Support NeoGAF

[Deleted member 10571]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe3D_1q9mOg

Mike Kennedy trying to restart RETRO magazine with a paetron model.

I honestly wondered why this thread got pushed, I should have known lol

 

[superNESjoe]

Every time this thread gets bumped, I get fond memories of this train wreck.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Attempting to commit fraud is not something you shrug off with an "everybody makes mistakes"

 

[Glowsquid]

The RETRO Magazine brand is forever toxic, primarily because of Kennedy's involvement.

People do make mistakes, but Kennedy represents more than mistakes being made. His decision-making has been poor at best, and it has been a trend-- even with RETRO's administration

I'm not too familiar with RETRO. What went wrong with it?

 

[Imbarkus]

Attempting to commit fraud is not something you shrug off with an "everybody makes mistakes"

You got your pronouns mixed up, because it is in fact something I did shrug off, although that is because I don't agree with "attempting to commit fraud" as a summary.

That VGS was an ugly scene for sure. But Retro has been a beautiful magazine and I have no regrets backing their Kickstarter and subscribing for the second year.

But that's me.

 

[superNESjoe]

You got your pronouns mixed up, because it is in fact something I did shrug off, although that is because I don't agree with "attempting to commit fraud" as a summary.

That VGS was an ugly scene for sure. But Retro has been a beautiful magazine and I have no regrets backing their Kickstarter and subscribing for the second year.

But that's me.

Just for kicks, what part of pretending an SNES is his console, and then putting some random board inside of a see-through case in response to people asking to see the board he claims to have made, all in an effort to get people's money I might add, isn't an attempt to commit fraud?

In case you need a refresher.

Fraud.

noun
1.
deceit, trickery, sharp practice, or breach of confidence, perpetrated for profit or to gain some unfair or dishonest advantage.

2.
a particular instance of such deceit or trickery:

3.
any deception, trickery, or humbug:

4.
a person who makes deceitful pretenses; sham; poseur.

 

[always crazy bacon]

Dont expect this to last for long.

 

[SynthFetish]

Pat and Ian are gonna love this...

 

[martino]

I don't get why Coleco just ripped off a Wii U Pro Controller.

or a good way to dispose of wii u pro controler stocks

 

[jooey]

Attempting to commit fraud is not something you shrug off with an "everybody makes mistakes"

keep in mind imbarkus loves him some dyack

 

[BajiBoxer]

You got your pronouns mixed up, because it is in fact something I did shrug off, although that is because I don't agree with "attempting to commit fraud" as a summary.

That VGS was an ugly scene for sure. But Retro has been a beautiful magazine and I have no regrets backing their Kickstarter and subscribing for the second year.

But that's me.

I agree with you on Retro magazine, but the fraud part is very straightforward. It's not really a matter of opinion.

 

[ultrazilla]

Sorry Mike but as someone who really championed your Retro console-Coleco system(made the original HUGE thread on NeoGAF here) I will not make the mistake of coming anywhere near your offerings again.

If you want to somehow try to mend bridges, I invite you to this thread to lay it out for us. I know you're reading this. I've got no beef with you personally but if you expect anyone to back any business ventures you are involved with I'd kindly suggest explaining why anyone should/would donate money to your endeavors.

I really wish you hadn't screwed up the Retro console.

 

[Imbarkus]

keep in mind imbarkus loves him some dyack

I agree with you on Retro magazine, but the fraud part is very straightforward. It's not really a matter of opinion.

I will say I have more admiration for people who try to do things and launch business ventures to bring entertainment products to people than I do hoards of message board folks who each day become more adept at tearing down people with condescending arguments like posting dictionary definitions.

It's really easy to oversimplify accounts of controversial things that happened, just go with the accepted aggregate summary of what people are saying, and not give a thought to the effect it has on actual people.

Far be it from me to expect any sort of quarter or forgiveness for the entrepreneurs for what most entrepreneurs have to experience nine times before they experience a success: a failed venture. Nope, this is the kind of community that instead will forever remember and mock for suggesting it might be possible to forgive someone.

Every house on the internet is a glass house.

