A few days ago, the player community starred in another heated debate on social networks after a surprise announcement by videoOne of the most popular American YouTubers in the field of video game analysis. Motivated by memes and strong opinions, this debate focused on the independent industry at the same time that it began generating expectations for the new venture of the the reviewer. But what exactly happened?
In a video called My Indie Game Publishing CompanyAnd the Jason Gastroknown as videogamedunkey, that he has been working on his video game distribution label for some time, BigMode. Known in the gaming world as PublishersThese companies are responsible for providing the tools for studios at various stages of development, to ensure that their games reach the market globally and achieve the desired impact. This can range from a marketing plan that includes trailers, sneak peeks, and more, to localizing and translating entire games, to a multitude of tools and features, including funding for the various stages of development.
“I am tired of sitting on the sidelines waiting for the next big matches. I want to step in and help make that happen,” Gastro said in his video. Videogamedunkey has a huge fan base and her videos get millions of views, which made this ad reach both his fans and people who had never heard of his material before. YouTube also assured its community that the content of its channel will not change with the arrival of this new company: “For gamers who really play and care about video games, my channel is where they go to discover what’s really worth playing – he explained – and I want all serious gamers to know that I’m not taking any risks Never on the legitimacy of my channel for promoting frivolous video games that I don’t believe in.”
BigMode is already active and receiving proposals from independent studios, as well as portfolios of artists and developers who want to be part of the company to promote new titles and co-publish future projects. According to Gastrow himself, his company will promote the friendliest contracts and working relationships of developers, always placing them in the first place.
Although videogamedunkey’s followers were very pleased with this development in the YouTuber’s career, some industry professionals were skeptical about the ad and others even expressed negative opinions about it. A concept that resonates among critics has something to do with the concept of video games He asserts that he knows which ideas work and which ideas aren’t just by playing several video games in recent yearswhich many have claimed is a completely wrong approach to the industry.
Danny O’DwyerResponsible for documentaries no clipcommented, “I respect Dunkey for trying to start a publisher and wish him and his partner the best, but for God’s sake guys, it’s 2022 – we need to put aside the silly idea that having opinions in games is a qualifier enough to understand something about development.”
In any case, it is also true that video game advertising and its ramifications, both negative and positive, have actually managed to create an interesting conversation about the industry. indieas noted by other specialists and members of famous publishers. Clara Siaresponsible for initiatives digital back Including influencers like Dunkey, he commented, “I don’t know if Dunkey’s new indie game company BigMode will succeed or fail, but it has already generated buzz over 99% of studios trying to do the same for a lot of money.” .
Apart from the ad itself, the main problem seems to be the attitude of the video address and some of the phrases in his video that don’t make him stand up well. YouTube asserts that in its more than 11 years in the field, it has been responsible for showing the world some of the best indie video games on the market, but titles like HadesAnd the light blueAnd the Hollow Night s too hotproducts that have reached massive levels of popularity – and have outdone sales of many AAA games – regardless of their appearance on the videogamedunkey channel.
On the other hand, the approach that ensures that they won’t publish bad games, but only good games seems to show a lack of visibility on the part of videogamedunkey and a slight lack of respect for the various distribution companies in the industry that are not up to YouTuber standards. At the same time, the videos on his channel are usually full of jokes and a high level of sarcasm that manage to confuse even the most fanatical of his channel content, which is why many give him the benefit of the doubt and prefer to wait until they see BigMode’s first efforts before commenting.
As some colleagues have mentioned these days, there is nothing wrong with someone with a lot of money deciding to pour capital into the ever-growing indie video game industry. In the worst case scenario, this can lead to a catastrophic failure that will be quickly forgotten, but At the moment, it has only generated discussions and conversations about a segment of the industry that is always striving for more visibility across the world..
Videogamedunkey isn’t the first creator to make the jump to the other side of the counter. Youtube channel admin Grumps the game Unleash a dating sim Dad’s dream And a multiplayer title called soviet jumping game in 2017 and 2020, respectively.
Dr disrespectfulFor his part, he also set up his own video game studio last year and has already shown material from his first title, Dedrop, this particular week. The controversial streamer devotes a large portion of its content to criticizing – on many occasions without any sort of filtering – titles such as Call of duty s top legends Not meeting the standards expected of first-person shooter games. With his background as a developer after working on the design level for games like call of duty modern warfare 3 s Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare In the study sledgehammercreated by Dr. DisRespect midnight communitya studio that engages fans in development very early in the process.
The difference between these examples and the case of BigMode is that videogamedunkey seeks to promote independent studios that already have an idea, a prototype, or even a finished game, without getting involved in the creative process or intellectual property. Or at least that’s what the company says in its brief ad.
Right now, Jason Gastrow’s video is the only thing BigMode has created so far, so it’s too early to draw any conclusions. Videogamedunkey’s ad confirms that he has been with this company for a long time, indicating that he knows exactly what a project of this nature needs to move forward and achieve the goals it proposes, although many remain skeptical. In an effort to think about the situation as objectively as possible, we must stand by the excited players as a new company with significant resources is joining the independent fold to boost their success. It is up to Gastrow and its partners to make these ideas a reality that we as consumers can enjoy.
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