Phil Fish Versus the Internet (incl. Fez review!)

[@LimeyLassen]

Can you imagine if Pablo Picasso had Twitter? Oh god.

[@reemCGR]

+Limey Lassen why? was he crazy?

[@iqpok]

But Picasso also used his art to make fun of the people and groups that he didn't like. I don't think he would have acted like a kid on twitter. He also had much more of a justified reason to make fun of his home country of Spain, which had allowed Nazi Germany to bomb his own people and do other unspeakable horrors. He wasn't just mad at "angry people on the internet".

[@tenyearsinthejoint1]

Now imagine if H.P Lovecraft had twitter.... just imagine.

[@Ihavenolifeorvideos]

If only his popularity had come before his death

[@RogueDragon05]

I love H.P. Lovecraft's work, It probably would'nt have mattered at the time if his views were publicly known that was the general additude about blacks and jews, etc at that time and especially at that place, even people who did'nt agree by and large consented with the pressure to conform. I for one agree with the general message about this video though I would be very hesitant about buying a Phil Fish game because he's definatly not a personality I want to support. that said it would'nt stop me if I was really into a game he made.

[@PaulRaynaudWeirdPG]

the Phil Fish drama feels so quaint compared to 2019

[@teddyharvester]

Yeah, compared to the recent few years in general, the 2012 / 2013 shit seems almost gentlemanly. And at the time I thought that was some serious case of failure to communicate... Had we only known.

[@liddle1234]

@@misterr3083 wait tell you see may

[@DanielCastilloOfZeUSA]

@liddle wait till you see june

[@patrickfuckingdavis]

Ah you beat me to it. I'll have to wait till August to see what level of apocalypse were in...if we survive that long

[@liddle1234]

@@patrickfuckingdavis same he beat me to it too

[@clcsqueejy04]

"Fish announced that FEZ would not be coming to PC, and that PCs were for spreadsheets. In the Spring of 2013, FEZ came to PC and it was NOT a spreadsheet." LOL

[@alicesheep6394]

Hideki Kamiya is a magical man he just can't stand stupid people. Sent him a tweet ages ago about how my little sister loves Okami And that it's her favorite game and he tweeted back a smiley face.

[@hairlessbear6945]

He blocked me after I said Scalebound's Drew and W101's Wonder Blue are cool homages.

[@MastaToken]

+Alice Sheep He blocked for relying to his tweet

[@MidoriMushrooms]

okami is my second favorite game of all time ;v

[@Elyseon]

TotalBiscuit can just fuck off.

[@yserareborn]

@Elyseon If your comment was a few years old I'd understand. Now you kind of come of as a Jackass given TB's health.

[@yserareborn]

Honestly looking back at this I miss the days where apparently the worst thing a developer could be was rude on twitter. Years later the gaming industry has pretty much shat itself between the embarrassing monetization schemes, publicly known crunch, and all the stories coming out about alleged sexual misconduct.

[@robertbektas1810]

Crunch has existed way before Twitter. Heck E.T on Atari was made under crunch

[@yserareborn]

@@robertbektas1810 That's true.

[@mononoaware8529]

not to mention all the fucked up sexual misconduct has been happening the ENTIRE TIME and we still were preoccupied with going after whoever's personality we thought was too blunt or whatever

[@blademaster119]

Phil's story is kinda sad, since he could've avoided this and became successful if he just kept his mouth shut.

[@PrimePixelHD]

Same can be said for a lot of people. It's just the sad truth behind human personalities. The work of an individual is oftentimes contrary to their real life persona, each with varying degrees of impact on the professional life of the individual. It's just a shame that Phil's personality actively got in the professionally.

[@U1TR4F0RCE]

You get in a lot of trouble now a days if you don't interact with the audience at all.

[@hairlessbear6945]

Tell that to the guy who's making Frog Fractions 2.

[@U1TR4F0RCE]

Michael Carlton to every rule there are exceptions, toby fox also doesnt interact with his audience

[@ThePageofCups]

+U1TR4F0RCE Can you really blame him, though?

[@chickenpermission7557]

What an interesting time machine this video is. Incredibly well-made and puts into perspective how far we've come in such a short amount of time.

[@douglewis7946]

Hold up hold up hold up Phil Fish produces a top-quality indie game that was critically-praised almost unanimously, but people didn't buy it because of his "reputation?" ....and meanwhile EA and Ubisoft still make countless millions off of their unquestionably buggy and ludicrously overpriced games? (Note: I say "ludicrously overpriced" because i've seen some fundamental DLC for single AAA games total up to around $200 more than a couple times now.) Yeah, because I'm sure THEY value their customers as people...

[@MrTwistedTheater]

This Comment? 10/10

[@wearyaxe9164]

The difference is that EA and Ubisoft are made up of plenty of good people who probably work hard and deserve the support, while Phis Fish is a single person who is lashing out at the very people who support him. We can not treat entire corporations like a single human being. They are made up of multiple people, and I presume alot of those people are decent.

[@DefinitiveDubs]

They chose to work for those corporations, actively knowing the shady, borderline illegal shit that they do. I don't think they deserve any special treatment.

[@RosesRedThorns]

Wearyaxe So you can't hate a company because it's only partially made up of bad people, but you can hate a person even though they are only partially made up of bad qualities? Or do you actually believe Phil Fish is the devil and has not a single redeeming quality?

[@GeneTonics]

Definitive Dubs dude the people working there most likely aren't working there for a deep passion but because getting a job in the game industry is absolutely harrowing. Life isn't black and white.

[@ProtoMario]

Developers, KZbin Partners, and Celebrities are not GODs. Period end of story. But they are more easily seen. However, stealing everyone's money with the Kickstarter and refusing to refund the money is fucked up shit.

[@wafflecone6968]

But Proto!!