 

[Tripon]

Are you serious? He tried to sell an old PCI as a brand new console. He wanted $200 of your hard earned money for it.

 

[FStop7]

I mean he only tried to rip people off for thousands of dollars guys you gotta give him credit for the effort amirite

 

[Bizazedo]

Far be it from me to expect any sort of quarter or forgiveness for the entrepreneurs for what most entrepreneurs have to experience nine times before they experience a success: a failed venture. Nope, this is the kind of community that instead will forever remember and mock for suggesting it might be possible to forgive someone.

Every house on the internet is a glass house.

Explain why, in your opinion, it wasn't attempted fraud? I'm confused.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Fraud is not a failed venture. That an "entrepreneur" who tried to deceive and defraud is having their reputation used against them in future business ventures. Reputation is exactly what you are trading on when it comes to things like crowdsourcing. You don't get to pick and choose which parts of your reputation get highlighted and which parts you get to sweep under the rug. This seems to be a difficult thing for you to come to grips with.

 

[superNESjoe]

I will say I have more admiration for people who try to do things and launch business ventures to bring entertainment products to people than I do hoards of message board folks who each day become more adept at tearing down people with condescending arguments like posting dictionary definitions.

It's really easy to oversimplify accounts of controversial things that happened, just go with the accepted aggregate summary of what people are saying, and not give a thought to the effect it has on actual people.

Far be it from me to expect any sort of quarter or forgiveness for the entrepreneurs for what most entrepreneurs have to experience nine times before they experience a success: a failed venture. Nope, this is the kind of community that instead will forever remember and mock for suggesting it might be possible to forgive someone.

Every house on the internet is a glass house.

I've tried and failed in business ventures while still being an honest person with passion. At no point have I expected that my passion was an excuse to try and lie to and deceive people for their money.

You're being 100% ridiculous.

 

[Imbarkus]

From what I recall from the discussion, Mike himself was defrauded by the prototype, but people didn't accept that story.

But, whatever, I didn't keep up with the extensive internet investigations into the thing. But be it this thing, Dyack, Hello Games, Mike Maulbeck, whatever... I'm just tired of this. Of the internet's obsessive destruction of people and reputations and all the endless oh-so-researched judgments and condemnations from behind anonymous screennames from people who may or may not have tried to do something themselves, maybe even made mistakes themselves, but just come of as the Greek chorus of condescension.

It's fucking easy and that's why you do it. Building something, making something, is a lot harder than tearing something, or someone, down. I'm not engaging with another GAF wank about debating all our internet evidence of fraud.

The guy can make a decent magazine. Maybe we let him do that, is all I'm saying.

 

[OrbitalBeard]

From what I recall from the discussion, Mike himself was defrauded by the prototype, but people didn't accept that story.

But, whatever, I didn't keep up with the extensive internet investigations into the thing. But be it this thing, Dyack, Hello Games, Mike Maulbeck, whatever... I'm just tired of this. Of the internet's obsessive destruction of people and reputations and all the endless oh-so-researched judgments and condemnations from behind anonymous screennames from people who may or may not have tried to do something themselves, maybe even made mistakes themselves, but just come of as the Greek chorus of condescension.

It's fucking easy and that's why you do it. Building something, making something, is a lot harder than tearing something, or someone, down. I'm not engaging with another GAF wank about debating all our internet evidence of fraud.

The guy can make a decent magazine. Maybe we let him do that, is all I'm saying.

You can't really compare No Man's Sky to Mike Kennedy's endeavors. The community has been more than fair to Mike. He's earned his reputation.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

From what I recall from the discussion, Mike himself was defrauded by the prototype, but people didn't accept that story.

But, whatever, I didn't keep up with the extensive internet investigations into the thing. But be it this thing, Dyack, Hello Games, Mike Maulbeck, whatever... I'm just tired of this. Of the internet's obsessive destruction of people and reputations and all the endless oh-so-researched judgments and condemnations from behind anonymous screennames from people who may or may not have tried to do something themselves, maybe even made mistakes themselves, but just come of as the Greek chorus of condescension.

