In recent times there's been a trend of Nintendo Treehouse staff becoming a little more visible, expanding upon their appearances at E3 and special broadcasts and engaging with the public. A number of the team have been on social media for some time, but there's been a sense recently that they have a little more freedom to discuss their work.
This was the impression given when Chris Pranger appeared on the Part Time Gamers Podcast last week, talking frankly about the fact that internal staff often do voice work due to the lower expense and the "fun" of it, and addressing fan expectations alongside the realities of game localisation, among other topics. We're not sure any were explosive powder keg comments, though some statements around the costs of releasing niche games and internal activities may have been close to the mark.
Unfortunately, appearing on that podcast (and its eventual discussions around the web) has resulted in Pranger losing his job at Nintendo. In a Facebook post (via NeoGaf) he speaks candidly while acknowledging that it was a result of his comments to Part Time Gamers Podcast, and he's also shared a brief message on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/TheChrisPranger/status/631852330133028864
Pranger evidently the broke rules of his employment, though naturally it's a sad state of affairs. We wish him the best in his future endeavours.
Thanks to Benson for the heads up.
Comments 220
Neither the comments nor the reaction are surprising.
I just wonder where the tipping point was reached.
Maybe there was more to the story than this. Like it was a final straw. I can see getting punished in some way for the comments but they definitely don't scream "fire" in my opinion.
It's sad that Nintendo won't allow their employees to speak in public like this. Around E3, you get all these people in the industry going on podcasts, and it's fascinating to hear from people other that the ones that simply report on the news. All you get from Nintendo is carefully worded press releases written by a PR firm though.
Maybe they should hire someone like me.
Wow Nintendo just wow.
You never know the circumstances, as @zeldagaymer93 says it could have been the final straw in a series of events. My girlfriend works for a tech company (who cannot be named) with a very strict privacy policy - they know they rules, if they talk about it outside of work, they get fired
Anyway it's still sad to see someone lose a sweet job, especially these days
that's the way the cookie crumbles in the big bad corporate world. Gaming companies are no different.
Welp. This was highly unexpected (to me at least). I can understand why he got fired, but I didn't think he would. Well, good luck with his future endeavours.
I can't discuss my job with the media either & I'm a nobody. Terms of employment. Still, it's harsh to fire the fella.
@Peach64 They do that for good reason though. When you're in a distant 3rd and the media loves to twist your words, you have to be careful about what you're saying. That's why they started Nintendo Direct after all. That's also why Bill Trinen was seen strapped to Miyamoto's hip after the interview with EDGE magazine (the one in which Miyamoto supposedly called casual gamers pathetic).
Is anyone really surprised by this? It's a tragedy that he lost such a sweet job but his comments came off very negatively. We all know how Nintendo likes to remain positive with any Public Relations.
Not a suprise but it is a discusting move by Nintendo.
We make a fuss about everything, so can we kick up a fuss about this too? Get an actual response from Nintendo?
If he was working for ASDA and he had said 'we get these customers whining about us not stocking Brand X Biscuits' he would of been fired and no one would of batted an eyelid. It was disrespectful to Nintendo's customers to phrase it the way he did. What he said was very true and honest, but you have to have boundaries in Public Relations, which he unfortunately crossed.
I have some weird deja vu....there's was a guy at nintendo who worked directly with Indie devs to bring their games over to NIntendo platforms. And you know who was in some way talking bad about Nintendo and what happens? Yes he too was fired. It's a shame but on the other hand I don't think any kind of company want to be presented in negative way by their own employee....
@Chrno-x Dan Adelman wasn't fired. He left.
The PR people were probably apoplectic about the way some of the policies were discussed. I'm not surprised that this is the result, though I hope very much he gets another job pronto.
If he violated the terms of his contract by doing that interview, there is not much to be done. Nintendo has that policy and it is know by all. I wish him the best, though - it truly is terrible to lose your job.
He made a Facebook post about it going a bit more in-depth. https://www.facebook.com/chris.pranger/posts/10102128757335146
I was thinking this might happen when I saw the original article. Sucks that he lost such as awesome job.
This is the man who openly stated he wasn't allowed to talk video games on his Escapist video series "No Right Answer" after being hired at Nintendo. I have NO IDEA why he thought he could get away with this podcast. But he did, and he was wrong...and I for one feel bad for him because the Treehouse must've been an AMAZING job to lose for something like this. Yes, he brought it on himself, but I don't think that precludes any amount of sympathy.
I don't understand; he acknowledges it's his fault, yet surprised he got fired. Social media has been the downfall of many people who let there narcissism get to them. Homeboy isn't a producer or director, he should have known the podcast don't care about him other than an opportunity to dig up some juicy details about the inner workings of one of the most secretive and strictest video game companies around. I wonder if he disclosed with his supervisor before going on the podcast or had a, "F-you, dad!" attitude. I don't understand people who work for highly visible companies having Twitter accounts or podcast and talking freely about work stuff or their own personal views unless they're expected by the company or their own legacy...not some random guy who landed a dream job and suddenly feels like a rockstar. These people are the ones with targets on their backs susceptible to making a fool of themselves and disclosing sensitive company info.
@IceClimbers That's true, but he did have his Twitter privileges revoked by Nintendo.
Aw man. No fair... It really sucks to be unemployed.
Maybe this was a bit too harsh, but I wish him well in the future....
Lmao.
Nintendo being over anal again but to be fair, you breached your contact.
Get a job at a different company, getting fired by Nintendo definitely isn't the end of world
To all who're mad about this about Nintendo [rightfully] firing an employee. The dude brought it upon himself. He clearly violated NDA policies. He himself acknowledged that. I'm really sorry for him. But that's just how reality works especially with NDAs mixed in. Same with any other company with similar rules and regulations placed upon their workers.
I wish him well!
Unfortunate incident indeed. I was surprised to see that Nintendo has a change of heart to become more open suddenly, but it appears their policy isn't changing at all and this is only one guy violating the terms. As a company, this is a rather normal thing that happens all the time, so I don't see why people would bash Nintendo for this. It's suck that it happened.
Wish he a good luck in future.
The first rule of Nintendo Tree House is: You do not talk about Nintendo Tree House. The second rule of Nintendo Tree House is: You do not talk about Nintendo Tree House.
Sucks, he always seemed like a cool guy in the streams. Hope he finds new work.
@hYdeks It's really got nothing to do with Nintendo. Any company you work for and you happen to break non-disclosure agreements will get you sacked as well. I'm pretty sure the same goes with Sony and MS.
@Zyph oh yea I know, It's truly his fault. He could probably get another job in the industry though, but it will be hard cause he did this, and they'll know about it.
I was quite surprised when I read the interview. Didn't expect him to be fired but he probably was a little too loose-lipped.
Times like this reminds me how destructive social media can be for people lives especially when you're a somebody and/or work for a big company. I wish him the best. I hope the knowledge he spread about localization wouldn't go to waste in the coming days.
I'm pretty sure it was his consumer-critical stance that got him fired. He didn't talk about anything internal that wasn't already known to the public, but he criticized consumers, even if he (kinda) had a point.
Nintendo probably doesn't want public faces who argue with their own fanbase, so he had to go. Not the nicest treatment, but you can't just risk your employers' reputation like that, as small as the impact may have been.
@OneBagTravel
That about sums it up.
This will be a hard time for the guy and I do sympathize with him, but he really had this coming. You just cannot talk the way he did when you're working for a company like that, it simply isn't his place. I understand it sounds a bit harsh to get fired for it but that's just the reality of it I suppose.
Well, that's kind of an over reaction.
@Kaze_Memaryu Reggie has criticised consumers several times.
I know I could be fired from my job if I talked to the media about it without permission from public relations, and I don't even work anywhere at all secretive like the Treehouse. It may seem harsh, but he never should have taken the gamble if he cared about his job so much.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR
Becuase we're in the 21st century and the comments he made painted Nintendo in a good light.
And FYI, I work full time in a permanant type. Thanks for being a judgemental ass.
Btw: Does that mean Captain Rainbow translation confirmed?
It's unfortunate, but not surprising. I'd be fired if I publicly gave lots of details and secrets about my job.
I could get fired and/or sued if I talked about some basics of my job in an interview.
I work in media and there are things I cannot disclose to the general public about my job. If I did, and they found out, I'd be canned just like this dude.
