Patrick Klepek is joining Kotaku

firehawk12

Subete no aware
It's January 2nd 2015 and you're wondering why there isn't actual game news?

Here's a hint: there's not much to report. Look at any other news outlet for hobbies and see similar fluff pieces.
To be fair, the only fluff GB has are trailer videos. But that happens when your content is mostly weekly videos. lol
 

Dawg

Member
I like reading Schreier and Totilo articles, but does Kotaku still have those silly Patricia Hernandez articles?

You know what I mean.
 

oti

Banned
Great fit! I don't really read anything on Giant Bomb and don't visit Kotaku regularly. But I find myself following a link to a Kotaku article I stumbled upon on Twitter. (Let's say like 5 times a month.) Writer goes to Writing site. Sounds good to me.
 

Superflat

Member
I thought nothing on Earth could drag me back to Kotaku. Fine Klepek, be that way!

I'll still be screaming and clawing at the floor on the way to read your articles.
 

Fjordson

Member
Kotaku has certainly been on an upward swing, Jason has been particularly great, this is a great get for them.

Can't but feel a bit deflated though. Wonder why Patrick left, would he not be just as connected or funded to the do the same kind of reporting at GB if he really wanted to?

A financial / career move too I suppose. Giant Bomb doesn't seem the most vertical of employers.
Klepek's strength is writing and reporting, neither of which has ever been the focus at Giant Bomb. Add to that the fact that he's on his own in Chicago, unable to create video content with other personalities from the site (the main thing that makes Giant Bomb great) and I'm not at all surprised by this move.

I'd say it's a better fit for him than Giant Bomb ever was. And while I'm personally not a fan of Kotaku in general, they're capable of putting out quality written stuff (like Schreier's as you mentioned).
 

Omega

Banned
Hopefully next on the hire list is a website designer.

I've actually enjoyed reading Kotaku's stuff recently, but I hate going to the site. it's so ugly it should be illegal
 
It's kind of weird how everyone in the last thread (which BTW, we're not returning to the Dan Ryckert rodeo) pointed out how Patrick was obviously in a sticky situation at GB given how he was cut off from the rest of the crew in terms of video content (GB's main focus) since moving back to Chicago, and now that he's joining a much larger site that caters to his style of reporting more, it's suddenly "well why would he leave his cushy dream job at GB for an obvious downgrade?"
 
Guess I'm never going to read anything by Patrick again.

Stay strong, lol

The ridiculous hate that Kotaku gets on here at times is beyond stupid. Don't tell anyone but I frequent Gawker media sites numerous times per day.

Kotaku has always been one of my preferred gaming sites. I never got into GB that much because I read more than I watch/listen. GB is something that I only get to visit while I'm at home.

It's kind of weird how everyone in the last thread (which BTW, we're not returning to the Dan Ryckert rodeo) pointed out how Patrick was obviously in a sticky situation at GB given how he was cut off from the rest of the crew in terms of video content (GB's main focus) since moving back to Chicago, and now that he's joining a much larger site that caters to his style of reporting more, it's suddenly "well why would he leave his cushy dream job at GB for an obvious downgrade?"

Only way this would get more negativity is if he joined Polygon. I'm really happy that Kotaku is picking up another talented writer, it is just going to make the stellar content even better.
 

McLargepants

Neo Member
I'd still love to know the gritty details of why he jumped ship.

My guess is because Kotaku is a much larger site focused on the written word, reporting news and probably has more opportunities for advancement (don't think Patrick would ever be EIC of GB, but you could see that at Kotaku), Patrick was offered more money and decided to leave.

I'm going to miss him at Giant Bomb though, but wish him the best at this new thing. I was hoping he was going to do something more interesting than write at another site, but I'm sure he'll do some cool things there.
 

AgeEighty

Member
Hopefully next on the hire list is a website designer.

I've actually enjoyed reading Kotaku's stuff recently, but I hate going to the site. it's so ugly it should be illegal

They don't have any control over Kinja.

I just wish I could get one of them to follow me. Been banished to the ghetto of grey commentariat since they went back to that system, despite any number of (what I felt were) salient comments.
 

DopeToast

Banned
So... is Max Scoville moving to Giant Bomb?


Kotaku just had like it's best year ever in terms of traffic. So...

Dude, dude, dude. Godamnit, dude!

I wish, but I think that he's got a good setup being the lead video dude at Destructoid, but if that fell through for some reason he would be a fantastic fit.
 