It's fucking easy and that's why you do it. Building something, making something, is a lot harder than tearing something, or someone, down. I'm not engaging with another GAF wank about debating all our internet evidence of fraud.

The guy can make a decent magazine. Maybe we let him do that, is all I'm saying.

He can do whatever he wants, but if he is trying to do it via a crowdfunding/patreon model, people have every right to judge him by his past business ventures. There is nothing unfair about that. If he gets to trade on the "guy who in the past created a pretty cool magazine" part of his past, then the "guy who tried to rip people off by kickstarting a pie in the sky games console" part comes with it.

 

[Comfort Jones]

I will say I have more admiration for people who try to do things and launch business ventures to bring entertainment products to people than I do hoards of message board folks who each day become more adept at tearing down people with condescending arguments like posting dictionary definitions.

It's really easy to oversimplify accounts of controversial things that happened, just go with the accepted aggregate summary of what people are saying, and not give a thought to the effect it has on actual people.

Far be it from me to expect any sort of quarter or forgiveness for the entrepreneurs for what most entrepreneurs have to experience nine times before they experience a success: a failed venture. Nope, this is the kind of community that instead will forever remember and mock for suggesting it might be possible to forgive someone.

Every house on the internet is a glass house.

Note how this post does nothing to actually disprove or argue anything superNESjoe has said.

Embarrassing.

 

[Glix]

From what I recall from the discussion, Mike himself was defrauded by the prototype, but people didn't accept that story.

But, whatever, I didn't keep up with the extensive internet investigations into the thing. But be it this thing, Dyack, Hello Games, Mike Maulbeck, whatever... I'm just tired of this. Of the internet's obsessive destruction of people and reputations and all the endless oh-so-researched judgments and condemnations from behind anonymous screennames from people who may or may not have tried to do something themselves, maybe even made mistakes themselves, but just come of as the Greek chorus of condescension.

It's fucking easy and that's why you do it. Building something, making something, is a lot harder than tearing something, or someone, down. I'm not engaging with another GAF wank about debating all our internet evidence of fraud.

The guy can make a decent magazine. Maybe we let him do that, is all I'm saying.

his version of the events did him no favors.

If you want to take his version as gospel i could never ever ever invest in him, because he basically tried the old "im not evil, just mind bogglingly incompetent" to try and save any rep and goodwill he had left. You cant invest in someone that incompetent and easily taken advantage of, can you?

 

[Vamphuntr]

It was pretty much fraud from the beginning. He was promising an FPGA emulation console when he had no idea what it was on how to do it. The only knowledgeable person on his team told him it was pipe dream promising all that and he was cast off. He spend weeks promising the impossible when people were saying there was no perfect FPGA core for the SNES outside of a Japanese one but he kept doubling down he would bring one. He brought a fake prototype at a toy fair which was a SNES mini duct taped inside a Jaguar shell. When people pointed it out he took out the pictures and commented about internet mob. He eventually released the so fabled board which was a PCI card. You can be clueless about what is going on with your team but there is a limit.

This is excluding all the PR nonsense about shipping bug free games because he would ask developers to do so. Maybe in there he was gullible at some point but considering how the train wreck never stopped he eventually decided to roll with it to save face.

 

[meppi]

Weird rant. They don't like the guy, they don't like the magazine, but it feels like a personal vendetta now. RETRO is trying to diversify and sell (real) products, I don't see anything wrong with that. They should get over it.

You'll have to take me on my word here, but trust me on this one.

All the shit he gets is deserved. I can't go into details here due to the possibility of putting other people in legal trouble, so I won't do that.
But he's a scumbag con artist. That much is a fact.
The less people that get drawn in by his BS, the better.

 

[xDUMPWEEDx]

You got your pronouns mixed up, because it is in fact something I did shrug off, although that is because I don't agree with "attempting to commit fraud" as a summary.

That VGS was an ugly scene for sure. But Retro has been a beautiful magazine and I have no regrets backing their Kickstarter and subscribing for the second year.

But that's me.

Hello Mike Kennedy.