[@alexscriabin]

phil fish is good, actually.

[@therealdavidcage4761]

H.P Lovecraft was a insanely racist person, but he also made some of the best horror stories ever made. George Lucas is an idiot, but the original trilogy of Star Wars are classics and still capture the hearts and minds of kids today. Todd Howard tells filthy lies to make his games look more advanced than they are, but the Elder Scrolls and Fallout are amazing games with some of the best examples of emergent storytelling. Yahtzee Croshaw is hilarious and a fantastic game critic, but I would never want to meet the guy in person. And it's much easier and quicker to name musicians who *aren't* assholes than to name those who are. You can hate an artist as a person and still enjoy their work, people.

[@cruelcumber5317]

I've heard that Yahtzee is actually super awkward and nervous in social interactions.

[@guywhomstvepostgood]

Lovecraft's racism actually made it a bit harder for me to buy into some of his stories. I mean, this was a British guy who was squicked out when he learned one of his relatives was Welsh, for ducks sake. I'm not sure I can trust the judgement of a man that an alien is so horrible and monstrous that it can drive people insane when he'd probably have the exact same reaction to a black man in a two-piece suit.

[@tales-of-fossegrim]

this needs to be a quote.

[@therealdavidcage4761]

Pratz I'm already a fan of Let's Drown Out. They're great podcasts to listen to, but they really show how much contempt he has for other people sometimes.

[@Tracequaza]

wagner was an asshole and am adulterer, and beethoven was short-tempered which I guess isn't too bad but he would've been a nightmare on twitter.

[@tortoracoon9771]

In Japan, Fish and Beer are a perfect match!! If he was Japanese, we would be playing Fez 3 Alpha Omega Remaster by now

[@DrShaym]

I just bought Fez last night for $2.49 on Steam. Also, fuck XBox. Between my 360 red-ringing because they decided to rush a defective product to market, and the anti-consumerist bullshit they tried to pull with XBox One, I gave up on that shit and everyone else should too.

[@AydarBMSTU]

Thanks for irrelevant-to-the-subject advice. Also fuck Call of Duty, I hate that franchise, defective product after defective product. Also fuck Django Unchained, overhyped because directed by Tarantino. Also fuck Dark Knight Rises, what an awful conclusion to the trilogy. Do you see the point now?

[@georgie9303]

Dr Shaym That's your fault kid. I took care of my white 360 and its working like a champ. I moved on from consoles but i can count on my 360.

[@bruhtholemew]

AydarBMSTU I don't think CoD was the best example to use since even the biggest fans have been upset lately.

[@vedal1358]

Did you... just call Dr. Shaym a kid?

[@MrJemoederopeenstokj]

To be fair: Bjork was being followed by this reporter, who was pushing her for shameless sensationalism. He had it coming

[@pie6088]

victim blaming?

[@mononoaware8529]

@@pie6088 no we are not blaming Bjork of being a victim of a shameless reporter

[@danbull]

Great little documentary, bravo

[@moduscorp]

When not covering actual games, game journalism likes to create "sensational" headlines the likes of all those stupid magazines you never buy in the grocery checkout line. The headline "Phil Fish said x" is the equivalent of "x movie star is dating x". Worthless, pedantic, and ultimately nothing stories that people just loves to gossip over because they adore drama and celebrity idolizing/bashing.

[@pikistikman]

moduscorp Phil Fish posted anonymously on /v/, but you could still see his tweet options in the picture

[@hedgehog3180]

I mean honestly I don't think I could care less about the personal opinions of a dev about a genre of a game. I might be interested in reading a discussion or whatever but I don't care if they think a genre sucks. The only time I would like to know is if they're actually bigoted and if buying their product goes towards supporting that. I can't think of any other case where I'd really be interested in the personal opinions of deves.

[@ZontarDow]

The only thing I have against Fish is that he stole ideas from others, got government funding for his project he never should have received, and that he used connections with the IGDA to have their game of the year award (which is a cash reward) not only be rigged so he could win with Fez, but even had the rules re-written so he could win it two years in a row for the same game. Actually, now that I think about it, he got what he had coming.

[@resmarted]

You'd think if the game was so good he wouldn't need to be subsidized with stolen money to be successful.

[@marshallzzz]

@@resmarted >"All government money is stolen" How is america treating you

[@resmarted]

what? @@marshallzzz

[@greyEAX]

I understand your arguement, Bunnyhop, but I think for a lot of people, its more of a principle thing. I personally don't want to give money to someone who insults me because I'm a PC gamer, or because I want to buy a game thats on sale because I don't have a lot of money to spend, and doing so would cause me trouble on an emotional and principled level. It's like, if someone made delicious food, and when you went to buy it, they called you a fat piece of shit. Yeah, the food might still be good, but fuck that guy, I'd rather eat shitty food from the nicest chef ever, because I'd rather support someone who is nice, and enjoys doing what he does, even if he's not good at it, than someone who is the best, but is a shitty person.

[@awsomeDualshock]

What's funny is that Kamiya is much more toxic then Fish, yet Fish is the one who is seen as a demon and Kamiya is still loved by many people. I don't understand you, people of the internet.

[@Swordsman99k]

+Bakatyler I think it's because Kamiya makes good games. Fez is alright, but it's a single thing and hardly a career to respect someone for. I say this not having played the games Kamiya makes, only having heard that he makes good games.

[@Swordsman99k]

+It's Because I have played Devil May Cry. Well then, I guess the statement about Fish is even stronger now. Even DMC2 is better than Fez.

[@Bullitthiphop]

+Bakatyler Most of Kamiya's tweets are funny because they are meant sarcastic and trolly, just read kamiya tweet tumblr and you see his not serious about most things.

