MMORPG.com has learned that Age of Conan Producer and Game Director Gaute Godager has resigned his post with Funcom. His replacement, Craig Morrison previously held the same position on Funcom`s Anarchy Online.

MMORPG.com has learned that Funcom Producer and Game Director Gaute Godager has resigned his role at the helm of the company’s flagship title, Age of Conan. Funcom wasted no time in announcing his replacement, however in the form of Anarchy Online Producer and Game Director Craig Morrison.

Godager cites elements of Age of Conan that he was unhappy with as the reason for his departure from the company that he helped to build and grow over the last 16 years:

“I have done my very best making this fabulous game, but I have concluded there are elements which I am dissatisfied with. I have decided to act on this, and as a result I have chosen to leave Funcom. It is time to get new, fresh eyes on Age of Conan, and I wholeheartedly support the appointment of Craig. I have had a fantastic time these last 16 years, and I am very proud of the many things Funcom has achieved. Funcom and Conan will always be a big part of me, but as I now look to new ventures outside the gaming industry I am certain Age of Conan’s future is in the best of hands.”

Read the article here.

But, but, Godager said everything was going perfect! I don't understand!

Originally posted by brostyn

But, but, Godager said everything was going perfect! I don't understand!

perfect to his plan i guess

Thank god

maybe we'll see a concerted effort to fix all the issues and add more content.........

(slaps himself)

Never again, Funcom can just die a horrible death of razorblades and battery acid.

nothing but skyrocketing sub #s could get me even remotely interested in reinstalling this POS on my machine.

Too little too late!

Craig Morrison should have been assigned as Game Director from start!

I really feel for that guy, as he is really the cleaning lady of Funcom. Cleaning up the mess Gaute Godager creates and try fix it afterwards.

Only this time it is really too late. He might get Age of Conan around and fix the core issues (like he did with Anarchy Online), but the massive lost of subs will NEVER be regained.

Too many titles coming out in the near future and one is already released in the form of Warhammer Online.

Shame really! Real shame of what could have been.

Originally posted by brostyn

But, but, Godager said everything was going perfect! I don't understand!

Perfect for his getaway car and escape route!!!

I almost feel like he pulled a McQuaid here.

I'm excited. I think GG didn't have a real connection with the AoConan fanbase, and with the new guy taking the stand; we'll see if Conan can be salvaged or not, I suppose. If it can't, at least we'll know in 6 months.

“I have done my very best making this fabulous game, but I have concluded there are elements which I am dissatisfied with. I have decided to act on this, and as a result I have chosen to leave Funcom."

To me, this sounds like "I love this game that I made, but since the rest of you don't like it, I'm taking my toys and leaving. Neh!"

If AoC manages to survive the next year or two and actually improve and fix things, then perhaps it may go somewhere. Other MMOs, like EVE and Vanguard, have proven that if a company is in it for the long haul and actually move it in a good direction, then a game can slowly recover from a horrible start. Or it could crash and burn like the majority of them out there when the sponsors stop feeding the starving game.

The fact they listened to their subscribers and are releasing the long awaited PvP patch today which also includes new content and quests for the very dry level 50 areas, along with PvP levels and XP.

Then this news today.

I say

Age of Conan Relaunch - Sept. 17th.

Well, there were so many people wanting them to get rid of the Funcom decision maker for AoC that they should now be happy.  I'd hope for the sake of AoC that this kick in the pants will set them in the right direction. The PvP patch changes too many PvE things for my personal liking so I won't be going back any time soon.  However, I do wish them the best of luck!

Resigns??  More like Who did Godager piss off?  Doncha love it how even Erling can be so cordial about techincally firing Godager.  My question is, how can you "Pour your heart out" on a project like AoC and leave/resign/get fired 4 months later.  Why don't people just be truthful and just say what they mean.  Like rats leaving a sinking ship.  I don't understand why they didn't put Craig on AoC to begin with.  It doesn't matter now because FunCom will never see the launch numbers ever again.

I mean, companies gotta blame someone and look who they blamed.

To me it sounds like he was removed from his position with the option to leave voluntarily. Dunno but that the feeling i got from that statement.

I'm wondering if there's anyone left on Anarchy Online now.   They just keep taking peoples from AO to put them on the AOC crapper.

Moving forward I think the game is in good hands still. Gaute took a lot of flak for lots of decisions made, some right some a bit off I felt. Craig is well known and respected a good candidate for the job. I hope his remarks in the article hold weight as its something Funcom needs to be better at.

This is surely a sign that Funcom has been driven into the ground by the very man who just resigned. I like what Morrison had to say and he reminds me of most of the team at Mythic who are the biggest difference in the world as to why I love Warhammer Online and feel disgusted and repelled by what Funcom and Age of Conan did. It may be too late and Guate sure did leave a big steaming pile of shit for Craig to clean up, but If anyone can save the game, its this guy.  Good-bye Guate.. that was such a noble sacrifice, you realized there was a problem with AoC, and that it was you. Farewell!

He should have been "hanged" (fired) long time ago, at least it's better late than never.  Lets see how things go with this patch and if people cry in tears of joy, then i guess i better reinstall and see if i'll rejoice as well.

