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[LordOfLore]

Link.

In February 2011, thousands of new Twitter accounts were born - but one of them was special. A parody account would go on to amass 116,000 followers and secure a place in the hearts of gamers and game makers alike.

The president of Sony, Kazuo Hirai - former president of Sony Computer Entertainment - doesn't have a Twitter account, but he doesn't need one. The parody account @KazHiraiCEO is there to offer a mischievous take on all the big gaming news on his behalf.

Last week, @KazHiraiCEO, AKA Fake Kaz Hirai, put out a statement saying all that would come to an end after E3 2018. We spoke to the person - one who has never revealed their true identity beyond their location in Manchester, England - about how it all started, getting mistaken for Sony's actual CEO, and why his decision has made his mother mad.

GamesRadar+: What's been the strangest thing that has happened to you as a result of the account?

Fake Kaz Hirai: I think the most surreal moment for me was when they showed some of my tweets on screen behind the real Kaz at Sony's 2016 CES event. Up until that point, I had no idea he was even aware it existed, so to see my account on the same stage as him at a real Sony event was bizarre. The tweets were pretty critical of Sony, which made it stranger; there was even one about the Sony hacks. When I tweeted out the screenshot, a lot of people just assumed it was a photoshop for a joke.

Interview at the link.

 

[Philippo]

 

[Captain Zyrain]

F

 

[Doctor_Thomas]

This isn't goodbye, it's just a name change...

 

[sixteen-bit]

In February 2011, thousands of new Twitter accounts were born

just thousands?

 

[ToysAndMoreClub]

This isn't goodbye, it's just a name change...

Someone needs to take over that account. We have more than half a year to find a true heir to take over the family business.

 

[Lashley]

just thousands?

Probably. We're talking 6 years ago, Twitter wasn't as big as it is now.

 

[Shifty]

We should have a minute of silence comedy shitposts in his honor.

 

[Dark_3nergy]

Twitter account @KazHiraiCEO ....

The twitter account we didn't know we needed

 

[BodiesWithoutOrgans]

F

Lol

 

[sublimit]

I think there is already a thread for that.

Edit:Oh you edited your post.I didn't realize this was an interview (can't click the link)

 

[Sephzilla]

I really hope this dude changes his mind. He's comedic gold

 

[sixteen-bit]

Probably. We're talking 6 years ago, Twitter wasn't as big as it is now.

Couldn't find any exact stats for February, but over half a million accounts were made on one single day in March, and they say 460,000 per day on average

572,000. Number of new accounts created on March 12, 2011.
460,000. Average number of new accounts per day over the last month.

 

[Todesritter74]

Rumor has it that Sony once asked @KazHiraiCEO about changing names. He replied back, "I asked you first."

 

[BigEmil]

Find it funny they're interviewing fake Kaz lol but still interesting

 

[Qwark]

Someone needs to take over that account. We have more than half a year to find a true heir to take over the family business.

I guess I'd rather have this account retire at the top of their game and just have someone start up something new. It wouldn't be the same with someone else.

 

[farting]

it was never very funny, RIP

 

[PantsuJo]

it was never very funny, RIP

...

 

[hydruxo]

it was always funny, RIP

FTFY

 

[Ultimadrago]

...

That quote's a sign of good things to come!

Once CEO Kaz hits the "_____ was never good." wave, we'll really know he's made it.

 

[AAK]

This guy was really talented with his material. I'm willing to bet he's on GAF.

 

[PantsuJo]

That quote's a sign of good things to come!

Once CEO Kaz hits the "_____ was never good." wave, we'll really know he's made it.

Lmao so true.

 

[Sane_Man]

it was never very funny, RIP

Not enough fart jokes.

 

[sublimit]

it was never very funny, RIP

 

[Quadraphonic]

It could be someone in this very thread!

 

[kurahador]

Maybe it's Verendus.

 

[Drencrom]

It could be someone in this very thread!

It could be you!
It could be me!
It could even be *splat*

 

[farting]

@funnygamerjokes xbox is huge

@funnygamerjokes ps3 has no games

@funnygamerjokes knack 2 anybody?

neogaf: this is thefunniest thing I've ever read

 

[Garlador]

It could be you!
It could be me!
It could even be *splat*

I'm not saying it's you, but have we ever seen you and KazHiraiCEO in the same room at the same time?

 

[CraigerGamer]

Rumor has it that Sony once asked @KazHiraiCEO about changing names. He replied back, "I asked you first."

That's damn funny.

 

[PantsuJo]

@funnygamerjokes xbox is huge

@funnygamerjokes ps3 has no games

@funnygamerjokes knack 2 anybody?

neogaf: this is thefunniest thing I've ever read

? ...

 

[Shifty]

@funnygamerjokes xbox is huge

@funnygamerjokes ps3 has no games

@funnygamerjokes knack 2 anybody?

neogaf: lol

Fixed for uneven simplifications.

 

[WarRock]

What the hell @ his mom hahaha.

 

[ShemhazaiX]

@funnygamerjokes xbox is huge

@funnygamerjokes ps3 has no games

@funnygamerjokes knack 2 anybody?

neogaf: this is thefunniest thing I've ever read

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you neoGAF user "farting" and his critique on other peoples humour.

 

[jluedtke]

@funnygamerjokes xbox is huge

@funnygamerjokes ps3 has no games

@funnygamerjokes knack 2 anybody?

neogaf: this is thefunniest thing I've ever read

You're him, aren't you?

 

[Certinty]

One of the best accounts on Twitter. It will be missed.

 

[snail_maze]

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you neoGAF user "farting" and his critique on other peoples humour.

Haha
On topic: I will actually miss fake Kaz, he was great

 

[esmith08734]

Fixed for uneven simplifications.

Lol, nice.

 

[NoMoreTrolls]

Best gag account in a while.

 

[Galang]

He will be missed! I normally dislike stuff like this, but he was really funny and entertaining. All playfully harmless stuff too (at least from what I've seen)

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you neoGAF user "farting" and his critique on other peoples humour.

I didn't even clock the username. Ironic.

 

[Sullichin]

Nothing less funny than a twitter 'parody' account. I'll never understand why this one or any of them get so much attention

 

[Tankard]

it was never very funny, RIP

@funnygamerjokes xbox is huge

@funnygamerjokes ps3 has no games

@funnygamerjokes knack 2 anybody?

neogaf: this is thefunniest thing I've ever read

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Nothing less funny than a twitter 'parody' account. I'll never understand why this one or any of them get so much attention

Why scare quotes around parody?

Anyway, Fake Kaz was always consistently funny, this is a #truthfact.

 

[RRockman]

@funnygamerjokes xbox is huge

@funnygamerjokes ps3 has no games

@funnygamerjokes knack 2 anybody?

neogaf: this is thefunniest thing I've ever read

it was never very funny, RIP

Is there something you wish to tell us, farting?

 

[Xamtheking]

I vote we give it over to the guy who runs the Sonic twitter, RubyEclipse

 

[RetroMG]

I think he's also said he's sticking around until at least next E3. This thread/article/whatever is at least eight months too early.

 

[Broken Joystick]

I think he's also said he's sticking around until at least next E3. This thread/article/whatever is at least eight months too early.

So you didn't read any of it. Cool.

 

[Toni]

Revelation:

Farting is fake Kaz Hirai

 

[stilgar]

it was never very funny, RIP

E D G Y
D
G
Y

 

[openrob]

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you neoGAF user "farting" and his critique on other peoples humour.

Loool