[@SuperFirstSecond]

+Bakatyler I would say for some people, its probably because his terse responses read more as a humorous comeback vs Fish's more personal insults. Its the difference between a guy who doesn't really give a shit as opposed to someone who clearly gives too much of a shit. For me, its more because Kamiya's tweets are just as often positive to fans as they are insults to trolls. I tweeted at him that I loved The Wonderful 101 and he replied with a :) He also wrote and directed way better games than Fez.

[@LynxSavage]

Take-Aways: As a developer your developer email account should be 1 way communication only. No interaction. As a developer you should have a personal account that is total catfish. This way you can still live your digital life without scrutiny as people have a thing about putting other people onto ridiculous christ-like pillars. As a developer that is indie, make the games YOU like and want. Remember, one way communication only. Don't even read the comments. Have someone else read them, weed out the trolls and pass on constructive feedback.

[@LynxSavage]

Maybe consumers should stop acting like assholes. It only takes a few to ruin a bunch. You have folks who have no idea about a development cycle output schedules most AAA developers could not do with hundreds of coders from an Indie dev. That is not even logical. It is maddening. Perhaps it is a two way street. Maybe customers need to behave like they have common sense and are not 5 years old and perhaps devs need to hire PR people that are paid to deal with the public and its douche bag members. Nothing anyone SAYS warrants the kind of bullshit that happens, not just to phil fish, but to devs everywhere. Even the silent ones have bullshit thrown at them by entitled consumers. Everyone thinks they are owed something. P.S. If you donated to a kickstarter.. that is not thievery. It is a donation. That means you willingly gave up the money. If you read the info regarding these types of donations, the donation does not guarantee a product release. It is a donation not a contract to deliver. Given development costs, what he did get for Fez2 was probably all but gone by the time he cancelled anyway. The money he is taking and running with is the money he got from Fez. So instead of making a fez 2 he is taking his earnings and running. That does not speak of the donations. People just automatically came to that conclusion without finding out more. To say "I don't like this man because he told a troll to eat a dick" is ridiculous. You have said worse in traffic/walking/shopping/whatever. He cannot insult those who are guilty enough to grab the insult. He was obviously talking to a distinct set of individuals that were harassing him and using generalized language.

[@LynxSavage]

Well we all have a right to our opinions and how we handle things. I can agree to disagree.

[@LynxSavage]

So do we just ignore the fact that his insults to people were provoked? If there were no provocation... sure, he is a douche. But if provoked he is not a douche he is merely human. Look at what you just wrote. You hurled an insult to a man you don't know without provocation by calling him a 'cunt'. So yeah, don't hold people to standards you cannot hold yourself.

[@toldeneye007]

Lynx Savage Theres a difference between making a negative assesment of someones character and directly insulting them. Im not interacting with fish and dont expect to be, and im not speaking with any vitriol or hate. Provocation doesnt make his reaction any better, pissy hateful internet shit is pissy hateful internet shit be it provoked or unprovoked. And to go take a quick glance at his twitter, its mostly a platform for that kinda stuff, some of it reads a bit like comments off of /v/. So id say its fairly reasonable to asess that the mans an asshole. Is him being an asshole any different than any other cunt on /v/ or something being an asshole? No, but that was the point of this video, wasn't it? They're still a bad person, but its not remarkable in any way, and it doesnt have much bearing on what they made.

[@nightsage217]

Lynx Savage Agree. It is PR management orientate subject than the game development itself. Phil fish is alrdy anxious enough to produce a game, let alone quite unpleasant & unnecessary Internet get into process. I would say 2 sides had issues and certainly we lost a talent in the industry regardless his personality.

[@evictionnotice28]

"Phil himself used to work at Ubisoft." Well that explains some things...

[@kikujade]

"His personality does not affect the quality of the game" Thank you. People need to be taught this. Fez is an amazing game.

[@Unethical.FandubsGames]

+Lion heart True. Doesn't mean I have to buy it and put money in the pocket of an ass-clown though. Everyone will vote with their wallet based on pretty much anything they want. It's always been the case.

[@kikujade]

Cao Cao also, how about this: www.viralwalrus.com/entertainment/16-celebs-served-time-in-jail

[@hawkeyegough9090]

agreed, H.P Lovecraft is one of my favorite authors and he was incredibly racist even for the time that he lived in and some of my favorite bands like for example ukrainian Nokturnal Mortum are ex-nazi but still probabvly very far right

[@brodersami]

Ben - Definitive Dubs Besides, if you want to take that moral high-ground, maybe you should look at your other purchases as well. Yeah, this guy who made a game said some inflammatory stuff on twitter, but the companies that make your shoes and clothes employ children in factories that don't meet basic safety standards. But that doesn't matter because they're not talking about it on twitter.

[@omerozel4716]

Lion heart Still enjoy FEZ. Don't care who is behind it. i even buyed the game knowing who this guy is

[@livecoilarchive1458]

Phil Fish deserved the shit he received and he got it because he was an independent developer who marketed himself as such. It's not actually the same as a faceless, malicious corporation selling a game to unsuspecting, ignorant gamers. Honestly, Fish's story is tragic to me because though gamers rightfully thwarted a pos like him from the community, they should've carried that same vigorous ire towards the insidious corporations of today. We got Konami, sure, but why not Blizzard, Ubisoft, or any others? These corporations have made several well-received, beloved games, but if it didn't work for Fish's one good game, why not for them either?

[@Phantosification]

I'm glad this was fair to Phil Fish, instead of just being another "HE IS UGLY AND DUMB AND EATS BABIES" kind of rant that I see pretty much everywhere else.

[@simongotborg3866]

After having watched the video, I feel like you didn't get your point across. Why is a bad idea not to buy a good game? You obviously lose out on a good experience, but if someone feels that Fish shouldn't be rewarded for his work, and they would rather miss out on a good game than reward Fish for making the game, then why should they buy it? If you want people to re-think the subject, I'd suggest that you discuss the real impact that supporting Fish will have on the game industry. I guess there were parts of that discussion in the video, but given the amount of focus on the game quality and the history behind the development, it got drowned out. I still enjoyed the video though. It got me thinking.