At least the person everyone loves to hate is gone, i hope he wasn't just the scape goat but the reason for this mess, else it won't change anything.

Please let there be light and fix AoC finally, the game has a lot of potential.

Is this a whining post?

Can't u see they are taking it seriously. Think this will be a turnaround. New blood is always good.

He's just the public head cut off I am sure more will follow internally. Which means pther people will have to be brought in to come up to speed and that will push things out even farther this patch will be the most you will get for the next 3 to 6 months I bet.

It definitely sounds like a case of "your letter of resignation is expected on my desk by tomorrow".

I'm rather indifferent towards AoC in comparison to being a genuine hater of the game.  Nonetheless, it certainly sounded like Gaute was to blame for a lot of things that went wrong with the game.

What bothers me, however, is his attempt to frame his departure as a statement of principle.  No, you can't do that well after your game is released and that you have held up the impression that all was well with it.  For him to try to claim his resignation is standing up to his game ideals is just an admission that he has been "keeping up appearances" (a nice little euphemism for lying) these past months.

It's a bit like a novelist who participated in every promotional junket surrounding his latest book, claiming it was a modern masterpiece, but who, after it only reached the midlist, publicly repudiates it as an inferior work.  If you do that, return your royalties; otherwise you're just a hypocrite.

 So what would you say if you spent 5 years working on something that you built up to be more than you could possibly deliver, then faced a huge fail when it was released and public outcry? He made some bad decisions, the chickens have finally come home to roost, I wouldn't want to be in his shoes now. I hope the new guy is better, and can get the game on track.

Probably he was given 2 choices:

1. Resign

2. Fired

I honestly did not expect this at all!! this came as a  huge surprise to me! this is big news.

At least for people who have been with funcom for a long time since ao. Craig's involvement will definitely change the game for the better.

I really don't understand the why some of  you guys say its to late for  the game. now I refuse to believe that. they do still have time to make this game better, for a lot of people. and Im sure people will come back if they fix the problems and add the continent people want. so Godager  resigning from aoc is  a good thing, the game needs new fresh eyes on the project and moved things for the better.

Getting Gaute out of there is a bit of a PR dance, seeing as he is one of the company founders from 16 years ago.  I do think they hit the right Donkey on the head, though, and not some scapegoat.

Silirrion has the last 2 years been easily the best GD AO ever had and if FC gives him the resources, authority, and time, he'll put some soul into AoC.  His replacement in AO, former head Dev Means, is an excellent choice there so AO is still holding up well.

At this point I mainly worry that Aas is keeping both eyes on the stock ticker tape when he needs to just put people in the right positions, and chill out for a while and let people like Sil manage the game.

I had this move listed as my number 1 way to begin fixing AoC  post-launch. Craig is a forthwright guy, listens to the community and gets logical changes implemented in a timely manner. If anyone can get this ship off the reef he can.

How Gaute lasted this long I don't know, he should have been sacked after AO's Shadowlands expansion.

If FunCom isn't forced to close it's doors in the next 12-18 months, AoC will become a fun, playable game.

Good Luck Craig, get to work, you got a ton of fires to put out.

Posted elsewhere, but applies here too:

A quote from the release is telltale: "he (Mr. Morrison) has shown a unique ability to tailor development according to the needs and requirements of the players."

Gaute could never do that.   Gaute's "Let them eat cake" style of aloof management from afar and too obviously, proving once again with AoC that he had absolutely no "pulse" on the customer base, I am sure, frustrated the hell out of FunCom. 

Gaute may have actually been asked to resign -- one thing for sure, the folks and FunCom aren't sorry to see him go.  It's the equivalent of hari-kiri career-wise for Gaute, but that's okay, he's been with FunCom for 16 years and I've sure he's taking a good chunk of the company's value with him.

Everything about FunCom has always pointed to "Those who refuse to learn from History are doomed to repeated it."   FunCom, even if Gaute said the contrary,  didn't learn from AO and made many of the same mistakes (and a host of new ones) with AoC.

 What was really annoying the FunCom investors was that AoC was not only underpreforming, it was heading south quickly while Gaute played Nero's fiddle to investors while roleplaying Marie Antoinette to the player community.  

So here we go, history repeats itself -- Craig Morrison to the rescue *AGAIN* ...Craig has a good reputation and track record. He is certainly well accustomed with taking things from a blue funk to harmoniousness with charm and panache, yet in a purposeful, determined way.
 

Originally posted by drarkanex

Resigns??  More like Who did Godager piss off?  Doncha love it how even Erling can be so cordial about techincally firing Godager.  My question is, how can you "Pour your heart out" on a project like AoC and leave/resign/get fired 4 months later.  Why don't people just be truthful and just say what they mean.  Like rats leaving a sinking ship.  I don't understand why they didn't put Craig on AoC to begin with.  It doesn't matter now because FunCom will never see the launch numbers ever again.

I mean, companies gotta blame someone and look who they blamed.

I can only agree with the above.....

Gaute messed up 2 really potentially great games. I mean poor guy, I have no doubt he was living and breathing MMO games, he just didnt have any talent, whatsoever... And then AoC came out and the leadership of funcom finally figure that out.

Craig has a good reputation, sounds to me like he is the right guy to get AoC up and running in about a year....