The truth about GodMode, the "World's First Brain Booster for Gamers" - Here's A Thing

Chris Bratt (@bratterz) investigates GodMode, the "World's First Brain Booster for Gamers", exposing its misleading marketing.
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[@snicketysnick]

Great watch and really well put together! But my real takeaway is that Chris has a tremendous roster of Festive Jumpers.

[@eurogamer]

snicketysnick You know it.

[@patrickbrennan7438]

Eurogamer I love the Bit where Chris asks the CEO about the benefits and starts citing studies and the guy has no idea how to answer anything. Great work Chris 😊

[@meltedmasks]

In an unexpected twist, GodMode actually improves your investigative journalism skills.

[@thouhathlostthegame]

Actual journalism? In 2017? Good lad.

[@flametitan100]

We live in a strange time where the unnecessary fluff and clickbait articles are needed to fund the real journalistic articles. It's kind of unfortunate.

[@MrThistleMilk]

Well it's what happens when the people singing praises for journalistic prowess like the OP here, can only do so through words on a computer screen instead of contributing monetarily for quality work like "the old days".

[@cly7894]

2018

[@jigjiggles7243]

Disappointed that the video didn't end with Chris saying "After two weeks I still don't know what these things actually do" whilst sat there with a Johnny sized beard and completely ripped.

[@petergriffin9554]

If only it was that easy huh

[@GabrielKnightz]

You did good Chris. Well done! There will always be people peddling snake oil to the desperate and the wanting, thank you for shedding light on these subjects, especially for an emerging generation of gamers. (from someone with a fairly serious something to whom plenty has been peddled to) Be more confident in your interview man, you got this.

[@cly7894]

Too long Rip read more

[@mynar_lenahan]

This is actually some fascinating new content. I like the new direction that Chris is taking these videos.

[@Cimlite]

Yeah, it's almost like he's thinking like Elon Musk. ;P

[@nicholascross3557]

So basically, the effects of Godmode™ can be replicated with coffee and a good luck charm. Good to know...

[@DoAllDogsLikeMarmite]

Coffee is my good luck charm.

[@snipa298]

Coffee in a lucky coffee mug.

[@chewbaccasdad]

I'm using a similar supplement at present. I find that the mind-enhancing effect is very limited - I get a short jolt of energy followed by a headache for the rest of the day. If it wasn't for the fact I've grown a lovely pair of boobs on my back, I'd definitely stop taking them.

[@nicholascross3557]

Soooo... you're not much to look at but great fun to dance with?

[@sixgunsam79]

Puts a new spin on the term "give yourself a pat on the back", doesn't it?

[@Psientologist]

Ok, so this absolutely brilliant and I saw someone say this on Twitter earlier but Bratt is becoming Louis Theroux of games and it's amazing. I've just paused at 9:06 and (forgive me if in a second I hear Chris say something similar) but she didn't want to take medication recommended by HER DOCTOR, but thought she'd take these gaming pills instead?

[@sweetasbloodredjam]

As someone with a thyroid condition, her symptoms sounded veeeery familiar. Doctors tend to subcribe Thyroid Hormone to help with that and it is expected that you are going to have to take them for the rest of your life. Obviously I have no way of veryfying for me, that that is what actually was her problem (in fact seeing her claims that the supplement made it better, I have my doubts), she might also have been struggling eith depression or anxiety for example, wich also can have similar effects. My point is more that it can be daunting to be told by your doctor that you'll have to take all this heavy medication, possibly forever. Being able to take something more 'natural' instead, might have been a relieve to her, however ineffectual the actual supplement might be. Placebo effect can be strong.

[@DevilboyScooby]

She might also see this a supplement rather than medication, I think there's a subtle difference.

[@TheStrategyTube]

Cringed my eyes down into my lungs listening to that phone call. What a load of cobblers.

