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[Clevinger]

Why should they write it off as an expense when they can earn money for producing desirable content? Why do they owe anyone a free podcast in addition to a free webcomic? Why are they not allowed to pursue a profitable endeavor via an avenue that will allow it?

Because they already make lots of money off those things with ad revenue. Or at least they did before they kickstarted their ad revenue as well. lol

 

[UrbanRats]

Well if people are happy to pay for it and they (PA) deliver on what they promised... people are free to throw their money wherever they please.

I do think the 10$ thing is just gross though, also you have to pledge 55$ to have an mp3 of the theme song? What?

 

[Neko Mimi Mode]

This isn't any different than having a donate button.

Then add a donate button, they are abusing Kickstarter for instant, easy, free money that they themselves lampooned in one of their own comics.

What exactly are we Kickstarting here? A $10 podcast? They don't need that $10. They don't $20k to make a shitastic MP3 for people to download and never listen to.

Why does a project for $10 have reward tiers for $5k and $10k? Do you think that it costs $5k to have some random douchebag write a song about something?

The whole thing's a joke. A joke they themselves were laughing at.

 

[Absinthe]

Could be a joke, but as the saying goes: "It’s immoral to let a sucker keep his money”

 

[daveo42]

fixed

slowclap.gif

Really though...I just...why are people actually supporting this? I like Mike and Jerry for the most part but this is on the side of ridiculous. People can spend their money however they want, but I bet they knew if they threw something on kickstarter, people would give them money.

It's smart from a finance position, but reeks of 80's slimeball tactics to get money.

 

[hey_it's_that_dog]

People choose to pay money in those piramide scheme things! What's the problem?

The problem is that pyramid schemes are a scam based on false promises and this is just choosing to pay for audio content.

 

[Orca]

They can monetize it themselves. Penny Arcade is a hugely popular brand and they don't need donations to do this. It's tacky and cheap.

I think the whole point is that they don't want to monetize it and become beholden to the advertisers, they'd rather have the fans who want it to pay for it and then they're beholden to them.

Edit - it helps that there's really no chance I could think less of Kickstarter at this point. It's not some noble charity site, they're out to make money and don't care which if their rules they need to break.

 

[Ken Masters]

I don't get it, why doesn't it cost them even a penny for the podcast?

 

[Ferrio]

They gotta be doing this to make a point and not being serious.

 

[itsgreen]

Well if people are happy to pay for it and they (PA) deliver on what they promised... people are free to throw their money wherever they please.

I do think the 10$ thing is just gross though, also you have to pledge 55$ to have an mp3 of the theme song? What?

The size of your pledge doesn't get you the value of your pledge back.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

What is all this "Kickstarter has become a joke" stuff? What has made it a joke in the recent past? Most of the scams and non-starters have been outed as such.

 

[RedNumberFive]

They gotta be doing this to make a point and not being serious.

Subtlety has never been their strength.

 

[SomeOneInaHat]

slowclap.gif

Really though...I just...why are people actually supporting this? I like Mike and Jerry for the most part but this is on the side of ridiculous. People can spend their money however they want, but I bet they knew if they threw something on kickstarter, people would give them money.

It's smart from a finance position, but reeks of 80's slimeball tactics to get money.

I really want to hear an original theme song made by Jerry and Kris.

 

[hey_it's_that_dog]

Because they already make lots of money off those things with ad revenue. Or at least they did before they kickstarted their ad revenue as well. lol

And now they can make more and anyone who disagrees with how they're doing it can very easily not participate in it.

 

[itsgreen]

slowclap.gif

Really though...I just...why are people actually supporting this? I like Mike and Jerry for the most part but this is on the side of ridiculous. People can spend their money however they want, but I bet they knew if they threw something on kickstarter, people would give them money.

It's smart from a finance position, but reeks of 80's slimeball tactics to get money.

I like the podcast. I want the podcast. I don't want to wait 2 weeks. I support PA.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

The problem is that pyramid schemes are a scam based on false promises and this is just choosing to pay for audio content.

I know is not the same thing, but saying that people is willingly throwing money don't make it right.

 

[wrowa]

I don't think kickstarting a Podcast is a bad thing to do. The equipment to make a proper podcast can be quite expensive and more importantly: You need to invest a lot of time into it. Not everyone can and wants to invest many hours a week into producing a podcast as a hobby. Making money with a podcast is also nigh impossible, so asking other people to fund it and pay you for doing it, is totally fine. I don't have any issues with Idle Thumbs or Retronauts making a kickstarter at all.

