NeoGAF

Caipirinha · 01:00 AM

The games Producer and Community Manager seemingly left the company shortly after launch

https://www.reddit.com/r/NoMansSkyTh...8k&sh=cfa01efe

If you look at No Man's Sky "contact us" page on August 8, 2016 and then again on October 7, 2016 you will notice that two names are missing, and three names are new (all new names are developers). The two names that are missing is the Producer and the Community Manager.
The Producer in this case also acted as Sony's PR liaison, approved messaging for Sony's PR machine and set up the marketing (according to their linkedin).
The Community manager also left shortly after the game was launched to work for eurogamer.
Timeline:
Sept 2nd both names were on HG's site
Oct. 5th both names are gone from HG's site
September 23rd was the last tweet from HG
So what happened? Did they get canned after the backlash? Did they quit for less-stressful jobs? Perhaps they leveraged the experience to something more lucrative?

Hello Games offices appear to be more or less abandoned

https://www.reddit.com/r/NoMansSkyTheGame/comments/56ef4o/for_the_folks_living_in_guilford/

the office of Hello Games is closed, and has sticks and debris in front of the door, as if no one has been there for a while.

Meanwhile Innes McKendrick (one of the lead programmers) has been going on a conference tour. He travelled to Greece and Australia in the past month and will be heading to Montreal, Canada in a month.. Bit odd that the lead programmer wouldn't be back at base working on the apparently large updates that are expected.

And of course, Sean Murray has still not posted a single tweet since launch.

There are critical disappointments in video games, but this seems different to me, there is clearly a story here and who knows when we will hear it but considering Murray has walked away with a significant portion of the millions of dollars spent by consumers on this game I think it's one that those consumers deserve to know - and for the sake of the rest of the team who possibly do not deserve to have their careers tarnished with his brush.

Maligna · (Today, 12:53 AM)

Legit took the money and ran?

Enter the Dragon Punch · (Today, 12:53 AM)

they said goodbye

Mister Negative · (Today, 12:53 AM)

The offices don't seem that abandoned...Just seems like a crappy building? And apparently it was taken on a Saturday, so of course it looks abandoned.

James Scott · (Today, 12:53 AM)

They lied,disappointing many with their mediocre crafting survival game and are currently under investigation for false advertisements. Can't imagine many are happy to stay

antitrop · (Today, 12:54 AM)

https://youtu.be/-WCFUGCOLLU

Sulik2 · (Today, 12:54 AM)

OK this is legit odd. If the offices are abandoned is it just Sean Murray making patches at his house? Anyone have a decent source for this?

Scuba Steve · (Today, 12:55 AM)

Damage is done, if I were them I wouldn't bother putting more sweat into a project that will never satisfy the audience.

The amount of effort that would be necessary to do that would certainly be as much work as the original game at least.

Studio moral isn't at a high, I don't blame them for abandoning ship.

Enter the Dragon Punch · (Today, 12:55 AM)

Originally Posted by Sulik2

OK this is legit odd. If the offices are abandoned is it just Sean Murray making patches at his house?

wasn't the last patch like a month ago?

edit: august 30th according to the official site

inky · (Today, 12:55 AM)

They probably sold like 2 million copies anyway, so I imagine hookers and blow till the ends of time.

hohoXD123 · (Today, 12:56 AM)

People are taking that "abandoned" office picture way too seriously.

Hale-XF11 · (Today, 12:56 AM)

Originally Posted by Enter the Dragon Punch

they said goodbye

I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello

Flunkie · (Today, 12:56 AM)

they got their pie in the sky, capitalized, and dipped out to never be seen again

gogojira · (Today, 12:56 AM)

Someone post that Murray gif where he's flying off with the money.

Icyflamez96 · (Today, 12:56 AM)

god dang

L Thammy · (Today, 12:57 AM)

Originally Posted by Mister Negative

The offices don't seem that abandoned...Just seems like a crappy building? And apparently it was taken on a Saturday, so of course it looks abandoned.

the office of Hello Games is closed, and has sticks and debris in front of the door, as if no one has been there for a while.

Sounds abandoned when they put it that way, though I wouldn't think it just looking at the picture.

Apoleptica · (Today, 12:57 AM)

Maybe they bought and moved to a new office? That one looks pretty shabby.

M_Night · (Today, 12:57 AM)

Abandon Ship!

JayEH · (Today, 12:57 AM)

I don't think it's uncommon for people to leave after a game ship.

LOLDSFAN · (Today, 12:57 AM)

That could use some paint.

Icyflamez96 · (Today, 12:58 AM)

WrenchNinja · (Today, 12:58 AM)

What is the outside of an indie development studio supposed to look like?

