Reflections on Tseric
by Amanda Rivera 
May 17th 2007 at 10:45PM
Tseric has left Blizzard. While we don't know officially why he is gone, we can make a pretty strong guess. We do know that he was under a huge amount of stress, and even at one point argued with a forum poster with what I consider to be completely eloquent language. The last time we see him on the forums was that very same day. In the last post he left on the forums, posters were mercilessly taunting him. His reply that Sunday morning was simple, short, and more than slightly bitter:
I'm sure you all think you're hilarious in your own space/mind.
Get off my internet.
Kthx.
I have worked as a customer service rep before, and it was the worst time of my life. I cannot fathom why people consider CMs worthy of the kind of horrendous diatribes they receive. It's as if as soon as you try to serve the customers they stop seeing you as a person yourself. I lasted eight months, Tseric was at it for over two years. In my case, I was a faceless phone rep, but he didn't have the benefit of that anonymity. Still, he had more strength of character, more resolve, more actual patience than people will ever give him credit for.
We forget that the moderators of the forums have blood and bones and hearts just like we do. We forget that they started working for Blizzard because of their love of the game, and they became CMs for the love of the players. The unending waves of insults and taunting wore at Tseric, until his humanity outweighed his patience. I hope that whoever steps into his shoes is half the man he is.
Thank you, Tseric, your voice on the forums will be greatly missed.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Galipan May 17th 2007 10:52PM
Like #8 in you previous post said before:
WoWInsider.
Hire.
Him.
Now.
Tseric rules!!
Tuwori May 17th 2007 11:02PM
I wouldn't take on the CM position. I encounter enough sub-humans ingame to know that the forums are where they go breed.
Mike Schramm May 17th 2007 11:15PM
Galipan, that's not a bad idea at all. Tseric, if you're reading this, please do contact us. We'd love to chat.
someone May 17th 2007 11:19PM
Is it a hard job? Hell yes.
But if you cant handle it dont take it, there are people who can handle it, there are people who realize they have to be professional with everything you say and not care what some 12 year old nobodies say.
Ive done it, and if you want to survive you never act as this man did.
Raz May 17th 2007 11:28PM
"When you can understand how a group of beligerent and angry posters can drive away people from this game with an uncrafted and improvisational campaign of misery and spin-doctoring, then perhaps, you can understand the decisions I make. Until you face mobs of psychology, you will not see my side.
Until you see some bright-eyed player coming onto the forums wanting to know what they should spec as this class, and see them shat on and driven away by petty and selfish people who are simply leveraging for game buffs, you will not understand.
You will not understand until you have to see it daily, for years..."
Tseric was right ...
Brightmotive May 17th 2007 11:40PM
Tseric crossed the line. Yes, some people may have the intent to push your buttons but that gives you no right at all to push back. As a CM you need to handle the community with professionalism. Not degrading your language to the common forum poster like "ftl" and "get off my internets". Tseric brought this upon himself.
I have no sympathy.
Dirtyboy May 17th 2007 11:41PM
It's funny how people act like they can go sh*t all over a company rep and have the person "act professional" in return. People need to get off their entitlement high horse. Sure you pay for a service, but any company has a right to refuse you. Besides if you don't like the service, then take your money elsewhere.
Rakuen42 May 17th 2007 11:43PM
Hard to believe, I fought the war on scrubs...
My hands were tied, and the phone was bugged...
Another died, and the world just... shrugged it off...
Sabane May 17th 2007 11:43PM
I think it would be great for WoWInsider to hire him, but I doubt after what he went through he wouldn't touch anything having to do with Blizzard with a Ten-Foot Pole. I know I wouldn't.
ridestowe May 17th 2007 11:47PM
although i do sympathize with him, i do agree with poster #6. he put himself down to their level when he started using the troll lingo. working in customer serivce, there's no better feeling than to take an angry customer and throw whatever they're spewing back in their face and do it respectfully. he should've thought for a while before he posted these things. i've learned over the years how to deal with assholes and trolls, i was hoping that after 2 years of being a CM he would've learned the same.
