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Guild Wars cocreator leaves NCsoft

By Tom Magrino, GameSpotPosted Aug 12, 2009 2:21 pm PT

ArenaNet president of product development Jeff Strain parts amicably with South Korean MMOG company; publishing president David Reid also out.

In late 2008, NCsoft underwent significant corporate restructuring in a bid to realign the massively multiplayer online-focused company under its Western and Eastern-focused markets. Now, two executives chosen to lead NCsoft's Western arm--Jeff Strain and David Reid--have parted ways with the South Korea-based game maker.

Jeff Strain

"NCsoft West announces the departure of Jeff Strain, president of product development, who has chosen to leave NCsoft under amicable terms and NCsoft wishes him the best in his new endeavor," NCsoft West confirmed in a statement issued to GameSpot. Strain is perhaps best known as a cofounder of Guild Wars creator ArenaNet, which NCsoft purchased in 2003.

The publisher noted that Strain's departure will not adversely impact the launch of its latest massively multiplayer online role-playing game, Aion, which is expected to go online in North America on September 22 and in Europe on September 25. "These changes do not influence any other teams, development schedules or other launches," NCsoft West went on to say.

NCsoft West underscored that Strain's and Reid's departures were unrelated to each other. "In an unrelated and separate event, David Reid is no longer with the company," NCsoft West said in a second statement. "David joined NCsoft in early 2008 as vice president of marketing and helped in the formation of NCsoft West and the relocation of our headquarters to Seattle. David brought passion and talent to our organization, and he will be missed."

In addition to Guild Wars and Aion, NCsoft is known for its work on the Lineage franchise, which is popular in Asia, as well as the Western-focused City of Heroes MMOG. NCsoft has a number of other projects in development, including ArenaNet's Guild Wars 2 and Carbine Studios' as-yet-unnamed MMOG.

NCsoft shut down its sci-fi MMOG Tabula Rasa in February, following the departure of lead designer and private space-exploration pioneer Richard Garriott in November 2008. Garriott sued NCsoft for $24 million in May, charging the publisher with breach of contract and fraud over his ousting.

43 Comments

  • Leg3nd4ry

    Posted Sep 8, 2009 2:26 pm PT

    @ q8sauod
    While Ncsoft is focusing on other things, Arena net is still hard at work on gw2 since ncsoft is only the publisher and not the developer.

  • q8sauod

    Posted Aug 29, 2009 9:46 am PT

    Ncsoft should focus on Aion and guildwars 2.. but ncsoft is focusing more on Aion.. thats unfair Arenanet FOREVER

  • jmrwacko

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 7:55 pm PT

    Maybe NCsoft is purging the Guild Wars 2 team in anticipation of Aion's imminent ravaging of the MMO market. Who knows?

  • WALLIX

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 7:43 am PT

    It does worry me slightly that they would leave right before Aion is released. What is your thought process when you think, "Huge MMORPG coming in a month! Big money maker! Stock will go up! I'm gonna quit now". I can't help but wonder....what do they know that I don't?...

  • blakeney

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 9:36 pm PT

    i personally didnt like GW's, but you guys might come out of this for the better years down the line, if he was the better half of the 2 creators....chances are he will go off and create a game 100% his ideas......so if he was the better half or 50% of what you love already....it may get doubled!

  • ascalon94

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 7:36 pm PT

    Prophecies was the best of the 3 and btw GW is 100000000000000000000000000000000000000x better than WoW

  • therealjeremy

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 3:35 pm PT

    Still waiting for GW2....

  • jrabbit99

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 3:18 pm PT

    I wonder what this means for Guild Wars 2

  • thundaro

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 12:53 pm PT

    GW2 is gonna come out no matter what guys so chill, also I think GW clearly proves that you do not NEED a sub/microtrans system to run a game, is it perfect?, no, but it is a very solid game and proves you do not need to pay to play a MMO

  • RussianRAGE

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 10:21 am PT

    Guild Wars 2, man!
    GUILD WARS 2!

  • shewolf1961

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 8:04 am PT

    hate to see him go but good luck Jeff.

    @brunorr: how can something you haven't even tried be lame? imo EotN is the prettiest of the four and with the best storyline. It's my fave of the four within GW. Not only that, it's where My Hall of Monuments is at and it will be interesting to see all of my awards and such carried over to GW2. So looking forward to GW2.

  • brunorr

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 5:10 am PT

    They could have released another big episode like Factions or Nightfall before anouncing GW2. I was almost coming back to GW but they choose to release that EotN lame-ass expansion so I didn't buy it.

  • FlyingHombre

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 4:37 am PT

    No bigs, SC2 and D3.

  • Meta_Knight

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 1:21 am PT

    It is of no concern to me if GW2 won't show up for another 3 years. It will only strenghen the final quality and joy.

  • Merl57

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 10:48 pm PT

    ouch Guildwars was my most played game ever, I hope where ever he goes greatness follows.

  • Pete5506

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 9:52 pm PT

    well this cant be good

  • IXIWhistIXI

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 9:51 pm PT

    GW2 doesn't need to be delayed again.

    By the time it's released the graphics engine and features will already be old news.

  • dunnowhathuh

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 9:34 pm PT

    Hope there's no hard impact on GW2.

  • radiocreed

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 8:17 pm PT

    Guild Wars 2 was announced too early, my interest in the game is waning.

  • Adam_the_Nerd

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 7:38 pm PT

    I wonder what the future holds for Guild Wars 2?

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