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It’s not too surprising that Nick got fired given The Escapist’s desperate attempts at monetization of late. Zero Punctuation videos typically start with a shor

It’s not too surprising that Nick got fired given The Escapist’s desperate attempts at monetization of late. Zero Punctuation videos typically start with a short 30‐second ad for some other Escapist property, read by Yahtzee himself. But recently blatant 1‐minute ads (preceding a 5‐minute review) from external sponsors have been showing up in the high‐profile review videos such as Tears of the Kingdom and Baldur’s Gate 3. A review just two months ago even had an advertisement within the video. Notably, Yahtzee did not deign to perform these ad spots for external sponsors himself, a sign of how much pull he had within the company. Another sign of how much of a moneymaker ZP is for The Escapist is how in the last few years it’s rebranded to use the distinctive “limbless white figure” art style, an invention of ZP, throughout Escapist’s other blogs and podcasts. Ticking off Yahtzee by firing Nick has taken out what’s almost certainly The Escapist’s biggest source of revenue.

wsinks 3y ago
I remember that video with the sponsor in the middle of it, and if I remember correctly showed Yahtzee's active disdain for it because he alluded to it before the sponsor bit, showing that he knew that it would interrupt the content that he was powerless to change it. I'll have to follow Yahtzee and Frost wherever they go.
- colechristensen 3y ago
  Seems like they’re all balding together and starting something new called Second Wind. >@everyone I'm very excited to announce that name of our new adventure, Second Wind. The ENTIRE Escapist video team is coming with. <@233002118808600577> and I will be live on the channel tomorrow at 11 AM CT to discuss our plans, talk about what happened, where to support and when our first videos will drop. All the links you need: https://twitter.com/SecondWindGroup https://twitter.com/SecondWindGroup https://www.twitch.tv/secondwindgroup https://www.twitch.tv/secondwindgroup https://www.youtube.com/@SecondWindGroup https://www.youtube.com/@SecondWindGroup
colechristensen 3y ago
The escapist was just purchased a few months ago and the new corporate overlords were trying new things to monetize.
- m-p-3 3y ago
  Looks like they've made a significant miscalculation.
  - raffraffraff 3y ago
    May the old team thrive and may the brand fail
finite_depth 3y ago
[dead]
tinus_hn 3y ago
Without external ads and with only promotion for their own properties, how were they supposed to make any money? Is making money ‘blatant’?
- bentley 3y ago
  > Without external ads and with only promotion for their own properties, how were they supposed to make any money? Among other things, they advertised direct moneymakers like paid subscriptions. > Is making money ‘blatant’? There’s making money and then there’s making money. As a somewhat regular browser of Escapist content for over a decade, my characterization of Nick’s tenure would be that its non‐ZP output stood out for being rather thoughtful games industry commentary, as opposed to chasing clickbait and other industry trends. By Nick’s account, this was enough for them to see successful, healthy growth—it just wasn’t enough growth to please the higher‐ups. Now consider the “blatant” sponsored advertisements, which I neglected to mention were for such products as gacha games and crypto miners. Tonally inconsistent with the surrounding aesthetic; unpopular with the talent, as visible in Yahtzee’s obvious disdain. Worrying indicators of executive meddling that seem to have been confirmed by this week’s events. So yes, decisions in the name of “making money” can be blatant, if by chasing it you lose all that distinguishes you from the bland, reader‐hostile content mill that is the rest of the gaming news industry.
  - tinus_hn 3y ago
    Right. So clearly subscriptions don’t pay the bills so we get the alternative, ads, and non-intrusive ads don’t pay the bills either so we get intrusive ads. You would like to decide that a few non-intrusive ads and subscriptions earn enough money for them but hey, it’s not your decision to make. It’s their decision to make and it’s yours to take it or leave it. If you don’t like it, start your own publication, pour in the money and build the talent. And then we’ll talk about how far you come without these ads. Simply complaining about how everything should be free, ad free, tracking free and up to your quality standards is pointless. Some great things in life are free but a lot of them simply are not. Chances are you don’t work for free either.

wsinks 3y ago

I remember that video with the sponsor in the middle of it, and if I remember correctly showed Yahtzee's active disdain for it because he alluded to it before the sponsor bit, showing that he knew that it would interrupt the content that he was powerless to change it. I'll have to follow Yahtzee and Frost wherever they go.

colechristensen 3y ago
Seems like they’re all balding together and starting something new called Second Wind. >@everyone I'm very excited to announce that name of our new adventure, Second Wind. The ENTIRE Escapist video team is coming with. <@233002118808600577> and I will be live on the channel tomorrow at 11 AM CT to discuss our plans, talk about what happened, where to support and when our first videos will drop. All the links you need: https://twitter.com/SecondWindGroup https://twitter.com/SecondWindGroup https://www.twitch.tv/secondwindgroup https://www.twitch.tv/secondwindgroup https://www.youtube.com/@SecondWindGroup https://www.youtube.com/@SecondWindGroup

colechristensen 3y ago

The escapist was just purchased a few months ago and the new corporate overlords were trying new things to monetize.

m-p-3 3y ago
Looks like they've made a significant miscalculation.
- raffraffraff 3y ago
  May the old team thrive and may the brand fail

finite_depth 3y ago

[dead]

tinus_hn 3y ago

Without external ads and with only promotion for their own properties, how were they supposed to make any money? Is making money ‘blatant’?

bentley 3y ago
> Without external ads and with only promotion for their own properties, how were they supposed to make any money? Among other things, they advertised direct moneymakers like paid subscriptions. > Is making money ‘blatant’? There’s making money and then there’s making money. As a somewhat regular browser of Escapist content for over a decade, my characterization of Nick’s tenure would be that its non‐ZP output stood out for being rather thoughtful games industry commentary, as opposed to chasing clickbait and other industry trends. By Nick’s account, this was enough for them to see successful, healthy growth—it just wasn’t enough growth to please the higher‐ups. Now consider the “blatant” sponsored advertisements, which I neglected to mention were for such products as gacha games and crypto miners. Tonally inconsistent with the surrounding aesthetic; unpopular with the talent, as visible in Yahtzee’s obvious disdain. Worrying indicators of executive meddling that seem to have been confirmed by this week’s events. So yes, decisions in the name of “making money” can be blatant, if by chasing it you lose all that distinguishes you from the bland, reader‐hostile content mill that is the rest of the gaming news industry.
- tinus_hn 3y ago
  Right. So clearly subscriptions don’t pay the bills so we get the alternative, ads, and non-intrusive ads don’t pay the bills either so we get intrusive ads. You would like to decide that a few non-intrusive ads and subscriptions earn enough money for them but hey, it’s not your decision to make. It’s their decision to make and it’s yours to take it or leave it. If you don’t like it, start your own publication, pour in the money and build the talent. And then we’ll talk about how far you come without these ads. Simply complaining about how everything should be free, ad free, tracking free and up to your quality standards is pointless. Some great things in life are free but a lot of them simply are not. Chances are you don’t work for free either.