[@crassiuscurio1616]

The plot thickens: Andy Kaufman faked his own death to become an Indie game developer... And then trolled everyone online.

[@pearofsalamanca]

Or, perhaps Phil Fish is the reincarnation of Andy Kaufman.

[@callacas3249]

Although I agree with you on some points there are others that I don't. I mean, when you are creating a product and go onto twitter or facebook you are not only representing yourself, but also your product. Let's say I own a fast food restaurant and every day I go outside and hold a sign up saying "Buy my burgers, they are delicious!" But I also just happen to curse out everyone passing by on the street and start arguments with them. Those people will not want to buy my burgers. It;s just like that with Phil Fish. When he is on twitter he represents his product as well as himself. And if he is cursing out everybody who looks at him funny in a public forum then those potential customers would not want to buy his game.

[@JosephMcMurray1984]

Agreed. Social media nowadays just makes the relation with your public image and your product much clearer to the public. Its one of the reasons why people support things nowadays. They want to make sure that the right people are getting wealthy. Would Steam be as successful if Gabe Newall was an asshole? Probably not.

[@unvergebeneid]

FEZ is definitely worth $5, even if it only were for the first few hours where you can actually feel your brain rewire itself to cope with the 2.5D madness. That was an awesome experience and unlike a good story or beautiful graphics, this is the one thing only video games can do. So if you like video games, what the hell are you waiting for!

[@catiseith]

Lesson learned: If you're going to be an indie developer, learn some freaking PR. It won't save you from the trolls, but you'll know how to deal with them.

[@Nothingisasitseems]

CaitSeith True for just about everything. If you're a one-man project, YOU are the PR so people look to YOU to rate if your brand is any good. Big companies have PR men who can act as a buffer and spread positive news, but smaller groups need to take responsibility for their own perception.

[@ElFlippage]

Came back and watched this one, it's aged very well. A word you might have used if you'd made this video nowadays is "parasocial relationships", which are really the crux of the issue when examining the relationship between consumers and supposed celebrity indie game developers.

[@DamonCzanik]

I find Fish more fascinating than Fez. Like watching a train wreck sometimes. The fact is, if people don't want to buy the game based on his personality, that is 100% their right. It's their money. However, it's also 100% his right to never produce any more games. Both are missing out in my opinion. Where I draw the line is doxxing him. Putting all his passwords, hard drive contents, bank information, etc. online is just fucked up. That's criminal activity. Over what? What some egotistical, opinionated idiot with a quick temper said on the internet? Please. Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one (and most of them stink). It's not worth going to prison for.

[@EhCanadianGamer]

Snake: "Hey guys whats goin on, OH GAWD! JESUS CHRIST! Jesus: "Hey man you called? OH GOD! OH GOD! God: Hey guys, oh god, why did I even invent piss? It's so gross!

[@bunnyhopshow]

Hmm. How much of an effect do you think hair length has on the strength of one's arguments?

[@Pyro-Moloch]

I think Kamiya is awesome.

[@Josh-xt2ig]

PyroNexus22 Is that a Skepta logo?

[@Pyro-Moloch]

Top Kek Skepta, Jme, Shorty, Jammer, Wiley, etc. It's their label or something.

[@Josh-xt2ig]

Nice dude, barely see anyone who's into them on other videos lol

[@Pyro-Moloch]

Top Kek you'd be surprised, I'm not even british, I'm russian.

[@Josh-xt2ig]

Woah sweet, how'd you find out about them?

[@superdudeman666]

I got FEZ on a humble bundle, and I gave it all to charity. Hahahahah take that Phil Fish!

[@codethemgames2089]

Fuck off, Phil Fish did say some things that were rude. But overall his struggles really mattered and to see that much of a response so negative, is just amazingly sad. Phil was 18 when he released FEZ and 16 when he said some of the comments. I really think you are just hating on him cause others are doing so.

[@superdudeman666]

bit.ly/1cMpRBx Impressive beard for a 16 year old too!

[@codethemgames2089]

Actually I used Indie Game: The Movie and he said 1998 he got a NES at the age of 4. I think he was incorrect, but still I think this man is amazing even though he has done some childish acts.

[@bunnyhopshow]

superdudeman666 Go easy on him, Derpy Dan was 4 when he made that comment.

[@codethemgames2089]

Super Bunnyhop ;c sorry I'm just saying Phil Fish made a good game. And I don't pay attention to twitter. I think Phil Fish is a good Indie developer but has a big mouth.

[@spinyjustspiny3289]

The main reason people don't buy Fez for Phil isn't because it makes the game bad, it's because the money goes to supporting hypocritical statements and an overblown ego that refused to take responsibility for his words and actions. Kamiya, for example, is toxic, but only when people don't show him basic respect to start with. He knows he doesn't have to put up with this on Twitter, and thus indiscriminately blocks people he isn't in the mood to deal with. Otherwise he may seem a bit standoffish, but doesn't really go out of his way to insult people out of nowhere, and admits when he may have jumped the gun. Phil just kind of rattled on at a wall with people in earshot, acted shocked when people actually heard him, and continued lashing out instead of explaining himself and analyzing his own behavior. And even if it was done for PR, there are FAR better ways to build hype for a PC release than cynically depreciating the PC market. A lot of people could've handled this far better, yes. But Phil was the keystone in this entire shitstorm.

[@bunnyhopshow]

I probably should've thrown in the word "vocally" before "didn't want to reply" to clarify, but I'm aware of the convoluted details of their drama. Its hard to condense them all and still not run over 20 minutes.

