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[sky]

Good interview -- che seems like an honest guy, just telling it like it is. Interesting to read about his background and path to 1up (and beyond). I have a feeling NeoGAF could become a good place for down-to-earth interviews and more frank articles. Certainly nothing wrong with that .

I doubt the site will do reviews... but hopefully not -- just doesn't seem necessary.

 

[blazinglazers]

Awesome interview. I like Che and really miss him on the 1Up Show. Now, anyone want to wildly speculate on what MGS game he's working on promoting? He does mention his relationships with Microsoft and Bungie helped him get the gig... any guesses?

 

[MC Safety]

Awesome interview. I like Che and really miss him on the 1Up Show. Now, anyone want to wildly speculate on what MGS game he's working on promoting? He does mention his relationships with Microsoft and Bungie helped him get the gig... any guesses?

No. Not Shadowrun.

Think ... oh, I shouldn't probably give a hint.

 

[WasabiKing]

It's a great interview. My only criticism is that I'd like to see who is giving the interview. "NeoGaf" is a bit nebulous. Who was the interviewer?

Sorry, I'll fix that later...

 

[Matlock]

This passage was interesting:

Yes, editors are flown in from all over the world, and those without scruples will let the game publisher pay for these trips (which, contrary to popular belief, may not even be very extravagant). Ziff-Davis has a pretty strict policy about not letting companies pay for these junkets, but really, I think that's just a gesture of integrity.

In this, I don't feel it's so much a question of integrity as it is necessary preemptive policing of the journalistic channels to protect the integrity. Throughout the history of communication, people without integrity have accepted bribes in exchange for a slip in objectivity. It's no secret of course, that the few have ruined it for the many. Because of the nature of the beast, it's nigh impossible to find someone who won't think "hrm, well, they gave me a hat and a blow job, maybe I should whore out BMX XXX" and subsequently screw over your publication's integrity as a whole.

But I mean, I could be wrong here.

 

[Dsal]

I enjoyed it very much.
An auspicious beginning for NeoGAF.

 

[sky]

It'd be kind of interesting if che ended up working on a game that was a sequel to one that he reviewed. Yes... very interesting............. *shifty eyes*

Spoiler

jk

Spoiler

or am i!? :O :O :O

 

[element]

Nice interview. I'm glad Che got the first NeoGaf interview... and now I understand how he is entrenched here. Looking forward to future interviews with some people like Oxy (element), Arne, Vark, SteveMeister, etc. Some GAF mods too and of course Gahgiddy & MAF.

I don't think i can give interviews

 

[TheKingsCrown]

What the hell is NEOGaf again?

 

[Animal]

I really enjoyed reading the interview. I am always reading articles about how to get into the gaming biz as I am sure many on GAF do. I liked the down to earth frankness of the interview and how it was someone in the GAF community. I really enjoy GAF very much and I know there are many members who work in the gaming industry (duh) and it is really appreciated when they come out and tell us how it really is in biz. I really appreciate information like this.

 

[HokieJoe]

Great questions WasabiKing. I hope there's a follow-up article entitled: Community Manager at MGS, as told by Che Chou.

 

[element]

che doesn't work. he is going to be the new chef at MGS. he can pour a beer like no one ive seen before!!

 

[border]

NG: What's your opinion about payola? We always read about editors and junior reporters being flown in for some event, and being put up in some hotel for a day. We read stuff about guys getting XBoxes for an XBox Live event

CC: Hmm...the funny thing about this question is that, it's such a hot topic in the forum community, and there's so little of it actually happening.

Didn't 1Up Show devote like a 10 minute segment to editors prancing about with the cast of 24? That thing felt like it was at least the publisher's attempt to jerk off writers....1Up didn't take the bait and still slammed the game, but I think that's what the question was getting at.

 

[stewy]

Great read. I often wonder how many of the folks on the old #vidgames ended up somewhere in the industry.

 

[Cronox]

I think the mimimum wage set by San Francisco is $11.75/hr, which (with a 40 hour work week) translates into $22,560. That's still over $10,000 below what was described in the article.

It's $8.50. And still one of the highest in the U.S.

 

[LordPhlegm]

Good interview.

And 35K is nothing.

Take taxes out, living space, food, gas/car, and a person's left with very little.

 

[Gazunta]

Starting salary was $35k

My starting salary was $26K at gamers.com, boo hoo

But thanks to the pissweak Asutralian dollar and the radically different cost of living, I lived like a king! Whoo!

Great piece btw. Would love to see more of this stuff. GAF has such a great resource of industry talent here.

 

[element]

Great piece btw. Would love to see more of this stuff. GAF has such a great resource of industry talent here.

