It is quite sad to be writing this article, so I’m making it quick. Just recently the once Senior Community Manager of SW:TOR, Mr. Stephen Reid, announced that he is among those who were let go yesterday. He came out on Twitter a few minutes ago with great humility and class announcing his departure from the Star Wars: The Old Republic team. He exclaimed how proud he was of the team he built and got to be a part of; furthermore he stated that the next chapter in his life is about to begin and he’s ready to turn the page. Shown below are the slew of tweets from @RockJaw a.k.a. Stephen Reid.

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maybe the next communiy manager will actually come on the forums and talk to the community...

And actually understands that the forums are where new news goes, and not Twitter.

maybe the next communiy manager will actually come on the forums and talk to the community...

Lets Elect " JeramieCrowe"

Make it happen folks

Mr. Reid seems like a great guy and I believe his heart is in the right place.

However, as Sr. Community Manager, I would think his job was to ensure two-way communication between the developers and the community. I can't say he did his job well. He could have been blocked by factors beyond his control or it could have been him.

Regardless, like I said, he seems like a really good guy and I'm sure he'll land on his feet somewhere soon.

Something weird is going on. This move obviously wasn't about trimming devs that aren't needed now that the game is published... The game needs a community manager.

I think its a knee jerk reaction from EA because of the loss in subs.

It's probably more than just a bit unfair to assume the lack of communication was all SR's fault. There were many times he posted that information was coming but it's in final review and similar things. This gives the impression that we wasn't able to post everything he wanted to, when he wanted to. There seem to have been external controls over his job.

If those controls continue to exist for the next community manager, they'll be just as effective as SR was.

Stephen Reid was the only person that said anything about anything. The Dev tracker was filled regularly with misinformation. This reminds me of Tiggs part 2. The moderator and community liaison that got kicked to the curb when SWG:NGE went live and she was unable to control the outrage that insued. Bioware, probably at the behest of EA is practicing the old The Beating Will Continue Until Moral Improves mentality.

Clearly Stephen Reid didn't make the decisions on what was or was not in the game. Nothing he said was going to change the mind of those that do make those decisions. The community has railed incessantly against some of the features of this game since beta, and their warnings have gone unheeded, but now they want to guillotine some heads to show they are serious this time. Poppy****. I loved this game, but its fast wearing on me. I'm a die hard Star Wars fanboi, so I'm very forgiving, and I'm pretty much tired of logging in. It wasn't Stephen Reid that should have gotten the axe.

Message to the people frustrated about Twitter: This social network is a major medium where thousands of SW:TOR players communicate, coordinate, promote content, etc. He has many followers on Twitter and because it is "his" account he can share more personal information and emotions. We don't know the circumstances of why he hasn't announced his departure on the SW:TOR forums. He's been layed-off, perhaps he doesn't have the same access as he did.

Please don't make this a thread of hate. I've met Stephen Reid many times and I can assure you, he is a great lad with the genuine intent to make the SW:TOR community thrive in a positive way.

It's probably more than just a bit unfair to assume the lack of communication was all SR's fault. There were many times he posted that information was coming but it's in final review and similar things. This gives the impression that we wasn't able to post everything he wanted to, when he wanted to. There seem to have been external controls over his job.

 

If those controls continue to exist for the next community manager, they'll be just as effective as SR was.

why is it unfair? He Tweeted all day and said nothing on the official forums, His failure was obvious to us, why not Bioware?

It's probably more than just a bit unfair to assume the lack of communication was all SR's fault. There were many times he posted that information was coming but it's in final review and similar things. This gives the impression that we wasn't able to post everything he wanted to, when he wanted to. There seem to have been external controls over his job.

 

If those controls continue to exist for the next community manager, they'll be just as effective as SR was.

This is always the case. They hamstring the community manager and then ax them when things don't go their way. Its a thankless job to be sure. Look at all the negative posts going on now. Would anyone want to be subjected to that? I'm sure Stephen Reid is under strict non-disclosure, and EA's lawyers are circling and waiting for any slip up. That's how bad it's gotten, that even if you are fired, you're not allowed to say way, unless you want to spend a long time fighting court battles.

i agree he seemed like a good guy, but how hard is it to pull out his smart phone and post something here for the community considering he was already doing that but on twitter. the only factor i think he was blocked by was his own stupidity.