[@GerardEarthfield]

It's been years since this happened, and I haven't seen this particular trivia about the situation in the comments( If it's there, I'm sorry), but to add a bit of context: Beer emailed Fish about the Xbox One because FEZ had some issues, and patching the game was "too costly" on 360 (IIRC it was something like 10000 bucks), so the game was left unpatched. This piled with PS4 being the "Indie" console back then, that made patches and stuff for indies costs to be cheaper than for big publishers. So, when box started its own similar initiative, Beer probably speculated that FEZ now could be finally patched, so he reached out to get word on that. Which justifies none of the vitriol, but it helps to understand how the ball started rolling.

[@sashipton3440]

Thank you for your objective logic. Such a rare thing to see on the internet, esp on issues that are so full of trolls.

[@sdgundum990]

It's funny how the Phil Fish incident and the incidents around that time and are still continuing now remind me of MGS2.

[@MAYOFORCE]

I know he won't see this, but I apologize to Phil Fish. Like myself, while he says a lot of hateful things, he doesn't mean them. It's the other people on the internet that blow it out of proportion, though honestly the reason he got burnt out through the hate was because he should've taken his fame more seriously and not use generalized negative language all the time.

[@jekblom123]

Phish is an example as to why you should have as little interaction with your fans as possible. Every tweet or facebook update you make is PR that can potentially end up pissing someone off.

[@adamgiraudet8914]

Its mainly because people have different opinions. Say something some people will like and others will hate.

[@sumperdeph]

This feels stupid when I think about people buying products from multinational mega corporations known to do unethical things and some downright evil things just because it's cheaper and more convenient, it's very hypocritical and it actually affects the world in the big picture when people continue to buy the products of evil corporations. The effect of buying a product of small developers or an artist is minuscule in comparison. In a way just enjoying art for what it is and supporting it will do more good and gives an incentive to make good games or art, is it so horrible if a person that's not morally perfect gets some reward for good work, it's not like you're funding his unsavory behavior unlike big corporations, you're just enjoying a work of art and helping a person contribute to the evolution of art. of course there can be some people who let their success go to their head and become more toxic in their behavior. But unless you give a lot attention to their stupid actions the net affect of good art should be positive. it's okay if you decide to not buy art based on who made the art, but if you do, you better not be shopping at Walmart unless you want to be a huge hypocrite.

[@Generik97]

I hold people like Phil Fish to the same standard as everyone else, if you want my money be a decent human being. Thanks to Capitalism I get to vote with my wallet, if your going to publically be an asshole your not going to get my money, regardless of how insignificant that maybe if enough insignificant people vote with there wallet then it has an effect.

[@blankempathy]

I'm sorry but why should I support a grown ass man who can't control themselves? One less game to play? Because we're desperately in need of more games? If people had fun with fez thats fine but at the same time I have many other games to occupy me. And yes other people and devs have said stupid stuff as well but Phish never seems to learn where others do.

[@chromeinox]

Everywhere is like that. Tweeter, facebook and alike don't really provide any useful service. They just show that celebrities life sucks more than ours, but they're rich.

[@Iliek]

For many people, this is a service in itself, and perhaps is a way to remove some of the celebrity idol worship illusion.

[@maccas4268]

I got Fez in a Humble Bundle a few years back, 43 minutes in and I couldn't stand it anymore. It was shit.

[@atesgoksu9426]

And thats okay, because you have just judged the game and not the developer, and everybody has a different opinion.

[@pictonomii3295]

Same here, it's pretty meh.

[@michaelavanessian8558]

Hearing about how we'll probably never get a fix to the problems in the game is kinda hilarious now that one of the other devs made a huge update for the PC version a year or so ago.

[@fennecboo]

I don't know how I had gone so long without knowing about your channel. I'm very glad to have stumbled across it about a month ago. Love the content, love the views, and always look forward to new content.

[@superstarm304]

I remember when I saw Fez and though, this looked cool. I bought it during a summer steam sale and found this video a few months later. I could think was, "I'm glad I missed out on this."

[@Wildeye13]

+Super Starm Pretty much the same thing I thought in regards to gamergate. I was out of internet access cuz I was up in my home province in the mountains. By the time I got back, it was starting to die down. My God the internet make people stupid.

[@lobster5588]

+Wildeye No, the internet only allows stupid people to voice their opinion.

[@superstarm304]

Jake Azz Don't try to start anything

[@stanley1698]

+Super Starm Things like this remind me of and humble me with the knowledge that the Internet is vast, yet young. Because I hadn't even heard of this "controversy" until 3 years later. The Steam paid mods fiasco? A few months later. Gamergate? I don't even know when that happened.

[@MarioVelezBThinkin]

I had a really similar experience. I discovered the game through the music. I dont really keep up with game news. (or I didnt) then I thought, hey this sounds awesome and its part of a game thats real cheap, lemme try it. A friend of mine then noticed my interest and began preaching on and on about how the guy who made it is an asshole. I could give a shit. The music is awesome, the game is interesting enough to pay 4.99 for it. I enjoyed the game thoroughly and all the puzzles that I did figure out on my7 own. All in all it's always a sad reminder that people take so much so personally when all anyone ever says is from a narrow and often tiny sliver of the relative perspective. After seeing indie game the movie I felt sorry for Phil. He obviously can't control his mouth or think before he uses it. Then again, neither can most people on the internet these days. Thanks for making a great video and confirming that I'm not a careless asshole who just buys whats cheap. :)

[@Tibazz]

I bought the game really late, all the controversy sailed over my head completely. I love the game, i got invested in it and was extremely happy when i solved some of the puzzles : ) I did not manage all of them unfortunately, and some I'm kicking myself for having to look up online, but exploring the world was insanely satisfying. In my mind its a masterpiece. : )

[@Flow764]

6 years late but I guess this is still pretty relevant. The whole thing was never about teaching Phil a lesson, making the internet a friendlier place or Phil's statements having any impact on the real world it's just entertainment. He was a lulzcow. He said something stupid and funny so people kept poking him to make him say more stupid and funny stuff, that's really it. Also I wonder how many people would agree with the "Being mean online doesn't make your game worse" statement in the case of Heartbeat.

