I do hope I’m not letting the CEO cat out of the bag, but if you just listen to that nagging voice in the back of your head, you will find the truth: The Destructoid HQ is moving out of South Florida. I spoke to Colette (Bennett) about this at the last GameNARP and she confirmed it, my brain went in to a kind of denial.
“No way” I thought to myself, “A lot can change between now and then.” That was a few months ago.
Recently, more and more talk of “The Move” made me realized the scope of things. Looks like it’s a sure thing and I have to learn to man up accept it. I also, realized that some major changes will occur in the South Florida Video Gaming scene, as in it will die.
Let me explain:
The South Florida Video Gaming is small and not glorious.
Not like California home to a lot of events, studios, publishers, major players in the gaming live and work there, a MUCH larger and a bit more excepted nerd culture, closer geography to Japan.
In South Florida, we have nothing like Comic-Con or e3, but what about PAX East? It’s in Boston, Massachusetts, 1261 miles away. The nerd culture here is pretty stale as far as conventions and community goes. Maybe some life can come back if the GameNARP lives another year and if Infinite Bits lives up to the talk.
*we have 15 or so small bullshit studios (Not counting EA Tiburon)that make shitty DS and Wii titles, while California has almost every single big major studio and publisher including:
Sony Computer Entertainment
The Behemoth
Rockstar San Diego
2K Games
Electronic Arts Los Angeles
Infinity Ward
Insomniac Games
Naughty Dog
Neversoft Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment
Pandemic Studios
THQ
Ubisoft San Francisco
Red Octane
PopCap Games
Maxis
LucasArts Entertainment Company
Koei
Konami Digital Entertainment
Eidos Interactive
Electronic Arts Redwood Shores
Crystal Dynamics
You can see why it’s nice if the D-tiod crew needs to see a demo at Rock star or go to e3, they don’t need to fly 100+ miles to go see it or to it. When they want to fly to Japan, It’s cheaper due to the shorter trip.
I’m sure this decision is harder on them than anyone else. I just wanted to get my thoughts on paper (Read: screen).
Read me and quote me; When the Destructoid HQ moves, the South Florida Gaming scene dies in its slumber.
No surprise here. If Destructoid was to grow, Niero and Colette and crew would've had to eventually moved east.
Spoilers!
What!? The Dtoid HQ should relocate to Toronto instead!! I'll call the Canadian Prime Minister and get him to give you guys government grants!!
*starts bidding war*
Sorry for your loss but...Destructoid is coming to California? Yay!
Destructoid: World Tour
Bah, Miami, Cali, they're both pretty god damn far from upstate NY. =\
I know some peeps from Florida.
:[ I wish there was something cool in the midwest.
Also, the more Dtoid Staff they jam in one state the better service we all get. Think of the video opportunities!
Its really so that the Dtoid HQ can live close to me, since I'm such a force at the karaoke bar.
Think of me as the ringer :P
Sad to hear of your loss, but just think of it as an opportunity to keep it alive in South Florida! You've learned from the best, now be fruitful and NARP!
Sucks I won't be able to drop by the office next time I visit my friend in Miami.
Imagine living in the midwest. Yeah.
At least the money saved on travel expenses to studios, E3, etc. will hopefully be reinvested into the site.
South Florida and Miami suck anyhow. Central Florida FTW!
...except the keys, they be pretty cool people down there.
Bah, I guess this mean that we're not gonna get to see any more of Otronicon on the site then...
Bummer, man. You could always move to South Carolina where we have that one company that made that one XBLA poker game that one time.
@Phyroph
I do. It's boring.
When they move they need to do it roadtrip style and drive a charter bus straight there so they can make appearances through all the crappy mid western states that never get any video game love.
Come visit, I'm 1/2 a mile from I-35 and there's a Sleep Inn where you can park the bus! Bring swag.
@Pyroph: There isn't any imagination at work here. *rocks in central Indiana* D:
It's amazing how many of us (myself included) say something along the lines of how shitty it is to live in the Midwest for gaming stuff. While true, you would think that maybe one day someone would do something about it. I guess we're just too spread out or something.
I love where I live, but there isn't anything to do that's gaming event related.
@CelicaCrazed
I envy you tremendously though because Wolfmother is playing in Toronto this fall.
Adding yet another "midwest sucks" comment. Although i just learned that Volition (red faction) is based only an hour away. But still, nothing happens
California!
Here we come!
@F Whipple
Volition is in the town where I go to school and I've still never been there.