So, what now...?

By sigidi, in The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth

Some bad news:

Very painful for the employees of course, but also what will this mean for board games that need interactive content? That are actually no game without it.

I wouldn't worry about Journeys. They scheduled an announcement for an expansion on the 28th. It would be odd to do that and then shut the doors on it.

5 hours ago, sigidi said:

Some bad news:

Very painful for the employees of course, but also what will this mean for board games that need interactive content? That are actually no game without it.

I didn't realize that Asmodee was up for sale. I did see that they just closed the digital wing that produced the online LCG. I just ordered journeys and it delivers tomorrow. This thing may be over before it even starts for me. With layoffs coming, I'll bet they may start focusing on what is selling (X wing, Legion, the SW licenses).

The big fear will be if they give up the LOTR license to save cash. With the end of the LCG looming, and nothing significant in the LOTR pipeline, I'm a bit concerned. The coming of the new expansion is something that has probably been in development for the last 6 months, and can't really be used as a borometer for the future of the game I don't think.

Well, there is the Amazon LoTR TV series on the way... Whenever that actually airs the franchise could rebound.

I'm not sure if the development of the game digital interface was outsourced or not but this is also a more general problem within FFG as a company. Not even talking about asmodee as a company. It's an environment where employees will be less happy to work in.

Not sure to understand the relationship between Asmodee and FFG? 🤔

FFG is no more a company since long ago (Christiansen gone). Asmodee is the company and FFG is just a brand.

On the IA boards someone stated that the developers were being moved from FFG Interactive to other departments. If that’s true then they may be dedicating them to specific products as part of the reorganization.

It wouldn’t be the first time a company has made that kind of change, it eliminates management positions meaning larger salaries get cut.

Probably just wishful thinking. No source was given.

11 hours ago, Thaeggan said:

Well, there is the Amazon LoTR TV series on the way... Whenever that actually airs the franchise could rebound.

Yes, I hope that is the case. I was mainly referring to the FFG LOTR pipeline, not LOTR in general. I'm not sure how their licensing may work, it would be fun for them to bring whatever characters in Amazon's show to life in Journeys, assuming it survives the layoffs. FFG needs to post something soon about all of this or there is going to be customer concern about FFG as a whole which may lead to even further reduction in sales.

its worth pointing out that FFI only had the LotR LCG video game on their books.

The JiME app is done by Asmodee Digital, so not affected.