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[ThaiGrocer]

No explanation why or if it's Valve, specifically. I hope that isn't it.
Edit: Looks like it...

Yup. Got fired today. Time for new exciting projects.

https://twitter.com/jeriellsworth/status/301521067816669184

My last day on the j0rb today. All the pinball players are sad. http://pic.twitter.com/am2mXLQz

https://twitter.com/jeriellsworth/status/301528750263267330

 

[V_Ben]

Did she work specifically for Valve? I don't think I've ever heard of them firing somebody. I mean, I'm sure they do it. But it feels like we never hear 'Valve fires so and so'

 

[injurai]

Next week she gets hired by Black Mesa East... the arg has begun.

 

[iavi]

Valve firing someone?

 

[Skyzard]

I wouldn't be surprised if they canned it. Seems like a bad idea overall...does it seem like a good idea to anyone? Yearly pc hardware bundles.. Are my facts bent?

Oh it's an apple mini for games. Hmm less bad but still.

 

[TheOddOne]

Yeah, she worked for Valve.

 

[StrangeADT]

Valve firing someone?

Ya, I recently watched a video on youtube where Gabe said they haven't been as aggressive as they should be on firing. Just think about Valve's organization and how easy it would be to do nothing (until noticed, anyways). It'd be pretty easy for someone who isn't a self-starter to get lost in an organization like that.

 

[DaBoss]

I wonder what actually went down.

 

[Man God]

What do you have to do to get fired from Valve, threaten to make Half-Life 3 or something?

 

[epmode]

Valve firing someone?

According to that recent gaben lecture, it happens somewhat frequently. Mostly because it takes a certain kind of person to thrive in such an unstructured environment.

 

[erpg]

Valve firing someone?

Gabe implied that they fire a lot of people (especially new hires).

 

[DaBoss]

What do you have to do to get fired from Valve, threaten to make Half-Life 3 or something?

Nah, more like offering to make a game that has 3 in it.

 

[antonz]

Did she work specifically for Valve? I don't think I've ever heard of them firing somebody. I mean, I'm sure they do it. But it feels like we never hear 'Valve fires so and so'

Gabe a few weeks ago talked about how its important to be aggressive with firing people who don't fit the direction of the company. They probably have a huge turnover rate of low level people who don't get followed on twitter etc

 

[low-G]

What do you have to do to get fired from Valve, threaten to make Half-Life 3 or something?

Used one of Gabe's knives to put cream cheese on a bagel

 

[BlackJace]

Gabe's not fucking around. Poor girl, hope she lands on her feet somewhere.

 

[Roche]

She must be fairly upset about it to post so publicly like that, doesn't seem like Valve's style.

 

[Squire]

It's interesting she was "fired" and not layed off/let go. Someone fucked up.

 

[iavi]

Ya, I recently watched a video on youtube where Gabe said they haven't been as aggressive as they should be on firing. Just think about Valve's organization and how easy it would be to do nothing (until noticed, anyways). It'd be pretty easy for someone who isn't a self-starter to get lost in an organization like that.

According to that recent gaben lecture, it happens somewhat frequently. Mostly because it takes a certain kind of person to thrive in such an unstructured environment.

Gabe implied that they fire a lot of people (especially new hires).

I do remember that lecture now. It just feels weird since we so little hear about firings at Valve.

She don' goofed.

 

[Nabs]

Didn't they build their entire hardware lab around her? I wonder what happened.

 

[DaBuddaDa]

What was her responsibility at Valve? What does next gen hardware in the thread title mean, steam box?

 

[TheOddOne]

Her previous tweet was telling too:

 

[Paches]

Steambox cancelled?

 

[shira]

Used one of Gabe's knives to put cream cheese on a bagel

She started working on Half Life 3 and Dota 2

 

[CambriaRising]

Maybe she was just a bad employee?

It happens, you know.

 

[xJavonta]

What did she actually do there?

 

[DocSeuss]

How does she have 13,000 followers? Is she famous for something? Most of the devs I follow don't have nearly that many. ._.

 

[Nabs]

Steambox cancelled?

I don't think they brought her in for (or just for) the Steambox. I think they were making input devices and things like that.

 

[Kaako]

Didn't they build their entire hardware lab around her? I wonder what happened.

That's what I was thinking as well. Or that she was a key element in the R&D for Valve's Steambox. I'm sure she'll land on her feet though, walking some of her talks on youtube you can tell that she's smart as hell and definitely knows her shit. Best of luck, regardless.

