I also wish the subscription were cheaper. But, at the same time, I expect it’ll be like xbox live - once I’ve paid the $50, I totally forget about it, and I never really consider on a day to day, or week to week, basis whether or not I’m getting my money’s worth.
I signed up. Just wish it could all go to Giant Bomb.
Hello, I’d like to introduce myself. I’m a new father and I love videogames. I haven’t paid $50 (or $60!) for a game in a while, because my money goes elsewhere for more important things. It’s really disappointing to not be able to join in the discussion and be part of the community when it comes to the big new games, but I spent my gaming dollar penuriously because I have to. I only just got Assassin’s Creed 2. I’ll be waiting til next year to play RDR or Just Cause 2. Something like Minecraft is much more reasonably priced, but I also can’t afford the time-sink that would come with falling in love with potential awesomeness.
So anyway, for me $50 for the Bombcast is out of the question. Getting it a week late is fine, but if it was $50 or no Bombcast, I’d still be holding on to my $50 and sadly bidding goodbye to Ryan, Jeff, Brad and Vinnie.
I don’t hold this against the Whiskey Media crew though. For chrissakes, they need to buy some mattresses.
JZigish
3644
Exactly correct. Your listening habits will not be affected at all. In fact anyone who doesn’t listen to the bombcast immediately will have a feed they can use to replicate the old experience for free.
This whole model is basically just optional subscription, there’s no real reason to do it unless you REALLY REALLY care about getting stuff early. They kinda sold it incorrectly though.
How about a Giantbomb.com ONLY subscription that’s like half the price? Part of this whole package is that you get access to Comic Vine and Anime Vice and all the other Whiskey Media sites that I really don’t pay any attention to.
JonRowe
3646
This is really horrible, because I would pay, but I just don’t have the money.
It just sucks that they are monetizing stuff we were getting for free… instead of adding new stuff for a paid subscription.
I was a bit angry when I said the “1 bit of content they make” but the majority of their site is user generated content and guides. They do quick looks/endurance runs/etc but the bombcast is one of the biggest parts of their site, and probably the most popular thing. The stuff that they have been giving us for free is now going to cost us money. Kinda lame. I would be totally jazzed if they added new paid content, but they sounded like. “We will totally have more stuff in the future, but we aren’t going to be specific”
2 years ago, I would have no problem, but specifically for me, it is a problem right now. This is one of my absolute favorite sites on the internet and I would gladly give them my money… but I just can’t justify 50 dollars right now.
I will probably get a monthly subscription for a while, I can swing 5 bucks a month, I will just not eat out 1 extra day a month. Maybe in 3-4 months I can get the yearly.
I like that you can now download their videos and presumably put them on your iPod, iPhone, or other portable media player of choice. If they would set up a RSS for that stuff I could use to subscribe in iTunes, they’ll get my money. Preferably multiple feeds, one for each type of content. I never visit the site itself.
I wonder how many people like me there are --those who are avid listeners of the podcasts, but who don’t even have a Giant Bomb website login? It’d be interesting to see if there’s a big influx of new accounts and subscriptions the first day the new podcast scheduling kicks in. I assume that’s next week?
JonRowe
3648
The podcast splitting up and week delay for half reminds me of this.
Sorry, we were talking about Black Ops last week, we are talking about AC: Brotherhood now.
willko
3649
The reality of the new internet economics is that content providers have to find revenue streams (merchandising, advertisements, sponsorships, subscriptions, etc.) and things that were free before might have new strings attached. It’s a shame for all of us who enjoyed the free buffet, but it looks like those days might be ending sooner than later. If I was actually adamantly opposed to paying the Whiskey Media sub fee, I would just listen to Bombcast on the one week delay plan to catch the whole thing continuously. ymmv.
I think they tried to make the options relatively painless for people who can’t or won’t subscribe.
I’d rather just buy a T-shirt to support Giant Bomb specifically, but it looks like they aren’t selling any anymore. Everyone from my doctor to my law school professor loves my Neon Space Lobsters shirt… why can’t they think up more?
They were tweeting today if they got 5000 subs by 10 am PST on 9/10 they’d make the whole podcast free the same week for everyone. I think they were all too drunk to report if they hit that goal, though. I think they were around 3900 about 6pm.
Stelios
3652
I just listened to the live Idle Thumbs from PAX. I don’t think I will ever stop finding Space Asshole funny. My laughing got me some real nice looks on the bus this morning.
Anyway I’ll miss these guys. Any objection someone would have about the sillier parts of it, when they actually got down to talking about game design, gameplay, etc, they were really in a league of their own. Not to mention that Chris’ stupid game stories were a reason for the purchase of numerous games (yes Far Cry 2 too) and a slight shift at the way I played them.
Post-It
3653
Yeah, easily the best gaming podcast in my mind. Sad to see it go.
Fuck Idle Thumbs. Retronauts is ending. I feel like crying :( :( :(. It’s been a great four years.
JZigish
3655
Boo. Is Jeremy finally off to somewhere else, to join the rest of his friends who’ve left over the last 2 years?
interman
3656
He’s still doing retro stuff at 1up, but he seems to be focusing on video and other hip stuff that kids are into these days.
JDSIDD
3657
That kind of sucks but its probably good. They seemed to have run out of things to talk about quite a while ago. There were a lot of, “well, we have to talk about something,” episodes. I don’t think they should kill it completely, though. Just save it for special occasions. It would be nice to see them bring it back out once in a while when they get a really great interview or a big anniversary or something.
armand_v
3658
Heheh the ending was good.
Good point on just keeping it on an irregular schedule. I thought they still had a lot to talk about, especially after Frank joined the site. It makes me sad; after 1up Yours stopped and then CGW/GFW, this had probably stayed my favorite podcast for the past couple years.
I will try not to replace this show with some inferior alternative. When this eventually happens to all shows I subscribe to, maybe then I will be rid of this inherently solitary podcast habit. But probably, I will not.
1up’s just debuted a new Japan-centric podcast hosted by Mark McDonald, Hiroko Minamoto, and John Ricciardi (all of them in Japan!). It’ll release twice a month (straight from Japan!).
True to form, 1up hasn’t posted it on the podcast section or posted a feed yet, but here’s the thread on it:
http://www.1up.com/boards/posts/list/52448.page
And the story page: http://www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3181465
The first episode also has Garnett on it, but only because he was in Japan for TGS.
Mark McDonald and co. are also on Weekend Confirmed starting at 49 minutes in. http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/65637
