Patrick Klepek On Life After Waypoint - MinnMax Interview

[@minnmax]

Support independent games media directly AND unlock the podcast version of this interview a ton of other bonus content by supporting MinnMax on Patreon. www.patreon.com/minnmax

[@TheAgr08]

Ben is so good at the Exit Interviews that now he's landing guests BEFORE they even leave their jobs. Absolute pro.

[@FishboneINK]

Pretty soon he'll be interviewing folk for their exit before they're even hired!

[@sirprintalot]

Black Mirror/Inside No 9 episode idea where he conducts interviews before people have even been fired

[@tarutso]

No doubt in my mind Ben is prob one of the industry’s best interviewers

[@DangerSimmons]

I’ve seen many of your interviews over the years Ben & I just must say bless you for so often letting the interviewee speak/finish their thought/point.

[@minnmax]

Oh hey, thanks! Appreciate it!

[@mattevanst4967]

Definitely watching this one. Waypoint has been my favorite games media podcast/group & I will miss them dearly. I was there day 1. I really hope they'll get together for something in the future, even if it's like once a month or something. I'm rooting for all of the Waypoint crew, thank you for all the memories and 500+ podcasts.

[@Zeouterlimits]

Patrick & Waypoint, both incredible and will be missed.

[@Deejbeard]

Hell yeah Ben, great interview. Seeing these exit interviews with so many guests, I’m just so impressed. The transparency, pushing on sensitive issues or topics but doing so respectfully… MinnMax seems to be THE exit interview stop for anyone in the game industry. Kudos

[@QueensErik]

The MinnMax Exit Interview is so important for this industry. I just love the transparency. It's so awesome. Thank you Ben and Patrick!!!

[@Blackemail94]

Love you and everyone else at Waypoint Patrick! Been my favorite (gaming) podcast for years now, hope everything turns out well for you and the team.

[@MarcusFrost88]

Fantastic interview. Extremely saddened that Waypoint's shutting down, but I'm looking forward to seeing what the Waypoint crew do in the future.

[@fayili]

Here from the Waypoint Community, really enjoyed this. Engaging interviewer in addition to knowing I'd be interested in what Patrick had to say.

[@minnmax]

Right on, thanks for watching. You'd probably enjoy MinnMax's other interviews as well!

[@JMurph93]

Such a great interview! I think with the media landscape being the way it is these days these exit interviews are so important to help understand what’s happening. Thanks guys!

[@oneeyedjack2190]

This was absolutely fantastic. Been a fan of Patrick, as well as Waypoint, for a long time. Great interview!

[@sparky7131]

Really sucks that this happened to the Waypoint crew. Hopefully they can all land on their feet somewhere.

[@ARIXANDRE]

It's been a while since one of these. Patrick is fantastic and will surely find a new gig soon. 🙏🏻

[@allendefullismkinsshi5881]

As someone who wasn't following waypoint from launch, i am pleased to see the "waypoint 72" is available on youtube

[@Juno500]

Those early images of him at 1up reminded me just how wild his hair used to be.

[@dtPlaythroughs]

I had a "jewfro" like that in middle school. It's all good until someone throws a Jolly Rancher in there...

[@Gatecrasher1st]

That was a great interview! And honestly, I download stuff all the time. After all, you never know when it might disappear, or suffer from strategic editing.

[@trippivey]

Is bro a vampire? 38 looking like he’s 18.

[@dancinginfernal]

He still gets carded buying beer, it's a regular topic for him lol.

[@bigpileofpuke]

Low testosterone probably

[@dancinginfernal]

@@bigpileofpuke name checks out

[@bigpileofpuke]

​@@dancinginfernal triggered

[@dancinginfernal]

@@bigpileofpuke Ah, sorry. Didn't mean to upset you.

[@TonytheSwordsman]

Waypoint was my first venture into Games media and been the gateway to others. Truly hope they all find good employment and maybe get together here and there for a pod for us

[@ShadowXeneth]

Love to see Klepek repping that PlayDate - also; RIP Waypoint, long live Remap!

[@dtPlaythroughs]

I didn't follow Waypoint but I loved Klepek at 1UP, G4, and especially Giant Bomb. His chemistry with Drew was especially awesome like on that Icelandic trip. I can see Klepek landing a job like Jeremy Parish where essentially runs a mini-outlet out of a game publisher while having freedom to do actual investigative journalism within the company or via game history features. At least, that's what I'd hope. Seems like there is more and more room for that kind of stuff, these days, as opposed to running some soulless content mill operation out of Ubisoft or whatever.

[@palepilgrim1174]

Hanson, you are the Wizard of Interviews.

[@minnmax]

In that they arrive precisely when they are meant to?

[@palepilgrim1174]

@@minnmax Haha! They do seem to pop up just when they are needed the most!

