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News & ArtsWednesday, November 25, 2009
Games America's Next Top Nerds
Posted by The Stranger Testing Department on Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Penny Arcade, the newly Fremont-based gamer-culture megalith, wants to add reality television to its list of conquests. The two-part pilot of PATV is part Penny Arcade primer, part vlog gamer manifesto, part tear-jerker, and part Leni-Riefenstahl-esque nerd-rally propaganda film—but with PSPs and Game Boys instead of torches.
Here's the WTF, for you non-nerds: Penny Arcade is a webcomic with four million monthly readers, responsible for such theoretical advancements as the Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory. (In equivalent readership units, that's approximately .22 NYTimeses, or four Slogs.)
- "Imagine the Deadliest Catch, but with Penny Arcade."
So will PATV take off? Past performance is no indication of future results, but Penny Arcade is an almost magical success engine: In 2004, they started a gamer convention called PAX, and a few thousand people showed up. This year, attendance was over 60,000, and they filled the entire downtown convention center with awesome nerdery and indisputably seized the spiritual mantle of E3—and next year, they're adding another PAX, in Boston. In 2003, they started a charity called Child's Play with a mission of pure cuteness: getting video games to bored, sick kids in hospitals. So far it's raised over $5 million. And Penny Arcade just moved to new, bigger offices in Fremont. Why? They wanted enough room for a ping-pong arena with bleacher seating.
The Stranger Testing Department is Rob Lightner and Paul Hughes.
1
Penny Arcade is successful because it evolves into whatever works for their nerdery. "Will it take off" is a narrow question.
2
There is no truth to the rumor that Fnarf and I are on PATV.
Something about liability insurance ...
Something about liability insurance ...
3
There are thousands of people with "cameos" in the video, so it'd actually be a surprise if you weren't in there somewhere, Will.
For all I know, I'm in there somewhere.
For all I know, I'm in there somewhere.
4
@3 ... well, I can't help THAT.
On the other hand, it's highly likely some of my colleagues are DEFINITELY in there. Even if they've gone over to the dark side and think Win7 is cool.
On the other hand, it's highly likely some of my colleagues are DEFINITELY in there. Even if they've gone over to the dark side and think Win7 is cool.
5
Wait a moment.
It's all clear now.
Will is legendary (arguably overrated) super nerd and Penny Arcade friend, Will Wheton.
Hello, Will.
It's all clear now.
Will is legendary (arguably overrated) super nerd and Penny Arcade friend, Will Wheton.
Hello, Will.
8
oh whoa, I didn't realize that Penny Arcade was a washington state / seattle entity. Ya learn something new everyday....
...on a side note, I am so glad I gave up that world, not that there is anything wrong with it. I just appreciate that I am much less fat and much more over-sexed since forsaking my videogame-playing-past.
...on a side note, I am so glad I gave up that world, not that there is anything wrong with it. I just appreciate that I am much less fat and much more over-sexed since forsaking my videogame-playing-past.
9
PA the comic is a well drawn, mildly amusing comic aimed directly at a really small minority of nerds.
PA the show looks like a somewhat boring, really unfunny look at the nerds behind the comic.
They're undeniably successful at what they do, but it's internet success.
PA the show looks like a somewhat boring, really unfunny look at the nerds behind the comic.
They're undeniably successful at what they do, but it's internet success.
10
Internet success?
You mean like how google is an internet success?
@8, not to knock you, if you're happy your happy, but enjoying video games and having a balanced life style aren't exclusive things. Though I do acknowledge some people have that issue, and I even have, in the past.
Generally obsession is a symptom of something else, though, and not the hobby or activity one obsesses over.
You mean like how google is an internet success?
@8, not to knock you, if you're happy your happy, but enjoying video games and having a balanced life style aren't exclusive things. Though I do acknowledge some people have that issue, and I even have, in the past.
Generally obsession is a symptom of something else, though, and not the hobby or activity one obsesses over.
