Strickland
Member
Microsoft decided to deal with it.
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Adam Orth no longer with Microsoft
- Thread starter Wario64
- Start date
The two words are becoming increasingly interchangeable. It's a dark world we live in.
And you really think he would have lost his job if he had made the tweets, Gaf had made a two page thread about it then moved on?
We all joke about the impact Gaf has over games "journalism" but lets admit it here, nowhere would have bothered reporting on those tweets in any major way if that thread hadn't blown out of proportion. Instead they would have been brought up, people would say "What a douche" and move on.
<3
He didn't really bring any more shit to MS's door than their lack of effort on making people care about their new console has been doing alone, he just concentrated it a bit.
This always online nonsense has been spiralling out of control without MS input for a while now, destroying any mindshare that the Durango could have before it has even been announced. The only thing Orth changed was that people finally had a face to put on mound of shit. It's like MS PR is a massive turd, constantly being added to by non action. This one man added to it with poop with a little bit of blood in it and instantly people are now disgusted, and he gets the attention.
I mean come on, the PR was getting so bad MS had to have a controlled leak of more Durango docs that confirmed Always Online isn't a thing. That was not because of one man's actions.
This is the one thing that would make sense for him to lose his job over. It'd be a really weird non-disclosure agreement to include not talking about always on devices however, since he never actually confirmed the Durango would be always online (and we now know it won't be.) But sure, it's possible he had an NDA saying "Don't talk about always on devices even though we're not making one."
CambriaRising
Member
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
jakonovski
Member
It does also seem that Adam Orth was something of a patsy for Microsoft's failures in Durango PR.
Without a doubt. MS got themselves stuck in a corner where without announcing the system we all know exists, they couldn't explain away the always on console rumours. Eventually their solution was to leak that newest set of documents (because come on, no way is that a coincidence.)
RagingAvatar
Member
1. Yes, that sucked that you got turned in over a marker. That sucks.
2. This was Orth's JOB. We're not talking about something insignificant to his job. He's talking about matters of great controversy in the videogame industry, speaking as a Microsoft employee and shooting off his mouth in a way that isn't particularly constructive - and actually, borderline insulting.
I am not surprised he lost his job. And he shouldn't be surprised either.
If I was his boss, too right I'd fire him.
It wasn't his position to be making the kind of public statements that he did.
Non-disclosure agreements are called that for a reason.
You could've just asked man.
jakonovski
Member
He is not one to answer for what he does, that's everyone else's responsibility. The parallels are kind of nasty.
Why didn't you ask to borrow it? You stole it.
Um....ok.
No, he played a big hand in that. I would have preferred that MS took another course ie demotion perhaps and give him the opportunity to redeem himself but lets not pretend he didn't bring this upon himself.
There is a slight difference to taking a marker as a kid and being a grown ass man on the biggest PUBLIC social media site out there for everyone to see. He didn't do something stupid and got caught, he spouted idiocy that directly went against what his employer would want viewable to anyone and got them into a PR shitstorm. Also, on some accounts, it seems like he resigned instead of losing his job. Regardless of the specifics, he should have been fired for it. Also, you were a thief, as there was no way of proving you were going to return the marker. Being mad at a kid for outing you is kinda hilarious.
The whole blaming part in your post is pathetic, come on. What if he kills himself? Seriously? You don't know if anyone has mental or personal issues, guess we should just stop communication as a whole as to not potentially upset anyone. I also hope nobody on gaf takes being called a manbaby too harshly, if they harm themselves by your own leaped logic that will be on your hands.
Yes, it does, it wasn't your marker and all these years later you still can't admit that, yes, it was right you were called a thief because that's exactly what you were.
dragonelite
Member
The man got himself fired after posting his 2nd and 3rd tweet about always online, and don't argue against the whole internet.
What in the actual fuck are you talking about.
Markers, man. We talking about markers. And shit breath.
Devolution
Member
The irony is he's feeding the delusion that the internet can fire someone, that it has nothing to do with someone's conduct as an employee.
Open Source
Banned
If the new Xbox has mandatory always online, this guy is only the first casualty in what will be a brutal housecleaning a year from now.
And why on earth would you leave the safety of your foxhole to defend the indefensible and stir up an even larger, more widespread response about the perceived shortcomings of your upcoming product? There may eventually be details regarding "always online" that make it palatable or even exciting. But even if they exist, you can't talk about them.
If anyone is going to take the incoming fire, let it be the execs and marketing people instead. There is no possible good that you can do and plenty of harm.
