Patrick Klepek leaves Giant Bomb

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Why so much attention to Giant Bomb on NeoGaf? Are they really that good? Or are its members regular posters? Can anyone tell me what I'm missing here? (since, yeah, I'm kinda new here)
 
FluxWaveZ said:
I don't know if this is true, is it? Games like Danganronpa, Zero Escape, Fire Emblem, Monster Hunter... are these really the kind of games that you'd see Alex trying out? His tastes seem more in line with everyone else's at Giant Bomb, while I will agree with the sentiment that Patrick tried out stuff that one wouldn't expect from the others.

I guess Alex plays a bunch of sports games that the others don't.
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Dan loves Fire Emblem, Jason loves Monster Hunter, don't really know about the other two. Jason definitely is very open minded about games, and Dan is willing to try a lot of stuff as well, not to mention Vinny.
 
Woah, it feels like he only just joined but it's been 4 years..

It was getting a bit difficult with him being in Chicago but I really liked how he had different interests to the others, the horror stuff was great. :( fare well sweet klepdawg
 
I've always been proud of Patrick. He's not kidding. He was not accepted very well at all when he started and it was ALL because he wasn't one of the original Gamespot crew. People went out of their way to hate on the guy hard. Someone made a damn Chrome extension to delete his stuff from the site. Good for him for never letting it change him.
 
Parhelion69 said:
Why so much attention to Giant Bomb on NeoGaf? Are they really that good? Or are its members regular posters? Can anyone tell me what I'm missing here? (since, yeah, I'm kinda new here)
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They're really good at what they do, and what they do is very different than what anyone else in the gaming press is doing.
 
Parhelion69 said:
Why so much attention to Giant Bomb on NeoGaf? Are they really that good? Or are its members regular posters? Can anyone tell me what I'm missing here? (since, yeah, I'm kinda new here)
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Genuine guys that talk about video games and are funny. if you have time listen to the giant bombcast.
 
Parhelion69 said:
Why so much attention to Giant Bomb on NeoGaf? Are they really that good? Or are its members regular posters? Can anyone tell me what I'm missing here? (since, yeah, I'm kinda new here)
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I just jive with their sense of humor. On the podcast they never annoy me, and even when I disagree with their opinions I find them entertaining.
 
TharpDaddy said:
Dan loves Fire Emblem, Jason loves Monster Hunter, don't really know about the other two. Jason definitely is very open minded about games, and Dan is willing to try a lot of stuff as well, not to mention Vinny.
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It's also easy sometimes to forget that Drew plays a bunch of games the other guys wouldn't. In addition to the Flight Club stuff, Drew was (I think?) the one that put Bounden on the site, which was pretty neat. It's just that he doesn't seem to play as many games as everyone else.
 
KorrZ said:
Diversity for diversities sake? That's always cool. Come on, now that Dan's been at the site for a while is there honestly anyone who could have possibly fit in better with the GB culture? It's like a perfect fit.
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Except that I've entirely tuned out of GB content since he was hired. I tried listening to the first few Bombcasts that Dan was on, and while I agree that he 'fits' with the group - it's just more of the same, and a very very narrow 'more of the same' at that.

/shrug

I've made my peace with the site going a different direction since Ryan's passing - so seeing this announcement is a bummer, but is probably for the best. Patrick's a smart, passionate guy - he'll be fine whatever he ends up doing.

I look forward to seeing whatever that is.
 
Parhelion69 said:
Why so much attention to Giant Bomb on NeoGaf? Are they really that good? Or are its members regular posters? Can anyone tell me what I'm missing here? (since, yeah, I'm kinda new here)
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They're the most entertaining and personal gaming website for many people. Giant Bomb stands out compared to other outlets because they don't have to be a 24/7 news blog and focused more on video. The staff have been gaming veterans ever since the early Gamespot days. Some of them are GAFers but not regular posters.
 
We'll never forget your finest moment, Pat.

NrW8i33.gif
 
Parhelion69 said:
Why so much attention to Giant Bomb on NeoGaf? Are they really that good? Or are its members regular posters? Can anyone tell me what I'm missing here? (since, yeah, I'm kinda new here)
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They're (mostly) a bunch of industry vets who's whole lives have been shaped by video games, with a platform to do dumb shit and be themselves.

Give them a try - just don't go in looking for thoroughly considered opinions or all-genre coverage.
 
Parhelion69 said:
Why so much attention to Giant Bomb on NeoGaf? Are they really that good? Or are its members regular posters? Can anyone tell me what I'm missing here? (since, yeah, I'm kinda new here)
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Their Endurance Run video series is the best thing out there. Outside of that their podcast is the best gaming podcast out there. The tragic loss of Ryan, Vinny moving out East and Patrick's departure certainly hurt though.

They should really do another Endurance Run. Jeff is clearly not interested though.
 
