Cheats-Area.com

   Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) is one of the companies that many angry MMO players would gladly blame for reasons too numerous to mention. But this time, the fault lies elsewhere. The latest pile of mishaps to hit the Internets this week reveals that Sigil Games Online is going through some rough times, having laid off many - if not most - of its employees. This is certainly troubling news for the subscribers of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, the prime candidate for "The Most Disappointing MMORPG of 2007" title.

   According to F13.net, "at approximately 4:30 PM [yesterday], Sigil employees were told to meet outside. At which point they were terminated. On the spot." The question they ask next is not "How many?" were laid off, but "By whom?". They don't think it was Brad McQuaid - the studio's boss and co-founder, and a former EverQuest developer (also known as a "bullsh*tter extraordinaire" by some). But even if he wasn't the actual "executioner", Brad's lack of interest in his own studio may very well be the main reason for Sigil's impending doom. Here's what Grouchy Gamer revealed, soon after:
"Brad McQuaid has been an absentee manager at Sigil for months. Not only has there been a leadership vacuum at Sigil, with the employees there left twisting in the wind, but I have been able to confirm that Brad hasn't even bothered to be at the office.

(...) I truly hope that all my friends at Sigil will land on their feet. I also sincerely hope that no one ever gives Brad another cent to make a game or to start a company and put other's livelihoods at risk. It's evident that Brad lacks the skills, dedication, or maturity to handle that situation."    So while Vanguard was under a deadline, with a whole lot of problems already evident during the beta, mr. boss apparently had better things to do than to take care of his studio's operation. Is this the beginning of the end for Vanguard? Probably, although SOE claims that "the game will go on". In either case, Sigil is pretty much done for, and while some of the developers may find other jobs with SOE, we sure hope Brad won't be one of them. He's done more than enough already!