Hopefully he will use this situation as a learning experience and move on. Someone's bound to give him a job somewhere sometime.
That's why we have obvious trainnings of privacy policies... "Please, do not talk to your family about our methods, do not post pictures of your desk without permission, please, do not explain how we are developing our future products"... But then the guy thinks "well, the truth is not harmful", and exposes things like "voice actors are random Nintendo Employees to save money, people complaining about localization don't understand they are not worth the money spent, oh, I'm working on project X,Y,Z and the boss is getting crazy!!!".... You know, these things are not a big deal, but they are part of privacy policy, and well...I'm not sure, but I think that at some point someone warned him about that.
This is absolutely ridiculous! They are the most antisocial company in the west by far. For him to get fired over something so simple just goes to show Nintendo has still a long ways to go in gaming world! Get your act together before you lose all your customers for being the way you are which is stuck in the early 90's.
Very conflicted about this. His facebook post is heartbreaking, but at the same time he broke company rules just to get a little bit of fame from a podcast interview.
I can't believe he thought that there wouldn't be any repercussions from revealing secrets from this ultra-secretive gaming company...
Never heard of him until now but that's unfortunate
Ultimately it is not his place to talk about the possibility of Nintendo localizing games.
Ouch! That sucks...
Didn't like his commentary at e3 anyway.
@Spoony_Tech Any other company would've done the same. He violated the terms of his contract, he brought it upon himself.
Nintendo are not noted for their nice business practices. I hope he manages to get another decent job.
He got exactly what he deserved and brought it entirely upon himself.
His comments were incredibly obnoxious, whiny, confrontational, arrogant, unprofessional and very, VERY stupid. His interview damaged Nintendo's reputation even further than it already has been for a while now, and what he did was incredibly stupid. He spoke for the company in a whiny, self-righteous way and made Nintendo's clueless, self-absorbed arrogance as a company even more plainly clear than it's been and made it and himself both look bad in a PR capacity by speaking out in a COMPLETELY unauthorized way without the company's approval, embarrassing them both publicly.
I have absolutely no sympathy for this man, and any problems he has brought entirely on himself in this matter, in every single possible way. He's a fool and he deserves this shame, entirely.
@Spoony_Tech You are aware that this is a typical reason to be fired, right? Companies don't like people revealing inside info like that, regardless of the business. It's unfortunate, but he had it coming.
@Spoony_Tech If he most likely was violating his employee contract how was anything Nintendo did out of order? They had every right to fire him and he knew full well he was playing a risk game.
Don't break NDAs and you won't get fired. It is a pretty simple game to play.
@JusticeColde @Octane All I know is what he did has been known in the gaming community for a long time. This company is far to hush hush for my tastes. Nobody outside the very top can say and get away with things. This just reminds me of the recent parting of the guy in charge of the eshop. What was his name David Adelman? He said in so many words Nintendo is behind the times.
It's the same way they want to take control of Miiverse. They want total control and nothing less. Of an employee says anything other then nice safe things they are fired.
I had to sign confidentiality agreements with companies I didnt even work for just because I was in their facilities. It is a part of the working world. I feel bad for him losing his job, you dont want anyone to do that but he knew it was a possibility and I'm guessing his appearance on the show was in no way approved by his employer.
The headline says 'Prangar' instead of Pranger, and once again in the article itself.
The only way to truly be free in this world is to not have a job.
Good. I would expect the same to happen to me as a public sector worker. In fact my employer enforces an 'Electronic Media Policy' when it comes to engaging on social media. If I expressed opinions that were out of sync with my employer's views then I would expect to be fired or disciplined.
I wish the guy the best of luck. I hope a man of his talents will get a foot in the door somewhere else but getting hired in the industry will likely be tough. Nintendo see his comments as a betrayal, surely. He's obviously breached the contract they made him sign. Being fired is horrible but he's obviously right to acknowledge that it's his fault and no one else's.
Now I'm more paranoid if collaborating with Nintendo means something like I got to be extremely careful in order to fulfill the games that are developed only for Nintendo products.
The Facebook post is gone.
@Spoony_Tech
"Lose all your customers for being stuck in the early 90's".
Pretty sure non-disclosure agreements were around in the 90's, and are still around today.
It's policy. There is no "well we like Joe so we'll slap his wrist" in the corporate world.
You break policy, you're fired. And that's just the way it is. Otherwise the next guy could sue and claim discrimination- well they didn't fire Joe for breaking non-disclosure but they fired me. Clearly they hate [insert demographic here]
I don't like it even if it's fair and makes sense from Nintendo's point of view. The problem is one guy can change the entire perception of a company and it's a bit too much power. Remember Xbox One? People want transparency from companies but then it can get dicey real quick and, again, someone taking it on themselves to know what the best image to present for the entire company is not going to fly.
Still, it feels too harsh to me. Hopefully, it was just one more example of flippancy. He did seem to be that kinda guy personality-wise.
Nintendo needs to find some boundaries to let these people be frank within. A better balance needs to made here because the Treehouse people are doing wonders for perception of Nintendo in America at least. I'd hate to see that scale back unnecessarily.
@zeldagaymer93 agreed...in my profession, a fireman is very much in the public eye. And a lot of times the guys that get let go are the guys who have a documented history of problems or progressive discipline, and if your on thin ice...it does not take much..small violation of policy, or something slightly offensive and you give them the opportunity to remove a problem child you have not been able to....the comments he made are like a hand slap to me, really not that bad...I hope there was more to it but who knows
@DiscoGentleman
Imho, you are spot on. Just the act of speaking on a public forum was probably enough. I don't see Ninty looking kindly on someone they most likely label a loose cannon.
All the best to him, he must be going through tough times.
ThIs guy was talking crap anyway. OK, so Xenoblade is a good example for sheer volume of work but the localisation of niche games is big enough business for the likes of Atlus, NIS and XSeed. The games they manage to localise monthly do not hit close to the sales volumes to which he inferred. Many of those have a heavy amount of text + they manage the PR work without consistently making a loss.
Furthermore, his comments not only alienate a sizeable chunk of Western Japanese-game fans but are a slap in the face for Nintendo patters who work hard to get these games over. Think SMT x FE but that can extend to firms like Platinum games etc - fairly niche markets.
Much of what he said is true but the main points he made, were made terribly and this isn't just harmful for Nintendo PR, but for those smaller firms who aim to bring niche titles from Japan.
Plus there was likely more to it...
@IceClimbers Nintendo isn't in a "distant 3rd". If you're going by the amount of Wii U consoles sold, then sure; but there's also the 3DS. Even then, units shifted isn't as important as overall profit - in which case Microsoft is actually the one that is 'third'. It's all semantics, though.
@night "His interview damaged Nintendo's reputation even further than it already has been for a while now"
LOL. Nintendo has a damaged reputation? Since when?
He should have plenty of time to work on a Captain Rainbow translation now.
@Operationgamer17 The post was removed.
What did he mentioned there?
@Peach64 Yeah, shame on Nintendo for firing an employee who openly badmouthed the company. What were they thinking?
Didn't Reggie say something similar in terms of localization (2 years ago or so)? Granted, Pranger's comments were a bit more frank, but I didn't see anything that screamed, "you're fired." Maybe there is more to the story.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR
I was aware of that fact, which is why I said 'not surprising' at the beginning of my post. Please try to read before posting...
And besides, doesn't make it any less of a douche move on Nintendo's part. He didn't reveal any huge company secrets, just shed some light on some of the reasoning. Just because you don't like what he said doesn't mean he deserved to lose his job.
Now he finally has the time to play xenoblade chronicles on his gamepad.
Oh wait, he's in the usa:p
I have just learned that he wasn't on the podcast because Nintendo send him there.
No surprise he got fired. He broke his contract, the code of conduct and the trust of the company.
@Kage_88 Yeah I was talking about consoles sold. That's the public perception of Nintendo when it comes to consoles. Handhelds on the other hand, that's Nintendo's arena. They're the undisputed king of handhelds.
@Mogster He was fired because he violated his NDA contract. It's not about what he said, it's the fact that he said it. That's standard practice for companies. He brought it upon himself.
For anyone describing it as harsh or what have you, keep in mind that companies in general can't view this as a grey area. I can believe his superiors not necessarily wanting to get rid of him, but they can't make an exception for something that is at the core of tech and entertainment companies. It's a pity all the way around. Here's hoping one of the other biggies picks him up. Especially for localization... hey Atlus! Help a guy out?