 

[antonz]

How does she have 13,000 followers? Is she famous for something? Most of the devs I follow don't have nearly that many. ._.

The Cult of Valve

 

[ThaiGrocer]

Steambox cancelled?

Haha, Kotaku-speak. It's more like out of a hardware team.

 

[ThaiGrocer]

Yet another tweet: it looks like Valve.

My last day on the j0rb today. All the pinball players are sad. pic.twitter.com/am2mXLQz

https://twitter.com/jeriellsworth/status/301528750263267330

 

[indigo-cyclops]

I'm curious about this too. Never really followed her much, but I do remember the implication that she was very important in the hardware R&D dept. She seemed capable to do the job, but what do I know? I can't really see her slacking/not devoting her efforts to doing the job. Or, it could be that entirely. Speculation.

 

[Reallink]

Probably doesn't bode well for Steam controller or Steambox.

 

[Sentenza]

The Cult of Valve

She was actually some sort of Youtube celebrity even before being hired from Valve.

 

[Zia]

Fired?!

:' (

 

[xJavonta]

Probably doesn't bode well for Steam controller or Steambox.

Maybe that's why she got fired. Couldn't think of creative input device that isn't some shitty gimmick or anything like that and thus Valve felt she couldn't fulfill the role.

 

[Lotto]

Wow, I watched a couple of her interviews talking about working for them and she seemed to enjoy it. I think she was one of the first people to be hired for Valve's hardware department too.. Wonder what happened.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

She was fired because she protested Half Life 3 being delayed. Be aware, Ancel.

 

[Darryl]

her plans for a steambox were interfering with valve's steam goggles idea

 

[Gouda Jouji]

How does she have 13,000 followers? Is she famous for something? Most of the devs I follow don't have nearly that many. ._.

She has her own Wikipedia page, so she's somewhat famous in her field.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeri_Ellsworth

 

[TheUnsunghero26]

Weird, I remember reading in that Valve employee book, that got posted here a while ago, that they've never fired some because they've made a mistake (or something like that). Not used to hearing about someone from Valve being fired.

 

[maquiladora]

How does she have 13,000 followers? Is she famous for something? Most of the devs I follow don't have nearly that many. ._.

She designed the C-One, C64 Direct-to-TV etc...

Triangulation 3: Jeri Ellsworth

 

[Tzeentch]

Fired after one year? Must be Valve's trial period for new hires. Maybe she couldn't drum up interest in the project internally, which seems to be an important thing for the people they hire to be proponents for their ideas? Will be interesting to hear what happened.

 

[thehypocrite]

The steambox is releasing some vapor.

 

[Acosta]

Wow, what? I remember seeing her not long ago messing with hardware (she has a kind guitar fused with a C64, was really cool). I thought she was exactly the kind of people that worked at Valve, super brilliant people really specialized in their stuff and with a thing for inventing.

Wonder what happened...

 

[ThaiGrocer]

In memoriam: My First Crowbar

 

[Plinko]

Pinball "players"?

 

[Forkball]

Jeri: Shouldn't we be working on Half-Life 3?
Gabe: ... I'm going to have to let you go.

She has an impressive resume so I hope she lands on her feet soon.

 

[womp]

How does she have 13,000 followers? Is she famous for something? Most of the devs I follow don't have nearly that many. ._.

She is crazy with hardware and a C64 zealot. I love her Commodore One.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-One

These facts alone have made me a fan for years.

 

[Sentenza]

Gabe implied that they fire a lot of people (especially new hires).

Actually he never suggested any number.
He just claimed in a recent speech that "They are learning you need to be aggressive with firing people when things don't work", which can mean pretty much anything.
It could even be just a principle they didn't even had a chance to apply yet.

Wow, what? I remember seeing her not long ago messing with hardware (she has a kind guitar fused with a C64, was really cool). I thought she was exactly the kind of people that worked at Valve, super brilliant people really specialized in their stuff and with a thing for inventing.

Wonder what happened...

It's a bit hard to comment on the news without any clue of what happened.
For what we know so far it could be anything from Valve ditching their hardware projects and getting rid of the people, to Jeri caught to steal Gabe's knives.

Seriously, maybe there isn't any mystery in this; maybe she was simply completely unproductive for a whole year and they fired her.