So apparently Greg Tito (the Escapist's EiC), Ross Lincoln, Elizabeth Harper and Carly Smith are leaving the site.
https://twitter.com/the_moviebob/status/557748342860840960
There are also a number of other tweets floating around from different people that seem to corroborate this, including this one:
https://twitter.com/roseofbattle/status/557645405606121473
Greg Tito is also no longer listed as the EiC of the Escapist on his Twitter profile.
Keep in mind that none of this (save Carly's case) is official until the site announces it, but still, Jim Sterling's departure and now this? What the hell's going on at the Escapist?!
Update
According to Greg and Archon it was a budget-related mass layoff. See below:
https://twitter.com/the_moviebob/status/557748342860840960
There are also a number of other tweets floating around from different people that seem to corroborate this, including this one:
https://twitter.com/roseofbattle/status/557645405606121473
Greg Tito is also no longer listed as the EiC of the Escapist on his Twitter profile.
Keep in mind that none of this (save Carly's case) is official until the site announces it, but still, Jim Sterling's departure and now this? What the hell's going on at the Escapist?!
Update
According to Greg and Archon it was a budget-related mass layoff. See below:
He also denied the rumors that Defy media was planning to merge its outlets.Archon said:We made some tough decisions yesterday that impacted several staffers from The Escapist, GameTrailers, and GameFront. The contributions of the talented writers and editors we had to let go will definitely be missed. However, all of the properties are continuing to serve the gamer audience going forward. Here at The Escapist, Josh Vanderwall, the managing editor under Greg Tito, will be taking over as the new editor-in-chief. Look for his first editor's note, re-introducing himself to you all, later today.
Archon said:It's speculation. All of those properties are aimed at gamers, but each of those properties does different things in different ways for gamers. The goal is to have the sites support each other at each doing what they are best at. So look to see an intra-site re-focusing combined with inter-site cooperation.Fappy said:Is a merger in the cards or is that just speculation? I assume it's not if we're getting a new EiC for the Escapist itself.
While the notion of creating walking tanks with howitzers seems awesome, actually we will have tanks, infantry, and howitzers, and they will work together in a combined-arms task force. This metaphor seems sensible to me but I have been watching a lot of Robotech lately.