@Kage_88 Your facts add up. There is no questioning that. I still wonder how much longer the handheld market will be a viable source of income for Nintendo. Smart phones changed the HH market forever. More and more kids are growing up without nintendo portables as parents just get the children smart phones on a family plan. The 3ds probably won't reach DS numbers in its life time how much better will it's succesor fare?
Despite the xb1's rocky start, the system still managed to reach Wii U numbers in half the time. It's selling better than the 360 at that point in its life span. I would imagine the install base will get another healthy jump with a Halo 5 bundle this Holliday season. Just look at the PS3. It started out weak and ended strong. I was hoping for a similar situation with Wii U, but it looks like that ship has sailed.
What really amazed me is how well the PS4 is selling. Nintendo and Microsoft have their work cut out for them.
Think it's probably a case of him taking it upon himself to answer questions about the whole of Nintendo from a reasonable small position on the tree house team. I get why it happened. Nintendo is still a closed shop and has people who's job it is to tow the company line and project the image they want.
He really, really, really shouldn't have made the firing public. When he applies for other jobs now, employers are going to find all of the dirty laundry.
Now it's even harder for him to find another job (at least, in the gamung industry) because of this incident. I just hope he's successful, but he should be very careful not to do this again.
Oh, and hi, @get2sammyb!
i guess i'm not surprised, based on my understanding of Nintendo and their approach to pr. that said, i feel sorry for him - not just because he lost his job, but i never took his statements as particularly hostile or as reflecting poorly on Nintendo. i don't know why people were so bothered about it. guy tried to share some reality with fans in a no-nonsense way, and i think what he had to say was worth hearing.
a lot of people seemed really angry. why? most of us don't work in game dev or publishing industries, and just because we want game x localized doesn't mean it's feasible or going to happen.
best of luck to Pranger.
Poor man, the buisness world can be an unforgiving place. Hopefully he learns from this and things work out for him.
Nothing sad about this. He got what he deserves after breaking the trust with his employer. I wish him good luck working at the gas station.
Wow....it's as if spouting nonsense that insults your customer base and makes the company you work for look bad may end up getting you fired...
In other news, the sky is blue.
@doll
"a lot of people seemed really angry. why? most of us don't work in game dev or publishing industries, and just because we want game x localized doesn't mean it's feasible or going to happen."
It's understandable that not every single game can get localized but Chris' comments come off as exceedingly rude and essentially damage control the fact that Nintendo is overly conservative about what games they do and do not localize + most of the complaints about localization would be solved by not region locking their consoles.
Man I KNEW this guy was going to get fired. I'm sad he didn't have the foresight to keep his mouth shut. Or maybe he wanted to get fired & this was a last hurrah? Who knows. Seems pretty obvious anyone who leaked all that info was going to get that sack. At least it was obvious to me.
@manu0 No, not a single time. He questioned popular negative points, and did so in a very passive manner. He didn't point fingers at people and said "I heard that, here's why what you say is wrong", he always pointed out criticism in a non-specific way and tried to avert the validity with either long-winded excuses, or by sugarcoating issues pointed out by consumers.
@DiscoGentleman I don't see how I'm overexamining it. It's a simple matter of avoiding conflict with consumers. Prangar was practically asking for conflict by telling consumers that their demand of niche titles was wrong and unrealistic. Something that'd raise a lot of discussions if it had become more widely public than it did.
Of course that doesn't have to be the reason he got fired, but I'm pretty sure it contributed towards it.
That said, nobody can truly say why Prangar was fired, and it's none of our business, either way.
@Bagels I second that!
The comments that he made could be interpreted as insulting by some of Nintendo's customers. He should have known better than to make comments like that in a public broadcast.
That's sad and all (the FB post was heartbreaking), but at the end of the day, he broke the rules. That isn't Nintendo's fault, it's no one's bit his.
@Yorumi oh, okay. i didn't listen to the podcast, only read the quotes on this site. tone makes a difference, and him stating reality is a different thing than mocking and not knowing when to hush.
@get2sammyb True he has made the situation worse for himself when he'll be searching for a new job. In this day and age where a company can see your social networking accounts you just need to be conscious at all times.
@Bagels i definitely agree that region locking causes more problems than it solves.
He should've read his NDA, been careful not to step over the line when it comes to company info, and never brought up customers at all. Sounds like he did none of those things.
Meanwhile, the podcaster saw an opportunity to get some insider news spilled and succeeded.
i think its a bit hard but idk its a loyalty thing,if you have to shut up you have to do it.not if your the only one ofcourse but if the entire company has to keep things inside you have to it.thats not even only true in a company,thats true everywhere you go.
but i do realy think he dident do that much wrong and nintendo overreacted a bit
He had it coming.
@Gridatttack
Hello friends and family. As many of you have probably seen, I am no longer at Nintendo. I was terminated this week due to a podcast appearance I made last Monday. It was a stupid judgment call on my part and ultimately it cost me far more than I could have imagined.
I've lost the only job I really knew or ever intended to know. Since leaving high school, I've had a singular goal in terms of a career. It got me through college and pushed me through the difficult time immediately after college where I learned just how crippling it was to have an English degree in the job market. I applied for 6 years straight for my job. Even before that, I'd made my entire identity around my hope to one day have this perfect job. I was mocked here and there as "Nintendo Boy" from maybe middle school on, but I thought that if I succeeded, it'd all be worth it.
And now it's gone and I honestly don't know how to handle myself. A central part of my personality revolves around Nintendo. Anything that I've decorated with around my house has a very clear Nintendo theme. My shirts and jackets overwhelmingly show that as well. Being able to finally feel at home at a job is a feeling I can't easily quantify. I was the guy who'd see a hastily-discarded paper towel in the men's room and pick it up, saying to myself, "This is my home, and I will keep it clean."
If we're being honest, I'm scared. Very scared. I haven't been without a job for over 4 years, and even then it was during the weird "just exiting college" part of life that everyone goes through. And back then, I was still down in Oregon near family. Living in Washington has struggled to feel normal, but I was grounded in my job. It was where I happily spent my time and saw all of my friends. With that unstuck, Washington suddenly feels alien and empty all over again.
I look around my house and see images of my son and feel such intense shame and crippling sadness. How do I share this part of my life with him? How do I cope knowing that I've failed him? Even before this I'd been struggling to want to provide better for him and my wife, knowing that due to my student loans, I wouldn't be entirely debt-free until I turned 40. That's not a hyperbole either. I'm just now barely under $100,000 in student debt and my last payment is scheduled for the same year that I turn 40. "That student debt is intimidating, but it's worth it for the end result." I've undone my end result.
I spent the last week in a miserable place once the podcast began getting coverage. I was instantly scared when a coworker poked me and said, "Hey, you're on GoNintendo." Suddenly article after article began appearing in game sites of all languages. Comments sections painted me as an idiot and the like. My Twitter started giving me hourly reminders from people meaning well and otherwise. It seemed unthinkable that I'd be let go for a single moment of poor judgment and my own misunderstandings, but here we are.
Obviously, as I'm writing this at 4 am, I don't think I have a clear goal. All I can think of is that there's so much I've put at risk. I know that if I can't find a job at least as good as this one, I won't be able to provide for my family. I've lost them their health coverage and their security. I also know that I've probably lost a good deal of my friends, just because I know how hard it can be to stay in touch with someone when the convenience of proximity is lost.
I'm so sorry to everyone. I've failed you. You believed in me and supported me and trusted me and I've failed you. I've failed me.
A bit tragic that this news comes out the day that Pandora's Tower was finally released by Nintendo of America. Apparently XSeed is not involved on the Virtual Console release.
the dude sounded very unprofessional. People blaming Nintendo might try actually reading what he said. He was pretty rude and belittling towards fans and was a very poor representation for the company. good riddance
I listened to that podcast, and I don't think anything he said there warranted this kind of reaction from Nintendo.
Um.... This guy knew full well what he was doing.... A low level staffer can not talk to any sort of media or public forum without explicit permission. I mean he is not Miyamoto... He overstepped his position and Nintendo rightly fired him for it.
It's heartbreaking for someone to get fired from something they love. Nintendo may be a bit harsh by firing the man, but at the end of the day, he broke the rules. I just can't see how he wouldn't have expected this.