[@ForgottenArmy1944]

What a wonderful interview and discussion. I normally don't enjoy these but that was wonderful

[@eulogieh]

Best exit interview yet - I will miss WP dearly

[@MitchReecherMusic]

Great interview, but what a tragedy. Best of luck to Patrick and all those who were at waypoint.

[@bigpileofpuke]

Oh ya truly tragic 😭😂

[@axemtitanium]

Good news everyone: Waypoint is relaunching separate from Vice as Remap Radio!

[@littlecurrybread]

Great stuff, love the channel

[@minnmax]

Thanks, glad you found us!

[@echasketchers2092]

I followed waypoint since its inception. this is really sad but great interview ❤

[@wasylyciatube]

the moment you see Ben jot down the tag line for the interview is so wholesome lol

[@ClassicHaloCommentary]

It’s time for Mario Maker Mornings again. LFG

[@dtPlaythroughs]

I was reading GameSpys E3 2003 on Wayback machine's archive today (yes I'm a freak!) and they call out "reader Patrick Klepek" for providing a photo of the Call of Duty booth. Kind of crazy his name was in gaming print that long ago (was he 10 in 2003?)

[@KittRembo]

In 03 he would have been 18. He was born in 85

[@dtPlaythroughs]

@@KittRembo 10...18...close enough!

[@spectre244mc]

My thought was just do the podcast, or a version of the podcast and put a second podcast or the sports and other podcasts behind a paywall of 5 bucks or whatever. You could have a full-time job and still do a much different version of the podcast stuff. Really people just want to hear you guys get together and bullshit with each other.

[@felgraf9811]

In the most recent waypoint there was some very strong hinting that they have... *something* in mind? They were being VERY coy.

[@dancinginfernal]

​@@felgraf9811They're hopeful, but I think that was more of a reference to that their Severence was at risk lol.

[@brianwilliamson4976]

I've been following Patrick since The 1-Up Show. He'll be okay. Video game media is going to have a growing period though.

[@johnwiswell4022]

The Lost ending *is* great actually!

[@Wezzeth]

One of my favourite short fiction writers commenting on a podcast (by my favourite interviewer) about my favourite gaming website. What a weird, small place this internet of ours is.

[@a_lethe_ion]

Heyyy sooo... have you thought about putting the interviews up as podcast? Feels like that could work well, format wise, to just have it in the background.

[@minnmax]

Hey, all of the interviews ARE up as a podcast. We explain it at the top of every interview, they're available to $5 Patreon supporters. That's how MinnMax as an outlet exists.

[@CampbellYoungblood]

It took my brain too long to process the depth of Patrick’s bookshelf 😅

[@storyoptics4964]

It seems like gaming journalism as a profession is pretty much dead as this point. At least in USA. I don't live in the states, but there has just been so many US sites/outlets shutting down or downsizing over the last few years that I really don't see game journalism as a secure profession anymore.

[@dancinginfernal]

Even those in the field would agree with you. The way the market is creating expectations of only exponential growth, and not sustainable profit, most investigative/journalistic media is threatened unless they complete give into pop journalism. Even then, it's still a struggle.

[@CaptainFram]

Patrick needs to drop his skincare routine asap

[@hikaruyoroi]

This is a tangent, but it'd be really funny to satirize the "Minnmax Exit Interview" for April Fools or New Show Plus. * "Hanson On Life After Becoming a Dad" * "Leo Vader On Life After Becoming the 'Accursed One' who cancels E3" * etc...

[@aneru9396]

So, like new outlets that evolved from the weekly paper, Gaming News outlets are at an impasse today where not many people are willing to put up with paying for them to continue the behind the scenes work that goes into making such reports. After listening to a News Reporter that got out of the business in one of the political podcasts I follow, they raised an amazing point where the best way to fund a News based outlet (which is not that different than a gaming news outlet), is to... what was it?--Diversify revenue; their prime example being how Disney Does it. As in, if the News portion isn't profitable enough to self sustain, then it's time to make the hard decision to treat it more as a service that needs to be subsidized by income being generated elsewhere, than an actual commercial branch of the company that is there to solely make a profit. It's devastating, but I do think that's the reality we live in today--or have been living in for the past twenty+ years.

[@ps4gamrr]

I’m ambivalent about PK, but always enjoyed Waypoint cuz I knew they would be talking about a new indie or niche gem. I don’t understand why he feeds into the uncertainty of his ability to produce content and earn his compensation. Sure a union is nice, but also runs the risk of its members not aspiring to be their best. Go out and do your own thing and earn Patreon bucks lol.

