GameSpot GamePlay Episode 9: Out of the Closet
By
Kevin VanOrd, Senior Editor
Ex-IGNer and GaymerCon Operations Director Jack DeVries joins Kevin, John, Tom, and Peter for another week of debriefing and debauchery
GameSpot GamePlay Episode 9: Out of the Closet
Ex-IGNer and GaymerCon Operations Director Jack DeVries joins the GameSpot crew for another week of debriefing and debauchery. This week, Tom Mc Shea rants about Grand Theft Auto V's marketing cycle to host Kevin VanOrd. More shockingly, John Davison reveals to Peter Brown: "You're a lot cuter than my regulars." He also proves himself an expert on the game of "cornhole," much to the delight of the giggle-prone panel.
Such respectable gentlemen.
At least they didn't make fun of Kevin for getting the date wrong. But no worry: we know you will.
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By
Kevin VanOrd, Senior Editor
Kevin VanOrd is a lifelong RPG lover and violin player. When he isn't busy building PCs and composing symphonies, he watches American Dad reruns with his fat cat, Ollie.
46 comments
1 Like Another great episode!
I'd like to address one of the topics if I may...
I feel like the main problem with homosexuality in games is that it's treated either as a sideshow, gimmick, is tacked-on, or is something used by the studio to tout the progressive nature of their game. It's never just in the game, without showcasing it somehow. That's a problem, because in real life it's just part of life, it's part of being a human and living among other humans, and that needs to change.
1 Like Shame on all of you. You work as Game journalists and you cannot identify the Demons' Souls track.
1 Like I even guessed it right because it sounds so alike to Dark Souls; and I haven't even played Demons Souls.
@xgalacticax That's one of the few songs in this world I can instantly recognize. Nothing else like it.
Downloaded the prodcast, will listen later and post my thoughts on the discussion, anyways keep up the good work guys and when is the next Quoted for truth ep?
4 Like It's great to hear a podcast that tackles controversial subjects head-on. Keep it up Kevin!
2 Like @Fiscaldeal Yeah, I agree. And I think Gamespot in general have been really good at this, especially the last few years. The voices of people like Kevin, Caro and Tom are really important in the discussions about games and the gaming community.
The Gamespot staff should start using VGchartz.com, because you are really bad when it comes to sale figures. . .
@bgranli I didn't have the numbers in front of me, so we made a joke about it. I don't go into every podcast with a full list of sales figures for all games in front of me, and I don't have a databank of that information in my brain, sadly. If I were to ask you about sales numbers for any particular game, would you know them right off the top of your head?
@Kevin-V Oh, yes! I believe I would! No, I am just kidding. Kevin, I come in peace! It is just the fact that I have noticed this several times now, be it Quoted for truth, Gameplay or some other show, that discussions about sales figures have been a bit strange to me because the knowledge about the actual sales were lacking. This comment was not directed at you specifically, Kevin, or the joke you made about it.
I am not saying you are all supposed to be walking around with a databank of that information in your brain, but when you discussed GTAV possibly selling 14 million, I wish one of you could say that: "Hey, GTAIV actuallly sold closer to 19 million on PS3 and 360, and has shipped 22 million", or; "GTA San Andreas sold more than 20 million and GTA3 more than 13 million on the PS2 alone".
I am a nerd for sales figures Kevin, and I like having a certain knowledge about it, because I feel it helps me understand the power of marketing, the importance of branding, the effects of hype and the gaming community better.
Sorry if I offended you!
1 Like I don't believe it John Davidson is leaving GameSpot?! Who will host Quoted for Truth now? This is sad, but I wish him luck on his project. :)
John Davidson is leaving?? That's sad... he was the anchorman in Quoted for Truth. Anyways, hope everything works for him. First Jane and now John Davidson, GameSpot is losing people.
