I have tinfoil hats for all! NCSoft next

Lum worries about his friends at Mythic, now lets not start worrying about Lum, please…

While I was writing the Prey review I noticed this comment:

Offtopic, but there are rumors about trouble in NCSoft Austin — layoffs.

I checked the link provided but saw nothing relevant.

Then I start my usual blog tour and I see this on F13:

NC Soft (US) just had a big layoff today:

80% of GM’s
90% of tech support
75% of QA

Numerous other staff, from producers to marketing/pr.

They are blaming the declining subscriber numbers for City of Heroes/COV which has slowly dropped to just over 100k total. Also to blame has been the disaster that is Auto Assault, which has yet to climb over 10k total subscribers since its launch in the third week in April.

Tabula Rasa continues to suck massive amounts of cash, yet still has no release date in sight.

Not good.

I’m sure we’ll hear more about this later. It’s starting to sound less of a rumor.

EDIT: Comment from Alan Dunking on Q23, and official announce here below in the comments:

We can’t really comment on anything regarding this, honestly. I think I can safely say Lum & I are still employed.

I do want to give general advice for any kind of weird anonymous posting on the net:

* Don’t believe everything you read.

and

* It’s never as bad as it sounds (or looks).

— Alan

EDIT2: For a mean chuckle notice Walt’s comment on the Q23 thread:

EA Mythic’s hiring.

From incestuous families only deformed childs.

What about new people?

Btw, I doubt that people in Austin (the Hollywood of mmorpgs) are going to move to Fairfax Virginia to join Mythic.

HIRE ME! I’ll cross the seas like Christopher Columbus and discover the new world!

(J. also commented)

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