Unity has announced that President, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman and a member of the Company’s Board of Directors - John Riccitiello, is leaving "effective immediately". This follows on from the ridiculous pricing changes Unity tried recently, with the press release making no mention of it at all.
Riccitiello is no stranger to controversy who said some developers were "some of the biggest fucking idiots" in an interview with Pocket Gamer. Riccitiello was also EA CEO when they first launched loot boxes in FIFA 09, and even went as far as suggesting gamers would pay to reload their weapons in games like Battlefield. No doubt many will be happy to see Riccitiello leave. From the press release:
“It’s been a privilege to lead Unity for nearly a decade and serve our employees, customers, developers and partners, all of whom have been instrumental to the Company’s growth,” Mr. Riccitiello said. “I look forward to supporting Unity through this transition and following the Company’s future success.”
Perhaps under new leadership, Unity can begin to fix up their image.
James M. Whitehurst has been appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer, President and a member of the Board while the search process begins to find a new permanent CEO. Whitehurst was previously CEO at Red Hat and later President at IBM. Statement from the press release:
“I am honored to join Unity as Interim CEO and President at this important time in its evolution,” Mr. Whitehurst said. “With the Company’s experienced leadership and passionate employees, I am confident that Unity is well-positioned to continue enhancing its platform, strengthening its community of customers, developers and partners, and focusing on its growth and profitability goals. I look forward to working closely with the Board and our talented global team to execute on our strategy, and I anticipate a seamless transition.”
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Good effing riddance. This doesn't solve a lot of problems, but nevertheless a welcome change
3 Likes, Who?
And nothing of value was lost.
Yeah, it's not a CEO that does the work... only implements policies to make investors/shareholders money. This is not necessarily aligned with making good products.
Exactly, and this guy in particular has shown on many occasions that he has no moral compass, no love for the products his company is making and no respect for the customers of those companies. In my eyes he's completely unfit to lead. But I guess greedy shareholders see things differently. Makes me glad that a company like Valve is still privately owned.
5 Likes, Who?
Arehandoro Oct 10, 2023
Sigh, the older I get, the more I understand that unscrupulous tactics are the main pitfall of Capitalist/Free-Market economy. Yet, though it may be scummy, I'd take a scummy free-market over any other form of market.
And that is based on personal experience with other form of market or simply from what you've heard on TV?
Capitalist, Communist, Republican, Monarchist, Oligarchic, Theocratic, Fascist, and Anarchist economies all have things that make economics equally nightmarish. Not to mention that any of those governments can any/multiples of those economies, irrespective of their politics.
Eeehhh nope.
1 Likes, Who?
ssj17vegeta Oct 10, 2023
As much as I enjoy the karma he gets for basically being a giant douchebag, don't be fooled. He got fired because he got caught, nothing else.
Don't ever think for a second someone much "nicer" wouldn't jump on the occasion to fuck indie devs over.
Don't ever think for a second someone much "nicer" wouldn't jump on the occasion to fuck indie devs over.
2 Likes, Who?
Mountain Man Oct 10, 2023
And nothing of value was lost.
Yeah, it's not a CEO that does the work... only implements policies to make investors/shareholders money. This is not necessarily aligned with making good products.
I mean, Ayn Rand was less self-absorbed than your average CEO these days. Sigh, the older I get, the more I understand that unscrupulous tactics are the main pitfall of Capitalist/Free-Market economy. Yet, though it may be scummy, I'd take a scummy free-market over any other form of market.
Extremes in any form of market are terrible, no matter who that market is controlled by.
I had to write a paper on Free vs Closed vs Single vs "Post-Free" markets as a teenager, and my A.P. Government and Politics teacher gave me an extension after I showed her the first six (Unspaced!) pages. It was double that before I was done. I have never had that much to say on a topic since. I went way beyond the assignment, because I went "down the rabbit hole" as it were; I've been burned out on writing for nearly a decade-and-a-half since.
Spoiler, click me
Apropos of nothing, and without revealing too much else, I also happened to pass three A.P. exams that year. I still haven't gone to College (University to you folks across the pond), but if-and-when I do, I'll have quite a few classes that I won't have to take. I never want to touch College Algebra again; it was all I could do to get a B- in that class! I still dream about polynomials and imaginary numbers!
Capitalist, Communist, Republican, Monarchist, Oligarchic, Theocratic, Fascist, and Anarchist economies all have things that make economics equally nightmarish. Not to mention that any of those governments can any/multiples of those economies, irrespective of their politics.
