Matt Ward has left the building

[T.D.]

Didn't know he has been an ex-employee of GW for a few months now...

[Haagrum]

This.

So much this.

[Red...]

Well, credit to the man where credit is due. 8th edition warhammer has been an excellent edition rules-wise - possibly the best ever - with a lot of positive concepts that make for a really epic gaming experience. Some of the fantasy army books have also been rules-wise much stronger than in recent years: the current elf books, for example, feel much more balanced than in previous iterations. I've not played it, but I've heard that War of the Ring was an admirably competent creation with lots of positive elements to its rules system.

He's never fully deserved the vitriol attributed to him by a lot of players. In many ways, I think, the slurs at him were never really personal: he was an easy avatar of GW for players to throw curses at (some light hearted, others less so, depending on the person maligning him), despite the fact much of his miscreations were almost certainly heavily shaped by the corporate culture and demands of GW as a business, rather than out of his own personal choice. When we should have been despising some anonymous board members, senior staff, and large-scale shareholders at GW, instead it was easier to hate on Matt Ward.

Not saying that all of his fluff can be entirely forgiven, some of it was indeed mouthwateringly bad. However, I hope he wasn't forced out, as he does appear to have been a loyal member of their team for over a decade and - whether or not you agreed with his approaches to rules and fluff - did seem to dedicate a huge amount of time and effort to both. Kudos to the man for his achievements and forgiveness for his mistakes - I wish him all the best for the future

[Haagrum]

Agreed that the hate has been extensively overblown. Still, mistakes were made, and many of them.

I think a lot of the hate has been because Matt Ward's name was on army books which were genuinely too powerful (the prime example being 7th ed. Daemons), seemed to be playing favourites (such as the Space Marines codex venerating the Ultramarines), which took the existing lore in... contentious directions (for example, Grey Knights), or which were reviled for being too open to player abuse (Necrons and some of the aforementioned).

That said, he's still a far better army book author than Adam Troke. A lot of 8th edition is a big improvement on 7th edition (Steadfast and Step Up in particular are great inclusions).

[Payce]

Every single piece of crap fluff published that is written by Matt Ward ever, has passed by the GW editorial department and Alan Merrett, and been approved as something the company is willing to back.

Every single overpowered army book or codex published that is written by Matt Ward ever, has passed by the GW editorial department and Alan Merrett, and been approved as something the company is willing to back.

As with everything else GW- and Matt Ward-related on the internet, 99% of the people discussing it have little to no idea how an international company of GW's size functions.

[Dalamar]

Editorial teams don't check quality of fluff or playability of rules.
They check syntax, grammar and spelling.

[Payce]

Editorial teams don't check quality of fluff or playability of rules.
They check syntax, grammar and spelling.

*sigh*

[Gidean]

Didn't know he has been an ex-employee of GW for a few months now...

What's your source for this news?

[Dyvim tvar]

His LinkedIn profile

[Gidean]

His LinkedIn profile

Hm...could not find him on that.

[Olliewood]

Here the thread on BOLS - http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/s ... =Matt+Ward

[Dyvim tvar]

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/matthew-ward/36/b11/a76

His public profile doesn't really show much but it does say "looking for work"

[T.D.]

I was out of Warhammer for most of the Matt Ward era, but I do understand the Nerd Rage of bad creative design. I would happily have killed Jervis Johnson with my bare hands in 1996 after the release of his 4th Ed Dark Elf book.

My own experience of Matt Ward's work has been the 8th Dark Elf and Wood Elf books. I've enjoyed playing his version of the Dark Elves, and on evidence I think he is a good writer and a good game designer. The Wood Elf book is a little rougher round the edges, but the fact that he left at the same time as the release suggests there was probably some friction behind the scenes.

If you are overseeing creative products in which other people are emotionally invested, you are liable for some flak; it's the nature of the job.

Regardless, I wish Mr Ward well in business and in life.

[Omnichron]

8th edition is imo. one of the best (if not THE best) editions.

A lot of the army books and such has Matt Wards name on them.

I think he gets much more grief than he deserves, even though there are and always will be balance issues.

[Gidean]

Mr. Ward single handedly broke 7th edition with his over the top Demon Book. He should have been canned for that alone. The Dark Elf book is good with many viable options but the new demon and wood elf book only have one viable build each. Those two builds make them OP. And Reign of Chaos?! WTF?

[Ankhalagon]

Mr. Ward single handedly broke 7th edition with his over the top Demon Book. He should have been canned for that alone. The Dark Elf book is good with many viable options but the new demon and wood elf book only have one viable build each. Those two builds make them OP. And Reign of Chaos?! WTF?

This.
Than add the crappy necrondex and op-grey knights back in the 5th edition 40k.
He may be a nice guy, but he wrote some pretty bad books.

Still better as my nemesis Cruddace. Yes, I was a Tyranid-player.