[@patrickklepek]

PK here. Look, I get the ambivalence of about unions, given how they're talked about in regards to police/teacher unions, but I never had to fight for a raise. I was given regular, meaningful raises EVERY year for the nearly seven years I was at Waypoint because we negotiated those raises as a group, as a union. Sometimes it wasn't much more than keeping up with inflation, but it was meaningful and meant I didn't have to go through the stress of interviewing at another job to get an offer letter, and hope VICE would give me a raise. (A union does not prevent you from asking for a pay increase separate from the contract.) That saved me so much stress and time, because historically I have been absolutely awful at asking for what I'm owed, or asking for more than what I'm getting. And in this process of losing my job, when my company is going through bankruptcy, VICE is dishing out very confusing messages to the people who are losing their jobs, and it's unclear when/how/if everyone will get their severance. But the union has a lawyer, and that union lawyer is constantly meeting with the company and fighting on my behalf, to the point that now, 48 hours before I lose my job, I feel confident I'm going to be OK. A union is solidarity in numbers, but it's also about being able to sleep better at night because you know someone has your goddamn back. I'm sad to be leaving my union. Thank you for supporting the site!

[@carlosfranco3145]

Not a fan of Patrick tbh I've always seen him as a kind of Carmela Soprano of the gaming industry. Always ready to criticize the industry but not above of reaping the rewards from the bad practices he likes to point out. I'm also not a fan of how he seems unable to give people the same kind of leeway that he asks for himself (like deleting a bunch of old tweets so people can't do to him what he does to others) Awesome work from Ben, tho. One more example of why hes my favorite interviewer in the industry.

[@bigpileofpuke]

I liked Patrick at Giant Bomb but Waypoint was way too dull and woke for my taste.

[@dancinginfernal]

Well, he's part of the industry. He can't report on it without participating. It's like saying you can't criticize Apple if you own an iPhone or w/e. I may not always agree with his crit but I don't think it's invalid in how he approaches it generally.

[@carlosfranco3145]

​@@dancinginfernal It not about that. Its about complaining when the corrupt system stops working for him even if its the rotten part that he hates. It seems kind of hypocritical. I get your Apple comparison but I think its more like attacking Amazon for the way they treat their employees but not hesitate to file a complaint when his prime order doesn't arrive in time. I don't know. I've never got the same vibe from Austin Walker for example.

[@dancinginfernal]

@@carlosfranco3145 It's hard to really rebuff your argument without specifics. I understand your intent, but I don't know what instance you're referring to. His perspective seems to generally be consistent over the decade-some I've followed him. Maybe less so earlier on, but he's not a theorist or anything like Walker. Sometimes he doesn't have the language to communicate his thoughts as effectively as Walker, and there are times where he has an initial complaint that he actually ends up disagreeing with after talking through it. I think the willingness to be wrong is part of why I kept with Waypoint. Most incidents of them fucking up they own their shit and do better. Not a lot of that going around.

[@carlosfranco3145]

​​@@dancinginfernal Ok thats fair. I just find it a bit awkward when i see him do stuff like courting sponsors or shitting on companies that apparently started to "become evil" as soon as they stopped to provide for his needs. I know that a lot of people do the same but usually they don't make the "fight the power!" persona part of their identity. I'm willing to concede tha maybe its because of the miscommunication that you mentioned when he says something or agrees with someone or maybe I just don't follow his career as closely as you do to hear the "volte-face" I just know that as I said I never felt that way about Austin.

[@lastking3185]

is being a centrist bad or something today? the way he said that about sub stack was weird.

[@mathewfinch]

Plenty of studies show that centrists are only centrists because they are ill-informed, low information voters.

[@WackoWambo]

No one likes a fence rider.

[@kooshkaboose]

he's a notorious sjw. you either share his values or you're a bad person.

[@dancinginfernal]

Centrists/Liberals in the US tend to roll over when push comes to shove. Their priority is maintaining the status quo, which makes them inefficient and generally unlikeable policy makers. Klepek is a leftist and believes liberalism to be counter-productive in progressive policy making, which is why he's critical of centrist theory.

[@bellsprout7748]

Next time ask him why he wants to bring down capitalism despite the fact he's made his living covering an industry that could only exist via capitalism

[@spastichobo]

All creative ventures could exist and thrive without capitalism.

[@bellsprout7748]

@@spastichobo Well that's impossible so ditch the fantasy

[@wasylyciatube]

I think you're confusing "bring down capitalism" with "reasonable changes to capitalism"

[@bellsprout7748]

@@wasylyciatube were you familiar with Waypoints podcast sign off?

[@wasylyciatube]

@@bellsprout7748 yep

[@ryanking32]

Good interview by Ben as always, but I’m not a PK fan. This interview definitely has not changed that.

[@evilsciontist]

Not sure what your problem is… But, Patrick seems like a very well spoken, genuine, great guy.

[@bigpileofpuke]

1:06:40 People don’t like his constant woke virtue signaling BS. Go woke, go broke.

[@dancinginfernal]

@@bigpileofpuke Seems like Vice died from mismanagement, and that's what killed Waypoint. From the sound of things, they were actually pretty well-profitable. It's the parent company that caused the problems lol.

[@TheLeesto]

@@evilsciontist he does seem like a great and genuine guy. i like him and want waypoint to continue on a patron model. but he's the polar opposite of well spoken. you don't typically hear someone use 50 words, 30 of them filler words, to get across a 10 word statement.