Yeah I remember a ton of people getting mad when he became a regular on the podcast. I think he grew into the role quite nicely. Would have been great if he stayed in SF but I don't think the type of content GB produces works at all with him being in Chicago.
 
FluxWaveZ said:
I don't know if this is true, is it? Games like Danganronpa, Zero Escape, Fire Emblem, Monster Hunter... are these really the kind of games that you'd see Alex trying out? His tastes seem more in line with everyone else's at Giant Bomb, while I will agree with the sentiment that Patrick tried out stuff that one wouldn't expect from the others.
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Oh, no, I think on this point they're right. Alex shows the same lack of patience as the rest of the crew for certain classes of games. I was thinking largely on his looking for different personalities than the usual. Also, I think Alex is more open to playing games people suggest to him. Definitely more than Jeff, who seems to take a dislike for any game that gets too much hype.

I guess Alex plays a bunch of sports games that the others don't.
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He also plays a lot of smaller stuff that the others don't. It's not Japanese stuff, though. But they also don't have much in the way of looking at JRPGs; Brad likes them, but can't commit that sort of time to a game like that.
 
Man.

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan.

All the best P Kleps. Loved your content, look forward to what your doing with your career, and am glad to see you doing good.

But maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan.
 
I wonder if he's still gonna work with Cards Against Humanity. That would actually be a cool fit for him I think. I'm gonna miss him so much.

The only, only good thing that could come out of this is a Alex and Vinny podcast. I always wanted Vinny to join Alex and Patrick on Bombin' the AM, but I guess we'll just have this instead.

This Giant Bomb shit is weirdly emotional.
 
ProtoCents said:
Their Endurance Run video series is the best thing out there. Outside of that their podcast is the best gaming podcast out there. The tragic loss of Ryan, Vinny moving out East and Patrick's departure certainly hurt though.

They should really do another Endurance Run. Jeff is clearly not interested though.
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They are doing another endurance run, it's just not called an endurance run.

Metal Gear Scanlon.
 
Oh wow. Not the news I expected to see today

Good luck Patrick! It was a fun ride while it lasted and I hope you're off to do something great. I hope Scoops and the Wolf continues as something not giantbomb affiliated because its a great podcast. Hate to see it end
 
DopeToast said:
I wonder if he's still gonna work with Cards Against Humanity. That would actually be a cool fit for him I think. I'm gonna miss him so much.

The only, only good thing that could come out of this is a Alex and Vinny podcast. I always wanted Vinny to join Alex and Patrick on Bombin' the AM, but I guess we'll just have this instead.

This Giant Bomb shit is weirdly emotional.
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It really is, one of the downfalls of having a personality driven website I suppose. The day (if it ever happens) Jeff leaves I will be crushed.
 
I was really harsh on him when he first joined and started appearing on the Bombcast and in videos and I regret it as I've come to appreciate him more. His podcast with Alex was actually really good and I think he thrived with the two man format. Best of luck in your future endeavors Patrick.
 
Parhelion69 said:
Why so much attention to Giant Bomb on NeoGaf? Are they really that good? Or are its members regular posters? Can anyone tell me what I'm missing here? (since, yeah, I'm kinda new here)
Click to expand...

Best gaming site in the industry. Focus is on the personalities of each member of the staff, so it's a big deal to see one of the staffers leaving.

edit: reason why I go is that I love their sense of humor, they're down to earth, a relatable and likable bunch. They also have the most popular gaming podcast around
 
Parhelion69 said:
Why so much attention to Giant Bomb on NeoGaf? Are they really that good? Or are its members regular posters? Can anyone tell me what I'm missing here? (since, yeah, I'm kinda new here)
Click to expand...

They're a group of veterans from the video game coverage industry with interesting and amusing personalities. The reason that people love the site is because the main focus of their content is based around highlighting their personalities. They pretty much did the YouTube personality thing before YouTube personalities blew up into what they are now, but they also happen to have a lot of built up credibility, unlike those YouTube personalities.
 
Whoompthereitis said:
I can't access Giant Bomb from this PC.

Anyone wanna post some highlights from his goodbye post?
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I know how that struggle is. Sure, I'll grab a few bits. I'm probably not good at selecting highlights... but I'll try.

Patrick said:
. . .

Spoiler alert: my last day at Giant Bomb was, in reality, a few weeks ago. December 19, to be exact. I wanted to say something at the time, but due to reasons neither exciting nor very interesting, I had to sit on the news. It won't be the last time I'm on the couch with Jeff and company, there's no doubt of that. There are PAXs and GDCs and E3s to be attended, malort to be drunk, and I'll be happy to stop by.

. . .

It's not to suggest I've never cared about my work before Giant Bomb, but I never loved where I worked until strolling into the Whiskey Media offices back in 2011.

. . .