I guess Nintendo is annoyed at the fact that we, the public, now know information we were not suppose to know about.
Good.
Remove all the dirt and start fresh. NoA needs to change and this is a step in the right direction.
@Danrenfroe2016 I think they can talk in forums but not anything to do with their job or any un-announced information.
He was belittling his employees fans which isn't going to help his situation. If you work for a major company you can't just run your mouth and expect nothing to come from it. Nintendo keeps a very close eye on their PR. I feel bad that he lost such an amazing job but he probably broke the terms of employment by speaking out on a public forum.
It's not a case of whether the stuff he said was negative to Nintendo or negative about people who buy the product. He just shouldn't have gone there. It's like working at McDonalds and telling people on a fast food podcast what's in the special sauce. His employer see this as a betrayal and they fired him. You never give away the secrets.
I feel bad for him that he lost his job, but I am sure he was well aware of their policy on doing that sort of thing. On the other hand, Nintendo could do a lot to resolve the bad image in certain areas by just being more open about it. Pranger raised valid concerns on translating games (in a poor way however), and Nintendo could help itself by explaining seemingly stupid decisions like the inconsistancy of the Virtual Console releases between regions.
It's sad that the truth is so buried in today's world by corporate bulls***... I can understand not allowing people to disclose upcoming projects, but operating procedures like he described should not be private information in the least.
He should've known how crazy Nintendo are about public image and should've checked what he could say beforehand.
@Darknyht I couldn't agree more.
I'm not sure how I feel about this.
On one hand, it's probably in his contract that he can't speak publicly about his work and he should have known better. We all know how crazy Nintendo is about their image.
On the other hand, it's very sad that the guy has a family to care for and he got canned for appearing on a small podcast. It's not like he said anything bad.
That's crazy, but he shouldn't have spoke about it.
I'm seeing a trend of disgruntled workers from Nintendo, and it makes sense. First, silencing Adelman and him leaving, then Damon Baker getting slammed for his comments on new 3ds, later those leaks to Liam Robertson, finally Pranger's comments and subsequent firing. Seems like stuff there is pretty bad, leading to venting, which leads to further complications. And it's not helping that we would slam these peopleas being the face of Nintendo and what they're doing bad. Just seems like a bunch of unrelated stuff piling on each other, with these people as the collateral damage.
Not surprised. Some of the things he said seemed like they were supposed to be secrets
I hope there was something in his contract explicitly forbidding something he did or said, because I don't think there's anything inherently harmful in his comments. If anything, he was defending Nintendo's practices, especially when it comes to localization.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR Yup, I'm shocked at how many people are angry at Nintendo over this. It sucks that he got himself fired and is now out of his dream job, but NDAs are standard practice. Nintendo wasn't being especially mean, any company would have fired him. Like you said, sounds like a lot of people have never held a corporate job (not that there's anything wrong with that). But I always figured it was common knowledge myself.
It might seem like too harsh a punishment, but how else would you ensure secrecy? Think about it, for all the hundreds and thousands of individuals working in the industry, there's very few leaks about developing games or other internal stuff. That's because of NDAs, and the certainty of being fired for breaking them. Very few people are willing to risk their job and career in the industry, so they keep their mouths shut, and it generally works as a result.
I think it's a sick sign of where we are at as a society, that a guy can get fired from his job, how he earns a living and financially supports himself, just for having an opinion on the company he works for.
The idea that you are just a voiceless automaton with no freedoms or rights to express yourself, other than when it falls 100% within the company's PR/marketing-line bull, makes my stomach turn.
It's vile, and I don't respect any corporation that acts this way towards its employees.
@Kirk So you don't respect any company, because everyone does that. Hell, even Sony and Microsoft does that. That just how jobs work in the real world, and there is no way to change it. You either like it and get a well paying job or you don't and get a cheap job.
@Kirk Freedom and rights relate to government authority, not a private entity that employs you and that you willingly work for. He undoubtedly signed a contract agreeing not to disclose private information without authorization, again something he did willingly. He didn't have any 'right' to speak to the public about the company he works for, not without suffering the consequences. Yeah it seems harsh that it's having such a big effect on himself and his family, but it can be damaging to the company, which in turn can be damaging to the rest of it's employees.
Breaking a NDA is probably one of the worst offenses you can commit in a corporation, especially an entertainment related one.
The actual content of his comments in the interview made home come across as a real turkey. But regardless of the content of his comments, it's not surprising at all that Nintendo would release someone for commenting on any such issues publicly and of his own volition. If he didn't realize that was a likely possibility, he was a fool. He will learn from this. Hopefully some of the kids reading this also learn from it and apply it when they enter the workforce.
@TTGlider Yep, regardless of the content, he would be seen as a liability who can't keep secrets. I doubt his boss took any joy over firing him, they know what that's going to do to his personal life and his future in the industry, but what he did was a big deal and the company can't take that kind of risk. They're probably just thankful that's all he said.
@IceClimbers good thing I didn't take you up on your bet, huh? The PayPal would have read:
Technosphile, you've got money!
From: IceClimbers
Notes: for knowing even less than Chris Pranger
I mean really now when you reveal things such as Nintendo cutting costs on localization by having random staff do the voice acting and that Xenoblade Chronicles had to have NoE "bite the cost" of localizing it that's a horrible look into the current state of affairs for localizing games that aren't Animal Crossing/Mario/etc. Of course you'd get fired for revealing that among other things.
I feel sorry for the guy,cause he lost his job and i think he has no idea what to do now. But it's his fault he shouldn't have done any of this to piss off the Big N. And i think Nintendo took it too far as well,they should'ave just suspended for like a week or a month without pay something like that. But that's just me.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR It would be absurd if he said something that was ACTUALLY damaging to the company.
He didn't.
It IS absurd that he got fired for what he said.
It's basically oppression—say only what we want you to say, whether you actually believe it or agree with it or not, or you lose your livelihood.
@Chaoz Not when they act like this—No, I don't.
@blackice85 That's a lot of spoonfed bull.
Freedom and rights relate to being human. Every human being, whether you work in a company or not, should be allowed to express a reasonable opinion, even one that is about the company they are working for—and that's all this guy did here.
When you can lose the very thing that provides you with the means to live, your job and livelihood, simply for expressing an opinion, and a pretty reasonable and tame opinion at that; then we have a problem in our society.
Also; I'm not aware of the exact contents of the conversation; but I don't get the impression he leaked any NDA protected information.
Edit: I've now watched the entire interview and imo he said absolutely nothing that should warrant losing his job.
Harsh reality is harsh. A textbook case of a violated contract and subsequent Letting-Go. A lesson to us all that when you finally get that employment you want and need, remember to keep your guard up lest you let affairs become too casual
@Kirk But he made a legal agreement to not express his opinions or reveal information. Nintendo didn't have a wiretap on his phone and listen to his private conversations (which could still get him in trouble if something became public by accident), he made public statements willingly. Yes it sucks he lost his job, but he chose that.
@Yorumi I'm sure that basically everything he said was pretty reasonable, probably largely true in a lot of cases, and in no way harmful to the company.
He didn't say they dodge taxes, work their staff like oppressed slaves, sell dangerous products, or kill children—or something like that.
Edit: Yup; just finished watching the entire interview and imo he said absolutely nothing that should warrant losing his job.
@hYdeks but the negative reputation remains. It's going to be tough for him to find a job as good as the one he previously had.
I hope he finds a new job, but you can't discuss how your business works so freely and not expect any repercussions. That's just how a business works. It was nice to have some of my questions regarding localization answered, but not at the cost of someone's job.
@blackice85 Yes but the terms of that agreement have to be taken with some degree of common sense.
Saying he didn't think Super Mario 3D World was a very good game, or some random thing like that, should not be enough to get him fired—but in principle that's exactly what happened here.
Contracts usually say "if you do or say things that can be damaging to the company and brand"—and that has to be interpreted with some level of intelligence.
Christ; at this rate they'll be firing people who sigh too loudly while at work.
@Yorumi That's actually not true—or certainly not as black and white as you seem to think it is. There is such a thing as unfair dismissal.
In this case I'd actually say he might even have a claim for unfair dismissal to be honest; if he really did get fired just for the stuff he said that one time.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR
I didn't say they should be able to say absolutely whatever they want. There's obviously a line/limit, but in this case I don't think it even came close to being crossed—hence my disgust that he got fired for this.