Doesn't mean I have to tolerate scummy CEOs! My grandfather was a member of Local 89 his whole life! He even paid his dues every year after he retired! I'll be a union man 'til the day I die and stand judged. Power to the people!
As the saying goes, capitalism is a terrible economic system; it just happens to be better than every other economic system that's been tried.
Last edited by Mountain Man on 10 October 2023 at 10:45 am UTC
3 Likes, Who?
benstor214 Oct 10, 2023
Wait… is this some kind of grotesque Turing test?You could basically let AI write the entire play at this point.Technically, we don't know for sure that isn't how it was done.
From soulless corporate leaving blabla to soulless corporate replacement blabla and generic corporate statement as glue between those event.
Nobody would notice if any of those things were or were not written by a human being, as everything is just meaningless platitudes anyway.
2 Likes, Who?
You could basically let AI write the entire play at this point.
From soulless corporate leaving blabla to soulless corporate replacement blabla and generic corporate statement as glue between those events.
Nobody would notice if any of those things were or were not written by a human being, as everything is just meaningless platitudes anyway.
Technically, we don't know for sure that isn't how it was done.
Wait… is this some kind of grotesque Turing test?I think I prefer this AI-written movie...
0 Likes
benstor214 Oct 10, 2023
I think I prefer this AI-written movie...Meh… I think I prefer Sump’n Claus ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
1 Likes, Who?
Philadelphus Oct 10, 2023
Interesting. When this all first went down and people started protesting it, I wasn't sure how much of an effect it would have, especially when Unity seemed to double down a bit a few days in. Apparently it has had more of an effect than I thought it would, if they not only changed the proposed terms but are firing Riccitiello.
Mind you, I think this is all shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. The investors/board members (whoever has the power here) are spooked and going into damage-control mode, but the reputational damage has been done at this point, and I wouldn't be surprised if we see a sea change in developers moving away from Unity in the next few years.
Mind you, I think this is all shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. The investors/board members (whoever has the power here) are spooked and going into damage-control mode, but the reputational damage has been done at this point, and I wouldn't be surprised if we see a sea change in developers moving away from Unity in the next few years.
2 Likes, Who?
Caldathras Oct 10, 2023
As the saying goes, capitalism is a terrible economic system; it just happens to be better than every other economic system that's been tried.
That's just the propaganda of capitalism. There are other options that the elite just don't want us to look at. Try syndicalism (businesses are co-ops owned by the workers), distributism (Gandhian economics) or social credit (banks owned by the state). The info is all online.
Last edited by Caldathras on 10 October 2023 at 7:41 pm UTC
2 Likes, Who?
redneckdrow Oct 10, 2023
As the saying goes, capitalism is a terrible economic system; it just happens to be better than every other economic system that's been tried.
Precisely what I was getting at. When unbridled, Capitalism is just as bad as any other. But then, it's not really Capitalism at that point, its Rand's vision of individualism.
Everything can go pear-shaped no matter what government is in power.
Sigh, the older I get, the more I understand that unscrupulous tactics are the main pitfall of Capitalist/Free-Market economy. Yet, though it may be scummy, I'd take a scummy free-market over any other form of market.
And that is based on personal experience with other form of market or simply from what you've heard on TV?
More like a lifetime's worth of books on the subjects of both economics and government. From Machiavelli's The Prince to Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations to Marx's Communist Manifesto to Rand's The Fountainhead (Did I mention that I detest that one? Ayn Rand claimed to support individualism, but really just used philosophy as an excuse to be self-important.).
If I had used TV as a source, I'd have immediately flunked the class. No television program or periodical is truthful about its creators' views on either economics or politics. Even pundits own opinions change with the weather. You can't even trust written material by a pundit to be the truth as they see it.
However, by reading various authors differing (and oft verbose) opinions, I can inform my own, and maybe gain an understanding with others.
It's the same reason I've read other holy books besides The Bible. I like knowing about other peoples and cultures. Having already been a fan of Journey to the West, I actually enjoyed reading Ramayana.
Just because I can't afford College/University doesn't mean I don't seek to better myself.
Eeehhh nope.
I'm no expert, and I've never claimed to be. I'd be happy to have a civil debate with you or anyone else on an appropriate forum. Mostly because I know my own tendency to be long-winded, I'm not going to turn a comment section into an off-topic, pages long, debate.
