Now the dust has settled...

Earlier this week WoW Insider made a pretty big announcement that due to budget cuts a number of writers and columns would be axed. Whilst I don't claim to read every single WI post I do read a fair few and I visit the site most days during my lunch hour. There are certain columns and columnists that I read more regularly than others but as a whole I appreciate the site and what it does. It's a shame that these cuts need to be made and I know those that are leaving will be missed by the community.

Here's some of my personal favourites...



Matthew Rossi's final The Care and Feeding of Warriors: This is the end is a brilliant, if tad emotional, read. I've always enjoyed reading this particular column despite having never really played a warrior. I like Rossi's style of writing and whilst I'm glad he's not leaving WI I will miss this particular column.

The Community Blog Topic column is one that I feel particular close to as blogger and as a participant. I haven't taken party in every topic but I have read most (if not all) of the response highlighted by Robin and am especially thankful for the time she has put into writing the column and ready the vast number of responses she gets. I hope that as a blogging community we can somehow keep the spirit alive (perhaps a merge with Blog Azeroth's shared topic?).

Another regular read of mine is Drama Mamas by Robin Torres and Lisa Poisso. What can be better than reading about the struggles of others?! But seriously, it's a genuinely interesting column and it can be a great place to start resolving ones own in-game problems. Robin and Lisa are both very fair in their advice and I hope they continue the column elsewhere - I don't doubt it's usefulness to those in need of guidance.

A similar agony-aunt-style column is Scott Andrews' Officers Quarters. I'm not 100% sure on Scott's fate or that of Officers Quarters but I thought I'd mention it as a particular love of mine. As a GM it's good to learn from the issues other guilds are having and to take on-board someone else's thoughts & views.

Onto the work of Olivia Grace. I've never hidden my love of Olivia's work be-it at WoW Insider, Gamebreaker.tv or her weekly Talk Azeroth videos. She may have been the brunt of a particular rude Q4TQ but I really do enjoy her work. Yesterday Olivia made an announcement on YouTube and if you haven't seen it already you should check it out...

Finally this weeks WRUP is worth checking out as there's messages from most of WI's writers and a fair few of which explain their fate in light of these cuts.

Lastly, I'd like to commend the work of all the WoW Insider staff and writers, in particular those that are leaving! /salute