[@DragonBotherer]

This was great, well done Chris! I struggled to listen to that dude trying to scrabble about his own website trying to find stuff he should know - i was embarrassed on his behalf! I was also sceptical when he started suggesting other vitamins to help depression and anxiety - he's not qualified to recommend ANYTHING for serious mental health conditions. I find the caffeine inclusion even a bit wooly - at uni i knew several people (late essay writers like me!) who found pro plus had a sedative effect on them! These supplements are really sketchy, and in such a litigious country like America i'm really surprised they are not under the supervision of the fda. Well done again, actual games JOURNALIISM! ;-b This series is fantastic....so, you on the ket next week aye?

[@aita_sageblood]

Thanks for your sacrifice of coffee for all that time; much appriciated! :-) When this video first started my thoughts were: "oh cool real-life mentats; if these are real i'd definately look into them!" After the video; "Glad I didn't....sounds way to sketchy for my liking; I'll just go back to occassionaly winning in PubG."

[@93MatiasS]

Damn chris great video!! Really good journalism and awesome editing!

[@radioactiveknight]

A really decent piece of investigative journalism! Well done Bratterz and Eurogamer! It speaks volumes that their website has now removed ALL mentions of it helping with depression. You've called them out on their bullshit and made them remove potentially harmful claims and stopped them selling false hope for people struggling with that mental illness. Absolutely brilliant, you should be very proud of yourself.

[@guychupat3927]

This is really well done. So many people see a citation of a "study" or research paper and stop there, assuming it says what the person citing it says it does. So often it just doesn't and it's good to see people follow up on this.

[@borangeb2560]

That phone interview was fucking fantastic, the silence after you brought up yamaboshitaki (spelt wrong I'm sure) was brilliant. I really enjoy this series a lot

[@dragonslayerornstein2834]

Really sounds like a Placebo.

[@samslam313]

Does it give aimbot/wall hacks? 🤔

[@cly7894]

Wtf

[@StyliMusic]

Investigative journalism is your calling, Bratterz! Very good video! Well done!

[@Zilegil]

Snakeoil. Makes me sick

[@undeadatticus3718]

Zilegil Take one of these *hands bottle of pills* everyday and your sickness will go away.

[@WickedRibbon]

Fascinating stuff. It seems that Boss Level Labs might be peddling false idols.

[@Halokon]

This is a fantastic piece, Chris. I don't want you to not do the other weird and wonderful things you do in "Here's A Thing" but I would definitely love to see more Game Claims put to the test in this investigative style!

[@chinesesparrows]

Wow gaming investigative journalism alongisde a monthlong abstention of coffee! Awesome job, unimaginable for me.

[@tzisorey]

"Oh, I wasn't expecting cotton wool - that's unusual" I remember a time when all pre-packaged bottles of pills were packed with cotton wool. To stop them rattling around during shipping, I guess. Even my Vit-C pills as a kid, had it.

[@darraksden1727]

Well done Chris you handled this fantastically. And you stick up for mental health yet again. Really good work!

[@Hob_Roblin]

Good bit of quality journalism. Someone get the lad a coffee #LatteforBratte

[@dusty2366]

Thanks for linking this, Chris!

[@CinnamonMuffinz]

I didn't expect much just because the title seemed insecure but this was very impressive. Video game journalism indeed. This piece of investigation, at the very least, provides a very good reference point for anyone else trying to dismiss ludicrous claims by brain supplement companies.

[@sages10]

First warning sign to me was that it contains lithium... I mean I know you checked with someone who said these weren’t dangerous so I assume it’s such a low dose that it isn’t a problem but lithium is an extremely strong drug used to treat things like borderline personality disorder and other rather extreme personality disorders and has some pretty heavy side effects so it containing that in an over the counter thing kind of scares me (though as ignorant about this stuff as I am maybe it’s in other over the counter stuff). Nice journalistic work though! It’s really awesome to see someone doing some real journalism around the community/hobby we all love so much! It’s really inspiring to see to be honest, people like you and extra credits make me excited to move into an industry that looks like a cesspool of businesses that only care about the bottom line so much of the time

[@dominateeye]

You know how every local news station in America has an investigative reporter on staff? Well, I think Eurogamer's on that list too now. Great work, Chris!

