. If it is her dream, she should pursue it. Game companies are eager to hire female designers as it is a very male-dominated industry. She should get a degree in something tangential to the industry like Computer Science so that if game industry jobs dry up she has the skill set to move around. My degree is in Information Systems and it helped quite a bit. Best of luck.

]]> By: Carl Dungca http://www.hiwiller.com/2009/01/15/four-years-later/comment-page-1/#comment-566 Carl Dungca Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:52:28 +0000 http://www.hiwiller.com/?p=316#comment-566 Small world, this industry. I wound up here after following a Kotaku link to the Sentinel. Sorry to hear about the termination. Small world, this industry. I wound up here after following a Kotaku link to the Sentinel. Sorry to hear about the termination.

]]> By: Danny McGee http://www.hiwiller.com/2009/01/15/four-years-later/comment-page-1/#comment-565 Danny McGee Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:44:16 +0000 http://www.hiwiller.com/?p=316#comment-565 "As much as I’d like to believe, firing some nameless designer ain’t news." Well, turns out it was. Not sure if you realized it yet but you got quoted in the Orlando Sentinel, which got quoted on Gamespot today. Anyway, I'm a QA temp at Tiburon, and I knew a couple of the guys who were let go from our department, but I had no idea they were going this high with the lay-offs. I'm sorry to hear it. But hey, like I said, as of right now your contact information is three clicks away from the front page at Gamespot, so maybe with some luck the exposure will bring some new opportunities. Take care, man. “As much as I’d like to believe, firing some nameless designer ain’t news.”

Well, turns out it was. Not sure if you realized it yet but you got quoted in the Orlando Sentinel, which got quoted on Gamespot today.

Anyway, I’m a QA temp at Tiburon, and I knew a couple of the guys who were let go from our department, but I had no idea they were going this high with the lay-offs. I’m sorry to hear it. But hey, like I said, as of right now your contact information is three clicks away from the front page at Gamespot, so maybe with some luck the exposure will bring some new opportunities. Take care, man.

]]> By: stuart http://www.hiwiller.com/2009/01/15/four-years-later/comment-page-1/#comment-564 stuart Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:10:31 +0000 http://www.hiwiller.com/?p=316#comment-564 lol, just came see to check out your blog after the post on the sentinel website hehe ironic michaels post, http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/etan_on_tech/2009/01/layoffs-hit-electronic-arts-tiburon-in-maitland.html lol, just came see to check out your blog after the post on the sentinel website hehe ironic michaels post, http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/etan_on_tech/2009/01/layoffs-hit-electronic-arts-tiburon-in-maitland.html

]]> By: grant saeger http://www.hiwiller.com/2009/01/15/four-years-later/comment-page-1/#comment-563 grant saeger Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:08:14 +0000 http://www.hiwiller.com/?p=316#comment-563 contact me..we are located in Orlando and we are starting a game company and would like to discuss a possible opportunity. contact me..we are located in Orlando and we are starting a game company and would like to discuss a possible opportunity.

]]> By: Northern Fire http://www.hiwiller.com/2009/01/15/four-years-later/comment-page-1/#comment-562 Northern Fire Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:56:19 +0000 http://www.hiwiller.com/?p=316#comment-562 Well, Zack, seems you are more important than you think since I came across your blog courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel. I am sorry you got laid off. You are not alone, you know. My husband is a 25-year IT vet and a good one and he's out of work, laid off by a large prominent IT employer. And, of course, there are so many more, sadly. I hope you all get great jobs. I hope you all give them 'what-for'. Your position makes me wonder. My daughter wants to go into Game Development. It's been her dream since she was a little girl (she's now a Junior in HS). All her classes and activities have been tailored towards achieving it and now I'm wondering if she is considering a dangerous line of work, from a stability standpoint. She hates the sight of blood so medicine is out. And even you're considering quitting the industry? I would be interested in the thoughts and musings of an industry insider, thank you. Hang in there and the best of luck to you!! Well, Zack, seems you are more important than you think since I came across your blog courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel. I am sorry you got laid off. You are not alone, you know. My husband is a 25-year IT vet and a good one and he’s out of work, laid off by a large prominent IT employer. And, of course, there are so many more, sadly.

I hope you all get great jobs. I hope you all give them ‘what-for’.

Your position makes me wonder. My daughter wants to go into Game Development. It’s been her dream since she was a little girl (she’s now a Junior in HS). All her classes and activities have been tailored towards achieving it and now I’m wondering if she is considering a dangerous line of work, from a stability standpoint. She hates the sight of blood so medicine is out. And even you’re considering quitting the industry?

I would be interested in the thoughts and musings of an industry insider, thank you.

Hang in there and the best of luck to you!!

]]> By: Zack http://www.hiwiller.com/2009/01/15/four-years-later/comment-page-1/#comment-559 Zack Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:28:35 +0000 http://www.hiwiller.com/?p=316#comment-559 As much as I'd like to believe, firing some nameless designer ain't news. As much as I’d like to believe, firing some nameless designer ain’t news.

]]> By: Michael Walbridge http://www.hiwiller.com/2009/01/15/four-years-later/comment-page-1/#comment-558 Michael Walbridge Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:07:45 +0000 http://www.hiwiller.com/?p=316#comment-558 Sucks to hear, man. Wonder how long before some news outlet picks this up =0 Sucks to hear, man.

Wonder how long before some news outlet picks this up =0

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