I'd say the same about this one -- but then I discovered: They actually are planning to charge for each episode? The public "release" will be two weeks late and pay-what-you-want, but still. I don't see why they need upfront funding for a podcast if they actually plan to sell it anyway. The point why kickstarting podcasts is an okay thing to do is that it's not something you can really charge successfully money for, after all.

 

[Enco]

Here's the basics, though: we need some dedicated recording hardware, and an audio guy to edit the episodes. Together, these things will keep the turnaround smooth and make the process reliable. After pledging, you will also feel good inside. And outside. You'll feel good on your skin.

So they want to hire someone and pay for hardware.

The first episode will launch immediately after the Kickstarter ends;

Pretty sure they already have the audio/editing then. Unless if they will pay off their debts after the KS.

Backers get them first, and after two weeks every episode (barring those exclusive to backers) will go up as pay-what-you-want.

Not going to be free anyway.

 

[Valnen]

Then add a donate button, they are abusing Kickstarter for instant, easy, free money that they themselves lampooned in one of their own comics.

What exactly are we Kickstarting here? A $10 podcast? They don't need that $10. They don't $20k to make a shitastic MP3 for people to download and never listen to.

Why does a project for $10 have reward tiers for $5k and $10k? Do you think that it costs $5k to have some random douchebag write a song about something?

The whole thing's a joke. A joke they themselves were laughing at.

You can donate if you want them to have your money or you can choose not to. You have no reason to be upset.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

Why would any of us give a shit about your education? What's in it for us?

(Serious answer, "fund my life" is not a permissible Kickstarter project.)

Depending on his field of study, his education might benefit society a whole lot more than a $10 KS for a podcast. Not that I'd support either one however.

Regardless, this may not be a scam but it's still abuse.

 

[EscoBlades]

Why should they write it off as an expense when they can earn money for producing desirable content? Why do they owe anyone a free podcast in addition to a free webcomic? Why are they not allowed to pursue a profitable endeavor via an avenue that will allow it?

They could earn money on podcast episodes as thus:

Put them behind a paywall.
Place ads on the specific podcast page, meaning all who want to listen to it would be served said ads.
Put the episodes on Youtube, monetise the videos, provide the above mp3 link (thus maintaining revenue stream), sit back and profit.

Seeing how loyal their fans are, any of these approaches would work just as well, and not "appear" scummy in the eyes of everyone else.

 

[RealMeat]

As long as they're honest about where the money is going, who cares if they use Kickstarter? There's no rule that you can only start a Kickstarter if you have no other options. If people don't think it's worth funding, they won't fund it.

 

[Nibel]

This must be some kind of trolling

 

[Willectro]

Recording a podcast is just as hard as making a game. Yep.

A Double Fine game, yea.

 

[Pie and Beans]

They gotta be doing this to make a point and not being serious.

Just like the last time right? The person that truly runs Penny Arcade these days is as cynical a cut-throat villain as they come.

Hell, this is just free money for Kickstarter as well. For all the good work they do at destroying the entire concept of crowdfunding start-up projects that need it.

 

[Kazerei]

Meh ... I didn't have a problem with that Susan Wilson Kickstarter, and I don't have a problem with this Penny Arcade one. Sure, it's slimy, but if people still want to give away their money, I don't really care.

reggienotmyproblem.jpg

 

[jakonovski]

Next up: Penny Arcade brand pet rocks! Get them while they're hot, only $14.99!

 

[partyphone]

They're going to get 10s of thousands of dollars, if not hundreds, to kick start something that they have the money to kick start on their own. It's gross.

 

[itsgreen]

They could earn money on podcast episodes as thus:

Put them behind a paywall.
Place ads on the specific podcast page, meaning all who want to listen to it would be served said ads.
Put the episodes on Youtube, monetise the videos, provide the above mp3 link (thus maintaining revenue stream), sit back and profit.

Seeing how loyal their fans are, any of these approaches would work just as well, and not "appear" scummy in the eyes of everyone else.

What is scummy about this?

That it isn't actually kick starting anything, just publicly donating, and getting something in return for that? A proven product people who donate want and will get?

 

[1-D_FTW]

Reading through this thread and seeing the joy that numerous posters had when stating they just pledged, I decided to give it a try.

I just flushed an Andrew Jackson down the toilet. It was oddly cathartic. I get it now. Sorry.

 

[hey_it's_that_dog]

I know is not the same thing, but saying that people is willingly throwing money don't make it right.