They really need to make the great generals required reading in school. Too many seemingly smart people who fight Twitter battles without considering that the overall consequences are catastrophic whether they win or lose.
There's certainly a time and a place to present your arguments for maximum effect, but at this was certainly neither - nothing good could possibly have come of it.
And why on earth would you leave the safety of your foxhole to defend the indefensible and stir up an even larger, more widespread response about the perceived shortcomings of your upcoming product? There may eventually be details regarding "always online" that make it palatable or even exciting. But even if they exist, you can't talk about them.
If anyone is going to take the incoming fire, let it be the execs and marketing people instead. There is no possible good that you can do and plenty of harm.
They really need to make the great generals required reading in school. Too many seemingly smart people who fight Twitter battles without considering that the overall consequences are catastrophic whether they win or lose.
There's certainly a time and a place to present your arguments for maximum effect, but at this was certainly neither - nothing good could possibly have come of it.
perineumlick
Member
Did I just get chastised by a filthy thief?
Devolution
Member
Dude no we have the power. Who's unpopular right now? Let's make them jobless.
Cat in the Hat
Member
Videogames man.
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
A GAF post for the ages, possibly beyond even "shot themselves in the foot" for parody potential. I love how this one childhood event has given this guy a persecution complex he's fond of projecting onto other people he feels necessarily need defending for their own stupidity and misdeeds. Shit is textbook.
I'm just glad that finally someones been fired in the games industry for being a twit lacking professionalism. This sort of accountability is pretty rare, and seems to require a total internet shitstorm to ensure!
brotkasten
Member
Steve Ballmer should be next!
Would someone please think of the suicides.
Markers? What has Dead Space to do with any of this?
Phonomezer
Banned
Kim Jong Un.
Well there is that one dude at polygon i hear isn't making a lot of friends on gaf..
Open Source
Banned
No, I think he was fired because the response was widespread bad publicity. If there had been zero response, his actions alone would not have gotten him fired. Thus, the firing was a direct result of how certain people chose to respond to those actions. That's not to say that the response wasn't predictable or, to some degree, justified.
EviLore already shot that one down today.
I hope you never try to steal someone's car for 16 hours and play it off as it not mattering, because you know, it's only 16 hours, and it's only a car. Now let's all go steal candy bars and be happy.
.
They'd probably just find another puppet in his place. I'd rather all the generals lost their jobs and suddenly Kim Jong Un has no choice but to make peace with the entire world.
DICKS AHOY
Banned
While I agree it's probably a bit of a grey area, his defensive tweets did almost immediately give a lot of people the impression that the next XBox would be online-only. In that sense I can see how, even if unintentionally, that could be a breach of his NDA. Indirect confirmation this is a (unpopular), mandatory feature in a still officially unrevealed console, which is still just as bad if it turns out that recent VGleaks saying the exact opposite about the next XBox turns out true instead.
It may be strict, especially since he never explicitly talked about the next XBox, but given this is the same company that's been known to give certain employees tasks that they can't even tell their boss about, segregating teams and barring them from interacting with each other over work and so on, I can see how MS would be pretty livid about what Orth did.
Even if they weren't, it's still sort of a PR nightmare. The games industry seems to house a number of people oblivious as to why you shouldn't treat twitter like a private chat room.
shinra-bansho
Member
Yes, the internet is at fault for Adam Orth's poor thought processes and decision making skills with regard to online conduct despite professing to be adept at being always-online. The internet made Adam Orth make inflammatory and perhaps revelatory comments in a public manner about a billion dollar project to which he was presumably under non-disclosure, at exactly the time a rumor had come out about said project. Poor Adam Orth, what with no personal control of your actions you really shouldn't have to take any personal responsibility for your life choices. I mean the internet controls all of that. Shame on you, internet, you devilish puppet-master you. But you're still awesome. Sweet Billy said so.
Curse him, we were well on the way to world domination.
Cat in the Hat
Member
Markers are cars.
We should get him fired.