[@domlocke3845]

It's times like these that make me remember a quote that's usually attributed to America's greatest showman. "There's a sucker born every minute." - P.T. Barnum... maybe. There is no concrete evidence that he actually said that, making the quote even more fitting.

[@rubberduckdebug]

How could this EVER work if you forgot to run sv_cheats 1 in the console?

[@rosalindgh]

More videos like this please! It's great to see the research that went into this, and thank you for sacrificing coffee for us for those two weeks for the sake of journalism!!

[@jacob.peters]

as someone who takes nootropics regularly, none of the things I take for memory/learning/recall/etc are even in "GodMode"

[@vagabond28]

Another great episode. I do have one important question though, where did you get that Xcom mug?

[@Eclipse_721]

you went without coffee for two weeks for the good of the coverage and I for one appreciate that

[@ethanwasme4307]

That smile you had on your face when taking the capsule is the same look Ive seen on many peoples faces during my party years, classic! xD

[@seanoc123]

Just one thing to note, Yamibushitake is the Japanese name for the Lions Mane mushroom, when researching western scientific journals and research papers you should be looking for its binomial nomenclature which is Hericium erinaceus, and if you give that a search into this name you will realise that there are far more papers and journals on the subject than you make it out to be, and it definitely causes neurogenesis and other beneficial effects, which have been noted for hundreds of years.

[@Claad2]

This is legitimately good journalism. I was not aware that this happened, glad I found this channel!

[@brynnashcroft3734]

Awesome video, you guys should do more Iike these. Very informative!

[@pacsmacks7142]

What an amazing video. The detective work you done was amazing. I could tell when you were talking to the CEO that you were not totally comfortable and I can't blame you. Questioning someones product a lot of people can get very mad so props to you for having the "balls" to do an interview with him.

[@Nelsn3]

I love Chris' investigative journalism videos. They may not be the flashiest things on the channel but, for me, they are definitely the most interesting.

[@bmckniff]

Much more serious video than I would normally expect from a video game channel. Well done, Chris.

[@mattball8622]

This is like watching a presentation by Ben Goldacre if he'd spent time undercover as a Twitch streamer. For the record, that's a good thing. Great video!

[@Harabeck]

What is this? Real game journalism? Wow. Awesome video. Keep it up.

[@ZachHixsonTutorials]

12:45 oh my god, I almost died. He sounds like he's giving the same argument as a flat earther: "Of course a _scientist_ would say those things, they're required to read books teaching them about how [flat earth / nootropics] is 'wrong,' and 'completely unverifiable' but its ALL A CONSPIRACY TO KEEP US DUMB!!!!!"

[@KatsMeyow]

Excellent work. I love how the CEO tried so hard to backpedal.

[@mewmedic]

No idea how you managed to be so polite through this whole video. Most people wouldn't be able to resist chewing out those liars.

[@kalofkrypton]

Bratte! 👏👏👏 Great video. The fella on the call does make one fair point. Doctors (in America especially) are trained to diagnose and treat with drugs. There are additions to what conditions are defined as treatable (billable) with each annual edition. For example; grief is now a condition that is defined and diagnosable. Since it can be diagnosed, it has a drug for treatment, so can be charged for.

[@EvanGreenEsq]

Glad to see Dr. San didn't die in that fire after all.

[@Kyle-jp3po]

That phone call was uncomfortable. The dude sounded like a nice guy anyway. Great journalism!

[@88Trente]

Bravo! Very well put together. "Here's a thing" is quickly becoming one of my favorite features on Eurogamer.

[@jarmarmarn4323]

In the alternate universe where Christ Bratt is an up and coming solo KZbinr, this video is called "CHRIS TAKES PILLS? *not clickbait*"

[@originofmrlee]

OMG that phone conversation... I'm feeling uncomfortable just listening to it... 'oooh let me see how that looks on the website' as if he had no idea what it was saying, or how false all the claims are.

