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Penny Arcade Kickstarter
- Thread starter LiK
- Start date
Wrestlemania
Banned
They're obviously going to massively exceed their goal. What happens to the excess, is it just profit? They don't seem to have any sort of stretch goal. This just seems like a sucky way to make a shitload of money from their fanbase.
Shao Kahn Going Shopping
Banned
I'll be alright not giving out $500 for them to click a Retweet button.
The excess, they can do what they like. So...swim in it, I guess.
hey_it's_that_dog
benevolent sexism
If it crosses your personal threshold into "something I wouldn't support" territory, then don't support it. Problem solved. It's not an indication that "Kickstarter is getting ridiculous." This is how KS works.
Canis lupus
Member
I would be okay if they sent the money to a charity.
Maybe controversial isn't the right term, but the spirit of Kickstarter has been to help projects get off the ground that otherwise wouldn't have had the necessary funds or exposure.
This is basically a vanity project. Yes, it would be nice if their users could collectively get rid of ads for a year, but they're perfectly profitable as is.
basic_text
Member
I'd love Keith Apicary/Nathan Barnett to snap up some of the higher tiers.
Particularily
Particularily
ElectricBlanketFire
Member
I don't know why anyone would be upset about this.
They clearly said Penny Arcade is doing fine and the content won't change if they don't reach their goal.
Even if they are rolling in the dough, this campaign is entirely optional.
They clearly said Penny Arcade is doing fine and the content won't change if they don't reach their goal.
Even if they are rolling in the dough, this campaign is entirely optional.
agreed, sir. agreed.
They're making fun of Kickstarter and those that make real use of it.
It'd be pretty sad if they do reach the goal and end up actually scamming people out of their money.
Is this some kind of statement on Kickstarter? Aren't these guys pretty well off and successful with their business? It's constantly expanding, basically an empire at this point. And they want their userbase to give them a quarter of a million dollars?
I know Giant Bomb got some backlash when they introduced their subscriber program, but they were at least offering exclusive content, site features, a shirt and staff access to go along with no ads on the site. And they offer that for $5 a month, $50 annually (with regular $35 sales).
Compared that to this Penny Arcade thing, and the value proposition of $500 = for a retweet + no ads on the site seems completely fucking insane.
I know Giant Bomb got some backlash when they introduced their subscriber program, but they were at least offering exclusive content, site features, a shirt and staff access to go along with no ads on the site. And they offer that for $5 a month, $50 annually (with regular $35 sales).
Compared that to this Penny Arcade thing, and the value proposition of $500 = for a retweet + no ads on the site seems completely fucking insane.
nckillthegrimace
Member
Those prize tiers make me think they have no idea how much money is worth. Do they think a ten pound bag of potatoes costs $400, too?
Takamura-San
Member
GamerVoice
Banned
So it's just an excuse to make even more money from something that doesn't even need to be funded.
Kickstarter is supposed to be to fund things, not just for "yo guys give us some money cos lol you're dumb enough to" drives.
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
So the proviso seems to be they want to put in less effort with their jobs but still want to get paid the same, if not more. They'll make the money easily because of the fanbase, but they lowered themselves to total assholes in my eyes today.
Lazy vs Crazy
Member
Less work for them. They don't have to put time into finding and approving advertisers.
No they're not. They're big Kickstarter supporters. They've promoted a number of "real" Kickstarters on their site.
Shao Kahn Going Shopping
Banned
Truly feels like the exploitation of those who are loyal to a brand. I mean, obviously you don't have to back it (and many of us won't) but in a way, this makes actual independent and unproven names have an even harder time getting noticed.
2 Slice Toaster
Member
That's like, everybody ever though.
If I were guaranteed that this feature would return I'd donate handsomely to this kickstarter. I never even looked at the strips but always downloaded the podcasts.
That is certainly how they are coming off with this bullshit.
What bullshit? I really don't understand. What part of their pitch is dishonest or misleading?
Empty Space
Member
I'm pretty sure they break even on PAX every year.
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
I like how the video seems to suggest this idea gestated with Tycho and Gabe themselves or jokes that it did, when it feels obviously like the exact kind of cold-blooded business move of Robert Khoo. That dude is relentless, and all this "free money" flowing across the internet's veins lately probably drove him to wanting to conquer that space too.
This really is total scumbag behaviour. I just dont even understand the point here. If Tycho and Gabe were genuinely kickstarting some game/animation/huge graphic novel or something else, fair enough, but the nebulous goal of not wanting to work hard for advertising to "maybe do other stuff" is just bullshit.
