February 4, 2004
To Whom It May Concern:
Alex Rodberg has earned tremendous respect in our community. Among many successes, he managed marketing and project objectives for Sierra’s Tribes™ gaming franchise. As devoted fans of this franchise, we are delighted to share the difference that Alex has made.
Alex came to us during a difficult time for Tribes. The most recent title, Tribes 2, had been released two quarters after its promised date. After months of trying to patch an unfinished product, Sierra closed the developer and ended support for the game. This disappointed many who had purchased the game, who were already frustrated by its unfinished state. Many customers gave up on the series. Most thought the franchise had exhausted its earning potential.
Faced with these frigid waters, Alex identified what people wanted in Tribes 2. He saw that if the game could be finished and made more accessible, it would have lucrative mass appeal. He proposed a two-step solution to Sierra. First, finish Tribes 2 and re-release it as a discount title. This would sustain and grow the existing market. Second, develop a new Tribes title around the game’s core strengths that would appeal to a larger market.
Sierra approved Alex’s plan. This catalyzed a renewed interest within our community. Alex continued to engage us. He ensured that the projects were responsive to our expectations as consumers. He answered questions in an online conversation with more than a thousand other gamers. He arranged a face-to-face conference near Seattle between prominent Tribes community leaders from across the world. He assisted in hiring a veteran Tribes player to guide the design of the new title, Tribes: Vengeance.
We want to especially draw attention to Alex’s character. He is creative, persistent, humorous, and pragmatic. He communicates plainly and he delivers results. It’s no understatement to say that he brought the Tribes franchise from its death knell to what appears to be a looming dynamite success. He did it through connecting with customers around the world and through doing unglamorous work to make things happen.
After experiencing his efforts first-hand, we are confident that Mr. Rodberg will bring these qualities to whatever tasks are before him. We have composed this on our own initiative. We recommend him without reservation and with maximum enthusiasm.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned Players of the Tribes Franchise