[@derekrice5565]

Damn a journalism piece more investigative than most news outlets. Well done Chris!

[@ApostolisTympakianakis]

A like and a comment is the least I could do to say bravo for taking the time and making the effort to investigate this misleading product.

[@williamullom8166]

Great job with the investigation. I've been enjoying how you have taken a more journalistic approach to video games beyond simply a review or critique.

[@Masterpg2007]

The studies they have claimed is the same thing other nootropics do, they add a ingredient like "Citicoline Monosodium", they search all the studies done by others that say good thing about it, that's how the claim 847 studies, they didn't make any but there are some research on the ingredients. It's not hard to make a pre-workout/nootropics nowadays and they always do that. The thing is that a lot of these studies have their own specific situation, by any means I don't think taking these or the popular nootropics is going to hurt, better would be to search for a good blend and ask for a pharmacy to make it for you, would be cheaper and you would know everything in there.

[@DrazGames]

Fantastic journalism! Glad to see that this resulted in those claims being taken down from their site, at the very least.

[@irrationalgaz]

This was an excellent video. Really well thought out journalism presented in an engaging manner which shows a real mature understanding of not only the subject matter but of your audience. Bravo Chris. More of this and more of your "here's a thing" in 2018 please.

[@SecretFoxfire]

The symptoms Tricia Skinner was describing sound a lot like moderate narcolepsy, which is often treated with stimulants. That's just one theory, but it's entirely likely that she has a relatively rare medical condition such as that which, as it happens, can be treated with the chemicals found in those tablets. In which case, it's great that she found something that works for her. But that is a single person who was obviously not in normal, healthy condition when she started taking the supplements. So her saying "it worked for me" is completely useless as data. Unless they provide actual double-blind, replicable studies demonstrating conclusively that this stuff works, I see no reason to believe it - especially since there's almost no oversight whatsoever in the supplement industry (there could be anything in those capsules - supplements are almost never inspected and when they are, they usually don't contain what they say they do). Perhaps that's why doctors are "brainwashed" (read: *taught*) to recognize that supplements are not a reliable or safe way to treat most conditions. Anyway, it's great to see this kind of journalism being done. Someone sent me the link to this video and I clicked it out of curiosity. I'll definitely be checking out the rest of your channel. Nice work.

[@catherine6714]

This was such a great bit of journalism, really interesting work. I'd love to see more of this kind of stuff on this channel!

[@shortbreadhead]

I don't believe in those tests to reflect the effect either as you would generally get better as you get more familiar with it, I am not sure what the best method would be though. Possibly two people doing the test, and both taking a capsule, one a supplement, and one this tablet, neither knowing what each is and documenting each individual increase? It's a very narrow study of course but... it could give a rough estimate.

[@shortbreadhead]

also, very good journalism, I love that you are bringing these things to the spotlight for people who may fall for it, I hope to see more like this, maybe other products like what is the difference between cheap headphones and the expensive or something, love this!

[@shortbreadhead]

the more I watch this, the better it is, the research you did for this, everything, it's on point! Please do more like this, I haven't seen anything this good in a while!

[@2chrono2]

As others have said, it's nice to see actual investigative journalism in 2017. The video was entertaining, as well. Very nice.

[@Warrenoh]

Could really do with more video essays from you Chris! Great stuff pal.

[@vianyx4369]

This reminds me that I really want to do a piece on ADHD meds. I went undiagnosed for 21 years and now I'm medicated I'm seeing substantial performance increase in games, it makes sense really but I still think it's interesting!

[@Sackboy612]

Yamabullshitake :P

[@Arjaes]

The problem I find with Bratt's method is that there's no Guinness in his Guinness glass. Seriously, though, I think this is an excellent piece of journalism. Great job, Chris.

