Hey All,
I wanted to ask you to join me in saying farewell and wishing Jonathan “Chap” Sharp the best in his new adventures. After eight years of life in Tyria, Chap has decided it is time to pursue some new dreams with his many talents. Chap has been a driving force on our team, in the community and part of our family at ArenaNet and he will be sorely missed. I have worked side by side with Chap for many years now. He is like a brother to me and as much as I know how deeply he cares about GW2 I’m happy that he is taking this opportunity to take on new challenges.
Hugh Norfolk will be filling Chap’s role on the PvP team. Many of you already know Hugh from his involvement in the community, on Ready Up and in the game. As we say good bye to Chap, please also join me in extending a warm welcome to Hugh. He’s got some big shoes to fill but Hugh is full of fire and ready to roll so I know he is up for it.
Good Luck Chap!
John
Farewell Chap
Yes he’s got some Hugh shoes to fill but he seems more than Chapable.
So long Jon! Log in sometime and team q again!
Hey all.
I’m sad to say that I’ll be leaving ArenaNet after 8 years with the company, and it’s been an amazing ride!
I’ve chatted with many of you on vent, we’ve debated on State of the game, we’ve tossed ideas back and forth on the forums, and I’ve met many of you in person at various cons!
It has been my privilege, pleasure and honor to work with such a passionate and intelligent group of fans. You guys have always kept me honest, you’ve pushed me to better myself, and your ideas have helped to create GW2’s success – we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for your love, passion and communication.
I will always look back on my time here with love and gratitude, and much of that is owed to you, our wonderful fans.
-Chap
“Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world.”
-Arthur Schopenhauer
pursue new dreams is always a good thing
Wow, a big loss to the community. Sad to see you go, J Sharp! Best of luck to you in all your future endeavors.
jo0 Binder
Hey all.
I’m sad to say that I’ll be leaving ArenaNet after 8 years with the company, and it’s been an amazing ride!
I’ve chatted with many of you on vent, we’ve debated on State of the game, we’ve tossed ideas back and forth on the forums, and I’ve met many of you in person at various cons!
It has been my privilege, pleasure and honor to work with such a passionate and intelligent group of fans. You guys have always kept me honest, you’ve pushed me to better myself, and your ideas have helped to create GW2’s success – we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for your love, passion and communication.
I will always look back on my time here with love and gratitude, and much of that is owed to you, our wonderful fans.
-Chap
But…But…You can’t go yet….You haven’t fixed death blossom yet….
Team: Blacklisted [Envy]
Wish you nothing but the best! Throw in something fun into the code on your way out. Make fear also force swiftness on targets or something.
Best of luck in your future endeavors, Chap. Thanks for helping create one of the best games I’ve ever played
And never forget https://twitter.com/WeLoveGameDevs
(edited by Karizee.8076)
Oh noooo I met J Sharp, and I can tell you he’s a really chill guy. We even had a few drinks and chatted about some nice things. He will be missed as personality, and a dev. GOOD LUCK M8
aye, all the best to Jonathan Sharp !
take care!
Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.
You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams. I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go… Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.
Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I’ve bought a big bat. I’m all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me! So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life’s A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you’ll move mountains. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more! I’m afraid that sometimes you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.
Remember me and smile, for it’s better to forget than to remember me and cry.
You will be missed
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Jon in September 2013 at the PAX Invitational for Guild Wars 2 and I can honestly say he is one of the most passionate and dedicated people working at Arena Net. I know that the loss of Jon Sharp will affect the direction of the game and while I have both faith and hope for others to fill the shoes that he left behind I cannot help but think that this will be a set back for Arena Net. Jon has put countless hours into pushing this game forward; listening to players both through direct contact and through forums. He pushed people to think outside the box and tried to come up with innovative solutions to problems so that Guild Wars 2 could set itself apart from other games.
I realize that I may make things sound grandeur, but after getting to know the Arena Net staff I can see how large of an impact that the individuals on the PvP team have on the rest of the company, and that they helped tremendously to try to get Guild Wars 2 PvP where it is today. Now there are those who complain about balance, lack of game modes, certain maps, and various other things but when it comes down to it this game has – by far- the most innovative and dynamic combat system in any MMO and possibly one of the best in any game (at least that I’ve played), and I attribute this in a large part to Jon and the other members of the PvP team.
I think one of the Jon’s strongest traits was his empathy. He extremely sincere and compassionate, and one of the more emotionally intelligent people that I’ve met; something that I personally believe is one of the most important things in life. I have some stories from my time in Seattle but this is not the time nor place to share those. I have looked upon those experiences with fond memories however, and it’s given me a different perspective on what goes on at Arena Net and the people that work there and Jon – like the rest of the PvP team – is extremely passionate about what he does, and he does it extremely well.