Sometimes you don't have much of a choice and are force to post on places which are not the official forums just to attract people in those other areas (e.g. get people to follow SWTOR on Facebook or Twitter).

Also, linking the Commnity with the Developers isn't always a visible job: he might have mainly checked the forums/ Facebook / Twitter / in-game tickets (or heard summaries from people who read them) and then provided an abstract of his own to the developers.

And since it seems that the people behind SWTOR are actually very close to the Community (Q&A, guild summit, Twitter, et cetera) I believe that we all have to thank Stephen for helping creating the bonds which link us.

For those complaining about Facebook & Twitter, please come join the modern age. "Community", especially online community, must encompass these things. As the Community Manager, it was his job to ensure the entire online community was managed and leveraged; not just the official forums.

I would imagine SR used Twitter to post snippets he could, while he was awaiting internal approval for more info.

Message to the people frustrated about Twitter: This social network is a major medium where thousands of SW:TOR players communicate, coordinate, promote content, etc. He has many followers on Twitter and because it is "his" account he can share more personal information and emotions. We don't know the circumstances of why he hasn't announced his departure on the SW:TOR forums. He's been layed-off, perhaps he doesn't have the same access as he did.

 

Please don't make this a thread of hate. I've met Stephen Reid many times and I can assure you, he is a great lad with the genuine intent to make the SW:TOR community thrive in a positive way.

This is true. Well said.

For those complaining about Facebook & Twitter, please come join the modern age. "Community", especially online community, must encompass these things. As the Community Manager, it was his job to ensure the entire online community was managed and leveraged; not just the official forums.

 

I would imagine SR used Twitter to post snippets he could, while he was awaiting internal approval for more info.

Fine, I have no problem with him ensuring the 'entire online community was managed'. The problem I had was that for those of us who don't believe in online stalking, the first we would hear of most of the things he tweeted about would be when another member of the community (as in, no-one from BW or EA) would come here and post 'SR said this on Twitter...'

If something goes on Twitter, especially his personal account and not even the SWTOR account, then it should have been up here first. After all, these are the official forums where official news should go.

I had to look up his name to even know what he was doing around here. Pretty sad considering he's supposed to be the most prominent figure towards the community.

October 2008 and you never used the Dev Tracker feature here? He's been all over it for a long time, though much less so in the past few months.

Fine, I have no problem with him ensuring the 'entire online community was managed'. The problem I had was that for those of us who don't believe in online stalking, the first we would hear of most of the things he tweeted about would be when another member of the community (as in, no-one from BW or EA) would come here and post 'SR said this on Twitter...'

 

If something goes on Twitter, especially his personal account and not even the SWTOR account, then it should have been up here first. After all, these are the official forums where official news should go.

I have to agree with you on this one. One would think that the courtesy of posting game news would be included in the game features that we pay for, such as use of the game forums. I don't use twitter and I shouldn't have to be forced to use it to receive game news.

I don't use twitter and I shouldn't have to be forced to use it to receive game news.

Exactly. The same goes for Facebook. I come to these forums for news on this game. I should not have to go elsewhere for it.

For all his good intentions, Reid either forgot that, or never understood it to begn with.

For those complaining about Facebook & Twitter, please come join the modern age. "Community", especially online community, must encompass these things. As the Community Manager, it was his job to ensure the entire online community was managed and leveraged; not just the official forums.

 

I would imagine SR used Twitter to post snippets he could, while he was awaiting internal approval for more info.

Yet he ignored the official forums, which with most MMOs to date is the goto place for game information, not Twitter.

I feel sorry for him, he seemed like a nice enough guy, and it sucks when anyone loses their job...

But if he had spent 1/100 of the time coming to the forums, and doing his job as he did on his personal twitter account he would probably still have his job.

I'd be fired too if I spent all day tweeting from my person account and not doing my job too.

Wish him and the others all the best!

As for this little Community, makes me often wish for a Twitter account, too....