We're here because we have a shared love of gaming on our favorite kernel, and I'd rather never comment again as make even one person angry. I apologize if I have.
2 Likes, Who?
Mind you, I think this is all shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.This.
0 Likes
Arehandoro Oct 11, 2023
I'd like to know what happened to all those shares Riccitiello sold just before announcing the price changes in Unity. Now that he's been fired, that deal stinks even more.
1 Likes, Who?
Arehandoro Oct 11, 2023
We're here because we have a shared love of gaming on our favorite kernel, and I'd rather never comment again as make even one person angry. I apologize if I have.
You didn't make me angry, I just disagree with your opinion. But you're right, this might not be the place :)
2 Likes, Who?
Just because I can't afford College/University doesn't mean I don't seek to better myself.
Such a sad thing to read.
I don't think this is a thing here (Germany), one "can't afford University". (Some exceptions probably exist.)
1 Likes, Who?
Mountain Man Oct 11, 2023
Reminds me of a Marx Bros bit where Groucho tries to get Chico to sign a contract with a sanity clause. Chico responds, "You canna fool me, I don't believe in no Santy Claus!"I think I prefer this AI-written movie...Meh… I think I prefer Sump’n Claus ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
0 Likes
It feels like every reaction to something bad these days is blamed on capitalism. Even this news, where it sounds like people wanted it to happen, causes complaints that it's not good enough. (As if Unity even knows what the new CEO (who they haven't hired) will do.) It has gotten very tiring for all the comments to be about politics here, so I'm glad to see this comment that does not make me feel defensive for the place I was born.And nothing of value was lost.
Yeah, it's not a CEO that does the work... only implements policies to make investors/shareholders money. This is not necessarily aligned with making good products.
I mean, Ayn Rand was less self-absorbed than your average CEO these days. Sigh, the older I get, the more I understand that unscrupulous tactics are the main pitfall of Capitalist/Free-Market economy. Yet, though it may be scummy, I'd take a scummy free-market over any other form of market.
Extremes in any form of market are terrible, no matter who that market is controlled by.
I had to write a paper on Free vs Closed vs Single vs "Post-Free" markets as a teenager, and my A.P. Government and Politics teacher gave me an extension after I showed her the first six (Unspaced!
Spoiler, click me
Apropos of nothing, and without revealing too much else, I also happened to pass three A.P. exams that year. I still haven't gone to College (University to you folks across the pond), but if-and-when I do, I'll have quite a few classes that I won't have to take. I never want to touch College Algebra again; it was all I could do to get a B- in that class! I still dream about polynomials and imaginary numbers!
Capitalist, Communist, Republican, Monarchist, Oligarchic, Theocratic, Fascist, and Anarchist economies all have things that make economics equally nightmarish. Not to mention that any of those governments can any/multiples of those economies, irrespective of their politics.
Doesn't mean I have to tolerate scummy CEOs! My grandfather was a member of Local 89 his whole life! He even paid his dues every year after he retired! I'll be a union man 'til the day I die and stand judged. Power to the people!
As the saying goes, capitalism is a terrible economic system; it just happens to be better than every other economic system that's been tried.
To everyone else, think about where the big gaming software companies come from around the world. What economy type are those companies residing in? Do you hate them all?
Last edited by 14 on 15 October 2023 at 2:52 pm UTC
0 Likes
It has gotten very tiring for all the comments to be about politics here, so I'm glad to see this comment that does not make me feel defensive for the place I was born.First of all, I think this is economics, not politics. And second: You were born in the magical kingdom of Capitalism?
To be less sarcastic: What do you expect comments on an article like this to be about? Something completely unrelated?
I don't understand why you'd feel defensive either. I'm sure most of us live in capitalist economies.
2 Likes, Who?
I agree with everything else you said, but economics is political. That's why large corporations, purely "economic" entities, spend so much money lobbying/bribing/etc politicians. Politics is about people having different interests and deciding whose interests will be served how hard--and economics is a really big factor in whose interests get served.It has gotten very tiring for all the comments to be about politics here, so I'm glad to see this comment that does not make me feel defensive for the place I was born.First of all, I think this is economics, not politics.
1 Likes, Who?
It feels like every reaction to something bad these days is blamed on capitalism.What do you want people to blame it on? Feudalism? Capitalism is what we have (until the revolution comes
); it's like farmers blaming everything on the weather--of course they do, and of course it's true.Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 15 October 2023 at 5:24 pm UTC
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