This really is total scumbag behaviour. I just dont even understand the point here. If Tycho and Gabe were genuinely kickstarting some game/animation/huge graphic novel or something else, fair enough, but the nebulous goal of not wanting to work hard for advertising to "maybe do other stuff" is just bullshit.
How long can they keep the site ad-free with that kind of money? That is, will they have to ask for money again down the line somewhere?
I can't help but think that this is some sort of commentary. It seems somewhat absurd to use Kickstarter for this.
PA already does a good job about highlighting cool kickstarters on their website, though. More so than just about any other gaming website at that. Now that the "mainstream" craze of gaming kickstarters has died down a lot they still showcase ones they think are cool right in their news posts.
Besides, your statement isn't really how this works. There is no way to say that money that would get spent on this kickstarter would have gone to a different kickstarter instead. If anything this could get some people to explore other things on the website who don't normally go there but want to back PA.
BlanketFort
Member
Not many NPR listeners on the web this morning... If funded this will work exactly as Mike & Jerry hope it will.
I'm in. I like my radio ad free and I am excited that I can participate in making one of my favorite webhaunts/creative teams ad free.
*Note - I am the personality that will always pay .99 for an app to avoid ads, even if it is the first download. I saw enough advertisements when I was watching cartoons. (King a-yumma-yumma!) I choose to go where I can avoid them now a'days. Thanks for the offer PA; best of luck to you guys!
I'm in. I like my radio ad free and I am excited that I can participate in making one of my favorite webhaunts/creative teams ad free.
*Note - I am the personality that will always pay .99 for an app to avoid ads, even if it is the first download. I saw enough advertisements when I was watching cartoons. (King a-yumma-yumma!) I choose to go where I can avoid them now a'days. Thanks for the offer PA; best of luck to you guys!
Zuh? They already have a bunch of money, they don't need any of this. It has to be a statement on Kickstarter.
Honestly, it's their comic strip come to life
I guess technically the kickstarter on the strip isn't dishonest or misleading either.
idlethreats
Member
x3. Pretty much on par with their comic though, so it's to be expected.
Alex
Member
The 250k is just to pull off the top ad, it takes a million before they go ad free and the chart of plans on the site seems to go up to at least 1.4 million, it just doesn't tell you anything.
Seems really pointless to me, but I no longer read their comic so it's not really something I'd care about anyway. Comes across as a bit shady, though.
Shao Kahn Going Shopping
Banned
They're horrible rewards. The concept of what money is worth seems to be dead to them. Still, they're going to reach their goal easily, so I shouldn't complain...
Lazy vs Crazy
Member
They have stretch goals, like making a podcast (?).
Anything over a million and a half goes towards next year's funding goal.
On the one hand I like the crowdfunding idea--instead of making it ad-free for just the users with money, see if the users with money will float everyone for a year.
On the other hand, their website was never really plagued with tacky ads, so eh, it's not a huge change from the end-user perspective.
I do wonder if, after a certain point, the excess Kickstarter money would just be dumped into Child's Play. They can't spend it all on expansion unless they think they can crowdsource at least that much next year.
Edit: duh, read the Q&A. Still think they could donate some of it.
On the other hand, their website was never really plagued with tacky ads, so eh, it's not a huge change from the end-user perspective.
I do wonder if, after a certain point, the excess Kickstarter money would just be dumped into Child's Play. They can't spend it all on expansion unless they think they can crowdsource at least that much next year.
Edit: duh, read the Q&A. Still think they could donate some of it.
GhostWriter24
Member
This from the company that now runs two massive game conventions per year, numerous charity efforts, board games, etc? They could have told their fanbase to pay them any other way and they would have, but this is downright vile.
notworksafe
Member
Interesting experiment. However I feel for whoever is their ad sales rep right now. Better start updating that resume.
Mister Negative
Member
So they're giving out...digital versions...of print collections...of a webcomic?
That's a bit redundant, no?
That's a bit redundant, no?
/QUOTE]
...
I'm inclined to agree with this. Their post seems incredibly honest and direct. They wanted to make it clear that if people decided not to back it - then nothing would change and things would stay the same as they are.
I, personally, would never donate to something like this. But, I don't have a problem with it and the way it is presented.
If I do nothing, nothing changes.
If I do something, something changes.
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Pretty much this.
Kickstarter is a crowdsourcing site. This is a crowdsourcing initiative. The fact they are Penny Arcade (or Activision) doesn't matter at all. If people are interested, they will pay, if not they won't. Pretty simple.