My Problem With Yahtzee's E3 Philosophy

[Saxm13]

While I can't deny that it makes perfect sense to be pessimistic so you aren't disappointed, I can't help but feel that it really takes the fun (remember that word?) out of seeing the industry advance and seeing your favourite franchises grow.

Plus eventually you'll have completely desensitized yourself into not caring about anything announced at any conferences resulting in a completely passive, almost robotic, persona towards gaming.

Also it doesn't make you very interesting to talk to at dinner parties. =P


Incidently though, his E3 episodes are some of the best comedy-wise were he drops all critical pre-tense and just flat out insults everything. xD

 

[Meanmoose]

I agree ^^ Looking forward to something feels good Knowing I will be playing Syrim by the end of the year is a good thing. It makes my heart sing =P And singing hearts are the best!

 

[Lono Shrugged]

Yahtzee is not a reviewer, he's a critic. I'm sure he is interested in a few games at E3 like Batman or whatever but even if he was he is trying to make a point about the hype industry in games, which is a fairly good one.

 

[Gregg Lonsdale]

I also enjoy looking forward to things, but when it's your profession to be forced to play almost every single bloody game in enough detail to be able to disseminate it into a review I can understand why one might come out of that feeling rather jaded. I'm trying not to speak for him because I obviously don't know what that feels like, but if it were I who had to play through that many spunk-bubbles (to use his terminology) I doubt I would be looking forward to the next one.

 

[TimeLord]

If you look into more of Yahtzee's work beyond ZP then he does express intrests in some things at E3 and other games. In a couple of the Australian Gamer podcasts he's been in, he is less restrictive in his views on being interested in upcoming stuff.

 

[Fullmetalfox]

The guy is fun, and he has already stated that his reviews shouldn't be taken seriously. Learn to lol a bit!

 

[ZeroMachine]

The guy is fun, and he has already stated that his reviews shouldn't be taken seriously. Learn to lol a bit!

Nah, this is a philosophy he actually holds true. Depressing, isn't it?

Anyways, way I see it, I'm, quite simply, not a pussy. I'm not afraid of disappointment. It happens. It's a part of life. I'm not going to deny being excited about something just to protect myself from it.

 

[silversnake4133]

But then again, you have to remember: What he says is pretty much 90% his opinion, and 10% his observations. All in all, what Mr. Croshaw says in his videos is his opinion based on his observations and personal experience. Yes it's true that he has a very sarcastic air about him, but unless you know him personally, that's really all we see of him through the lens of a webcam and the electronic reproduction of his voice via a microphone and editing software. Besides he's probably plenty excited about new releases and teasers for upcoming video games.

After all, he wouldn't have a job if he didn't want to see the industry advance. As far as desensitization goes, I doubt anyone can become a complete robot to what E3 has to offer, after all it is a massive show and tons of developers will be there to showcase what they've been working on for the past few years. There's bound to be something there that will interest/excite everyone.

 

[ultrachicken]

Pessimists are disappointed far less often than optimists, but are also less often happy.

 

[deleted_by_strongbad]

I don't know, there's a point though, with any kind of industry show most of the hype is just that, hype. Most of what is declared is never crystallized, but not putting stock in the propaganda doesn't mean you aren't looking forward to the upcoming games. I think you can be completely excited about a game coming out in the next year or so without caring about e3 in the slightest.

 

[42]

does it really matter? he's normally right about every game (mostly but thats opinion) and i dont see it as a pessimistic approach to E3, but more of a neutral approach, although it may been seen as pessimistic, because it downs all the hype. but i'd rather listen to someone with realistic expectations, while may have a few bits that are a bit tough i mean, it's better than listening to someone who'll say " Game's gonna be awesome man" or "Innovative Gimmick is going to change the game" (im looking at you nintendo)

 

[ReservoirAngel]

I disagree with Yahtzee's E3 attitude, yes.

I see the obvious benefit in remaining pessimistic so you won't be dissapointed, but I figure that attitude is why he's such a grumpy **** all the time: "Well that's going to be totally shit. Oh look, I'm right. Hooray for me for slamming stuff. Next game? Why bother, it's just going to be shit."

I personally take every opportunity I can to get optimistic about E3. It's where everything new is finally shown off and if you spent the conference sulking your way through everything then you're just ruining everything for yourselves.

Sure there's the chance of being disappointed, but if you use a critical eye you can weed out the stuff that doesn't look as good so it will lessen that disappointment as well as tell yourself what it might be in your best interest to avoid.

So Yahtzee's kind of insane for being such a grumpy dick all the time around E3.

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

ITT: People take a comedian's philosophy towards something seriously and debate its merits.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Or we could all be realistic and instead of saying "it all sucks" we could instead just be realists, keep our mind neutral and try to avoid hype and anti-hype. Stuff will happen, some will be good and some will be bad. There is no reason to go all fanboy. Boring FTW!

 

[ZeroMachine]

To the OP, que yourself up to applying Astroglide to your bum when you give credence to the latest round of corporate-inspired sequels since...well, you're being all "open minded" and giving the new game a "chance". When the more realistic and jaded...honestly, the jaded folks are just as likely as to being cynical for the sake of being cynical, IE, stealthily sucking off Yahtzee whilst not admitting to it.....will be laughing at you when you're rubbing your bum with lotion and wondering "why, oh, why, great corporate gods of greed, did I pad [insert big game publisher name here]'s profit margin while buying into the idea that they give two shits about me? WHY???"

There's a point to giving credence to new ideas, but let's be honest, new ideas and innovations wouldn't begin with pre-existing IPs, since the new idea itself would have transcended the old established IP to start with. It's like filling the toilet bowl with all the necessary fluids and recognizing "hey, I flush a little, I can fill a little more of this brown stuff into the bowl. Wipe and repeat for the new fiscal quarter."

If you want to open up Master Chief's cockplate one more time to orally apply Astroglide for MS, or really including anything EA-related, make sure you use a pre-paid mobile so neither one can call you up for further booty calls; because I'm fucking tired of seeing a tired MILF (Masturbating nerds-IPs-Like to-Fuck...over) of a franchise every E3.

Though I suppose the above means I have registered an imaginary "second strike", if the moderator's logic is to be followed. But fuckit, Yahtzee's right, gamers are told to cornhole a bottle of Astroglide and this E3 is just a prime example of that.

Spoiler: My thoughts on your post

It's amazing how pathetically sad and pessimistic and picky so many people on this site are. *sigh*... I quit.