Gaming Now Has Its Own "Wonka Experience" Convention Disaster

This Pokémon convention in the Philippines wasn't quite as advertised.
Twitter thread: x.com/BintuRita/status/179792...
Channel art by ‪@PaintraSeaPea‬
Footage by ‪@ZackScottGames‬

[@ribbrana]

so you're saying it was a Fyre-type Festival 🤔

[@hyliastone286]

Lmfao

[@JUSTANOTHERNINTENDOFAN]

Haha good one xD

[@coltonm3888]

Alright, pack it up, we ain't topping that one.

[@caitlynmcmunn]

That’s clever.

[@Dudeman23rd]

Booooooooo 😂😂

[@spamielentertainment]

My favorite Arlo quote: "This was not a safe event. ravioli man was proof of that."

[@alexgrunde6682]

This event will make you Pokemon Go request a refund.

[@livliveart]

Pokemon Go-to-the-polls to see just how bad thing was

[@user-ri5tp5zi8u]

Am I able to read the thread if I don’t have twitter?

[@SuperFlashDriver]

@@livliveart Well that Hilary Clinton 2016 quote didn't age very well.

[@SuperFlashDriver]

More like this convention is a god awful Pokemon Channel that should never exist on my TV, let alone KZbin or in real life.

[@danielgrezda3339]

@SuperFlashDriver I swear she would have beaten Trump if she wasn't such a dick about gaming, the election was that close.

[@MatthaisUnidostres]

Who's that Pokemon? It's. . . THE UNKNOWN! "Noooooo..."

[@T-Dawg75]

You mean the AI generated Character from the wonka thing?

[@5-orbital]

Wot is that ITS THE UNKNOWN

[@soogymoogi]

The Unown?

[@IAteABox]

@@T-Dawg75Correct

[@stealthlock6634]

The make-a-wish kid thing is actually the grossest part imo. And lots of unattended minors being filmed and interacted with by camera crew. And non-consenting congoers.

[@jamieyakimets839]

And congoers running the convention. That’s (also) extremely concerning…

[@CrimsonMoonM]

Let's also not forget that wearing a face-mask does little to keep someone with a weakened immune-system from getting sick, yet these guys decided to parade around a bunch of terminally ill children for charity clout. It's truly horiffic in every way.

[@spencers5898]

I know I'm getting old because I've never heard of the "Wonka Experience" but I saw the words "convention disaster" and thought "oh like Dashcon."

[@JeskidoYT]

it was one of the top ten international stories early in 2024; just piss poor planning right after a movie came out

[@connergoessupersonic]

Have an extra hour in the Poké Ball pit

[@randomsnapperson8008]

@@connergoessupersonic Careful! I heard a Togepi hatched in there

[@squiddler7731]

​​@@JeskidoYT I was under the impression that there was basically no planning whatsoever, cause all of it was done using AI to do all the work. So from that angle at least it sounds like this event was marginally better, cause at least AI wasn't involved? Probably? Actually if NFT people did this AI probably was involved lol

[@mojo9293]

Izzzyzzz has a great breakdown of it

[@BrappyHour]

I feel bad for Veronica. She didn’t deserve this.

[@macaco3001]

Well it wasn't an official event and was sponsored by NFTs, both things she knew or could have known, so while I feel bad for her she also just made a bad decision

[@shytendeakatamanoir9740]

Me playing Dragon Quest XI.

[@paperluigi6132]

@@shytendeakatamanoir9740appreciate the reference.

[@BeyondTrash-xe1vs]

​@@macaco3001"Apparently all of the artists associated with the event were humongously mistreated and mislead about the event and how they would be handled... They told all of the merchants to open their businesses an hour late." etc. It wasn't just her. Nearly everyone who was participating was treated just as poorly as she was. Clearly the event organizers were intentionally misleading their participants. And what do you mean "official event?" Most events are run independently like this, they aren't associated with Nintendo, Pokémon, or whatever the convention is about. We shouldn't shift the blame here. The ones at fault are those who organized and ran this event.

