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submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by Deestan@lemmy.world to c/games@lemmy.world

Fired or resigned, extremely incomplete list:

  • Nick Calandra - Editor-in-Chief
  • Yahtzee Croshaw - Zero Punctuation, Adventure is Nigh, Extra Punctuation
  • Jack Packard - Adventure is Nigh
  • Amy Campbell - Adventure is Nigh, 3 Minute Reviews
  • KC Nwosu - Adventure is Nigh, 3 Minute Reviews
  • Jesse Galena - Adventure is Nigh, 3 Minute Reviews
  • Sebastian Ruiz - Cold Take, Stuff of Legend
  • JM8 - Editor, Design Delve
  • Darren Moody - Columnist
  • Marty Sliva - 3 Minute Review

IP of Zero Punctuation belongs to Escapist, so that is dead as of now.

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[-] TCGM@lemmy.world 122 points 8 months ago

With a loss of people like that, The Escapist is dead too.

The pro gamer move would be to pick up the Zero Punctuation rights at auction.

[-] cottonmon@lemmy.world 24 points 8 months ago

Yeah, Yahtzee and ZP was what kept The Escapist alive (Pretty sure there was a point where ZP was their only content). Cold Take was the other thing that was interesting and they lost that too. I don't think they have any other content without those guys.

[-] canis_majoris@lemmy.ca 9 points 8 months ago

They always had alternate content, it just generally sucked.

[-] FerolisD@lemmy.world 18 points 8 months ago

Seriously what were they thinking? I'm literally only subscribed to their YT channel for Yahtzee stuff. Everyone who bought a membership is gonna cancel now.

[-] Radicaldog@lemmy.world 13 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

They probably had no idea Yahtzee and co were that loyal to Nick. That said, I'm shocked Yahtzee was never given an ownership stake, as an insurance against... Well, this exact scenario.

[-] ericbomb@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago

I kind of assumed he was like... mostly owner?

Like I sorted their YT videos by popular and after four pages I gave up looking for something that isn't zero punctuation.

[-] beebarfbadger@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago

It's the dairy farmer selling his only milk cow for all that sweet, sweet cow-selling cash, failing to see that this may potentially have an adverse effect on his milk-selling cash henceforth.

[-] BenVimes@lemmy.ca 14 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I mean, it should have died years ago the last time they unceremoniously dumped talent over apparently ideological reasons, but they survived.

Granted, this time is different because now they are losing their primary breadwinner. They plodded along before because ZP still brought in people. This wound may actually be fatal.

[-] Dasnap@lemmy.world 102 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Looks like Yatzee is losing access to the Zero Punctuation IP, so he'll have to move to a different brand. Must be a bloody difficult move after being with ZP for almost 20 years.

[-] Shalakushka@kbin.social 58 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

"IP" feels like such a weird term here. It's not that I disagree, it's just weird to think about. Oh no, he will have to be mad at games with an English accent to slightly different clipart. He may have to find a new nu metal riff for his intro.

[-] Dasnap@lemmy.world 47 points 8 months ago

It was a recognisable brand, so he'll definitely lose viewers in the transition who simply don't know the two series are related. The Yatzee character was Yatzee to most people, so he's almost having to give up his face. It's not like Conan O'Brian moving to a new show where everyone already knows who he is and what he looks like.

[-] captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 14 points 8 months ago

I think most of the format are Yahtzee's IP, because he made two episodes released on his own channel independently under the name "Fully Ramblomatic" before being picked up by The Escapist maintaining pretty much an identical formula under the Zero Punctuation name. I think there would be a case that the little black imp thing is his for the same reason.

[-] CADmonkey@lemmy.world 81 points 8 months ago

The only reason I even knew The Escapist existed is because of ZP.

[-] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 64 points 8 months ago

That title made me feel like I was having a stroke.

[-] twotone@lemmy.world 28 points 8 months ago

Common issue on Lemmy from what I've seen, stemming from a lack of harder moderation.

Reddit's r/games may have been very heavy on the rules, but those rules insured a level of quality that the Lemmy counterparts don't have.

[-] Caligvla@lemmy.dbzer0.com 62 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Well, good luck keeping the lights on without Yahtzee, he's been the sole reason 90% of your audience even existed in the first place.

[-] daikiki@lemmy.world 44 points 8 months ago

It's more like 100%. The escapist is yahtzee. Was, rather. Now it's a logo, a url, and a back catalog.

On the bright side, the entire team has banded together to launch "Second Wind". Their new discord is popping and there will be a livestream tomorrow detailing the team's plan going forward

[-] ericbomb@lemmy.world 5 points 8 months ago

Gonna be honest, since it seemed like Yahtzee was the only one who pulled in views I kind of always assumed he was like the channel owner? You know "Yahtzee's shenanigans and he funds his friends trying to do stuff hoping something will stick"

But I'm just a super casual but long term watcher. I watch every zero punctuation, and like... yeah that's it. Been doing that for a decade.

Wild they managed to piss off the reason people care about them.

[-] DaMonsterKnees@lemmy.world 5 points 8 months ago

Good scoop, you, thanks!