To Jon: You will be missed, and while you and I have had differences in the past you have been nothing but respectful, courteous, engaging, thoughtful, and kind. I appreciate everything that you have done for me and for the game. Your leave is a grave loss to the community, but I wish you the best and that you bring everything you have to your next area of work. I have no doubt that you will find success if you give even half the amount of work and passion that you’ve put into this company and game.
All the best,
Caed
He probably does not remember, but I had the pleasure of directly working with Jonathan during pvp alpha testing. That was years ago and, even then, Jonathan was extremely receptive to our feedback and suggestions, and always encouraged us to brainstorm new ideas, much like how he is today. Interacting with him was so neat because he made me feel like I could shape the game like a developer would, and there was absolutely no air of conceitedness; he’s just a very down to earth guy that’s passionate with his work.
It truly is sad to know that henceforth we will be missing an asset such as Jonathan from the team. Wishing you the best.
It was fun meeting you at gamescom Jon. See ya around and good luck with your next venture.
Good Luck Chap!
And GL Hugh, I’m sure you will do an awesome work for spvp.
You need only to read and implement our suggestions :P
I don’t really know developers but i wish you good luck!
[Teef] guild :>
I don’t really know what Mr. Sharp did at Anet. I heard his name a lot though. I know you worked with PvP however.
I just want to say thank you, and congrats on making one THE best PvP game out there (in terms of other MMORPGS). Other games don’t compare.
Bye jon i think you did care for spvp , where you off to btw ? dont say back to work on gw1 ? lol :P good luck dude
To new beginnings. Cheers.
Not going to drop any more puns in the thread my wit isn’t quite SARP enough for that this time of the morning….(sorry I always blame Dara)
Chap it’s a sad time to see you leave you’ve been a huge influence on the game and it’s development. It’s been great the few times I’ve interacted with you but I know you are going to have the hugest success in the future.
Hugh I can attest is a great fit for the Chap shaped hole. Hugh you’ll kill this
all the best to both of you
Executed [ExE] – Piken Square
characterselect.net
It’s a shame to see Jon leave, the Guild Wars 2 PvP scene needs as much love as it can get. I can’t help but wonder what if any changes are in store for PvP.
Thank you for your amazing work on GW2 and gl! We need a Chap memorial NPC in the mists. Theorycraft (maybe too soon): I don’t think he’d leave before finishing a given project, maybe this means we get something big soon.
I’m crying right now
But thanks for all the time and great effort you put into this game!
Wish u luck on your future
Sad to see you go. You were one of the few, who continuously pushed pvp and competitiveness forward. Thank you for your dedication.
Stonemist Mafia [mfia]
Dzagonur [DE]
Thank you for your hard work and enthusiasm.
Best of luck for the future!
Everyone should dedicate their next stomp to Mr. Sharp.
You are a good chap, stay sharp!
Slow Chap .. ehrm clap
goodluck with making zombiegames, I know you want to..
E.A.D.
Owww owww seems like they’re losing everyone of the old guard, eh?
Who knows why that might be… Hmmm… uhm… I don’t have any idea… or maybe I do.
Owell. Cya man. He did the right thing. He definitely did.
After reading the Anet’s staff reviews on glass door i can’t help but wonder if Jon didn’t get sick of the upper mgmt there i wouldn’t blame him if he did.
Anyways it doesn’t matter , good luck to you sir , wish you much success in your future endeavors.
Hmm, best of luck for future endeavours, sorry to see you go.
Thank you for all the teaching and patient
Fair wind.
yours truly.
Between a master and apprentice, i would love to see the differences.
Another pvp dev gone…
Jon was always pretty cool from what I’ve seen of him in SotG, Ready up, and throughout the forums. He definitely knew what he was talking about, and was very passionate about the game.
Oh well, off to bigger and better things. Best of luck.
Heavens Rage
Now Hugh " nightmare Norfolk is in charge i expect to see major buff to hambow lol , hughs fav build amaright ? :P
Hey all.
I’m sad to say that I’ll be leaving ArenaNet after 8 years with the company, and it’s been an amazing ride!
I’ve chatted with many of you on vent, we’ve debated on State of the game, we’ve tossed ideas back and forth on the forums, and I’ve met many of you in person at various cons!
It has been my privilege, pleasure and honor to work with such a passionate and intelligent group of fans. You guys have always kept me honest, you’ve pushed me to better myself, and your ideas have helped to create GW2’s success – we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for your love, passion and communication.
I will always look back on my time here with love and gratitude, and much of that is owed to you, our wonderful fans.
-Chap
Best of luck, wherever you land, they are a lucky to have you! Thanks for all your work.
Yes he’s got some Hugh shoes to fill but he seems more than Chapable.
Lol xD.
Also, good luck and much success with your new job, Chap! And welcome Hugh!