[@allclevernamesgone]

George has not been killing himself for a good 5 years now.

[@Giga419]

Funnily enough there's only 2 reasons I search for a Game Developer's personality. When a game series is consistently amazing (ala. Nintendo: Miyamoto, Iwata etc), or when a series takes a drastic dive in quality all of a sudden (i.e. Halo and 343).

[@Dragonking1984]

I think the problem with him is he let his personal problems mix with his professional problems. between the legal battle he was in with his former business partner to the criticisms he got about his game. (although insulting someone just because they won't talk to you is rather childish) he basically had a meltdown and from that came his utter contempt with the industry as a whole. it's sad but that's why mixing your personal life with your professional one is always a bad idea.

[@PrinceSnot]

After having just watched the bullshot video it kind of makes it seem like consumers are such a huge problem in game development today. The same people that buy into blatant false advertising in AAA gaming are the ones who refuse to buy from developers for them "not being nice enough". People just have there priorities backwards. The same thought process is in the music realm. Most will refuse to listen to music made by people they deem a bad character (which the people making such statements are also very selective), and discourage others from listening as well.

[@DefinitiveDubs]

Which is ironic, because they have no issue listening to music from Axl Rose who is a notorious douchebag, nor do they have any issue listening to rap artists who brag about committing various crimes IRL including, but not limited to, murder.

[@spaciouswheat4580]

"not allowed to call them an asshole" i think you are allowed to call anyone anything you want under the concept of sharing your opinion, doesn't mean its right or wrong but you can do it lol

[@KA1Z3RTheAmazing]

You maybe a relatively small, lesser known channel, but damn it all if you're not one of my favorites. Unbiased, well-researched and thought-out, and no stupid gimmicks. Keep up the damn fine work!

[@makingnoises2327]

That was the best ending possible. Good job.

[@swift_sam]

Fez is one of my favorite games, and I find myself wanting to go back and experience it again, despite completing it to the fullest the internet could ever decipher (heart pieces and all). I sat down with pencil and paper and transcribed the meaning of the alphabet, and carefully translated signs and dialogue to understand the meanings. I solved puzzles earlier in the game than seemed possible by diligently referencing these notes and found myself enthralled by the games limited, but implied mythology. In the end, I was deeply satisfied, and I wanted even more out of the game than what I had gotten, despite being incredibly pleased by the whole experience. When Fez 2 was announced, despite the internet basically wishing to burn the Phil Fish throne, I was so excited. To see it canceled was one of my bigger disappointments. Phil's personality and a heavy media spotlight were like a spark on gasoline, but I can never forget how much I loved Fez.

[@gamefreakpoke]

Love the line "Fez came to PC and it was not a spreadsheet"

[@persevere67]

You are an awesome reporter, so thorough, concise and intelligent. I would enjoy your reporting on just about any topic you choose to speak. today's mainstream media is dumbed down that it is just unbearable. I have been watching your videos all night long and i have enjoy it so much. thank you!

[@vinbdias]

I think you misunderstandood the happening bud. Marcus Beer was not mad about Phil Fish not answering his e-mails. As far as I know, it was another media vehicle that approached him for an opinion into the new X-Box game creator plataform, Game Informer I think, not Marcus himself. Marcus has more than once said that he in particular does not care for their opinion. Plus Marcus did not say or meant to imply that public figures own the media commentaries and or quotes. What he said, and it is pretty down to earth and realistic, is that if you mistreat the media, don't expect the same to be nice about it when you are promoting your new work. Simple as that. A two way relationship. Not a Marcus Beer fanboy. I don't follow what he does in years, for no particular reason. I did buy Fez and defend it as a very good game, aside from thinking Phil Fish is a douche, which is irrelevant to me when analyzing his work. Just stating the facts here. Anyways, aside from the controversy analysis, which in my opinion should not be in here, but in a separate video, even though it is full of very good and full of relevant and right on point social commentary about the celebrity phenomenom, nice review.

[@Gnurklesquimp]

18:18 Does anyone know what the music here is? A cover of something by Chopin, right?

[@tanyuj]

rewatching this as fez is re-released on the nintendo switch.

[@MariaRamirez-fx7vl]

Which is kinda hilarious after he insulted Japanese games years ago lol

[@paulstaker8861]

From a comment a way down below: "Bad people don't deserve good things." Never have my ass been more tightly planted on the fence.

[@stanley1698]

+Paul Staker Indeed. You own that fence!

[@NicoBleackley]

+Paul Staker prayin4u it's not a picket fence

[@DefinitiveDubs]

There's another side to that argument, and it's that bad people can sometimes do good things. And those good things are worth recognizing.

[@DaditudeEra]

Ahhhh a story on gaming journalism. I have some experience here. I used to work for Roger Ebert and the first thing I learned there is that if you're a journalist covering a specific topic, you should never really try to tear anyone down unless it's absolutely required. Artists are finnicky people. They're sensitive and simply wired differently. Fish is an artist. He creates. He is probably sensitive. And to have someone like Mr. Beer just kind of call him out for being an asshole is...not cool. Then again how often to rock journalists call out Bob Dylan and so on. HOWEVER Gaming media is a little more incestuous because it's really a niche. There's the people who like games, the people who care about how they're made, then the people who really, really CARE about the whole process. Devs talk to journalists who talk to the internet who talk to PR people, and so on. It's tricky. But I saw Indie Game the movie and I don't think Fish or Blow came off as assholes. In fact Blow came off really weel, and Fish came off as a guy struggling under the weight of his own potential genius with Fez. It happens. Someone talk to Francis Ford Coppola while he's making Apocalypse Now and see how he comes off.