I haven't seen the retweets but that is a super weird (and unprofessional) thing to do.

BrgGYF-IQAA-8l6.png:large
He unfavorited these after someone called him out for it.
 
It's kind of weird how everyone in the last thread (which BTW, we're not returning to the Dan Ryckert rodeo) pointed out how Patrick was obviously in a sticky situation at GB given how he was cut off from the rest of the crew in terms of video content (GB's main focus) since moving back to Chicago, and now that he's joining a much larger site that caters to his style of reporting more, it's suddenly "well why would he leave his cushy dream job at GB for an obvious downgrade?"


Which almost makes me think CBS had something to do with it; if I were bankrolling Giant Bomb and saw that an employee was on his own in Chicago and not contributing to the site quite as much as his peers I'd start to ask questions. Patrick's stuff is great but id imagine it's not the type of stuff that contributes much to the bottom line.
 

oti

Banned
What does Kotaku offer that GB didnt?

Comparing GB with Kotaku is just plain insane and I'd bet Jeff Gerstmann would be the first to agree.

Kotaku has access. Reporters want access. I don't think GB would ever interview Miyamoto for instance.
 
Huh... Well that's an interesting choice.

They've got a couple really good staff writers now, and I hope they can help steer the general site toward more serious and meaningful fare. You get it from time to time now, but it might be a reason to start going to Kotaku again beyond the random linked Schreier article. Hope it works out!
 
Klepek's strength is writing and reporting, neither of which has ever been the focus at Giant Bomb. Add to that the fact that he's on his own in Chicago, unable to create video content with other personalities from the site (the main thing that makes Giant Bomb great) and I'm not at all surprised by this move.

Indeed.

His move home and GB East basically sealed the deal (as much as i thought he would still be there) imo.
 
Dude, dude, dude. Godamnit, dude!

I wish, but I think that he's got a good setup being the lead video dude at Destructoid, but if that fell through for some reason he would be a fantastic fit.

He announced on his Tumblr on New Years that he's leaving Destructoid, so who knows what his next moves are~
 

Mature

Member
It's January 2nd 2015 and you're wondering why there isn't actual game news?

Here's a hint: there's not much to report. Look at any other news outlet for hobbies and see similar fluff pieces.
I think there's a distinct difference between fluff pieces and "Listen to the Macguyver intro without music lol".

Admittedly, I haven't looked at Kotaku in a very long time, and just judging them on a glance today isn't giving them a fair shake. I'll give them a look some other time again.
 

Diablos

Member
I don't think Patrick got along with a lot of the guys at GB so I'm not surprised he found a new gig. Best of luck to him.
 

nynt9

Member
It's not like Giant Bomb was the hub for quality journalism, Patrick was the only person doing any real work there so I don't get how Kotaku would be a downgrade at all.

Then again I ok don't get why people consistently put GB on a pedestal. To me it's just a bunch of jaded old dudes who aren't really good at most games complaining and doing immature man child stuff.

Patrick was the breath of fresh air they needed, so they're the ones who lost out here, huge gain for kotaku.


Kotaku has a lot of pure garbage content but when they do have legit content it's really good.
 

Huckleberry

Neo Member
Hope this works out well for him. Maybe they'll give him a pay bump and he can bankroll a new Evil Bong.

As much as I'll miss having him on Giant Bomb streams and podcasts, this seems like a good move for both him and Kotaku.

Looking forward to seeing who GB hires to fill the void. Assuming they're hiring in New York, it'll be nice to have someone to rotate into the Vinny/Alex pairing just for variety's sake.
 

graboids

Member
seems like a good move for all involved. GB will be fine without Patrick, he did some great stuff for them but the site is all about the Bombcast and video content, as long as the crew in SF still puts that content out as they have been thats all I need. And Patrick can go write the stuff that he wants that didnt really fit at GB, which should be good too... games "journalism" for me these days is podcasts and video content, its all I take in, but I know others still enjoy written content and Kotaku seems like a better place for Patrick to do that. Win/Win and say GB adds a new news person in NY to help with content with Vinny/Alex then that is a Win too because having 1 lone guy in Chi wasn't ideal.
 
Huge loss for Giant Bomb, but seems like it's time to get back on the Kotaku grind. I kind of bailed after they dropped TAY and gave Patricia way too much space, but it seems to have improved greatly since then.
 
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