Scott "Gallenite" Hartsman Leaves SOE

There was a rumor going around in late November that Scott Hartsman was going to be leaving SOE. Today he confirmed the rumor by posting a goodbye Producer's Letter on the EverQuest II forums.

For those who aren't familiar with Scott Hartsman, he's been EverQuest II's Senior Producer since shortly after the game's launch, and orchestrated a remarkable turnaround, taking the game from a title that was struggling and plagued with issues to one of the top MMOs in the world. Prior to that, Scott worked at SOE on EverQuest, as the Technical Director, and ushered in the new interface design which was one of the first interfaces in a game that could be modified by players.

Granted, it couldn't be modified to the extent of World of Warcraft's, but it was certainly one of the first of a new age of MMO experiences -- the mini-game of interface modification that has now captivated countless players, allowing them to show off their creativity to the world.

Gallenite leaves EverQuest II in very capable hands, and it will be interesting to see what he works on next. He's one of the most respected Producers in the industry when it comes to MMOs, so wherever he works next will definitely be worth keeping an eye on.

To read his goodbye letter or to wish him well, head over to Producer's Letter: December 2007. Part 1: Coda.