[@pilgrimspromise1132]

The best part about all of Arlo's content is that unlike most other gaming and gaming news channels, his presentation is so low-key laid-back and conversational I feel like he's just a random friend telling me about stuff and that makes it so fun

[@1candondor]

Just so people who don't know. The ravioli man was a filthy frank bit. Where he went out and harshed people in New York as a bit. Dude was emulating a joke from I think 2014.

[@Aukejorrit]

RAVIOLI MAN IS 10 YEARS OLD?

[@1candondor]

​@Aukejorrit it's what's in the pocketoli

[@SSJ3Goku90]

@@AukejorritWE’RE ALL OLD, SURPRISE!

[@markguyton2868]

You said Pokemon and NFT, that's all I needed to know that this was gonna be a horror story...

[@Cuprite1024]

I just needed to hear NFT. Lol.

[@madnessarcade7447]

Clearly it’s not an official event

[@markguyton2868]

@@madnessarcade7447 True, but I say this because official Pokemon events (mostly GO events, which is Ninatic's fault) tend to not be the highest quality. NFT events are a whole different animal...

[@theotherjared9824]

Dashcon has finally been dethroned as the brown standard of conventions.

[@stealthlock6634]

I don’t think so. We’re still comparing everything to it

[@garfreeek]

I think the Wonka experience could be worse. But this one really get's high points for the make a wish kids, that's basically killing a bunch of kids for Clout! 😳

[@DeBean970]

Rainfurrest

[@BleachBasket108]

I don't like the term brown standard 😂 Mission accomplished I guess

[@Anonymous121212]

The saddest parts: -The one who requested not to be videographed has a clinical phobia of being stared at and informed the organizers beforehand. -Some of the make a wish kids were wheezing and getting wobbly legs but they were still made to talk about their illnesses to strangers on stage. -Winners of giveaways did not get their prizes (as of last week). -The nearest cheapest and edible food was far away from the event. -The event kept selling tickets even after they ran out of wristbands/tickets. I almost went there. Glad I didn't 😩

[@layer_heartoverpower8188]

Well, this sucks. "Day 2" TWO?!

[@Tribdinosaur]

Yo!! The person who made the Twitter thread is a friend of mine-- it was wild watching her update her status in real time. She posted a photo of the empty interior and it was like Dashcon. And she was supposed to be a special guest (because she won a contest), and even she had a terrible time. Imagine how bad it must've been for a regular person who was just curious... (Thankfully, there is an actual better Pokemon convention in the Philippines, made by arts & crafts makers, which is happening in September.)

[@notsyzagts7967]

What's the name of that other better convention?

[@Tribdinosaur]

@@notsyzagts7967 The other one is called Pokécon PH! They’ve had successful events before, so they have the experience to back it up.

[@gobbagoo]

i was listening about how it kept getting worse but the ravioli man just completely caught me off guard

[@joechill6327]

I wonder if Ravioli Man will attend any more conventions.

[@markguyton2868]

"Ravioli, Ravioli, what's in the pocket-oli?"

[@cybunny25]

He's been doing weird shenanigans at cons in the PH for a while now The ravioli thing was just one of them

[@PsycheTrance65]

@@cybunny25 what other shenanigans has he been up to? i wonder if he'll turn up at toycon this weekend lmao

[@UltimaKeyMaster]

The unfortunate thing is all this is going to cause for true fans is make Veronica Taylor and Jason Paige hyper skeptical about events like this from now on because of these jackwagons bordering on being a front for money laundering. And making Veronica's daughter forcibly jump on a panel? That's just plain disgusting. I'm now worried of the fact this just exposed people to the fact she HAS a daughter who is now going to be a lightning rod for losers to harass.

[@1nisaro]

The Ravioli Man? you have my full attention with no context lmao

[@GreyWolfLeaderTW]

When you've been on the internet long enough, anytime the words "convention disaster" comes up, the words "Rainfurrest, Dashcon, Fyre Festival, Burning Man 2023, and Storm Area 51" immediately come to mind.

[@juice3287]

only heard of dashcon, what are these other ones? also don’t forget the pegasus one

[@notsyzagts7967]

@@juice3287 You're on KZbin, so you can look up any of those events yourself. It's far more informative than any comment. I just heard of this Dashcon thing for the first time today, so there you go.

