We really are quite rosy and lovey when it comes to thinking back on Neopets back under the guidance of the creators Adam and Donna. Plots were better, the team was communicative on a non-superficial level, the art was superb, yadda yadda yadda.
Then Evil Viacom came over and bought the company, and most people wonder why they still play at all. Adam and Donna settled for some 160 million supposedly, and promptly faded out to make their own company where they could work as they willed.
And the current player base yearns for some return to the old days, wishfully hoping that Adam and (now his wife) Donna would join on as plot consultants or some such.
Hate to break it to ya kids: the Powell's were bad executives and managers.
(you need an account to see links)
The company (Meteor Games) tanked shortly after most of these reviews, filing bankruptcy in 2012. Adam left his wife to run as sole CEO, and who knows what they're doing now, but these former employees sure have an unanimous message: the senior management could not mind their own business and trust the talented LA tech base they invested in. Faerieland, far away in LA, was a sicklier place than we'd like to have imagined.
It may be old news to most, but it's always a good reminder of what was likely (and I can only speculate and judge here) the corrupting influence of too much cash. When one of you strikes it rich and sells your next company for millions, don't forget that money does not remedy bad leadership. Be kind to the have-nots, and stay grounded.
Disclaimer: I don't know anything specific, and my assumptions are merely that. But with previous experience in business environments in large companies, I can definitely hear the concerns of these former employees.
I'm sitting here thinking of the entire team head against the wall trying to absorb information lol.You can't sit in your offices and expect information to go out through osmosis
Thats what I think about when people are talking about how godly they are. people would get fired for nothing there
As much as the changes in the site after viacom took over haven't been the best, things would have happened anyways over time, plus the community at places like that changes over time as well.
We are lucky that they bought it in the first place, and still keep such an insignificant site open that can't make a crap ton of revenue. It would have been gone by now.
I have no golden age thoughts about this.
No Adam or donna then no neopets
Steller reviews for the team and complete shit for the C-level execs. Man, the reviews are pretty much unanimous against the management.
Wow, that is a bit sad, but all these things happen for a reason. I'm very glad that Viacom bought neopets! After reading this I honestly don't care if UCs don't come back or they don't make a way to get more, etc. etc., the thought of losing a game I've actually enjoyed almost non-stop for years and years is a bit more terrifying XD
*~a ghost in the sunlight~*
Check the reddit page in the other post - Adam did mention a few things that mention their side of the story.
20 year olds aren't good execs - Zuckerbergs terrible
It's all just being young and having power over people, That's basically like being the captain of the high school football team, you think you're all high and mighty...you have to learn somewhere.
This is all true but look at the market they had for the games they produced, most of them were solely facebook games and when they got in the market in 07 they were the new and hot thing to do, everyone was making them and making money and now look at the market today very few people make new games for facebook and also very few people still play any games on facebook Corporate giants in the specific industry have been struggling something good too ---IE Zynga and more
Definitely not making excuses but come on now what percent of people who played facebook games when they started all of this still play them today
Id say very few