Read my comments again . . .
@Yorumi I used to work for both Rare (when it was owned by Nintendo) and Rockstar North; and now I make my own games, and sometimes even work with other living and breathing human beings too.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR "He was talking about games. Big deal."
Exactamundo. You said it.
And yet he got fired—for simply talking a wee bit about games and some very tame stuff about the company.
He didn't say the company was full of rapists and terrorists, or sell drugs on the black market, or that he hates all the women who work there just because they are women, or that the products and dangerous and potentially lethal.
He just said some pretty throwaway stuff about mostly nothing.
Yet there he now sits—jobless.
@Kirk
"Contracts usually say "if you do or say things that can be damaging to the company and brand"—and that has to be interpreted with some level of intelligence."
But that is exactly what saying "Super Mario 3D World wasn't a very good game" is. That's exactly what revealing things like Nintendo having random staff members do the voice acting for games is. Mocking customers and telling them that they're not buying enough games to warrant localization is exactly what "do or say things that can be damaging to the company and brand" is.
"I used to work for both Rare (when it was owned by Nintendo) and Rockstar North;"
So certainly you understand that NDAs and blabbing negatively about certain things means getting fired is a basic business standard and Nintendo nor any other business that enforces this policy isn't a corporate bad guy?
@FLUX_CAPACITOR No: for speaking their mind in a REASONABLE way—not just speaking there mind in any old way.
If he said Smash is designed for noobs and isn't a very good game, or whatever; then that should not be a fireable offence.
Saying it contains subliminal messages that program the kids to become assassins—now that might be something worthy of getting fired over.
You can see the difference; right?
@Bagels"Super Mario 3D World wasn't a very good game"
OH COME ON!
That should simply be followed or responded to with "These views are not necessarily those of the company" or some standard crap like that. It should not be a fireable offence to have an opinion of one of the many games the company makes. It's not like every single Nintendo employee actually loves every single game Nintendo makes.
Right; I'm getting bored of answering all the replies.
You know my view.
In this particular case, it's totally absurd that this guy lost his job for what he said, and very telling of the society we live in.
That fact you all don't see it too, just goes to the point I'm making in the first place.
Just listened to it for the first time. "The best game out right now is not on our system." That's probably the line that got him fired.
While I appreciated what he said and I'm sorry he is unemployed, you can't go around speaking on behalf of your company if that is not your job. Even when it IS your job you have to watch what you say. That's why people get on Reggie, but seriously who is going to risk (aside from this guy) being able to pay the rent just for some people you don't know? Companies can't function if they have to spend all their time putting out PR fires. Still in the post Adam Orth era I almost feel like this guy put in a resignation letter via podcast because he KNEW better.
Well on one hand, his comments may not sound that bad when you look at it without context. But what he said about the costs of localization and that Xenoblade Chronicles will make a loss in EU and NA - where it will be released in the near future, which makes his statements worse - could be regarded as company secrets.
Stating that a major release like Xenoblade Chronicles results in a loss can even lead to a decrease in stock market price. So one shouldn't underestimate the impact that such statements can have.
And we don't know what he might have done internally, so maybe this was just the last straw.
Since some of us are done responding to others, it should be pointed out that there is no difference between statements like "Super Smash Bros isn't a really good game" and "Super Smash Bros was made by a f*ing poser of a developer who eats trash out of a f*ing garbage can" when it comes to NDAs. Any type of negative comment towards a company and it's products, even if you claim that they are only "your opinion" is still a negative reflection on the company you are a part of.
And really now he did reveal and say things that were out of line, especially about localization of games.
"Hello friends and family. As many of you have probably seen, I am no longer at Nintendo. I was terminated this week due to a podcast appearance I made last Monday. It was a stupid judgment call on my part and ultimately it cost me far more than I could have imagined.
I've lost the only job I really knew or ever intended to know. Since leaving high school, I've had a singular goal in terms of a career. It got me through college and pushed me through the difficult time immediately after college where I learned just how crippling it was to have an English degree in the job market. I applied for 6 years straight for my job. Even before that, I'd made my entire identity around my hope to one day have this perfect job. I was mocked here and there as "Nintendo Boy" from maybe middle school on, but I thought that if I succeeded, it'd all be worth it.
And now it's gone and I honestly don't know how to handle myself. A central part of my personality revolves around Nintendo. Anything that I've decorated with around my house has a very clear Nintendo theme. My shirts and jackets overwhelmingly show that as well. Being able to finally feel at home at a job is a feeling I can't easily quantify. I was the guy who'd see a hastily-discarded paper towel in the men's room and pick it up, saying to myself, "This is my home, and I will keep it clean."
If we're being honest, I'm scared. Very scared. I haven't been without a job for over 4 years, and even then it was during the weird "just exiting college" part of life that everyone goes through. And back then, I was still down in Oregon near family. Living in Washington has struggled to feel normal, but I was grounded in my job. It was where I happily spent my time and saw all of my friends. With that unstuck, Washington suddenly feels alien and empty all over again.
I look around my house and see images of my son and feel such intense shame and crippling sadness. How do I share this part of my life with him? How do I cope knowing that I've failed him? Even before this I'd been struggling to want to provide better for him and my wife, knowing that due to my student loans, I wouldn't be entirely debt-free until I turned 40. That's not a hyperbole either. I'm just now barely under $100,000 in student debt and my last payment is scheduled for the same year that I turn 40. "That student debt is intimidating, but it's worth it for the end result." I've undone my end result.
I spent the last week in a miserable place once the podcast began getting coverage. I was instantly scared when a coworker poked me and said, "Hey, you're on GoNintendo." Suddenly article after article began appearing in game sites of all languages. Comments sections painted me as an idiot and the like. My Twitter started giving me hourly reminders from people meaning well and otherwise. It seemed unthinkable that I'd be let go for a single moment of poor judgment and my own misunderstandings, but here we are.
Obviously, as I'm writing this at 4 am, I don't think I have a clear goal. All I can think of is that there's so much I've put at risk. I know that if I can't find a job at least as good as this one, I won't be able to provide for my family. I've lost them their health coverage and their security. I also know that I've probably lost a good deal of my friends, just because I know how hard it can be to stay in touch with someone when the convenience of proximity is lost.
I'm so sorry to everyone. I've failed you. You believed in me and supported me and trusted me and I've failed you. I've failed me."
–Chris Prangar (from his now deleted Facebook post)
Well; I just read the Facebook post above, and I figured I'd post it here too. Just to remind people there's an actual living, breathing, thinking and feeling human being on the receiving end of this cold detached corporate robotic crap.
But hey—It's just business.
It's a tragic thing of course, but he went out of line as a Nintendo rep in talking about company decision making process and making assumption about the user base.
@Tasuki hope you are sarcastic xD
@Kirk Isn't it sadder that he broke his side of the employee contract? He put his signature on a NDA agreement upon hire and then he violated that. Just because his reneging on the contract results in more transparency that isn't his call and honestly I doubt he was high enough up the chain to know all of the facts to make his comments. Not saying what he said was incorrect in the statements themselves that he made but he still likely didn't have all the facts. I mean come on we have seen on this very site people take a soundbite or half a statement and grab the pitchforks... businesses can not function like that. That's why they have NDA's in the first place.
You can say whatever you want but also means you have to deal with the consequences...that's life.
@Ryu_Niiyama https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-disclosure_agreement
An NDA is not just a blanket gag order across any and all speech related to the company. It's not just there so that you can be fired if you say something that doesn't just regurgitate the company's same old PR/Marketing rhetoric. It's there to protect things like "confidential and proprietary information or trade secrets"—like, say, details on what the NX is for example.
There's also clauses in contracts to prevent you from saying anything that might be harmful or detrimental to the company, but again, that's not a blanket gag order against saying anything at all the might even slightly differ from the general company line and PR/Marketing garbage. It's there to protect the company from potential liable type comments and stuff that would be genuinely harmful to its public image and that kind of stuff—like saying Nintendo has its products made in sweatshops by 12 year old slave labour and all the parts are hazardous; or some junk like that.
