Godager Leaving Funcom

In a surprising turn of events, Funcom announced that Age of Conan Director Gaute Godager is leaving and Craig Morrison is stepping in as the new Producer and Director of Anarchy Online and Age of Conan. Apparently the decision was partially made due to mounting criticism of Age of Conan. Check out the news after the jump.

Funcom announce that Craig Morrison has been appointed as the new Producer and Game Director for Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures.

Durham, USA - September 17, 2008 - Funcom announce that Craig Morrison has been appointed as the new Producer and Game Director for Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. Craig Morrison has served as the Producer and Game Director on Anarchy Online for several years, as well as working as the Funcom Community Manager prior to that. Funcom believes he is the perfect candidate to take Age of Conan to the next level. Mr. Morrison will replace former Producer and Game Director Gaute Godager.

Prior to starting at Funcom in 2004, Craig Morrison worked as an Operations Executive at the Telegraph group, the respected UK newspaper, taking care of operational aspects related to IT and Customer Service. Due to his passion for MMO games he simultaneously worked as an Associate Editor at IGN's Vault Network, managing dedicated websites for several MMO games. He has extensive experience in managing various sized teams and complex projects across large media based environments. He has also played, written about, managed, produced and directed MMO games for over a decade by now. With his passion and unique skill-set he brings proven MMO experience to his new position, and during his years as Producer on Anarchy Online he has shown a unique ability to tailor development according to the needs and requirements of the players.

"Taking on the position as Producer and Game Director on Age of Conan is a great challenge but also one I welcome. I have a clear conviction I can lead the further development in a good way, evolving Age of Conan into something even better. My main priority now is therefore to listen to, and act on, player concerns, while ensuring we add additional great content to the game," said Craig Morrison. "At heart I will always be a gamer, and the coming changes and additions to Conan will always be done with the gamers in mind. Together I am certain we will shape an amazing future for Age of Conan."

Former Producer and Game Director Gaute Godager has chosen to resign from Funcom after working on Age of Conan since the initial conception, and he leaves the company after 16 years. Godager was one of the original founders of Funcom, and leaves a large legacy, having contributed to making Funcom the largest MMO company in Europe. "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."

Check out the rest of the article at the link above. We'll keep you posted as the story continues to unfold.

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Why is this a "surprising" turn of events? Anyone who is not a deaf, dumb and blind fanboi could see someone was going to have to take the rap for this disaster.

It's surprising that it happened so fast after the game's release. I'm no fanboi...or gurl *g* since I've never played it. BUT...given that he survived Anarchy Online, the supposition was that he was going to survive this too.

I dont think its surprising at all. AoC promised a lot of things before launch, and didnt deliver. It was the years biggest dissappointment for me and many others that had been waiting hopefully since it was announced years ago. Who was to blame? Well, all eyes move to the top.

Funcom and Blizzard are the epitomey of everything that is wrong with the mmorpg industry. Kudos to AoC for "attempting" to make a mature game, but it is nothing but another level treadmill piece of crap garbage game.

Darkfall is the only hope we have. Anyone that has played Ultima Online before it was corrupted by trammel knows and remembers that MMORPGs are supposed to be about freedom and choices in a seamless world. Hopefully other game developers will take note from DF. Eventhough there's certain aspects of DF I don't like, this is the only game coming out soon that will grab hold of the industry and give it a 180 degree spin heading in the direction of the UO era before Everquest introduced it's never-ending level treadmill server zoning zombified system that has become the status quo ever since. It's a total shame that mmorpg newcomers think that games like WoW and AoC are as good as it gets.

Anyone no longer involved in the sad excuses of a game known as Anarchy Online and Age of Conan can only be a good thing for this industry. Craig Morrison is more than likely another industry zombie, but at least this sends a strong signal to the people at the top that gamers are tired of the same "pretty graphics with no substance" MMORPGs and we've had just about enough.

Offf... Heavy loaded statements way off target. Either read up on whats really happening in AoC forums or MMORPG forums or do not share your "knowledge at all". Did you know AoC is gaining subscribers after Patch 2.0 which basically brings AoC to promissed box content? Did you know one of the most posted contents in AoC forums now is "I ditched WAR after a few days, WAR does not stand the test against AoC patched 2.0"... etc etc... This place is outdated

Dirk:
Offf... Heavy loaded statements way off target. Either read up on whats really happening in AoC forums or MMORPG forums or do not share your "knowledge at all". Did you know AoC is gaining subscribers after Patch 2.0 which basically brings AoC to promissed box content? Did you know one of the most posted contents in AoC forums now is "I ditched WAR after a few days, WAR does not stand the test against AoC patched 2.0"... etc etc... This place is outdated

Did YOU know that the official AoC boards were locked down so no one but paying customers could read how EVERYONE was quitting after only "a few days". Top stickied post was "Don't let reading the forums get you down"...LOL. Nuff said. Age of Crap was a total flop. The sales "records" were copies sold to retailers, NOT customers. There are numerous articles on the web about how a large portion of the boxes were sent back, resulting in mediocre sales at best. Then head honcho Gaute Godager gets sh-t canned.

How can you argue for a game that is just now delivering what it had promised at launch? Here have some Kool-Aid, curtesy of my buddy Jim J.