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Russ Frushtick Is Leaving Polygon
- Thread starter BUNTING1243
- Start date
anexanhume
Member
I thought this was already known, but I must be remembering someone else leaving in connection with them scaling back features.
BennyBlanco
aka IMurRIVAL69
Different Russ.
This guy (frushtick) was a pretty good writer IMO. Polygon is obviously going in a different direction from people who write good articles so I'm not surprised. I'm sure he'll find a better job.
Honestly one of the worst moves, and I still can't fathom the direction outside of the fact that those articles must not be pulling in ad revenue as much as the other stuff that usually gets quoted here (which, disappointingly, seems to prove Kuchera's point that articles containing this style of content do not support websites to any degree).
It's all just such a big shame. I still remember when they posted that long-form article on the development culture at Bungie and did some video interviews with a few key members of the Destiny staff (prior to us knowing as much about Destiny as we do now!), and it was fun, well-written, and very engaging. Stuff like the interview with the voice actor that did John Marston for Rockstar was great, too.
Is there really no room in this industry for us to have journalism of that type (if not calibre)?
theytookourjobz
Junior Member
Really funny dude on all their podcasts and videos. Bummer but good luck!
BennyBlanco
aka IMurRIVAL69
The Kooch style clickbait articles generate more revenue and clicks, and generally cost nothing to make. It makes sense.
Imru al-Qays
Banned
I enjoyed the banter on The Besties and some of their other regular programs, but it always seemed like it was more banter than actual insight into games, either as an art form or as an industry. Didn't help that they tended to just talk about mobile games when there weren't any big releases.
Put it simply: I have no idea what sorts of games any of the Polygon guys actually like.
The weird thing is that Polygon's sister site The Verge seems to be going strong.
Put it simply: I have no idea what sorts of games any of the Polygon guys actually like.
The weird thing is that Polygon's sister site The Verge seems to be going strong.
spookyfish
Member
So, the $750,000 is running out, then?
BennyBlanco
aka IMurRIVAL69
phil kollar is cool. that's pretty much all they have going for them at this point.
Imru’ al-Qays;126665648 said:
When The Verge started, it has a lot of very good "user experience" content from the likes of people like Joanna Stern as well as very interesting longform content relevant to technology and consumer electronics. Additionally, they had killer video content. Those made The Verge a lot different from a lot of tech websites. They had a lot of content and there was a lot of effort to publish content that was both relevant and informative. Which obviously attracted a lot of people.
But the thing to note is that quantity of quality content on the The Verge has tanked hard. I suspect Vox Media wants better returns on investment and clickbait articles have been proven to be the way to go.
corrosivefrost
Member
My only reference point for Polygon is Kuchera... and he's... well... I don't think I could paint an accurate picture of him without using some really offensive language and getting a ban.
So is there any reason not to think the same of Frushtick for simply being part of Polygon? (I honestly don't know the name... but I hear Polygon and I just start thinking negatively of whomever is being associated with the site.)
The best part of Polygon was the long-form features, and that was largely up to Frusstick. So, congrats on that.
That said, moving on to something else is probably a good call. They never tried new methods of monetization, and long-form articles, while idealistic and neat, are not going to fit into any realistic business model based on eyeballs on ads.
And as time marches onward, the need for gaming journalism continues to decline. Nintendo showed that they can beat everyone at E3 coverage by doing their own thing, and they have their own Nintendo Directs year-round. Youtube and sites like NeoGAF compete with Polygon and Kotaku constantly, with unpaid amateurs doing largely the same things.
I certainly wouldn't want to bet any kind of long term future on gaming journalism.
That said, moving on to something else is probably a good call. They never tried new methods of monetization, and long-form articles, while idealistic and neat, are not going to fit into any realistic business model based on eyeballs on ads.
And as time marches onward, the need for gaming journalism continues to decline. Nintendo showed that they can beat everyone at E3 coverage by doing their own thing, and they have their own Nintendo Directs year-round. Youtube and sites like NeoGAF compete with Polygon and Kotaku constantly, with unpaid amateurs doing largely the same things.
I certainly wouldn't want to bet any kind of long term future on gaming journalism.
Squidofman
Member
There's a medium and an industry to write about. There'll always be a games "press".
Just not one built on the decades-old model of preview/review/obsessive focus on AAA/upcoming.
cpp_is_king
Member
Edit: deleted
TheSonofBM
Member
For some reason I always feel bad when someone leaves a job, even if I dont like them. Good luck Russ, remember you have a face for writing, and not podcasting.
TetraGenesis
Member
Bullshit. They have Justin and Griffin McElroy. They're gods. Chris Plante and Brian Crecente are good too.
They just have Arthur Gies and Kooch holding the rest of the team down.
Nightengale
Member
The signs were on the walls for Verge and Polygon for a while now.
Vox is doing great, but then again, Verge and Polygon started with promise too.
Vox is doing great, but then again, Verge and Polygon started with promise too.
I agree, and would like to add Matt Leone to the list of things Polygon has going for them. Street Fighter 2: An Oral History is a phenomenal piece.
funkystudent
Member
Yeah. Polygon and The Verge are going through some changes.
How are Vox Medias other sites doing? They do have a few others right?
How are Vox Medias other sites doing? They do have a few others right?
Nightengale
Member
SB Nation and Vox.com
No idea on SB, I'm not a sports person.
Vox is doing great coverage.
Yeah Justin McElroy, the guy who called out and made fun of fans for not liking Mass Effect 3's ending. Real swell guy.
Fuck anyone who treats their readership like that. By all means disagree with them, but don't belittle them for it.
Imru al-Qays
Banned
That's probably where it comes from.
Who have they lost?
BUNTING1243
Banned
Russ Pitts, 2/3 of their video team, and Jenna Pitcher. They were all layoffs though I believe.
Frankie Williamson
Member
Matt Leone never gets much of a fair shake when people talk about good people still there.
BennyBlanco
aka IMurRIVAL69
Son of Cervantes
Member
Polygon is really circling the drain, quality-wise. Kuchera, McElroy, and Gies are a terrible group of writers. Condescending, arrogant, and treat their readers as though they were stupid children.
Kotaku isn't great either but their only legitimately bad writer is Patricia Hernandez.
These days I only use NeoGAF for gaming impressions and news.
Kotaku isn't great either but their only legitimately bad writer is Patricia Hernandez.
These days I only use NeoGAF for gaming impressions and news.
BUNTING1243
Banned
What? How come? I like Justin
Son of Cervantes
Member
The guy is an unprofessional joke. His temper tantrum in regards to the whole Nier thing (he tried fishing at the wrong spot, wasted a lot of time, and then refused to review the game while slamming it and calling it 'soulless', all due to his own stupidity) should have gotten him fired from Joystiq.
I refuse to read anything that has that hack's byline.
Nicktendo86
Member
Not getting enough love.
ValeYard
Member
Russ was great. Listen to the way he introduced himself on the Besties back when they recorded regularly, he always cracked me up. He always struck me as an intelligent writer with unique energy.
I wish him all the best in the future. From his final post on polygon, it sounds like he doesn't want to write about games anymore. I just hope this isn't because of all the paint fumes he said he'd inhaled in his New York apartment building.
I wish him all the best in the future. From his final post on polygon, it sounds like he doesn't want to write about games anymore. I just hope this isn't because of all the paint fumes he said he'd inhaled in his New York apartment building.