From my general skimming over some of his comments, from the admittedly small sample of the interview that I've read, I'm not getting the impression he disclosed a single trade secret or bit of information relating to any top secret tech or business deals, or whatever else might fall into the legal area covered by an NDA; and he doesn't seem to have said anything particularly extreme or genuinely detrimental to the company either.
He just talked about some very general throwaway stuff, from what I can tell—mostly just his personal opinions too.
@Kirk Depends on the terms of the agreement. I work three jobs currently, each with NDA's I had to sign (what?! student loans ok...) and one of them I'm a security guard...like rent a cop security guard but if mention anything about that job my arse is grass. Period.
It really doesn't matter WHAT he said it matters that he did so giving the perception that he spoke on behalf of Nintendo. You can't do that. I totally get you are trying to go from the human perspective of this, but you are diminishing the fact that he was at fault..that he broke the agreement he made upon hire. Now if he got fired for saying what he did in the bathroom at NoA then sure I would think Nintendo is abusing the NDA but he didn't...he went public.
Correct me if you are wrong, but didn't you say you were a indie dev? If you worked with someone that disclosed things about you or your games, that you didn't want told or you wanted told in a certain fashion would you not sever ties if you hired them? I mean from an honest, this could have some sort of effect on your bottom line perspective.
EDIT: Also, please don't lead a rebuttal comment with a wiki article, it makes everything else you are trying to say come off as condescending and pedantic because you are implying you needed to inform me of what something is.
Those comments seem relatively harmless. If this was the only reason he was fired I think it's an overreaction. But I don't know the whole story, maybe there was more.
According to his comments, it's not like he was tremendously busy at Nintendo localizing things I'd be willing to pay good money for anyway. If that's the truth of the department he worked for, maybe it should've been downsized sooner. Maybe he can find work as a translator or something, just not for anyone with any sensitive information.
@Ryu_Niiyama If someone leaked design or technical details about my game I'm sure I'd have something to say about it but if they just said they didn't like it and thought the controls were garbage, or something like that, then I really don't think I'd bother to be honest. I might be sad that for whatever reason they don't like it but that's not the same thing as interpreting it as something that requires action to be taken against them.
To me, from what I've read, Nintendo fired this guy simply because it didn't like what he had to say, because it wasn't the same old rehearsed Nintendo glorifying PR/market rhetoric, rather than he said anything as though it was Nintendo's official stance on matter, or because he leaked any confidential information and trade secrets or anything like that.
I think that is where the massive issue that I have comes from.
I don't agree with employees leaking secrets or defaming the company (not sure if you use defaming for companies) but I most certainly don't agree with companies basically silencing employees from really expressing any of their own subjective opinions at all; and certainly I do not believe they should be firing them for doing that.
So far, no one has shown me anything this guy has said that I think should be cause for termination.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR Missing the point.
This. This is why I'm loyal to no company. Especially Nintendo, which is extremely out of touch when it comes to its userbase.
If a LEGO employee did this, it would be all well and accepted as long as he/she didn't talk about things that haven't been released yet or are perliminary. Merlin Mann talking about the internal workings and creation of things in the BIONICLE story team with TTV was all fine and dandy, as was Greg Farshtey talking about the canonized story and other things within the community. This is something Nintendo should be okay with, but would never do. A business that doesn't properly interact with the community is not to be trusted.
You know what? Screw Nintendo. Lately all they've been are a bunch of PR control freaks anyway.
Whats stopping this guy from spilling some info on unannounced games online,I know Id be pissed if I was fired for something that seemed harmless.All he would have to do is tip off someone like unseen 64
@The__Goomba He could get sued even if he was no longer employed there, so he'd better hope they don't trace it to him. And if they did find out it was him, not only would there be the lawsuit but it would further ruin his chances at further employment. So basically it's a suicidal act on his part.
@The__Goomba The better question is why would he. He obviously adores Nintendo and he acknowledges it was his own mistake.
@The__Goomba He probably doesn't have any. He might though, I don't know. They might have announced everything currently being localized. Either way if they find out it was him he coukd get sued.
@ekreig I completely agree. Even where I work I'm not allowed to talk about how we do our business even if I quit. It's the same at a lot of places. If you can't keep your mouth shut then it's on you. Even he admits it. Honestly people need to grow up. If you screw up you don't always get a light tap on the wrist.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR If you don't follow them then in what world are you even remotely qualified to reply to my comments? These are people that were able to do things out of their own accord.
Just because Nintendo is like this, it doesn't make it a good thing, and it doesn't mean that it shouldn't change.
@Ryno Only if you're also rich.
Chris was right and that is a harsh reality and truth, people dont understand because they choose not to look at the reality of the financial situation when it comes to bringing games to america. They let their feelings and passion for the game do all the talking. Its the sad truth and he has very little reason to lie about it, as we see it even costed him his job because it pretty much hurt the feelings of many fanbases. Im dissapointed in nintendo for firing him, they could of handled that better. You need realistic people like him to make functional decisons, it might not be what everyone wants but its true and logical. Nintendo fired someone for simply being honest and having an opinoin as far as im concerened thats more damaging to their reputation than anything he said on the podcast. Nintendo's actions in this situation has left a very sour taste in my mouth.
@get2sammyb Seven years and I can't remember you ever posting here before. Not ever.
I'm too lazy to go look for it right not but I believe my comment in the original article was - "Has he been fired yet?"
It's really hard not to feel bad for the guy, considering he's a shortsighted moron. If talking about things your company wouldn't want you to divulge got you fired in the first place, what's the sense in going on social media and announcing to the world that you've been fired too? Should've just learned the first time and kept your mouth shut.
A quick Google search will probably now be enough to deter most employers from hiring this guy. If I searched "Chris Pranger" and saw all this, I very likely wouldn't hire him. Wouldn't be worth all the trouble.
Also, on topic of whether he deserved to be fired, it's almost certainly yes. Besides NDAs, there aren't any companies I know of that would want to remind their customers that they're there to maximize profits over their wants, it hurts the image of the company.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR One lesson in life can contribute to many others that rash people tend to overlook as unrelated, when in reality they are closer than the eye can see. Historically speaking, a business or corporation that's out of touch is a terrible thing.
@Cdc0028
"Realistic" people do not insult their customer base, insult the products they represent, and they certainly do not reveal negative and damaging information about the company they work for to the public in a podcast.
@BlatantlyHeroic
There's multiple things you can cite Nintendo being out of touch with but firing someone for clearly breaking their NDA, just like any other company, isn't one of them.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR What I find funny is that you're subjecting your hatred onto me for a group of people I'm not associated with. I don't care that he's fired, what I find issue with is when corporations have something to hide and fear exposure for their bad decisions. Institutions and organizations that keep secrets about their internal processes and nature? Historically not good.
HOLY CRAP! He really DID get fired for that completely unprofessional response he made to the public! I mean, this isn't totally unexpected, considering the abrasive and grumpy content of his response, but still... Reading more about his personal situation, I feel really sorry for him. I think NoA should have just reprimanded him, reigned him in, and set him straight on what he can and cannot say to the public so candidly (if anything at all).
The response he made seemed rather generic, it all seemed like common knowledge for anyone who has taken a look into the industry, at least from my point of view. What about his comments would have infringed upon their NDA?
Edit: Oh, there's a lot more in that podcast that is WAY worse than what NL posted here... He really, REALLY should have known better. I would expect to hear that stuff from GameFAQs trolls and conspiracy theorists.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR I mean that's incorrect terminology (You would say LEGO sets, or LEGO pieces, adding an 's' to the end doesn't make it plural and is improper) but okay.
@Kirk The interesting thing is that a lot of people in the NL comment section were AGREEING with Pranger, saying that those commentors who replied with a backlash or warning of a backlash were proving his point. Now that Pranger has been fired, and the backlash of some of the public has been answered, the conversation is completely different. Now it's a "completely expected but sad" event that he would be fired. Almost no one even considered this would be a possibility, or at least everyone who could guess were staying silent.
You're right, to a degree: many people are unbelievably quick to pull a 180° turn about when a situation changes against their favor. Most societies (and perhaps this is simply more apparent in industrialized societies) show ever less mercy and compassion as living conditions become more constrained. As the level of wealth and control increases within ever larger organizations and institutions, held ever more exclusively by those at the top, so too is the free flow of information and even the free flow of individual thought constricted by those at the top. "Do as we say, not as we do."
As long as it wasn't the two other guys in the photo, they were entertaining during the treehouse live events.
