“A Very Fond Farewell”

Hello,

Brynd, WG EU Community Manager gave the following message:

ash

“Hi everyone!

TLDR: I’m off! Good luck for the future. :)

 

I’m “Brynd” aka Ash and I’ve been English CM for WG EU since 2013, the second English CM after Supercharge. I realise this is itself a revelation to those who won’t recognise me as I’ve focused on a lot more behind-the-forum scene tasks (we have a lot!), contributor interaction (the contributors know me much better as I invited some of them to the program and needed to deal with them all closely, regularly), contributor stream chats, social media, and over the last year especially, team management and recruitment. 

I’ve met many great players at various events across Europe like the UK, Sweden, Belgium, and the Netherlands – I was particularly interested in visiting places we don’t very often (like when we visited an Italian Airforce Museum, or going to Hungary and meeting local streamers Cleverland… and Ph3lan who now works here!), but not always as able to actually achieve that, though in general the company is achieving this more and more over time.

 

Anyhow, I’m leaving and I wanted you to know. The team I formed since I became team manager last year – MrConway, Ph3lan, and Cynd3r – I have utmost faith in. The recruitment process was not short! (And we’re… they’re still looking to expand the team!) We all know we need to strive to do better across all the games we support for the English language community in Europe and when my team and I have said that we’ve meant it wholeheartedly and strived to achieve it. I hope you will continue to treat them as well as you can (and generally do, may I add) as there’s a really thin line between player and company that our team straddles daily, across many games. We absolutely understand player reactions and genuinely care and yet have to conduct ourselves within the professional confines, and those of time.

 

I am genuinely sorry I wasn’t more visible. My indoctrination into community management was different, though I took on the challenge of this role and tried to do good where and when I could, there was a general uncomfortable fit as in comparison to other games I’ve been CM for or designed (I was a game designer/developer for 10 years!), I tend to be into quite different games in general – including World of Warcraft which was what brought me to France to begin with, to work for Blizzard in the Community team. But you know, I have come very familiar with tanks, ships, and planes in particular, even if in general my game stats are inconsequential.

 

Everyone I’ve met here in the forums, on contributor stream chats, forum PMs, Facebook, or at real world events, even those who have been furious in tone, I have connected with and absolutely understood and wanted to do my best to help. I believe strongly in listening to (and indeed acting on) feedback however harsh it is, since I am a mad passionate gamer myself. The community team diligently collects what you’re telling us about the game and the changes and delivers it to those who need that feedback in the company, even if that isn’t always visible to you.

 

In regard to the contributors – the streamers, YouTubers, forum game gurus, and devoted website and blog owners. They’re all good people trying to get by in life and play these great games. They get slack and I absolutely get it but they’re decent folk and mean only the best for the community. In my opinion from our interactions they’re all good folk and I like each one – no specific names mentioned for political reasons! :)

 

I have confidence in the remaining English language team and they know I remain behind them in absence, and with some pride. Also, Wargaming Europe has good intentions for the community and I wish them well in the follow through, for your sake.

 

To you all, I bid you a very fond farewell.

Ash”

 

Well… damn… there goes a good one. Ash is an amazing guy who always been around when I needed. He will surely be missed and I wish all the best to what the future has reserved for him! <3

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“A Very Fond Farewell”

42 thoughts on ““A Very Fond Farewell”

  1. Who? He was the EU community manager and I’ve literally never heard of him. WG EU should seriously communicate with their player base more, all we really had was Ectar and even interactions with him was rare, and now he’s gone. Look at NA, for example, and you’ll find meathead militia talking to people at every opportunity. Usually not even about anything important, just being… well, a person. As well as being employed by WG, he actually plays the game too. He actually enjoys using various forms of social media to communicate with people. He’s an actual person instead of the faceless corporate entity we associate with WG (greedy, don’t give a fuck, bad game devs, etc.), and the community appreciates it — you don’t have to look far to know he’s idolised by pretty much all, and it has really helped customer relations for the NA office. The RU and EU (especially EU) offices could desperately do with someone like that, because currently they’re despised.

    1. Infernal969 says:

      “Who? He was the EU community manager and I’ve literally never heard of him.”

      And this is why WG EU and whoever works there can kiss my ass.

    2. He literally explains why you’ve never heard of him.

      Honestly, when have you ever called any customer support and had a team manager answer the phone? Some people…

  2. Sefhyro says:

    Nem vou comentar para não aumentar mais a minha raiva pela falta de atenção por parte da wgem relação aos jogadores…as queixas acomulao-se nos fóruns por alguma razão é….enfim boa sorte noutros projectos

    1. Uggala says:

      Either they’re bailing out or they get kicked out. If things get better, probably the latter, if things get worse, probably the former. Time will tell.

  3. Liam says:

    I feel like this site is losing its touch. To much fuller going on here. Kind of like s smashing pumpkins album..

  4. Anonymous says:

    Rita, will you man up and finally write a post about how bad AW bundles have gotten? Please? Show us you aren’t in their pocket, show us you really care about the game and aren’t just paid to say good things

    1. abusemtex says:

      Lel.
      WG_Rita isn’t commenting about anything regarding AW except some major events.
      As everyone with working brains can see she is 100% in WGs pocket if anywhere.

  5. wolvenworks says:

    nooope never heard of him. then again i’m not that well acquainted with the EU mods (i prefer the more chatty SEA mods)

  6. GrimmReaperBG says:

    Never heard of him. Speaking of “behind the scene” i get the impression it is a scene from some other unknown to me game…

    1. Not its not, Ash always been the guy working mostly in the background. I know the dude and I tell you, have absolutely no complains, the guy would often spend extra unpaid time at the office just taking care of work. Reason why you never heard much of him is because how heavy on work he had become, he did what he was suppose to do and beyond. I dont often talk this highly about a WG’s member of staff but Ash sure deserves it.

      1. kilo_india_alpha says:

        That does not change a thing. In that case he was that community manager of a few streamers and bloggers but not of the WoT community. I read over the WoT forums from time to time but I cannot remember seeing his name.
        Well he has made 1 post every 3 days in his time at WG while being community manager. That is pathetic when you think about the fact that it is his departments job to inform and stay in contact with the customers.
        And last but not least he is so enthusiastic about the game that he played 151 games in 3 years and 1 in ’16. This should not be understood wrong. But someone who does not like the game and does not communicate with the people seems like a wrong pick on that position for me.
        I do not understand why companies pick people in exposed positions who have obviously no idea how their product work.

  7. Anonymous says:

    it`s not like he was s working on a plantation or in some basement chinese slave, …he sat on a chair moving his fingers , jesus …“the guy would often spend extra unpaid time at the office just taking care of work“ —> like for real

  8. No one knows who he is, and no one cares he is leaving… so why is he doing a public goodbye – just slink away like you have obviously always done mate. Bring the next grey face in

  9. Speaking as both a streamer and player – I have had a few dealings with Brynd and he was nothing but great, really helpful and provided really honest clear feedback.

    He also made sure to take sometime out to help the smaller WoT streamers and Youtubes rather then just the big well known names.

    Yes we never saw much of him externally, but I think we can see some of the changes he may of helped bring in – the lack of packaged bundles has dropped, The Sandbox idea etc.

    Sad times, and hopefully a worthy successor can be found

  10. Anonymous says:

    Rita, I need help with AW harassing my brother. They muted him indefinitely after just coming off of a 3 day mute. Can you help me out?

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