2 Like @AndCarlsen You are forgetting Brendan Sinclair, he left yesterday, he went back to Canada :(
@ZzMurdererzZ @AndCarlsen I am depressed. I thought Brendan had one of the finest minds in games journalism. Also very sad to see John go, he made this podcast so much funnier :l
@ZzMurdererzZ @AndCarlsen That is sad news. And Brendan left as well? That is a shame for Gamespot and its readers, but I wish him all the luck.
@ZzMurdererzZ aw, Brendan is gone? =( As a Canadian, this news is bitter sweet... more bitter than sweet, unfortunately.
1 Like From reading the comments about the homosexual options in Mass Effect, some people were upset because they believed their friendly or playful actions would be misinterpreted as flirting with someone they didn't want to romance. I think the people who complained about that were really just closeted homosexuals, afraid to confront their feelings, and afraid that playing Mass Effect would force them to confront that in themselves.
1 Like I started listening to the show a couple weeks ago and just finished all the earlier episodes. I love love love the format of a very loose pseudo-trivia show, and hope you guys keep up the great work for a long time to come. Already one of my favorite podcasts!
"People don't really go to stores to buy games any more..." Tom I'm not sure where you're picking up your games and digital is growing as a market for sure but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say most people are still going to a physical store for the majority of their purchases. My brick and mortar purchases way out pace my online orders and certainly my digital distribution purchases.
@endorbr ... I work in a mall and still order most of my games online... though I suspect his comment was meant partially in jest. Tom tends to joke about how the NPD doesn't count digital downloads, only physical copies (and really only extrapolates that based on a few retailers). In other words, GTA might sell 18 million and the NPD might report 13 million because it didn't count the digital copies.
It's a little unfair of us to complain when a company releases basically the whole game prior to its launch but to also do it when some other company decides to take things slow, teasing people with pictures and concept art. I don't think there's anything wrong with what, the game is so long from being released. At least they are not misleading fans like Square Enix did with the mobile versions of FF Tactics and The World God Only Knows, that was evil.
So Rockstar is going "Yes, yes more, come back in 1 month and you get more" (in deeply sinister voice)
Gross and manipulative!
2 seconds later...
"They just give some screens and walks away from it."
How does Tom believe Rockstar is being manipulative and insouciant at the same time? They casually released some screenshots nonchalantly, and somehow that makes them terrible marketing perverts seducing us with slightly revealed flesh like a young girl wearing a sleeveless tank top, proving she was clearly just begging to be raped.
Really? Rape? Why is that analogy used so much? Am I wrong for not immediately going to vulgarities?
I agree with you, and Tom is inconsistent on many of his arguments, but comparing it to a promiscuously dressed young girl enticing someone to forcibly touch her is inappropriate.
How about just comparing it to parents that tease their children about Christmas gifts several weeks ahead of time or something?
@robfield I used the analogy I did because it fit. Tom was expressing 2 completely opposing viewpoints of Rockstar. They're casually just releasing a slight reveal. Like a girl just casually wearing clothes that reveal a bit of skin. While simultaneously believing it's a calculated tactic designed to lure people in a provocative manor. It's not only inconsistent, it's outrageously inflammatory, just as my rape analogy is.
Honestly, your rape analogy does fit. I won't deny you that. I just wish it wasn't the first place you decided to go.
I see so many comments readily mentioning rape as an example for something that offends them that it has become ridiculous
(that's probably enough off topic talk)
@WTA2k5 I didn't mean me making the comment was outrageously inflammatory, I meant the idea that a woman casually wearing a tank top is "asking for it" is outrageously inflammatory and inconsistent much like Tom's comments were.
2 Like @WCK619 I think Tom just hates the whole cycle of hype in any shape or form. Whether or not you agree with him, I think the rape analogy was out of line.
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Grand Theft Auto V
Not Following
-
X360, PS3
- Publisher:
- Rockstar Games
- Category:
- Action
- Release:
- Q3 2013
- PEGI:
- 18+