Brock May 17th 2007 11:50PM
To me, I think it's more likely that he had already put in his notice and this "rant" was his final bow.
Honestly, it's hardly an "explosion" or whatever people are wagging their finger at. Say what you will about customer service and how CM's should do their jobs, but what Tseric wrote was probably the most honest and correct assessment of what a handfull of losers can do on public forum.
It's not serious or even important, but when bright-eyed young players come to the forums for help and get "shat on" it definetly deserves a response from Blizz.
It's just sad it had to be an employee on his way out to have the guts to speak up. But nonetheless, I'm happy his well-written words are getting the attention they deserve.
And all you customer-centric cheerleaders need to stfu. WTT more humanity for less ass-kissing robots.
Rakuen42 May 17th 2007 11:52PM
To elaborate a bit more, Tseric is a wakeup call. The forums are horrid. Stuff goes on there that wouldn't even happen on the Nintendo official forums (yes, that's bad). For Blizzard to react in the manner that it has only goes to prove his point.
I used to read the forums all the time when I started playing. Now I just check the realm forums, and maybe the rogue forums if I'm feeling especially brave. I come here for everything else. It's not because I couldn't keep up. It's because it's just impossible to sift through all the bull that's posted on the forums. Not even the blue post trackers can sift it effectively anymore, because the VAST majority the blue posts just add to the bull.
That is a serious problem.
Rich May 18th 2007 12:06AM
He was dead on. I avoid the forums like the plague. Nothing but vitrol on there. I work as customer/tech service for an electronics company. I know what's gone through. The only time people call me is when something is working. Every day I get called every name under the sun, get threats of being sued and generally get nothing but grief. I have unloaded on customers before.
People need to be a little nicer and get off their fucking high horse. You are no one special, its not all about you.
DontLetsStart May 18th 2007 12:38AM
I hope they replace him with someone who will post like he did in that big thread all the fucking time. The whining babies that populate the official forums need a bit of smacking down every now and then. Not to mention far more bans need to be handed out. What does blizzard have to lose? The morons who'd be getting banned wouldn't quit over it. They're the same people who post week after week about how they're quitting yet never do!
Razerious May 18th 2007 12:37AM
Besides some of the stickied posts, I try to stay away from the forums as much as possible. Penny-Arcade said it best: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19
Jp May 18th 2007 12:40AM
Tseric is my hero, as I've said before in replies on WoW Insider.
The forums will be a much different place without him telling players how it is.
HotSauce May 18th 2007 12:57AM
Tseric is the man. Period. I'm pretty sure if he was able to punch trolls through his monitor, the forums would be a better place. Then people would watch what they write down due to the risk of receiving a Tseric Knuckle Sandwich.
Devilmachine May 18th 2007 1:01AM
I always liked the guy, and feel sorry for the crap he had to deal with.
I would love to see an ex blizzard staff member here at WoWInsider, that would be very cool :)
Os May 18th 2007 1:08AM
Tseric was a great CM. I can't believe how idiotic some people on the official forums are.
There's a limit to what each individual can take. Compared to me, Tseric's limit is a bajillion times higher.
I would've hacked into their accounts and turn their mains to murlocs.
Brill May 18th 2007 1:12AM
Three things fill my head:
1) Tseric did his job well. I think he spoke the truth and he will be missed.
2) The forums, at this point, remind me of a social experiment where the boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable behavior barely, if at all, exist. Without moral and socially acceptable guidlines, the true nature of humanity is clearly shown. There is no respect, there is no conscience, there is no logic, and there is no reason. To have to put up with that on a day to day basis sounds just impossible. To handle it as long as Tseric did blows my mind.
3) As far as I'm concerned, the forums are not public domain but a private domain owned and opperated by Blizzard where their policies should be enforced vehenimously (please pardon the spelling). To do anything less than that will result in what we currently have. IMO posts that show discrespect in any shape or form outside of constructive critizism should be removed without question or remorse by moderators. If not...well then...give an inch, take a mile.
GG Tseric, you got out while you could.