[@iownu92]

“RAVIOLI, RAVIOLI, WHAT’S IN THE POCKETOLI?” Just to be clear, I believe the “ravioli man” was mimicking an old Filthy Frank bit, where he sloppily ate chef boyardee ravioli out of his pocket and kept wiping his hand on his shirt in public, all while chanting the above quote. Main difference is that he did this outside in the open where people could walk away from him if they wanted. Not at an indoor paid event. So if you want to get a good idea of what this guy was doing, look up the Filthy Frank ravioli video.

[@DuckAlertBeats]

That sounds like comedy genius 🤨

[@notsyzagts7967]

@@DuckAlertBeats Not in the context of a Pokemon event it isn't.

[@DuckAlertBeats]

@@notsyzagts7967 To clarify, that was sarcasm

[@italex827]

As someone who just experienced Super Nintendo World for the first time, this must've been tough for kids who were suckered into it. Universal is the real deal. If only they could make a pokemon section there...

[@SuperFlashDriver]

That's literally what I said, along with a Super Smash Bros. section of the parks would be really cool. Although Universal Hollywood doesn't have the space to do it, considering it would require them to bulldoze some of their backlot studio sections which, in my eyes, I wouldn't want to see movie history prior to the 21st century be bulldoze because people prefer video game franchises instead.

[@asackboyplush6508]

​@@SuperFlashDriver Maybe Nintendo could build their own park?

[@madnessarcade7447]

They will

[@devonwilliams5738]

Ravioli Ravioli, what's in the pocketoli?

[@highvoltage7797]

The way you said Glasgow hurt lol

[@SharpEdgeSoda]

Bluey had one of these recently too. Has this always been happening and it just got reported more? Or is this genuinely the hot new scam and why are people falling for it?!

[@chunkymonkey7983]

What. Is. That!?... It's the Unown❗️

[@vynlazer]

I was in there cosplaying as Gym Leader Allister... I can confirm I have nothing else to say cause you already said it lol.

[@EliseT_1012]

Omg it was already bad, and then stinky ravioli man?! Was not prepared for that.

[@FireballN]

As the wonka experience is to movies, as that one terrible bluey meetup was to tvs, is pokeverse to gaming. What’s next? A Sesame Street convention where they mistake Arlo for an actual Sesame Street character and force him to entertain kids while a muppet called “the unknown” lurks within the walls?

[@xxcorrinxx6299]

(Tomorrow mornings affirmation) “I will not allow any man to ruin raviolis for me”

[@elsamarks8477]

When you have another Arlopalooza I will show up with a shirt that says Ravioli, but they will be unsauced and I will share

[@stebopign]

Thank you Philippines for doing the impossible - beat out the wonka experience!

[@RayNoorAly]

Those poor make a wish kids 😭

[@ShursGarden]

The Ravioli Man sounds like an iCarly comedy bit. Like, I can hear the cymbals playing as Spencer and Carly just look at this dude eating ravioli sloppily getting sauce everywhere.

[@JackitK]

My god. This is actually worst that the Willy Wonka event. At least that didn't traumatized terminally ill children taking part in a program that's supposed to be the one thing that brings them joy in their life. That was the most heartbreaking part about this entire thing. I hope all the Make A Wish children at the very least got to have have a redo and get their wish granted. At the very least getting a redo at a real event.

[@worldssmallestfan]

Disappointed in Ravioli Man. Spaghetti Man was (is?) a Pilar of the Metro Detroit community. He just wore a sports coat that said “Sphgetti man” and hopped around like a wet noodle at any free concert.

[@Alpha-oo8]

“Finally?”

[@thatoneXman]

At the very least, the thread on twitter is proving to be a very solid Creepypasta with how horrifying the whole thing is.

[@chasemiller3712]

"What. Is. That? It's The Unown." "Noooo..."

