Wizards of the Coast has eliminated 60 employees as part of a company-wide reorganization.  While the layoffs are quite wide-spread (ranging from senior VPs to game designers with considerable experience including Jeff Grubb and J.D. Wiker), the number of positions eliminated represents only 6% of WOTC's approximately 1000 employees.   In a statement that was e-mailed to ICv2, WOTC's Chief Operating Officer, Loren Greenwood expressed his feelings about the changes:

 

'The past two years have been challenging ones for Wizards of the Coast.  It is with great sadness that today we must announce some organizational changes.  Today's organizational changes are designed to help drive our business into the future to improve our performance and our long-term profitability.  Unfortunately, some positions have been eliminated.  Employees leaving the company will receive a competitive severance program including pay and benefits continuation, career transition services, and support.'

 

A company spokesperson told ICv2 that contrary to rumors, WotC was not moving to Rhode Island, the home base of parent company Hasbro, though Greenwood, in his statement, did note that 'as part of Hasbro's U.S. Games Segment, we can take advantage of the leverage afforded by utilizing shared services available across the broader Hasbro organization instead of maintaining duplicate functions at additional expense,' which would appear to indicate that at least some of the positions eliminated in the Seattle area involved tasks that will now be done by Hasbro employees in other locations.