Dekuboy · (Today, 12:58 AM)

TimmiT · 01:00 AM

It doesn't say anywhere that the Hello Games offices are closed. In fact, guy who took the picture didn't even look through the windows:

I'm not getting any closer or looking in the windows.
Office looks the same as it did 3 months ago

https://www.reddit.com/r/NoMansSkyTh...ilford/d8j5fm0

EDIT: Also:

There still a Hello Games sticker on the door, plus marked parking spaces so looks like they are still here

https://www.reddit.com/r/NoMansSkyTh...ldford/d8j6hqf

Just a few points... I live in Guildford and their office is near the train station so I really didn't really go out of my way.
I just walked past from a distance and took a couple of pictures as I was passing. I didn't go any closer, knock on the door or peak through the window. I didn't hang around and I have no interest in returning.
I posted the pictures to discourage others from making the journey to Guildford as there really is nothing to see. There was no evidence suggesting Hello Games have packed up and left. The team do not deserve to be harassed.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NoMansSkyTh...closed/d8jajux

Caipirinha · (Today, 12:58 AM)

There are some reddit posts claiming/theorising that they have moved to a large office space following a studio expansion but can't find any actual source.

Originally Posted by JayEH

I don't think it's uncommon for people to leave after a game ship.

For sure but those are two people that presumably have a big role to play in any post-release content.

Brian_FETO · (Today, 12:58 AM)

Should've broken in and checked the computers for any clues, we need answers people

Has anyone tried tracking down the crew and going to their homes? No??? Surely there's a way

tuna_love · (Today, 12:59 AM)

you idiots, dont you know all buildings look abandoned on saturdays

Netherscourge · (Today, 12:59 AM)

Originally Posted by Icyflamez96

DEAD

Vex_ · (Today, 12:59 AM)

I'm sorry. This is hilarious.

This dude Sean Murray is a fool for that if he really did run with the money.

I'm just picturing him jumping out a window and running away saying , "my mind is blown!"

iNvid02 · (Today, 12:59 AM)

hello games? more like goodbye games

amirite

Ouren · (Today, 12:59 AM)

Originally Posted by Brian_FETO

Should've broken in and checked the computers for any clues, we need answers people

Has anyone tried tracking down the crew and going to their homes? No??? Surely there's a way

lol

reptilescorpio · (Today, 12:59 AM)

So what happened? Did they get canned after the backlash? Did they quit for less-stressful jobs? Perhaps they leveraged the experience to something more lucrative?

Winner winner chicken dinner.

Hektor · (Today, 12:59 AM)

Originally Posted by Vex_

I'm sorry. This is hilarious.

This dude Sean Murray is a fool for that if he really did run with the money.

I'm just picturing him jumping out a window and running away saying , "my mind is blown!"

There already is a webcomic about that

orthodoxy1095 · (Today, 01:00 AM)

The surprising news I'm getting here is that they had a Community Manager and PR liaison?

Majine · (Today, 01:00 AM)

Originally Posted by Icyflamez96

Alienous · (Today, 01:00 AM)

They really aren't helping the perception of the game being a scam, even considering that they released a product.

Blam · (Today, 01:01 AM)

I'm honestly so fucking surprised. Are they running from those advertising agencies? This is soon gonna be a real shitshow if thats true.

m360 · (Today, 01:01 AM)

I can't say anything about Sean. But I know that the guys are working on the next patch. They are not in the office right now but working mostly from home. One of the reasons is that their are still threats coming in from people who say that they will be waiting for them to beat them up.

Darryl M R · (Today, 01:01 AM)

Post launch responsibilities are procedural

brawly · (Today, 01:01 AM)

Don't worry, Sean or someone else will soon respond to the criticism...

SuperStiltzkin · (Today, 01:02 AM)

Goodbye Gamers

L Thammy · (Today, 01:02 AM)

Someone please think of something that connects gongs to No Man's Sky because that typo is bothering me

Vex_ · (Today, 01:03 AM)

Originally Posted by Hektor

There already is a webcomic about that

LOL!

Sorcerer · (Today, 01:03 AM)

Sean was afraid Geoff Keighley was going to come knocking on his door for that interview he was open too.
Sean decided he didn't want Geoff Keighley to find him.

MetroidPrimeRib · (Today, 01:04 AM)

Alright what the fuck thats just weird. Need some journalists to find out wtf is going on. Klepek? Schreier? Keighley?

Alienous · (Today, 01:04 AM)

Maybe they've dropped the pretense of 'Hello Games' and just went back to working at the 22cans main office - that studio is a walking distance away.

Netherscourge · (Today, 01:04 AM)

They couldn't afford to buy a bottle of Roundup and spray down those weeds?

SMH

funkystudent · (Today, 01:05 AM)

VlaudTheImpaler · (Today, 01:05 AM)

EDIT: Beaten... DAG NABBIT FUNKY!

EDIT 2, Mines still better though,

Creamium · (Today, 01:05 AM)

Originally Posted by Sorcerer

Sean was afraid Geoff Keighley was going to come knocking on his door for that interview he was open too.
Sean decided he didn't want Geoff Keighley to find him.

Hah, still think it's hilarious, and Geoff even referenced it again in the latest ep. No way is Sean coming to that show this month.