[@starkid910]

The lack of security is so disturbing when thinking about the involvment of the Make-a-Wish kids - (in full seriousness) imagine Ravioli Man decided to rush the stage while they were up there with his sauce sponge he's been rubbing on booths?? Or some other attention-hungry asshole? Were there people there to keep them safe? (Not to mention the exposure risk w/ that crowd's combined breathing)

[@Tazer_Silverscar]

There was another event here in Leeds, UK (an anime con, allegedly), which was just as crap. The annoying thing is that the company is STILL going. And I get the feeling that the company is going to survive their next event too (oh yes, there is one).

[@icenovice]

As a ravioli lover, i've never met this man, we don't accept him as a representative of ravioli lovers, and if you're not using a fork for your ravioli then you should go to prison.

[@Omada828]

I can't even begin to express my concern at the sudden mention of The Ravioli Man

[@finestcustard5647]

I can’t believe someone did the ravioli bit in public in the year 2024. I really thought that was a thing of the past lol

[@notsyzagts7967]

Anytime there's notoriety or money to be made off the back of media franchises, there will always be lousy click-bait style events.

[@heroic_teddy]

As the first winner of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Tournament, I remember Arlopalooza!

[@drazzimusic]

An unfinished, awful-looking Pokemon event? Sounds pretty true to the games to me 😢

[@chunkysaurus785]

💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

[@TyrantWesker]

At least the games can still be fun despite the flaws, these people couldn't even get that part right!

[@TheNukaColaMan10]

Ba-dum-tss

[@arisenpawn425]

Owned

[@Crafty_boy70]

At least most of the recent games have truly notable aspects (except Sword/Shield)

[@EStewart573]

Very small tangent, but "Glasgow" is pronounced "Glaz go" not "Glass cow" haha

[@BeaverIAB]

*GLESGA!*

[@Ax3lotol777]

If the official company isn’t involved, don’t go..

[@kevinsteevens4468]

That's not always the case, I went to a community run Splatoon tournament last year and I had a blast. community run stuff CAN go well, it's just that the right people need to be involved.

[@notsyzagts7967]

@@kevinsteevens4468 That's all well and good, but there needs to be some vetting process. People shouldn't be required to research every media franchise-related event extensively and hope it's legit when they arrive. We need a system to report legitimate events and inform people about the fakes/bad ones.

[@calvinhobbes1010]

I guess my biggest concern is whether or not they got an extra hour in the ball pit

[@bluetoadettethegoddess6104]

Title says finally even though the original event only happened like a month or two ago 😂

[@elijaholson2022]

we should have a convention for people who like discussing disasterous conventions, it would be super meta

[@AstaIsAMonster]

This is a great video and I feel bad for people who got suckered into this event.

[@dodiswatchbobobo]

Dashcon for Pokémon. 2 hours in the pokeball pit.

[@here4thecatvids]

A new Dashcon, a new Fyrefest. I don't even know if the Wonka experience is a fair comparison, because that was meant to be a hall you walk through and it went bad on multiple fronts. While Dashcon, now that feels like a fair comparison

[@ProfDragonite]

We've come a LONG way from DashCon, it seems.

[@Aether_Athea]

I’d love to go to an Arlopalooza if you decide to do one again in the future! Also yes, wishing the best and that no encountering Ravioli Man will occur at Pax for you!

[@cherubin7th]

Don't discriminate against Ravioli Man.

[@Mista_]

Video suggestion: I think it would be fun to go over your video "My hopes for pikmin 4" and see which hopes came true in the final game. Maybe you could do it here on topicarlo?

[@Allineus]

I dropped by outside the event to check how would be the attendance be and what do you know... A ghost town!! As if this wasn't something we local fans were all expecting.

[@ThoseAnimations411]

I would totally go to Marlo palooza now that I'm 21! I've been watching you since I was 15 I think

[@kencan5355]

I feel so bad for those who went there

[@Circ00mspice]

I thought the Philippines couldn't get worse after Conquest

[@EssentiallyEden]

Someone literally doing the filthy Frank Ravioli bit at a defunct Pokemon convention in the Philippians was not on my 2024 bingo card…..

[@Odyssey_Cappy]

Ravioli, ravioli, give me the formuoli

[@abcbizarre]

Nothing goes according to plan in the Philippines.