[@1Rekuiem]

Dude you make such seriously on point content, that really knows how to look at content culture and mechanics. I hope you read the comments and get joy knowing that we are culturally working towards a better collective... even if at times it seems like dealing with constant loud ineptitude is just a given in our new collective cultural formation and broadening perspective. Keep up the great work, I really value this channel. Although I caught the train ride kind of late, I've been going through most of your videos, and am constantly refreshed to know there are content creators out there who's ability to communicate can cut through the bullshit of sensationalism like a knife through butter.

[@babypolerpopster]

Damn, he looks like he needs help. Sincere ones.

[@eddycatboy]

Cave Rave That boy needs a therapist.

[@FlyhmTheBones]

Just keep doing what you do, Bunnyhop. You inform people, so they can make educated choices as consumers, and hopefully support developers who create for the love of it, and support other developers. Because if our competitors as developers do better, that gives us motivation to do better as developers (and maybe find a crunch-free way, somehow?)

[@Globalnet626]

Why is Fez getting so much praise? I felt like he took the idea from Echochrome with the perspectives changing the environment shtick. Sure he spun it in his own way, but to say that it's revolutionary is not fair. Both games where announced roughly the same year, with Echochrome finishing development at 2008 and Fez at 2012. EchoChrome is now obscure as shit, Fez is still being talked about.

[@regriefing1807]

facts

[@reNINTENDO]

Old vid, but it's interesting to go over this stuff considering I got Fez without really knowing anything about it. I just knew the game reviewed well and got it with "CS:GO money". I definitely enjoyed it more than you did apparently, and most certainly thought it was worth 10 dollars. I thought the more cryptic puzzles were cool, and I think I figured a few of them out on my own (can't remember, really), but I just thought the game was charming enough on its own to recommend it. Plus even if a lot of the rotation mechanics weren't fully explored, they were still really cool looking and led to some cool platforming. I guess it's different looking at things now. Games seemed to go down in value for a bit, but now I sort of view them as going up. Like, fez for 15 bucks on the PC wouldn't be weird anymore, at least in my opinion. I've definitely seen a lot worse charged for a lot more.

[@Taggartize]

Phil wasn't even that bad honestly. And his game, was insanely good. The way he went at his game was new and fresh too. I think Beer was a legit dickhead

[@Shadar22]

It really, really isn't.

[@TheSilentKnight131]

I love the entire video, but I must say that the Fez review in particular is absolutely genius. The way you abruptly threw in disjointed and blatantly unrelated points about Fish's less than stellar personality in stark contrast with the criticisms that genuinely made sense and were actually relevant to the game really put into perspective the illogical nature of not playing the game simply because Fish isn't a very nice man and above all made this "reasoning" seem absolutely outlandish and ridiculous. Kudos to you sir!

[@RedN3ctar]

Incredibly entertaining video, this is why I love this channel!

[@vinegar4556]

Looking back on it, seems like Phil got out before he became a full on lolcow, because he certainly had the personality for it. The Kiwis would love him.

[@jamestadeson8222]

You are one of the best KZbin channels ever! I enjoy every one of your game

[@superdoc177]

Fez was a beautiful and respectfully challenging game that is on my short list of games I wish I could play again for the first time. I paid full price for the first one and would do it again, regardless of the person who made it. Do you know how many goods and services we all buy from total assholes? Me either but probably a lot. My completionist nerdy math mind needs games like this. Each puzzle was thrilling and I still have the pages of notes I had to take to crack the codes. STILL WANT FEZ TWO! ❤ Stop being dramatic celebrity-driven bitches. Buy the damn game. Support the people that have the abilities to make such a wonderful thing.

[@haruruben]

Wow has it been 8 years? I still haven’t finished Fez

[@Irondrone4]

"It doesn't take much to set people off on the internet." I AM SO TRIGGERED RIGHT NOW!!!

[@dackid2831]

The review changed immensely compared to your normal one. Just something for all you game designers and youtubers, don't let anyone break you guys and don't take the negative things people say to heart. As much as I hate to say it, some people do go on here just to demonize the works of others, even when they have no right to. If there is true feedback on what could be fixed, that is something to glance at. You guys are doing what you love to do and that's what matters most, so keep at it, and don't let anyone stop you. :)

[@craigmcpherson1455]

The initial situation boiled down to two grown men (Fish and Beer) acting like cry babies, and most people don't like cry babies so their reputations were tarnished. That's life; there are ACTIONS, and there are CONSEQUENCES. The Andy Kaufman picture in Phil Fish's twitter profile is odd. Was Mr. Fish fascinated by Andy Kaufman's childish and trollish behavior? Was Mr. Fish not seeking fame but infamy?

[@bunnyhopshow]

How far is she? Has she needed to use a strategy guide yet? Some of 'em had me totally stumped.

[@MaskofPoesy]

Quentin Tarantino is known to get angry easily, That Cliff guy's comment was quite stupid, and made a bad impression. Totalbiscuit was correct on all the statements you have put there, and largely redeemed himself over the years And I couldn't care less about Björk or that other dude. But, fuck phil fish. seriously. I have bought a humbleindiebundle with fez, and took his slider to zero, and refused to redeem the key.

[@MaskofPoesy]

If you plan to discuss, please do so. If you plan to be a piece of shit. GTFO. Kira, whomever you were.

[@ouou456]

hey, anyone know what the game at 12:28 is? I've been trying to remember what it's called for years.

[@PolarPhantom]

Yeah but the Japanese Games things is still really hecking nasty and reflects just how Japnophobic the scene was back then - that poor Game Dev was heartbroken and I wish him the best.