Farewell posts are against the forum ToS, just sayin’.
Seriously though, I admit I have been critical of PvP development and the PvP team’s output in the past, but my criticism is borne out of wanting the game to be as complete as it can be. GW2 PvP has so much potential and one of the best if not the best combat system of any MMO thus far. It’s such a shame that PvP infrastructure has never been up to snuff and continues to be lacking to this day. Having said that, I realise that no game is ever going to be feature complete and fulfill every player’s deepest, darkest and naughtiest desires. I have enjoyed countless hours of fun for EUR 50 for these past two years, and I genuinely feel this game for all its shortcomings is one of the greatest values in gaming. So much bang for the buck. For that, and for your undeniable passion for the game, you deserve heartfelt thanks.
So thank you Chap, and good luck!
Legend S1-S3 with 100% solo queue 100% conquest
Filthy casual, 6k sPvP games
will hugh still be in the balance team? Or is balancing now a one man show?
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Suggestions-Gemstore-Items/page/31#post4533037
the skrittfinisher was my idea!
Thank you for everything you did for the game, Chap! I’ll always remember our pizza lunch on the floor of PAX East 2013.
I wish you lots of luck with your future endeavors. Take care.
-Richie
Good luck, J. Sharp! It is sad to see you go. If there’s a few devs that immediately come to mind when I think of GW2, one of them is you!
I’ve noticed you have been having less spotlight lately, compared to one year ago. Maybe it has been just a coincidence. Maybe the plans were already set up, and going through a transition phase until this day to come. And I wonder, if this will mark a directional change to pvp or not.
But, nonetheless, wish you good luck for the future!
Jonathan was a consistently lovely and naturally creative mind through and through, pretty much stood alone as someone I deeply respected in the dev pantheon. It’ll be a terrible shame to see him leave and I worry very much for the game’s immediate future with his departure. GW2 and Jonathan are almost synonymous in my mind, I feel as though it’ll be a hollow shell without him.
- Bliss
I hate seeing any of the original GW2 team depart. They have built a game that I truly love and that has had a positive impact on my life.
I wish him the best in his next chapter.
Does anyone know the difference between Chap’s role and Karl’s role?
Hears to epic company of heroes battles during crunch, basketball shoot outs, hearthstone deck tips, late night philosophy, german beer, [Ni]’s attempts to climb the Gw1 ladder, and Jon destroying your fan.
Good luck chasing your dreams Chap!
1. Farewell Chap, good luck in your future job
2. I hope Norfolk and his team can revive PvP and listen to the community. Maybe under the new direction Skyhammer will finally be removed from soloQ. That would be a really good first step.
I’ve played 3 new different mmos in the last 5 months that came out, and I have to say, the effort the devs in these 3 MMOS that was put in into PvP is not even 20% of the amount of effort GW2 devs put into PvP.
Hearing about Chap leaving is really sad, however we wish you the best of luck in your new job.
Hopefully this game will grow again once new game mode comes out, still waiting for these game modes before going hardcore GW2 again
I remember when I met up with Anet folks (many moons ago) playing TF2. I remember listening to Mr. Chap and Mr. Izzy talks about balance, design, and combat for GW2. I also remember Chap really taking me under his wing when I tried to get into the gaming industry. Chap has always been a great friend, role-model, and designer that I have always hoped to aspire to be. I will never be able to fill the void that Chap has left on GW2 and ArenaNet, but I promise to give it my all. Good luck to you Mr. Chap in everything you do good sir!
If driving force leaves this motionless ship does this mean we will start moving backwards? :o
Best of Luck Mr. Sharp. Thank you for all the work you have done to make our game a better place!
Will the new spot come free for the one Hugh leaves? Or will ‘Hugh’ job + Jonathan’s job ‘merge’ into one (again diminishing the manpower of Anet). It’s a pattern i’ve been seeing lately, and if you ever want a big expansion or even living story, pvp (big), wvw (big) update to come to live, I have the feeling you guys have to few manpower for it after all the ‘search new horizons’ people, wich spots didn’t get filled.
CC danicia?
Allie Murdock spot?
Hugh spot (after he takes jonathans spot)
Kate welsh spot?
There’s others as well that I don’t remember right now, but I know they there are more spots that aren’t filled so far.
Anyway gl on new horizons Sharp. If every Anet member who leaves, would be instantly replaced by another person, it wouldnt fill me with sadness. But now it does, since there is huge opportunity guild wars 2 is shrinking again.
No excuse anymore for not giving ‘hide mounts’-option
No thanks to unidentified weapons.
(edited by Phoebe Ascension.8437)
Chap it’s been nice getting to know you over the years of testing. Best of luck in your new adventures!
Leaderboard Peak Rankings: #2 Solo Arena | #11 Team Arena