[-] ericbomb@lemmy.world 11 points 8 months ago

Yeah I've been subbed for... dearie me, ten years? Basically only for zero punctuation. I watched it when I was too poor to buy all the games I wanted and I got a kick out of him roasting games I couldn't afford as hot trash.

[-] diegooooooo@lemmy.world 59 points 8 months ago

What the hell does murica-firing means? Is it getting shot by your employer?

[-] Deestan@lemmy.world 96 points 8 months ago

Zero notice, zero rights, immediate lockout, zero dignity. The kind of firing that breaks at least 8 laws in most European countries.

[-] Railcar8095@lemm.ee 35 points 8 months ago

Ironically, no more Zero Punctuation!

[-] diegooooooo@lemmy.world 23 points 8 months ago

Thanks for the explanation, sounds really scummy.

Sadly, it is actually pretty normal in the US, hence the name.

[-] Railcar8095@lemm.ee 3 points 8 months ago

Ironically, no more Zero Punctuation!

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[-] Alk@lemmy.world 16 points 8 months ago

Yeah this title is out there.

[-] Pons_Aelius@kbin.social 49 points 8 months ago

Holy shit. No more Zero Punctuation?

That sucks balls.

[-] Tyfud@lemmy.one 8 points 8 months ago

They said they're looking to go independent and would update soon

[-] sirfancy@lemmy.world 46 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

They literally just gave Yahtzee a new segment. Actually unreal. Hope they find a new better job soon, we all know how talented they are.

[-] altima_neo@lemmy.zip 8 points 8 months ago

He said he'll still be working, I'm sure those guys are all following along

[-] iforgotmyinstance@lemmy.world 36 points 8 months ago

Companies everywhere losing the fucking plot.

[-] samus12345@lemmy.world 35 points 8 months ago

Let's all laugh at an industry

That never learns anything, tee-hee-hee!

[-] dynamojoe@lemmy.world 30 points 8 months ago

brb adding the escapist to the blocklist

[-] canis_majoris@lemmy.ca 27 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I remember following the Escapist when they transitioned to YouTube, after probably longer than a decade of hosting their own stuff on their own service. I remember seeing all these shows they had spun up, but they all had exponentially less viewership than anything with Yahtzee in it. There were movie reviews which I occasionally caught and a bunch of other content that I just didn't care for.

I tried to get into the other creators on the platform but only Yahtzee had any staying power for me. Slightly Civil War/Slightly Something Else was great too when Jack started coming in. I've been a fan of Jack's since his Red Letter Media days, when he was doing Pre-Rec with Rich Evans.

[-] Deestan@lemmy.world 8 points 8 months ago

Sebastian "Frost" Ruiz's stuff has quickly gained loving fans. I recommend looking at his Cold Take ot Stuff of Legend stuff if you haven't.

[-] c0mbatbag3l@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago

I really love his 7-8 minute video essays on the gaming industry, hope he can still go do something similar.

[-] rustyfish@lemmy.world 22 points 8 months ago
[-] Deestan@lemmy.world 83 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

He refused to sign an NDA, so he explains briefly in the Twitter thread, and we'll probably hear more later.

In short: Sudden firing (as in, locked out of Slack and email while at work while being informed of being fired) for not "meeting goals", where goals were not clearly defined.

[-] rustyfish@lemmy.world 30 points 8 months ago

Well that’s just fucking scummy.

[-] Gigan@lemmy.world 12 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Do we know what the NDA was about?

[-] Deestan@lemmy.world 37 points 8 months ago

Looks like standard corporate damage control NDA where you are not allowed to discuss the reason or terms of your firing. Usually illegally demanded to get severance pay.

[-] ipkpjersi@lemmy.ml 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I was laid off earlier this year and was locked out of my Google account and Slack and everything else company related immediately after my meeting with HR and my manager ended. It was shocking how quick they were about it.

I kind of wonder if Google Workspace has a "Fire Employee" button for administrators. I think it probably does.

[-] Uglyhead@lemmy.world 25 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Gamurs bought a bunch of websites and have been fumbling the bag on all of them. RIP Escapist, and soon others.

Seemingly started to go downhill this year with Silicon Valley Bank fiasco

[-] c0mbatbag3l@lemmy.world 21 points 8 months ago

Zero punctuation and Cold Takes are both fucked now, thanks guys!

[-] cottonmon@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago

If I understand correctly, Cold Take is owned by Frost so he can take that with him if he wants to.

[-] caut_R@lemmy.world 17 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I really liked Jack as a DM. I hope he‘ll do a DnD podcast; his improv skills, voice acting, and open-mindedness to his players’ „bullshittery“ really would make for an exceptionally enjoyable podcast. And Yahtzee‘s humor also helped. The animations were great, but I don‘t think a voice only podcast would hurt and easens the production burden. I wonder how hard they could just pick up where they left off with AIN without infringing on IPs.

[-] Gamoc@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

The things you mentioned make Adventure is Nigh the best DND campaign play thing I've found so far, it's excellent.

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this post was submitted on 07 Nov 2023
314 points (95.9% liked)

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