[@CaptDnaDonut]

I would welcome more videos like this with open arms.

[@reynoldio]

Top work Mr Bratt, loved this :) I studied psychology and really appreciate people like this being called out - it was clear that exactly one person on that call had properly done their homework! Keep it up.

[@AvianBreak]

This was Bloomberg-level investigative journalism, Chris. Doing consumers a great service!

[@39ocean]

Man, you can just hear Scott Miller going, “crap, this isn’t good,” I liked this episode, it was really interesting.

[@apexavoider]

Nice to see actual journalistic content as a compliment to all your more fun stuff. I'd like to see more content like this. Really great work!

[@FreekHoekstra]

great job at going deep at this stuff, good on you for doing the research, reading the papers, talking to scientists. great job, this is the kind of stuff I love Eurogamer for!

[@thehairygamer7481]

Would also love to know how Bratte felt after stopping taking them

[@mrrouel]

Really excellent journalism. Part of me wishes Chris could go all John Walker on them and get brutal ("are you a pathological liar?") but I appreciate the reserved, tactful approach.

[@williamhype9456]

Aww Chris, look at you growing a handsome man beard.

[@JustFeral]

What the flying fuck? I'm speechless at how well done this video was done. Actual investigative journalism.

[@elv3a424]

Love the new directions you're taking this channel!

[@a.schneider6413]

Fantastic to see a skeptical and diligent approach to a product with such incredible claims. Great work, Chris! Wish I could hit the "Like" button more than once.

[@samsant3238]

I feel like I’d go crazy on these things, mostly because there’s no caffeine in my diet. Natural sugars from fruit are my energy booster.

[@UNKNOWNB6]

just have coffee

[@theshamelesskid2950]

I see they used goanimate.com for the commercial

[@thegirlwiththehoodie]

This seems similar to Alpha Brain, which is a supplement that is supposed to boost your "brain power". I tried it and it had minimal effects... The most notable thing was that I was able to sleep and wake normally (which was honestly really great; not being groggy in the morning). I think it has a greater effect on people who have hectic schedules where they are constantly sleep deprived and spacey. If you have a pretty clear head already, you probably won't notice any effects while taking these supplements. Just my thoughts..

[@ScottJohnHarrison]

The "Depression and anxiety" stuff is very telling. It is a scam artists main target - Claim EVERYTHING until (usually a legal authority) points it out.

[@Roxfox]

"I didn't want to use the medicine the doctor recommended, so I got some pills off a guy on the Internet instead!" Of course...

[@DevilboyScooby]

15:18 the moment the creator does a U-turn and struggles to think how to defend the claims...

[@BigMonke69420]

ANYONE KNOW WHERE I CAN GET THAT SWEET XCOM MUG IN THE UK?

[@angelusnielson7135]

"anything outside of drug isn't going to work?" UM dude, anything you put into your body that has effects it that's not food or drink is a drug. Even if it's a herb...

[@delaorden]

Wow, actual journalism from a gaming site. That's why I love eurogamer

[@ToddASullivan]

Great investigative work, Chris!

[@d0natr0n47]

Great report Chris, well researched and followed through - Thanks =)

[@thefacebiters]

What does the scouter say about your power level though?

[@JonMarkDeane]

Totally stanning Bratterz' angry face while on the phone

[@IDidntSetAHandle]

The most important question: What's going on with the level of dust on Bratterz's phone?

[@Josh-xt2ig]

This deserves way more views for the effort put in, great content

[@crows2808]

Bratterz on PUBG: I'm sorry, I panicked! Bratterz as journalist: So this thing right here is completely different than advertised. Are you or are you not bullshitting? Really.

[@MrTomFTW]

John St John as the voice of GodMode in the advert there. Do you think it gives him BALLS OF STEEL?

[@LegallyInsaneGamer]

But will it help me FINALLY beat Barbie Super Model for the SNES?

[@ukdeathwheel]

Great video guys we need more of stuff like this.