12
More like "popular amongst a group of hard core online followers, but a complete unknown to the average person on the street" type of internet success.
13
These guys seem like really decent people (I've given to Child's Play in the past), and are marketing geniuses (or at least know how to hire some). That being said, I don't know if I wanna see dumpy middle-aged men plotz around and talk about their opinions on video games. Still, you go Tycho and Gabe!
14
These guys seem like really decent people (I've given to Child's Play in the past), and are marketing geniuses (or at least know how to hire some). That being said, I don't know if I wanna see dumpy middle-aged men plotz around and talk about their opinions on video games. Still, you go Tycho and Gabe!
15
I remember being so shocked when I first saw the real life Tycho and Gabe, and how little they look like their drawn counterparts. But they're good guys and PA can be hilarious.
16
burgin, I think you're underestimating Penny Arcade's audience size by some orders of magnitude. Four million monthly readers, and that's not including a very large group of people who know what Penny Arcade is but never read it for whatever reason. I would have a hard time coming up with anything that exists almost solely on the internet more well known than Penny Arcade. At least, if we exclude anyone who has been on the Fortune 500 list (and possibly social networking sites if they're not included in that first group). It has a ridiculously broad appeal.
You could ask 100 random people on the street if they know what it is, and I'd bet at least half would. That's probably more people than you'd get from equal sample if you asked if they know who Pink Floyd is.
You could ask 100 random people on the street if they know what it is, and I'd bet at least half would. That's probably more people than you'd get from equal sample if you asked if they know who Pink Floyd is.
17
@15: The characters weren't originally intended to be specific representations of the authors, but ended up just sort of assuming the role as the nature of the comic changed. So, there you go.
18
That's utter bollocks, .22 NYtimeses. My old blog had 200,000 readers a day, you're saying that for every in reader I had, the NYTimes had just 200? Fucking stupid, your counting is rubbish.
twat.
twat.
19
Your numbers are shit. You really thing you're just a 16th of NYTimes? The site you got that NYTimes number from says, your entire thestranger.com, encluding all of slog AND your personal ads AND more, says 300K+
http://siteanalytics.compete.com/thestra…
Meaning you're more like 1/50th NYtimes. Even that only when you include your entire business.
Bollocks 1/16th. No one reads you, faggot/
http://siteanalytics.compete.com/thestra…
Meaning you're more like 1/50th NYtimes. Even that only when you include your entire business.
Bollocks 1/16th. No one reads you, faggot/
20
I know what you mean, Max J; I don't bother to click on citations either. And I'm all about taking snarky comments at face value!
You and I, we're two of a kind/
You and I, we're two of a kind/
21
@16: I clearly talk to the wrong people.
I think burgin's right, except he underestimates the size of that hardcore crowd. Most people who game and/or read webcomics will probably know what Penny Arcade is, and that's easily millions. But there are millions more who don't game or read webcomics at all.
"You could ask 100 random people on the street if they know what it is, and I'd bet at least half would."
Yeah, that's just crazy. I don't think you can stop 100 random people on the street and have half of them know *any* one thing. I met two people at work who don't know what the phrase "lion's share" means.
I think burgin's right, except he underestimates the size of that hardcore crowd. Most people who game and/or read webcomics will probably know what Penny Arcade is, and that's easily millions. But there are millions more who don't game or read webcomics at all.
"You could ask 100 random people on the street if they know what it is, and I'd bet at least half would."
Yeah, that's just crazy. I don't think you can stop 100 random people on the street and have half of them know *any* one thing. I met two people at work who don't know what the phrase "lion's share" means.
22
Funnny, @8, but here I am- never been fat and currently in the best shape of my life with a satisfying sex life- and I'm still playing videogames. Still a nerd. I find it both sad and frustrating that people seem to think that a person can either be attractive and successful socially or be a nerd who plays videogams- but never both. What you needed was to learn moderation and improve your discipline- giving up videogames altogether in order to address your problems feels like an equally weak-willed way to go. Just my opinion.
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