[@NateWild]

Quick! Make a movie about it!!

[@theonewhowrotethis5681]

The Ravioli Man reminds me of that Filthy Frank sketch.

[@Fuhiro3]

That has to be what he was parroting

[@SuperFlashDriver]

I'm surprised somebody in the place didn't tell the company they were going to sue them for false advertising and such.

[@ohno5559]

Never go full ravioli man.

[@cosygracegames]

What an interesting event, it literally doesn’t sound real 😂 kind of fun to listen to what all happened haha thanks arlo

[@ulisesmendoza7339]

This made me lol this was wild ! Peeps need to check their events. Wow this sounds awful but it made me lol

[@thenintendoproject6535]

The longer @arlo talks the crazier it gets 😂

[@ravenebony2267]

That sounds bizarre 😮

[@NintenSegaPlay]

And of course this doesn't get copyright striked

[@BenWillock]

So the ravioli guy was almost certainly a filthy frank reference

[@Mitzi_DelverVRC]

Dashcon, Pokemon Dashcon, Rich Kid Dashcon, and Chocolate Dashcon. Long ago, the four nations lived in harmony...

[@StrangeDad]

I guess it doesn't get any Pokéworse than this.

[@ohno5559]

Every 30 seconds it's like "at least it surely can't get worse than that"

[@AlAl-bk5ei]

If the Make A Wish kids had that as their wish, then they need to be granted a new one Imagine your wish being a big Pokémon event only to have empty rooms and staff that just couldn’t even be bothered doing their jobs

[@Esitaro3670]

So in a scale of 1 to Dashcon/Frye Festival/Las pegasus Unicon 2013/Rainfurrest/Tana Con/Wonka Experience is this Pokemon con?

[@maquisarddouble6342]

There was a huge bear in space? That might’ve been worth seeing.

[@jigglykirby]

Desmond?

[@viddysgamingviddyos4710]

​@@jigglykirbyHow did I get here? (The End)

[@Curttehmurt]

Reminds me more of Dashcon or the Las Pegasus Unicon

[@Justine-justin]

13:55 I went to 2 arlopaloozas 😊

[@Bransbow]

I loved Arlopalooza! I'd love for it to make a return

[@jordanwhite352]

Pokeverse VS DashCon VS The Wonka Experience VS Fyre Festival VS Astroworld Travis Scott VD Gaming Paradise VS Rainfurrist LETS GO!

[@MetaGrave]

The Wonka Convention... the Pokémon Convention... as an MLP fan? It's giving me PTSD from hearing the DashCon stories. -_-;

[@BiggestSniff]

has this guy never heard of dashcon?

[@michaelpierce5644]

Please find the Ravioli Man and have him as a guest to do an interview.

[@foggy8298]

Of course it’s Pokémon

[@madnessarcade7447]

Idk how they got sucked into it

[@chrioyuuij6450]

Hey Arlo, have you or your editor thought about not using the Azuria City music in your Pokemon videos anymore?

[@WallopWannabe]

for some reason, I was expecting this to be able Midori…

[@ogelsmogel]

Ravioli Man got nothing against The Poop Man, an infamous weirdo in Sweden who frequented festivals..

[@Clodd1]

My dog is asking for footage of this event!

[@drew1399]

ravioli ravioli give me the pocket-oli

[@pongod5751]

Ravioli Ravioli...what is in the pocketoli?

[@mekman4]

I heard MLM show runners are excellent at event planning. The right people are always at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Great Stuff, as always!

[@smivan.]

What's that? It's the Unown!

[@Antasma1]

Will ravioli man be a Pokémon?

[@alexn9856]

Dashcon ballpit versus pokeverse inflatables. Which is worse?

[@JackitK]

Convention Disaster? I didn't realize they did Dash-Con this year. Oh... ... maybe I was too harsh on Dash Con.

[@guilhermeviolin]

Maybe the Ravioli man was a Filthy Frank cosplay?

[@MaidenOfAir]

I don’t think that makes it better tbh

[@guilhermeviolin]

@@MaidenOfAir Good point