[@presquelt]

Makoto Goto is doing just fine actually, unlike Fish.

[@johannliebert2870]

​@@presqueltwhat's Fish doing right now? Seems like he fell off the face of the earth

[@T3n50r]

What's that video @12:15 from? Anyone got a source for it?

[@notRuskia]

Oh how times have changed. I'm curious if your opinion has held.

[@QuickFingersGames]

you deserve a LOT more views! This is a super well prodcued piece man

[@Teabone3]

I know what Phil went through. Its not a fun place to be.

[@fabianrunn]

he's a lot worse, and his show... wow, what a childish thing to do for his age... I can't watch for more than ten seconds without cringing.

[@alessiomadethat]

Fabian Runn show?

[@yuan5154]

The mob mentality and cancel culture has never reigned more true than now huh

[@boredrobot5502]

Having a bad taste in your mouth about a game is perfectly okay. And the creator of the game being a complete fuckhead is perfectly valid as a reasoning for said bad taste. Sure, ten years ago no one would have cared who he was. But does that matter? It's not ten years ago anymore. We live in an era that warrants being respectful to the people that make a creator's career possible. That's why you see all this debate and backlash over AAA games being complete rehashes and madden-ized franchises... Though in that case it's not a single person taking the heat. And apparently Phil Fish stole most of the game, so his taking sole credit for it and receiving all that completely well-deserved criticism is on HIM. He could have NOT taken credit for something he didn't do. Thus staying discreet, and not warranting criticism from everyone and their mothers. Let's get this out of the way, it doesn't technically matter if the person that made a game is a complete asshole. But I have a much better time playing Shovel Knight than I do playing Fez, and it DOES have to do with the fact that if I ever turn Fez on it throws all these thoughts my way about how fucked up the person (that took credit for) making that game was. We are waking up as consumers and that's definitely not a bad thing. Bad people don't deserve good things, that's the simplest way to put it.

[@Garrette63]

Bored Robot We're not waking up as consumers. We're taking shots at easy target. If the dev of a AAA game is an asshole, it doesn't matter, because there's team of people that keep them isolated from the public. If we stop buying games based on the people that develop them, then we would have a lot less games in our libraries and a lot less IP's in general. And if we apply this same logic to anything else other than video games, I'm sure we would have a lot fewer products to buy as well. I don't disagree that people should be more respectful, but I do disagree with singling someone out, when the same standards are impossible to hold to others. I've also read that a lot of "Stolen Code" stuffs was discredited. I honestly don't care about the game, or Phil Fish, but it's interested that people are so willing to wage a crusade on the guy when so many things that we consume are made possible by people like Phil Fish. Also, treading into the developers owe consumers more respect than normal because they make their careers possible is dangerous ground, I would much prefer that they simply develop quality products to offer, and consumers buy it if they choose to. Early Access has taught us that empowering the consumer in such a way can be disastrous for a game. It's also interesting that you brought up Shovel Knight, a decent game but a game that doesn't have a single unique idea or gameplay element.

[@spookyf1nger979]

Bored Robot Don't you ever consider that Phil was pushed to that point by internet cunts? He just didn't have a healthy way to express that negativity, and he was under the most pressure he had ever experienced in his life. Is having a little empathy for someone trying to break out of their comfort zone and try new things too much to ask? Humanity is a fuckin' rare thing these days I guess.

[@catiseith]

Bored Robot The backlash on rehashes and madden-ized franchises are because of the games themselves; not because the developers were complete douches on their comments.

[@yunikage]

Patrick Callahan I save my sympathy for people who deserve it. Hint: most of them don't get movies made about them.

[@cambiankatako1220]

I didn't buy Fez because I didn't want to fund such a festering anus of a person.

[@bunnyhopshow]

That might also be because the MGS2 video was filmed using a much better camera, and that made my arguments stronger.

[@meyerpictures]

absolutely loved the ending

[@bunnyhopshow]

Shocking twist: those days never existed. The only difference was that gag orders were more effective before the Internet.

[@OGFlipperbaby]

thank you. the amount of hate this dude gets is ridiculous. he went thru hell making the game. he probably isnt the best guy in the fucking world but i dont give two shits. i like the game. bought.

[@JoeHodgeIII]

A bunch of bickering, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

[@OGFlipperbaby]

Game is amazing though Joe Hodge III

[@JoeHodgeIII]

I'm sure it is. Just the amount of effort and talent required to make something that is designed for people to enjoy rather than to kill them is well spent. I haven't seen it other than in the video blog but it looks fun.

[@OGFlipperbaby]

Its 10$ maybe less on xbox arcade. I have it on my PC and love it. People who say the puzzles are easy must be mad smart Joe Hodge III

[@JoeHodgeIII]

Mad smart or full of it (I'm so smart! Look at me!) :) Zach Hodge

[@ScarletDeath]

which indisfest did you get that at?

[@MegaPhilX]

Phil Fish used to work at Ubisoft and at the same company where I worked. He didn't have that much experience as a designer anyway. Also, people skills are essential to the job of Game/Level Designer. Phil Fish didn't have very good people skills from what I knew about him. So it didn't really come off as a surprise to me when he became a trainwreck online. He pretty much always acted like he wasn't in his element working as part of a big team of game developers.

[@-nomi.-]

In hindsight it feels like foreshadowing bringing up how no one "supported malignant political agendas" or was "hurt or exploited" given it's a weekly issue now.

[@Kyfow]

I think that when you don't like someone enough, you just don't want to pay him money. It's not a matter of moral outrage, it's the equivalent of not wanting to go to a grocery store because that grocer overcharged you on tomatoes at one point. When someone talks shit, and you don't like the shit he talks about, you don't want to give them cash, so you don't buy their games. It's literally that simple.