@Lilith93 No Nintendo didn't. Go and listen to what he said or read any of the comments here and you'll see.
@Bagels he didnt tell us anything we already didnt know or could assume ourselves, he shouldnt of lost a job over being honest to a consumer base that doesnt seem to understand the legistics of the company and constantly badgering them over localizing. I dont think gamers will ever learn. They complain till they get their way, proof being in this man's job being lost. Not because of any violation thats happened plenty of tines to other NoA's without this kind of consequence, and definetly not this bog of media attention but because gamers complained. I think firing him was execssive. Painting the reason for it with an NDA violation just makes it more palatable. It is their consumer base so maybe they did make the right call i agree insulting them was wrong, it just seems excessive and i belive its from the amount of attention and rage pointed towards what seems to be a blunt truth
@Cdc0028 So... The public is responsible for him getting fired?
God @FLUX_CAPACITOR comments are hilarious! Their so bad! LMAO!
He's responsible for getting himself fired. It's very likely a combination of NDA and code of conduct violation. When you talk about internal workings, you also represent the company and the best interests of the company. His explanations can be interpreted as damaging the Nintendo of America brand. It has at least in my eyes.
The gist of it was "Nintendo of America doesn't care what the hardcore audience wants. If it's niche, unless some other entity fits the bill for it, don't hold your breath on it being released for the US. We don't make enough money from it." Which is BS because other, smaller companies localize niche games and somehow stay in business.
@Cdc0028
So....everyone knew that NoE had to eat the cost of localizing Xenoblade Chronicles and it's essentially going on sale at a loss already? I seriously doubt that.
The only truth Chris has revealed (assuming everything he said is true) is that the business of localizing games is a sad one at NoA. Atlus and XSEED may be small companies that have lower operating costs/employees/etc. but the fact that they are able to churn out localized games one after another without having to cut corners should be a sign to Nintendo that they need to take notes.
"he shouldnt of lost a job over being honest to a consumer base that doesnt seem to understand the legistics of the company and constantly badgering them over localizing"
Of course people are constantly badgering them to localize things when they lock people out of playing games they want to play by region locking their consoles. Nobody is asking for everything under the sun to get localized and nobody (atleast here) seems to be misunderstanding the cost of localizing things. What gamers are complaining about is Nintendo being extremely stingy as to what they do finally decide to localize. From what Chris is saying Nintendo's attitude toward localizing niche titles is to do it as cheaply and quickly as possible which is just plain sad and a very good reason as to why they're losing money localizing in the first place.
What games are Nintendo even localizing in house this year that isn't Animal Crossing/Mario,etc. which was going to get localized anyways?
Nintendo has always been a very secretive company. Part of the Japanese business culture that was exported to NoA. Although it' sad to see someone get fired, he should have known better than to open his mouth and blabber about private corporate issues...
Hello Everyone; this is my first post.
Before I say this, I have no ill will towards Mr. Pranger- I find it disheartening that he lost his occupation and hope that it won't be too long before he finds any new work.
Alright, now my thoughts...
Nintendo was right in firing Mr. Pranger. I understand that some may find this a bit over-the-top, but he made Nintendo's already-precarious situation worse by belitting his customers and violating his NDA by disclosing secret information to the public. No sane company would allow their employee to stay after being treasonous to their employers and their fans.
I imagine the podcast creators were blown away by the news. Kind of a traumatic moment in your podcasting. When you hear the audio you just know there's no way anyone was thinking the recording would ever eventually be under review by NoA executives.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR There*
@FLUX_CAPACITOR You take this crap way too seriously friendo. so many comments just from you! LMAO!
Just typical Nintendo policy jazz. A rotten outcome for Chris tho, all the best man
You know, it sucks, but at the same time, the things he said about localisation struck me as a little strange, and also made me a little depressed. Him coming out and saying stuff like that really discourages the rallying of fans to show support for games to get localised, at least in my opinion. What if we never got Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii? The new Xenoblade is getting a bundle set wit the Wii U, so Nintendo obviously sees at as a system seller, but we might have never gotten it if fans didn't make it known that we wanted the first Xenoblade. But maybe I'm wrong, I dunno, just sharing my thoughts.
It's sad people read one part of this and jump into bashing Nintendo. Chris made a mistake, broke a very important rule, and was fired for it. He knew he should not have done it, and did it anyway. That's life and hopefully he will learn from his mistakes. I wish him all the best!
@FLUX_CAPACITOR Wow you actually took my comment seriously? Really? lol! Sorry friendo (but i do hope you know which movie the word friendo is from,but i doubt it.)
I work for an International Corperation, and there are clear guidelines and training for Social Media Awareness (which I'm sure are pretty much standard across most Corperations)
If you're publicly speaking about company business, what you are communicating must be approved for public domain. If you are speaking on a blog to express an opinion, you must state that they are your personal views, and that they do not represent the views of your company.
As sad as it maybe, what this guy did would be a sackable offence where I work.
He was right and completley on the mark with what he said about the behaviour of a set of fans, but yeah he was foolishly risking his job if Nintendo didn't give him the ok to speak about it.
It's a bit funny though, people demand transparency, he gives a good perspective and upset their little minds and they flip out upon hearing that no, they actually are a very niche audience, Xenoblade Chronicles was infact a massive risk and Nintendo don't hate money. Several news sites made articles about it even in Japan spun so that he's saying "Xenoblade X is a failure and doesn't deserve localization. The outrage and spin gives it attention and he ultimately gets fired from his dream job.
This is why we get PR speech people, if you're so sensitive to a harsh deflating of your beliefs that you think its some personal attack don't be surprised employees can't come out with direct unfiltered statements.
Nintendo Nintendo.... on one side colorful dreamy games to make people happy, on the other.....
@FLUX_CAPACITOR That's not my point. That's just a side to my point; to support the assertion that it's not just as simple as saying someone did something the company doesn't like and so they should be fired, like there's no other considerations to take into account—sometimes these companies need to look beyond just the detached robotic mechanics of their actions. My real point is that something is wrong in our society when people are losing their jobs, their means of feeding themselves and supporting their families, for simply expressing things that as far as I can tell are just their own opinions and do not violate any NDAs or genuinely damage the reputation of a company. I'm just additionally showing you how it actually has very real consequences for the people on the other end of such dumb, detached and imo spurious reasons for making such cold and blunt decisions.
@PlywoodStick Exactly!
Most people, even the geniuses in here, are totally weak minded and easily manipulated sheep; who change their opinions, and there values and beliefs, on a dime, as and when it suits them. They'll say one thing when they think it's what the group would like/expect them to say and then another as soon as they think that's what the group would like/expect them to say.
I'm sure before this guy got fired there were a whole bunch of people in here saying it would be absurd if he were to get fired for saying any of the stuff he said—even if they thought it was slightly edgy. But now, as soon as he is fired, they jump on the bandwagon and act like it was inevitable, and indeed, a totally fair consequence of his actions.
I however am saying the same thing consistently: Firing someone simply for having and expressing an opinion, even one that is slightly contrary to the company's bull PR/marketing rhetoric, is a weaksause and imo bordering on liable reason to take away someone's way of feeding their family and paying the bills. This is in line with my general sentiment across all the posts I have made in Nintendo Life. I'm not about the corporate machine destroying the freedoms, liberties and basic happiness of man but about the things we pursue being a way to enrich our lives and indeed bring us more freedom, liberty and happiness. Your job should not enslave and oppress you, as basically a matter of default.
Most people however, are hypocrites; so they'll just say whatever is popular and fit in with the crowd.
"Most societies (and perhaps this is simply more apparent in industrialized societies) show ever less mercy and compassion as living conditions become more constrained. As the level of wealth and control increases within ever larger organizations and institutions, held ever more exclusively by those at the top, so too is the free flow of information and even the free flow of individual thought constricted by those at the top. 'Do as we say, not as we do.'"
This ^^^ a million percent—and I think that's what most people in here simply do not even come close to grasping. They'll support the ever increasing destruction of the core values that are most essential to a healthy and happy population of living, breathing, thinking and feeling, human beings; until something like this happens them—and THEN they'll understand what I'm talking about.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR Well just ponder the logic of what you are saying for a second: If it's really totally fair and justified that this got fired for what he did in this instance—then why does "it suck"?