On my first week, I wanted to make a splash, and throw down my journalistic calling card. It was, ostensibly (!!!), the reason I was hired, after all. I'd been sitting on a Guitar Hero story for a little while, but our entire network of sites went down, due to some Amazon service outage. I joked about publishing the breaking news on a public Google document, as the prospect of another outlet being forced to link to a Google doc made me laugh. The joke quickly turned into reality, and everyone told me to publish. So I did, and it later showed up on Kotaku and other publications. What the hell was going on? I was home.

Let's rewind a little, though. . . . Ryan joined us that weekend, and it was mostly, um, a blur. One does did not try to keep up with Ryan's drinking, as you're headed for a morning you'll regret.

. . .

A few months after, as I was stressing about what to do next, I decided to randomly email him:



Random emails out of the blue do sometimes work, y'all!

. . .

If I recall correctly, while drinking with Ryan and Jeff, I said something like "I don't want to interview Ken Levine, I want to interview the person right under Ken Levine. They have the better stories." I don't know that I succeeded in that mission during my tenure, but I hope I was able to tell some interesting stories.

. . .

That first year was hard, though. The community kept an open mind about me, but few knew who I was, and plenty were outwardly skeptical. I was Giant Bomb's first official outsider. If I was part of content, the first question was always "How come Patrick's here instead of Jeff/Ryan/Vinny/Brad?" It was a good question, and I didn't have a good answer. I simply tried to do my best, and tried to get better as I went.

. . .

I grew up in different ways, too. I was preparing for a Quick Look of the Resident Evil 6 demo when someone came over--Vinny, I think--and told me they'd received a hasty message. My brother was trying to get in touch with me, so I picked up my phone, and discovered more than 30 missed calls. I remember telling the room "that's either really good news or really bad news," and walked into the kitchen area. When my brother picked up, I learned my father had passed away of a heart attack at 56-years-old. In a monotone voice, I told everyone what had happened. I walked out of the office, not sure what I should do next. Probably get on a plane back to Chicago? I called my fiance to pick me up.

I was, unsurprisingly, in shock. While I was waiting on the curb, Ryan came up; he was taking a smoke break. He asked me if there was anything I could do, clasped me on the back, and wished me well.

Exactly one year later, ensuring I would never forget him, Ryan would pass on the same day.

When I got the call, I'd already moved back to Chicago, a decision prompted by my father's passing. My phone was buzzing. Vinny kept asking if he could call, and after ignoring him, I bluntly said I was busy. Though drunk, I couldn't muster to say "hey, asshole, I'm trying to grapple with the one-year anniversary of my dad's death, okay?" He persisted, though, so I answered the call, and learned the horrible news.

. . .

I can't say where I'm going yet, but I'm not leaving editorial, and I'm definitely not working for Dave Lang. Keep tabs on Twitter, and you'll have an idea of what's happening soon. As for some of my regular Giant Bomb features--Spookin' With Scoops, Worth Reading, Coffee Videos for Answering Questions, etc.--those will reappear. Stay tuned. Twitch, YouTube, and Tumblr are probably solid places to bookmark.

Take care, and don't be a stranger.

-pk
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Parhelion69 said:
Why so much attention to Giant Bomb on NeoGaf? Are they really that good? Or are its members regular posters? Can anyone tell me what I'm missing here? (since, yeah, I'm kinda new here)
Click to expand...

Part of it for me is just the whole inside baseball aspect of it. These guys have been around a long time and their perspective on the industry is always interesting to me. That's also along the lines of why I come to neogaf, so it's not really surprising to me if that's why others here like giantbomb.

But in general they're just good at what they do. I mean shit, they made watching people play Persona 4 not only interesting but practically every moment is gold.

I definitely don't follow the site because their opinions align with my own, that's for sure. Although I do respect Jeff's neogeo wisdom. I lost my shit on that stream when they pulled out Money Puzzle Exchanger.
 
This is surprising, though I always did think Patrick being along in Chicago as a weird setup.

I'm interested to see who, if anyone, replaces Patrick.
 
MixedUpzombies said:
Centuries will past, day and night will have no difference, life as we know it will be gone and the only constant will be Brad will never leave.
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The ultimate irony!

JonCha said:
This is surprising, though I always did think Patrick being along in Chicago as a weird setup.

I'm interested to see who, if anyone, replaces Patrick.
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They're hiring a news editor in New York who, it now turns out, is supposed to replace Patrick. We have no idea where they are with that stuff right now though.
 
Patrick was the only one who would really try weird Japanese stuff like Danganronpa. His presence will really be missed in that regard when GOTY stuff comes around.
 
Oh man, what a bummer! Sounds like he's leaving on his own terms, which is great. Best of luck Patrick!

I do hope that this means their next hire(s) will be in NYC. Definitely hope to see some strong, flagship content for the site coming out of there in 2015. Although I really liked Patrick, it didn't make as much sense with him being over in Chicago.
 
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