Wizards of the Coast (WotC), the publisher of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), has significantly reduced its workforce associated with the Sigil virtual tabletop (VTT) project, laying off approximately 30 employees, which accounts for 90% of the team.
Sigil, powered by Unreal Engine 5, was introduced as an immersive 3D platform intended to enhance the D&D gaming experience. Despite its ambitious goals, the platform's alpha testing phase revealed challenges in achieving its standalone aspirations and distinct monetization strategies. Consequently, WotC has decided to transition Sigil into a feature within D&D Beyond, maintaining a smaller team to support and release existing content at no additional cost to users. The decision to scale back follows feedback from the recent alpha testing phase, which indicated that the platform, while visually impressive, lacked depth and precision in its current state. Users reported issues such as difficulties in importing character data from D&D Beyond and limited customization options. These shortcomings have positioned Sigil behind established VTT platforms like Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds in terms of functionality and user experience.
Andy Collins, a senior writer and team leader at WotC, publicly acknowledged the layoffs on LinkedIn, expressing disappointment but gratitude for the opportunity to work on the project. WotC has assured that those affected will receive support, including severance packages, 2024 bonuses, career placement services, and internal opportunities where possible.
Despite these developments, the Sigil platform will remain accessible to users as a feature within D&D Beyond, with ongoing maintenance and support provided by a reduced team. This transition reflects WotC's commitment to integrating Sigil's capabilities into their existing digital offerings, aiming to provide value to the D&D community without additional costs.
Source: https://www.polygon.com/dnd-dungeons-dragons/542716/wizards-sigil-vtt-layoffs