 

[Billfisto]

It's really easy to oversimplify accounts of controversial things that happened, just go with the accepted aggregate summary of what people are saying, and not give a thought to the effect it has on actual people.

But, whatever, I didn't keep up with the extensive internet investigations into the thing.

LOL.

Also, you were arguing the literal definition of fraud wasn't fraud, so it's perfectly reasonable that someone posted the definition. The "Why don't you go try making something, then" argument is basically even more tired and less warranted here.

Anyway, I was actually excited about the Chameleon before it turned into a crap show, and between it and some of the old mag subscribers not getting anything I feel it's perfectly fair to warn others about this guy's grifting.

 

[Imbarkus]

So, let me ask you: what's the "win condition" for popping onto forums and reminding everyone of Mike Kennedy's Retro VGS debacle when he launches a Patreon for the magazine he has already shown he can produce?

The magazine is not produced?

Mike Kennedy gets no further crowdfunding?

No one forgives him ever or ever takes seriously anything he does?

Is this a thread about level-headed consumer protectionism? Or is this a thread about Schadenfreude? Is the motivation about just making sure everyone's level of skepticism about this guy is all in agreement? Why?

 

[xDUMPWEEDx]

So, let me ask you: what's the "win condition" for popping onto forums and reminding everyone of Mike Kennedy's Retro VGS debacle when he launches a Patreon for the magazine he has already shown he can produce?

The magazine is not produced?

Mike Kennedy gets no further crowdfunding?

No one forgives him ever or ever takes seriously anything he does?

Is this a thread about level-headed consumer protectionism? Or is this a thread about Schadenfreude? Is the motivation about just making sure everyone's level of skepticism about this guy is all in agreement? Why?

Sorry, Mike Kennedy, but the average GAF user deserves to know of potential fraud regarding video game material, on a video game forum. You have shown a history of fraud and deceit. Is it so wrong for other GAF'ers to know about your background? No one is saying not to buy your magazine, but instead to be cautious because you have quite the history of fraud.

 

[Imbarkus]

Sorry, Mike Kennedy, but the average GAF user deserves to know of potential fraud regarding video game material, on a video game forum. You have shown a history of fraud and deceit. Is it so wrong for other GAF'ers to know about your background? No one is saying not to buy your magazine, but instead to be cautious because you have quite the history of fraud.

We are all Mike Kennedy. Or at least potentially Mike Maulbeck, someday.

 

[btrboyev]

So, let me ask you: what's the "win condition" for popping onto forums and reminding everyone of Mike Kennedy's Retro VGS debacle when he launches a Patreon for the magazine he has already shown he can produce?

The magazine is not produced?

Mike Kennedy gets no further crowdfunding?

No one forgives him ever or ever takes seriously anything he does?

Is this a thread about level-headed consumer protectionism? Or is this a thread about Schadenfreude? Is the motivation about just making sure everyone's level of skepticism about this guy is all in agreement? Why?

The Retro magazine was pure fucking trash and they couldn't even get issues out on time.

 

[Tripon]

Considering that I'm one of the people who is posting new news of Mike Kennedy when it surfaces, I'm posting because the Chameleon project is an interesting case of how not to launch a project.

I'll be frank, the fact he's still trying to do something in the retro video game market astounds me. It's the one area where's he a known commodity and would be skeptical of what he's trying to sell. Or maybe not since there are guys like Imbarkus immediately ready to buy what he is selling.

 

[meppi]

The Retro magazine was pure fucking trash and they couldn't even get issues out on time.

I have no issues with any of the people who wrote for the magazine at all. Far from it in fact.
It's the behind the scenes politics and heavy handed intimidation and scare tactics that he used towards others, possible "competitors" that rubs me the wrong way when it comes to Mike and Retro.
That kinda shit just shouldn't fly in any industry.
So whatever certain people try to do to give him the benefit of the doubt once more, let me just repeat myself. He's a no good scam artist that does not deserve the goodwill they want to show him, and certainly no support in his new and "improved" business venture.

 

[coughlanio]

I'd still be behind something like the Retro VGS, and I still hope someone does something like it in the future.