Imagine if they could get interviews with the lurkers!!

 

[Tat]

Imagine if they could get interviews with the lurkers!!

Isn't there a Peter Moore interview out every week or so anyways?

 

[Jonnyboy117]

Nice interview. I like Che a lot, and it was interesting to hear how things work somewhere else. Then again, I think just about every media outlet works differently than PGC; we're a unique sort of animal, as far as I know.

 

[Wendo]

It's $8.50. And still one of the highest in the U.S.

So that's even lower. I think that's definitely deserving of the "pitiful" title, while a $35k a year job is not.

 

[Belfast]

Man, Che sounds like me. Buzzin' around chat rooms and forums, writing for small sites, and even getting an English degree!


I guess a lot of people start out like that, though. Still, a great and informative piece. Che rocks!

 

[Vennt]

I don't know him personally but I've read he's kind of a prick. Bitching about a $30,000+ a year salary makes me concur. Nice interview other than that. New name sucks.

Banned. Don't insult posters on NeoGAF

I don't know you personally but I've read you on GAF and you're kind of a prick.

Banned. Don't insult posters on NeoGAF

But but but....I like it.

Way to jump the gun, douche.

Oh, and I thought the interview was excellent.

Moneyhats confirmed. Che wears large one now at MS. j/k

Banned. Don't insult posters on NeoGAF

New Logo / Direction, Old Nazi Admins and Mods, Understood?

Now back to the regular program.

 

[Geoff9920]

:O

Wow, NeoGAF doesn't mess around.

About the article, good stuff. It was nice to read something about someone inside the industry.

 

[Troidal]

As for the bitching about the $35k job- I'd say that's a long ways off from pitiful.

I concur. I started at $35k and that wasn't enough for a living in the Bay Area, but it was a decent start in retrospect. I wouldn't call it pitiful even in today's standards, I just find it disrespectful to those who earn that amount or less. In fact, 35k is quite a decent number here in Japan, I know of people who worked on best selling games that earn way less than that.

Other than that, I think it was a good interview. Keep up the good work guys!

 

[Fuzzy]

Isn't there a Peter Moore interview out every week or so anyways?

I only care about Peter Moore interviews when they're in video form so we can get great gifs. :lol

 

[LoathsomeCorpse]

So that's even lower. I think that's definitely deserving of the "pitiful" title, while a $35k a year job is not.

True, but I think that Che was also coming from the perspective of a college graduate and coming from Netscape, which paid a lot more. Nobody goes to college so they can make $35K.

And, frankly, the minimum-wage pay isn't pitiful. It's downright criminal.

 

[sky]

Che, what did you do at Netscape? Just curious.
Also ... who bolded those few article sentences, Che or NeoGAF?:lol

 

[chespace]

First of all, I want to apologize to all those who make 35k or less for using the word "pitiful" to describe their income. While I was disappointed at the pay cut I had to take to break into the games industry, I did say that Chicago was a very affordable city and that I lived very comfortably (I paid for apartment, car, toys, and going out drinking and eating korean bbq often). Again, nothing wrong with 35k. Regretably, the word just came out during the interview without much forethought. Would I do it all over again? Helk yeah. (i.e., would I get paid 35k to break into the games biz all over again? yes).

What I did at Netscape is not important. I worked in their legal department while the company was preparing a case against Microsoft with the DoJ and Sun Microsystems. But all I really remember was playing a shitload of Quakeworld with the hookshot mod with other Netscape employees after work.

Those bolded sentences were the editorial work of WasabiKing.

Oh, and congrats, NeoGAF! Looking good.

 

[john tv]

Great read. I often wonder how many of the folks on the old #vidgames ended up somewhere in the industry.

#vidgames represent!

 

[Gazunta]

#vidgames represent!

Oh yeah, that was definitely the best bit

 

[GG-Duo]

I grew up in #vidgames, but I don't remember anything from it. (Y'know, except for Gaz selling GBHQ)
Maybe it's because I never met the members in real-life......

 

[sky]

all I really remember was playing a shitload of Quakeworld with the hookshot mod with other Netscape employees after work.

nice :lol

And yeah, the salary stuff is completely relative -- especially when you are just starting out, getting your foot in the door is paramount. If you aren't worrying about bills, and can buy a few games now and then, all is well.

 

[skip]

#vidgames, word.

 

[Shouta]

I wonder if anyone is in #vidgames. No one was there when I dropped by last. I think it's time for a visit!

 

[Patrick Klepek]

#vidgames 4 lyfe

 

[Gazunta]

Selling GBHQ was probably the worst mistake I ever made in my life, but that's another thread...