By your own admission, you were a thief so that was an accurate assessment. Sorry that I had to be the one to break the truth to you years later. You complain that your punishment was wildly disproportionate. But let me ask you, after all the hours of detention and disappointment from your parents; Did you find it so easy and acceptable, as the first time, to take more items that weren't yours? Or instead did you start leaving other peoples things unmolested as everyone else in society somehow manages to do?*
Once you come to terms with that, maybe you'll be able to move on with your life from something that happened in grade school. Unlike you, I actually was subject to unfair treatment during my grades school years and I've let the indignation go. When I was a child, I beat 3 classmates who thought they could bully me and when I didn't immediately cower, decided to pick a fight. Of course, when the school Administrators asked, they all lied and said I assaulted them for no reason. Since none of the teachers could be bothered to watch children on the playground, it became the word of one slightly scuffed child against the word of 3 bleeding, bruised, and black eyed child. So to reiterate, maybe you should let your anger go. Trust me, going through life angry at some, ultimately innocuous, incident is a poor way to live your life.
--------
Secondly, as many people have pointed out. The 'INTERNET' and, GAF specifically are not a single entity. At most we're a collection of individuals that sometimes like to associate and innocuously comment on and inform each other. EatChildren made a pretty good post so there is no reason to reiterate it:
Additionally, if you go through the original thread, its mostly comprised of people lamenting the online nature of 'Durango', generalized commentary on employee etiquette when using social media, and while he should get into trouble with his superiors Orth shouldn't necessarily lose his job over his mistakes.
--------
Finally, I know you're angry. But you should remember that Ad hominem attacks, in your case against your former instructor and forum posters, are never a effective contribution to a argument; nor are they a good paradigm to interpret the world around you.
*Another thing to consider if that punishment didn't dissuade you from further transgressions. Contrary to your ranting, maybe the punishment was not in fact, too severe and inadequate?
Yes, he was fired because that's how Microsoft decided to respond to those outcries. They made the decision, and i don't think it was the most level headed of decisions. It's not gonna make critique of their (alleged) shitty drm scheme go away.
Palette Swap
Member
Since markers are equivalent to millions in PR, why not.
mentalfloss
Banned
Just went over this thing with my wife who is as PC as you can get and her response was he shouldn't be fired for having a sense of humor, lol
Anyway TeamFire is losing this battle right now unless they can prove his actions are having a negative affect on MS.
Anyway TeamFire is losing this battle right now unless they can prove his actions are having a negative affect on MS.
j0hnny_385
Member
26 pages? Whow...
IMHO, this is pretty simple:
If you're insulting your customers, diss everyone living in rural areas and (according to numerous sources) you're an all-around asshole...WTF do you expect?
YourGonnaHaveABadTime.jpg
The great thing about the Internet is:
If you're doing good, if you genuinely care about your customers and you're honest and open in your approach, no amount of marketing or PR will come close to the Internet Word Of Mouth(TM) (GAF, numerous other sites, etc.). You'll be treated like royalty.
On the other, if you're pulling an Adam Orth thing...people will destroy you. Simple as that.
IMHO, this is pretty simple:
If you're insulting your customers, diss everyone living in rural areas and (according to numerous sources) you're an all-around asshole...WTF do you expect?
YourGonnaHaveABadTime.jpg
The great thing about the Internet is:
If you're doing good, if you genuinely care about your customers and you're honest and open in your approach, no amount of marketing or PR will come close to the Internet Word Of Mouth(TM) (GAF, numerous other sites, etc.). You'll be treated like royalty.
On the other, if you're pulling an Adam Orth thing...people will destroy you. Simple as that.
PuppetSlave
Member
Yeah but it's not that easy. Loads of people are now convinced otherwise and not all of them will change their minds easily or even pay attention to any new information.
How many, that is another matter.
Canis lupus
Member
Microsoft just found out about his comment regarding Halo lol.
This episode will be directly responsible for MS having to do the controlled leak via VGleaks about the BC and 2 boxes yesterday so as to do damage limitation..
He has forced their hand into an early reveal of key features which they wanted as a shock and awe for the official event. This is their ONE chance to launch a new console with as much good press as possible and he fucked them in the ass.
Of course he had to go.
Or people could stop writing useless shit on twitter. Who cares at the end of the day. Make a second account that you only share with friends under a fake name if you REALLY must tell everyone what kind of burger you ate today.
mentalfloss
Banned
Kojima and Mark Rein say hi.
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
Where/why do you think we got a calvacade of controlled leaks yesterday? Time is money, and Orth cost Microsoft possibly a little of both due to forcing them to comment before they felt they were ready.
"599 US DOLLARS" was super damaging to the PS3 early on, so Microsoft probably dropped some deuces over having their own little soundbyte apocalypse with "ALWAYS ONLINE: DEAL WITH IT".
Yep, totally. Glad to see other people on the same page. You could see all the cogs turning yesterday.