I think the upcoming RetroPi (Raspberry Pi with a built in Retrode 2) would be a good base to build on, and allow for a lot of flexibility in terms of accessory options.

I really just want the likes of Shovel Knight and Axiom Verge on a cartridge

 

[Orin GA]

Never forget.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWibLkyHuKo

 

[meppi]

I'd still be behind something like the Retro VGS, and I still hope someone does something like it in the future.

I think the upcoming RetroPi (Raspberry Pi with a built in Retrode 2) would be a good base to build on, and allow for a lot of flexibility in terms of accessory options.

I really just want the likes of Shovel Knight and Axiom Verge on a cartridge

Your prayers have been answered.

And it's been rumoured that Axiom Verge might be getting physical release as well one day.

 

[xDUMPWEEDx]

Never forget.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWibLkyHuKo

I love this video.

 

[OrbitalBeard]

I'd still be behind something like the Retro VGS, and I still hope someone does something like it in the future.

I think the upcoming RetroPi (Raspberry Pi with a built in Retrode 2) would be a good base to build on, and allow for a lot of flexibility in terms of accessory options.

I really just want the likes of Shovel Knight and Axiom Verge on a cartridge

Shovel Knight's been on a cartridge for over a year now.

 

[Kyari]

Is this a thread about level-headed consumer protectionism? Or is this a thread about Schadenfreude? Is the motivation about just making sure everyone's level of skepticism about this guy is all in agreement? Why?

Letting people know that someone asking for money was at one point involved in multiple occurrences of wilful deceit is not a bad thing. Stop acting like it is.

 

[jack....]

I backed RETRO on Kickstarter at the digital subscription level.

I got the PDF of the first issue, saw a huge, obnoxious watermark of my email address right in the center of every page and never read it again.

 

[BlastProcessing]

We are all Mike Kennedy. Or at least potentially Mike Maulbeck, someday.

You got your pronouns mixed up,

Doctor, heal thyself.

 

[Number_6]

So, let me ask you: what's the "win condition" for popping onto forums and reminding everyone of Mike Kennedy's Retro VGS debacle when he launches a Patreon for the magazine he has already shown he can produce?

The magazine is not produced?

Mike Kennedy gets no further crowdfunding?

No one forgives him ever or ever takes seriously anything he does?

Is this a thread about level-headed consumer protectionism? Or is this a thread about Schadenfreude? Is the motivation about just making sure everyone's level of skepticism about this guy is all in agreement? Why?

Mike Kennedy cannot be trusted. Therefore, you keep your money in your pocket. That's the "win condition".

 

[SinCityAssassin]

No Seanbaby. No resubscribe.

 

[mosaic]

Received an email today from Retro saying the company and GameGavel had been acquired by Piko Interactive, and that Mike Kennedy would not be allowed anywhere near new ventures. I guess that's.... Good?

 

[Tripon]

Received an email today from Retro saying the company and GameGavel had been acquired by Piko Interactive, and that Mike Kennedy would not be allowed anywhere near new ventures. I guess that's.... Good?

You should make a thread about it.

 

[dickroach]

aw I was expecting something sketchy and ridiculous when I saw this was bumped

You should make a thread about it.

I don't think it's even thread-worthy

 

[kulapik]

Piko Interactive LLC is a game development and publishing company that concentrates in the development of new games for old consoles. Our consoles of interest include but are not limited to the NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, and handhelds like Game Boy Advance, Gameboy Color and Gameboy.

Sounds... Good?

 

[Tripon]

aw I was expecting something sketchy and ridiculous when I saw this was bumped


I don't think it's even thread-worthy

Everything is thread worthy.

Sounds... Good?

Piko was the company that first found out that Mike Kennedy was using a flash cartridge for the toy expo and provided their own game to allow Mike Kennedy to demo.

 

[Tempy]

Coincidentally, Piko have a new Kickstarter up today for some Wisdom Tree games.

 

[abstract alien]

I don't think it's even thread-worthy

We have threads on the front page about Ruined Castles (basically a list thread) and Your Favorite 8bit Tracks (another list thread). I think this would be ok, as it's actually some sort of news and not filler.