Zero Punctuation (YouTube show) is Gone - along with most of the Escapist magazine's editorial staff...

[yagamikun]

Didn't have this on my radar at all. Sad to hear this, though, as the Escapist had some great shows like Zero Punctuation, Cold Take, and others. I know not everyone likes ZP, but it's been a gaming staple for almost two decades and always good for an occasional laugh.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/gaming/flagship-gaming-website-loses-its-video-team-as-star-of-zero-punctuation-resigns/news-story/7627ed808d5ff0675226ede89c7f74d3

 

[lithy]

Hmmm, yep, I've thought about it...none of these words mean anything to me in the combination presented in the title.

Edit: Subject line was originally "Yahtzee Leaves Escapist - Zero Punctuation Gone" or something

 

[yagamikun]

Hmmm, yep, I've thought about it...none of these words mean anything to me in the combination presented in the title.

There, fixed. lol - If you' haven't ever watched an episode of Zero Punctuation on YouTube, worth looking up. Short, 5 minute game reviews with a deep sarcastic vibe and stream of consciousness presentation with some fun animation. Lots of dick jokes - perfect for members here.

 

[LoneSage]

Surprised he was still doing this. Good for him.

 

[Lagduf]

Never heard of it.

 

[SML]

I guess it would have had to have been a resignation. Even years ago, everyone made jokes about Ben Croshaw being the only marketable talent at Escapist. I originally knew him from the Chzo games he made in Adventure Game Studio.

The Zero Punctuation format had run its course. I'm sure he was sick of it, whatever else was going on behind the scenes. Whenever they tried to pair him up with other employees (Jim Sterling, Jack Packard) there didn't seem to be much chemistry.

I did still check in to hear his impressions of games, although I took a long time to play the Dead Space series based on his criticism of how the series approached horror, and Dead Space 2 is fantastic. (The series as a whole is, despite some issues with 3.)

On the other hand, I'm pretty sure his reviews and remarks over the years led me to play some of my favorites, including Psychonauts, Thief 1&2, and Hitman: Blood Money, which I never would have done based on the earlier games in the series.

 

[LoneSage]

Never heard of it.

https://neo-geo.com/forums/index.ph...nd-take-no-skill-to-play.174363/#post-2555980

 

[HeavyMachineGoob]

I never once found Zero Punctuation funny or clever... I'd confidently say nothing of value was lost.

 

[100proof]

This is almost a blessing. The ZP format has been stale for a long time but was pretty much the only thing propping up Escapist for years. This will give him the chance to start from scratch. Though I'm sure he'll probably just end up doing more or less the same thing in a legally distinct format.

Leave it to venture capitalists to buy something they don't understand and be shocked when their bad ideas don't work and burn it to the ground.

 

[city41]

This is good news in my book. YouTube needs less content like this, and more in depth and interesting stuff.

 

[Lagduf]

https://neo-geo.com/forums/index.ph...nd-take-no-skill-to-play.174363/#post-2555980

Clearly I’ve never watched since 2008. Sounds like I’ve made good life choices.

 

[NeoSneth]

I wasn't an avid fan, but I did binge ZP a few times a year for the games of interest. I think my format of consumption never made it too stale. I always found a more critical review in ZP than a typical video.

I imagine the format was getting more stale to the creative team behind it. It's been years doing the same type of content. That has to wear on a person.

Hopfully it will push into more game development roles. I know he tinkered with designing during his tenure.

 

[Neo Alec]

He probably was more influential back in the day. I'm sure the sentiment that 3D Sonic needs to die sprung up organically independently of this, but I still remember his assertion that it was time to take Sonic out behind the shed and shoot him.

Like nearly everything he said, there were elements that rang true, but it was hyperbolic.

 

[Fygee]

I've always enjoyed ZP. The older format is a feature, not a bug for me, and his snark and sarcasm haven't gotten old for me.

Escapist is dead after this exodus. Might as well just shut down the company at this point. No way they recover. Best of luck to the staff that got fired or left in solidarity.

 

[GohanX]

I wasn't an avid fan, but I did binge ZP a few times a year for the games of interest. I think my format of consumption never made it too stale. I always found a more critical review in ZP than a typical video.

This is pretty much how I did it. Once a year or so I'd look at the archive and play videos for games I've played. Sucks that it's gone, but such is life.

 

[Gentlegamer]

and yet the Glorious PC Master Race lives on

 

[100proof]

Apparently most of the former Escapist people (Yahtzee included) will be announcing a patron-funded replacement tomorrow. So yeah... exact same thing.

Awful lot of those patron-funded game personalities out there these days. Will be interesting to see how many can survive long-term.

 

[SML]

I expected the legally-distinct continuation of the show to be a little more legally distinct.

 

[Darklighterx]

Who?