Surely; it would only suck if it wasn't deserved.
I mean, do you think he'd think "it sucked" that he got fired, if he knew fine well he'd been selling insider secrets and confidential information or spreading false and seriously damaging lies about the company its practices? I don't think so. I think he'd know fine well he got exactly what he deserved. He wouldn't be sitting there thinking "I can't believe I lost my job. I just didn't see that coming and didn't expect it". Do you go around saying it sucks if a mass murderer gets put in prison, or even executed for their crimes? I know I do, because I see things differently to other people—but do you?
So; if this guy getting fired is totally fair and justified in this instances, because "it's just business", as you see it—why are YOU saying "it sucks"?
I personally think you're saying "it sucks" because deep down inside, in the part of you that the cold and heartless machine of modern society is trying to bury and destroy but that still beats, you know fine well the punishment does not fit the "crime".
Or; maybe you're just saying it sucks because you're doing that sheep thing and saying what you think people expect you to say, but in reality you really don't give a flying f**k and don't even care if his getting fired was fair or unfair, or whatever.
I don't know what you think, but I know that I know it's unfair, totally not warranted or justified in this case (that I can see), and just plain wrong—as well as being a telling and worrying reflection of where we are heading as a society—and that's what I'm saying.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR No; I'm highlighting the increasing level of enslavement and oppression in our society, through the kind of practices we see in it, like firing someone for basically talking, and using some examples to show you how most people tend to think—which is how the machine has told them to think and not what they really believe deep down as an actual human being.
Again; you keep saying "he broke a corporate rule".
Do you REALLY believe he broke some rule that justifies losing he means of feeding himself and his family by expressing an opinion about the company he works for? If so, can you show me the ACTUAL rule(s) he broke; as per the law. The violation he made; as per the terms of a typical work contract—that would justify him being fired for saying the things he said. Because I'm not seeing it. Show me the trade secrets he leaked. Show me the things he said that have damaged Nintendo.
I am saying he did not. I am saying he did not break any terms of an NDA, and he didn't even say something that would be genuinely damaging to the company.
I am saying the punishment does not fit the "crime".
@FLUX_CAPACITOR There is no "conspiracy theory" stuff being said here. Don't make yourself look ignorant.
I'm just discussing the very real and measurable state of the world we live in: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/princeton-experts-say-us-no-longer-democracy
I did not say you were a drone. Maybe you are and maybe you are not. I simply asked the question of you, as a thought exercise.
@FLUX_CAPACITOR There is no need to sober up or take a nap. That's not going to change my assertions. If you don't like to hear the things I am saying that's on you, not me.
You think I'm talking of "conspiracies", throwing out that same old tired socially conditioned default response I've heard many times before, and I assert maybe there's just a little bit of ignorance of what the real world is like—much like you have basically said of me on multiple occasions:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/princeton-experts-say-us-no-longer-democracy (it's just an example)
And, I'd really recommend watching this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4ou9rOssPg
You are the one claiming I have called you a sheep; yet all I've really done is asserted there are a whole lot of sheep out there, and in here, and simply challenged the same question be asked of yourself.
You are are basically arguing that what happened is totally just and fair (saying his firing was "legitimate"), yet at the same time saying "it sucks" and "this is an innocent person". I'm saying that's exactly why I believe it isn't fair, because I don't think the punishment fits the "crime". In fact, I think that's why it might even border on being a case for legal recourse—unfair dismissal.
@MrOshawott "and violating his NDA by disclosing secret information to the public."
Can you show me what secret information he disclosed to the public please?
Talking about how a game's online mode was considered by a member of the dev team or saying that you think a particular game is crap, or something like that, isn't "disclosing secret information" as per the normal types of things an NDA covers; just to be clear here.
I mean just to be very clear about what an NDA is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-disclosure_agreement
So, seriously (because I haven't listened to the entire interview), can you show me some of the stuff he said that would violate Nintendo's NDA?
Edit: I have now listened to the entire interview and in my personal opinion, I do not believe he said anything that should warrant dismissal.
"#dealwithit"...?
again why i hate social media one little thing and bam it can piss off some one at times without trying to o. O
but it must really suck to have lost a job like that i mean how do you recover from that? if you try to get a job in the same field the companies might be wary of you spilling out projects that are in the works D:
Awww it was one of the 2 I wanted to bang.
@Gorlokk Xenoblade X doesn't seem to be getting a Wii U bundle in NA though.
While senor Pranger may have broke the rules of his employment terminating his employment seems a little harsh given that he didn't leak anything about NX and the stuff that he shared on that podcast are things that fans would like to know.
Can someone link me to a Treehouse Live he did this year? I don't really remember each individual person from Treehouse Live very well...
nintendo: hello new worker if you say anything about work to anyone we will fire you and kick you to the curb without warning. Remember to have FUN!!
Me: for some reason EA sounds like a better Idea now...
@Kirk Personally, I think I only come close to grasping those concepts... Since the work I'm doing now is only nonprofit. I can explain to our customers and clients about how our workshop operates without repurcussions. (The director does, too!) We have very minimal overhead, though. That alone makes a huge difference in workplace operations. If customers and clients need to know something, we can explain why the situation is as it is without fear, and with confidence. Most people appreciate that, I think.
Maybe someday, I will fully grasp those concepts. It would be nice in a for profit setting, though perhaps that may only be possible in a small business setting. I'll need more experience before I can manage that!
I have to wonder, too, whether Pranger's account can be interpreted as whistleblowing...
@PlywoodStick I think big business is slowly but surely ruining the world and destroying everything that was once good and pure in it.
I mean a lot of great things have obviously come out of companies but as for what it means for the average person; for their life, liberty and happiness—I just think we are all slowly but surely becoming more enslaved and oppressed by the corporate system, the machine, which basically rules over and runs the entire world at this point.
We are at the mercy of the corporations, and the major problem with that is that corporations do not care about human beings. All corporations care about is the endless pursuit of more and more profit, at any cost—even human life.
Now that might come across as hyperbole, but that is actually a fundamental fact of how big business does and indeed must operate in the current "free" market enterprise socioeconomic society we have built. These businesses have to put profit above all other concerns, or else they basically cannot compete in the current market, and the bigger they get the more that becomes and absolute and fundamental truth of their continued existence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4ou9rOssPg
This is why business is slowly but surely destroying the planet, not an exaggeration, and also slowly but surely enslaving and oppressing us all.
We should all be afraid.
By the way; when I got dismissed from Rare, many years ago, and for reasons much like this, I remember feeling similar to how this Chris Pranger dude feels right now—so I totally empathise with him.
@Kirk you got sacked from Rare for the same reasons?
@Ootfan98 Well, give or take. I believe I got sacked for not just shutting up and doing what I was told without question, and to be fair, probably also because I wasn't THAT great at my job to be honest lol
http://gonintendo.com/stories/240555-cliffy-b-says-he-d-never-work-for-nintendo-due-to-their-firing-o
See; this guy actually gets it.
Now; let's see how many people suddenly agree that it's total bullsh*t what Nintendo did to Chris—now that someone they maybe respect a little has called it EXACTLY like it is.
@Kirk #269 spot on. If George Carlin was still alive, I think he'd agree with you.
@Superryanworld Cheers
@Kirk I actually have that documentary on DVD, from back when Blockbuster was still around (used to be the biggest American media rental outlet, now it's dead).
Well, that's a shame. His perspective was really refreshing. Oh, well. I guess Nintendo can't accept change that quickly.
Ohh this guy, the one that was making those lame jokes about health coveage on the Treehouse Live E3 stream while playing Star Fox. Yeah, no this makes sense now. Not a surprise, I could gather from watching him on the stream that he doesn't have a clue what is appropriate to talk about at what times, and what isn't.
How can he say he did NOT see it coming, I even wrote it was coming
This was my comment:
"Is it just me or do that team (whoever was talking in the interveiw/podcast) need a new spokesperson?
Or was that just poorly written from sounds to text?
Sure, I understood the point, but there is like a milion ways to make that sound way more professional than that.
This was almost at the level of Mega Man Legends 3..."
If I said something like that in any of my jobs, while I worked in America I'd get fired too.
Which kind of sucks since the freedom of speech should be free always...
I even wrote it was coming in the last article*
Chris should start his own podcast and discuss the dark side of the industry. He would rock.
Tap here to load 220 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...