Jeff Green leaves 1UP

Garnett Lee wrote:It's with great sadness but also much joy that we can announce that our very own Jeff Green is making the move to game development. After 17 (!) years with Ziff Davis Media, Jeff is finally jumping to the dark side to work on The Sims brand at EA. It's never fun to announce these sorts of things, but we're thrilled that one of ours has such an incredible opportunity to work on such an amazing brand (The Sims makes up more than half of EA's revenues -- what the hell are they thinking hiring Jeff?!).

I sat down with Jeff this afternoon to get a little more info on his upcoming plans. The decision to leave the editorial side of gaming definitely didn't come easy. Jeff told me this was "the best job I ever had." In moving the Games for Windows Magazine from print to online earlier this year he brought PC content on 1UP to an all time high point. Add to that the strong fan support of GFW Radio "the Brodeo" and he helped set the course for a bright future here at 1UP. But that gave him the freedom to take a step back, knowing that if he decided to make a change, he'd be leaving things on a high note.

Many of you know that Jeff co-wrote a play last year, Mankind's Last Hope. Doing that tapped a whole other creative vein for him, and it stood out as something that felt uniquely fresh. The connection to the Sims came quickly from there. It's a series Jeff always synced with whether it was the virtual lives of his Sims or the social engineering of Sim City.

That's how we wind up here, saying goodbye to a best friend. Jeff told me that he loves everyone here, and will miss us, but that it's leaving the Brodeo that more than anything is tearing him up. The good news is that he'll still be able to listen to it each week as producer Andrew Pfister already confirmed that the show will continue -- with Jeff now heckling with the rest of the regular listeners on the forum. And he's got one more show in him; next week's GFW Radio will be his going-away edition. While it's hard not to be saddened by Jeff's departure, we're pretty damn excited for him. Getting to work on arguably the most prominent name in PC gaming, if not gaming in general, is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Plus, at least he's leaving on a total high note.

Anyway, huge congrats Jeff! We'll miss you, man.

Jeff Green wrote:You're not the lord of the rings!!

eclectic wrote::cry:

Thanks, all. Ironically, I was at the Spore launch party (FOR MY NEW EVIL OVERLORDS AT EA) when this broke, so I haven't yet had time to read through all the love/hate/WTF yet. But I'll go back and read everything. And I'll be blogging about it at length soon enough and you'll get the whole WTF there.

Know that this is tough for me, too, after 12 solid years at CGW/GFW/1up, and 17 years at Ziff Davis. My whole professional identity is tied in with this place. And leaving the Brodeo is probably the hardest part for me, too, at this point, as that had easily become the most fun part of my job, especially since the magazine closed.

But 17 years at one company is a long effin' time. Think about where you were 17 years ago. Then realize I was already at this place. The entire staff has turned over since I first started. And to some extent, I had hit the end of the line. I had to try something new before I got too old. (Though arguably it's already too late for that.)

And you're not done with me for good. I'll still be blogging, and still be around here, and, heck, maybe they'll let me guest on a 1up podcast! I guess the one thing I probably won't do is liveblog the next EA press conference. Or maybe I can do it in secret and send it around in email!

Those who are mad/sad: I know, dudes. It's just what had to be. And the great group of folks at 1up will carry the torch....

Oh I forgot: There will be an epic last Brodeo with me next week. We may just hijack the studio (if there still is one) and talk all strawberry floatin' night!

And I should also say, because it's true: not working with Shawn and Ryan anymore (and Sean Molloy, for that matter) is fuggin' heartbreaking.

And also believe me when I say, having to tell all of you folks about this was the thing I was most dreading. Because I have been ridiculously lucky, and grateful, for all the (mostly) kind words people have had over the years. So thanks for that. When I am sitting in my cubicle at EA, trying to figure out new ways to get the Sims to go to the bathroom faster, while being yelled at by Rod Humble to work faster, I will flip back through old fan mail and relive the good times.

I'm being hired as an Associate Producer. And I think what exactly I'll be doing is a bit up in the air, so I'll hold off on that part for now. Personally I'm hoping to be the guy doing the new motion capture movements for the Sims 3 vomiting animation.

Oh and to clarify: I'm going to the Sims label, but that doesn't necessarily mean I'm working on The Sims game itself. Just anything with Sim in the title. That's not a hint or anything--I just mean there are a bunch of games that fall under that label...

The thing to understand about this trend is that for some of us in the gaming journalism biz, there are simply not many options. Especially if you have a family to support. It doesn't pay well, to start. And then, really, where is there to go? The mags are vanishing, and the websites mostly blow. And they pay worse than the magazines did. Trying to branch out into another area of journalism is a possibility--but game writers often get ghettoized and not taken seriously when they try to go that way.

So, as in any career--people go where they know people, where they have contacts, where their previous work experience is going to matter. I was actually *never* one of those guys who always just wanted to work at a game company. That was never my aspiration. Mine always involved writing. When it became clear my time was up at Ziff, I knew I wanted to stay involved in a creative field, that I still wanted to be involved in something that would entertain people and make them laugh. So, game production ends up as natural, logical extension for those who want to be involved in a creative process.

Now if someone had thrown a pile of money at me to keep making a magazine--which I loved doing--this would be another thread entirely.

KKLEIN wrote:I presume I must be one of about a handful that doesn't visit the site at all, then? I have no idea who he is or what he looks like. Is he bald? Or was that the bloke from their OPM? See, NO IDEA!