People are making their own, clearly informed choices in this instance. That makes it right. Or at least not wrong.

In a pyramid scheme, the people making choices are being actively deceived; they are not making informed, rational decisions.

 

[Quicksilver4648]

People really just love giving away their money on Kickstarter, they might s well just call it DonationStarter because that is all the website is turning into. Also, the reward tiers are insane! $100+ just to listen to a podcast is insanity.

 

[jimi_dini]

And people said that other people would only complain about this feministfrequency kickstarter and they wouldn't do so in other cases. LOL

I was just homebanking under Linux. Coming back and already 6 pages.

 

[Enco]

Pledge $1,000 or more
All previous rewards at $250 level and below, and you and a pal play through some co-op levels for an hour with us over Xbox Live. Game TBD (probably Monaco).

What a prize.

 

[Neiteio]

They're going to get 10s of thousands of dollars, if not hundreds, to kick start something that they have the money to kick start on their own. It's gross.

It's absolutely terrible how they're holding guns to people's heads and forcing them to empty their wallets.

 

[hey_it's_that_dog]

They're going to get 10s of thousands of dollars, if not hundreds, to kick start something that they have the money to kick start on their own. It's gross.

All from people who think that is okay. It's not like every donor sees the counter at 0 and thinks "I have to do this!"

They know how much has already been given and they still want to. How does this offend you so deeply?

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Well to be fair, technically their goal is pretty modest.

Its modest because they don't want the project to "fail" i.e. keep all the money without any cancellation.

 

[Clevinger]

What is scummy about this?

They aren't being clear at all about how much money they need (because in reality they don't need any money), they set a low goal in order to keep the money no matter what happens, and they're going to be charging for the podcast anyway.

 

[AColdDay]

Oh jeez, this really bums me out. I like the PA guys and didn't feel any sort of outrage for their "remove advertising" KS but this is kind of gross.

 

[EscoBlades]

What is scummy about this?

That it isn't actually kick starting anything, just publicly donating, and getting something in return for that? A proven product people who donate want and will get?

I didn't say it was. But a lot of people seem to think so, judging by this thread. My stance is that a Donation button on their site would serve the same purpose.

I already have my own issues with Kickstarter and don't use it or back anything as a matter of principle.

 

[Emerson]

I've found both of their Kickstarter campaigns to be somewhat tasteless. Maybe not the best word.

 

[SMT]

This must be some kind of trolling

I'm pretty sure they are the ones who spent over $1,000 on the limited pledges.
WTF, who would pledge this much for the podcast?

Is there a square on my tax return for this? Is this a deductible charity?

 

[EricDiesel]

Seems like a play on one of their comics...

Also, fuck Penny-Arcade. Fuck them so hard. They get more and more vile every day, I swear.

 

[Enco]

Can the fans of this justify the $10 goal?

It's quite clearly there because they don't really give a shit and just want as much money as possible.

 

[Magnus]

I don't understand how people have this kind of money, to just throw around at projects that used to get funded by other means all the time. This trend has to go away.

 

[daycru]

Rich in money grubbing shocker.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

What is scummy about this?

That it isn't actually kick starting anything, just publicly donating, and getting something in return for that? A proven product people who donate want and will get?

The initial goal is 10$

The stretch goal is 20.000$ and people get a song.

Did they need 19.990$ to make a song?

As far as we know, they won't even need half of that for the equipment they're saying. Kicktsarted is not an store, if they want to produce a podcast and sell them to their fans they should do it on their own. Becaus ethey have the money to do it.

 

[Mr.Monitor]

Who is giving them this money? I don't understand. Are there people who surf Kickstarter just looking for things to waste money on?

 

[VeryGooster]

I couldn't tell if this is a joke, a troll, or them trying to prove some point.

I guess they figured they'd get a certain substantial amount from people if anything. Making it $10 ensures the Kickstarter is a success damned near by default. I mean, it's smart on their part.

People exercising hyperbole calling this the final straw and "never giving to KS again" are probably hurting potential projects than helping if they actually follow through on that.

 

[itsgreen]

Pledge $1,000 or more
All previous rewards at $250 level and below, and you and a pal play through some co-op levels for an hour with us over Xbox Live. Game TBD (probably Monaco).

What a prize.

For people getting upset that it isn't actually kick starting anything, you guys sure don't seem to understand how the pledges system works. There isn't a 1:1 money:reward ratio. If you do that it would be stupid since it's highly inefficient.