You may have heard that Microsoft laid off 1,900 employees from its gaming division yesterday. One of the employees affected by the layoffs is Bethesda’s Devann “LadyDevann” McCarthy, a beloved Fallout 76 community manager who has since written a tribute to the community she was instrumental in helping nurture. Thanks for the article.
I probably don’t need to tell you that Microsoft’s decision to scatter the entire town to the wind marks yet another rather depressing moment for a gaming industry that’s been seeing too much of this lately. It’s quite difficult for us ordinary people to deal with so many people losing their livelihoods at the same time, but I think the outpouring of gratitude received by many of those affected can bring us some comfort.
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One but far from the only noteworthy example is Devin “Ms. Devin” McCarthyDuring her time as Fallout 76’s community manager, she became an extremely popular figure in the Fallout community, amassing a loyal fanbase despite the game’s well-documented initial struggles. In a very nice thank you post to the game’s Reddit community, McCarthy outlined the importance of her just-fired character to her and the relationships she built with players through it.
“This community has changed my life in so many ways,” she wrote. “You are not just a part of my job but a part of my life. It has been an honor to be so close to so many of you and I think I Many of the relationships in this community are close friendships.
“You trust me to assist with proposals, host events online with me late at night, invite me to do voiceover work on your projects and join your live streams.” LadyDevann also revealed: “One of the most devastating things [about] Losing my job today meant losing a folder on my work computer that contained screenshots of every kind message anyone had ever sent me. “
It’s well worth reading the entire article if you have the time, and also taking a look at the series of excellent messages that members of the Fallout 76 community left for McCarthy in the comments section of the article and elsewhere. on twitter
If you’re interested in the really interesting work going on in the Bethesda game modding community, you might also want to check out what’s happening next week.