#vidgames is still going... on irc.enterthegame.com

GAF is really neo#vidgames

#vidgames 4 life my brothers! Wasn't it great to see D_Saucer up on stage for the GDC award show?

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

Minimum wage is like $5.something or less where I live.
And that's the good news, the bad news is there are no jobs here.
I have, 15 years computer hardware experience, 3 undergraduate degrees with one in computer programming, 2 awards from the work field, spent 3 years as an assistant manager, and 1 year as a team leader at a fiber optics company, run a fansite plus a gaming site, owned a music recording studio and produced a few indie albums, and I have no criminal record what-so-ever. I can't even find a job other than Burger King or McDonald's.

And you know what? If I made 35K per year I'd still bitch about it, because I know there are people out there making much higher than that who are total retards and don't deserve it. So Che, take every penny you can get, rob them mucker fothers blind and don't give $hit back to the poor.

Oh and great interview, by the way.

 

[john tv]

#vidgames was such a big part of my life for a long time. I can almost guarantee that 10 years ago this very moment, I was in #vidgames chillin' out with the old crew.

Actually, holy crap -- 10 years ago today was my first day at ZD. CLAZY

 

[Agent X]

I also enjoyed reading the interview. I hope to see more interviews and articles like this here in the future.

 

[Wendo]

First of all, I want to apologize to all those who make 35k or less for using the word "pitiful" to describe their income. While I was disappointed at the pay cut I had to take to break into the games industry, I did say that Chicago was a very affordable city and that I lived very comfortably (I paid for apartment, car, toys, and going out drinking and eating korean bbq often). Again, nothing wrong with 35k. Regretably, the word just came out during the interview without much forethought. Would I do it all over again? Helk yeah. (i.e., would I get paid 35k to break into the games biz all over again? yes).

Thanks for taking the time to clear that up, Che- I appreciate it.

 

[Hayami]

#vidgames, #vidgames!, and maybe even #vgames.

I am not Asian.

 

[Patrick Klepek]

I can't even remember why I joined #vidgames in the first place. Bobster, I think, that sly bastard.

 

[stewy]

#vidgames was such a big part of my life for a long time. I can almost guarantee that 10 years ago this very moment, I was in #vidgames chillin' out with the old crew.

Actually, holy crap -- 10 years ago today was my first day at ZD. CLAZY

I can't even remember the first day. I just know it was the end of October 1999 that your evil government actually let me move to your country to work for your pitiful salary (And Che thought $35k to start was bad...).

 

[arne]

I'm always amazed at the debate that sparks over review copies and press junkets.

From my limited zine experience, review copies are standard operating procedure in the recording and movie industry. I've gotten tons of CDs and more than a few movies in the years I wrote. Granted, games are more expensive, but the philosophy is no different -- I hope.

Press junkets are very common in hollywood, although you could probably argue that these type of things lead to a lot of fluff pieces about it, but I know reviewers that don't let them bias that.

It's always tough, being on my side of the industry, to not see some smaller site go because they would have to travel from Baltimore to San Francisco and stay there two days with about a week's notice on their own dime. Many can't do it, at least not without hardship. So here you have a situation which is the same that Che touched in on his interview about the big exclusives. With the smaller sites not being able to make it to events which might be far away from where they are based, and usually live, they miss out on coverage that bigger sites and magazines can more easily make it to. It kind of sucks to see that disparity in action sometimes. Knowing the scrutiny that the industry has over payola/money hats/etc., we follow all the steps we can so that no one questions the integrity of reviews and coverage that result. Thankfully I haven't come across a less than scrupulous web site in this regard, which is great news.

 

[Mr Nash]

Heh, the part where Che talks about getting exclusives, and the catch-22 it turns into for some got me doing some angry fist shaking too.

 

[WasabiKing]

Another thing about San Jose, besides it being true, but in the interview, I told Che I was going to highlight it.

 

[dskillzhtown]

Great article. I actually read all of it, has to be good to keep my attention that long. One thing that I would like in the future is maybe more photos. I do not have man-love for Che or anything, but it does kind of add to the article, similiar how it adds to print interviews. I understand that alot of these probably will be done over the net so taking shots may not be a reality, but just a suggestion.

Great start to NeoGAF.

 

[djtiesto]

Nice interview, makes me wish for a magazine on the level of XBN all over again... I didn't even own an Xbox at the time of its existence and signed up for a free trial subscription, but I ended up reading/enjoying it more than mags for the systems I *DID* own

WK - good job with the new site (plus its not blocked from the company firewall, so I can post from work!!!) Che - best of luck with MS.

So, why does San Jose suck so bad?

 

[Link]

So Che, is it odd working for one of the companies you had to be completely objective toward earlier?