Robert Rath's "Critical Intel" column leaves The Escapist

[Demagogue]

I only read some of the CI stuff, but I did enjoy the ones I did. Good luck going forward!

I really wish Josh, or something from higher up would spell out some of this new content/design, there is getting to be less and less here.

Heck there are 3 Top 8's in the current news feeds... That isn't content in my opinion (no offense Ron, they are a fun read, but not really site defining) Heck one of those is from the 19th... content that is almost a week old is still on the main page.

 

[COMaestro]

Man, the content here just continues to bleed away. I really enjoyed all of Rath's columns and was definitely a large draw for me. So at this point there's just Yahtzee, Critical Miss, and Experienced Points that I primarily come to the Escapist for, in addition to the forums. Getting kind of thin...

 

[chozo_hybrid]

Man, the content here just continues to bleed away. I really enjoyed all of Rath's columns and was definitely a large draw for me. So at this point there's just Yahtzee, Critical Miss, and Experienced Points that I primarily come to the Escapist for, in addition to the forums. Getting kind of thin...

Same here. At this rate, may have to branch out and find more sites to visit at a regular basis.

 

[f1r2a3n4k5]

My best guess is that the Escapist's cutbacks to their staff also means they can't afford to pay content producers. It's certainly not the first time it's happened. Extra Credits worked for peanuts for a few months when the Escapist was in financial trouble, and more recently, the D&D with Porn Stars people were going to do more I Hit it with my Axe apparently with a reduced budget (before they said no and refused to work with the Escapist after they hired the transphobic guy).

Site bleeding money, company owners downsizing and cutting costs, the content producers are the first to go after staffers.

This seems far, far, far more likely than any political motivation. Far more likely.

Journalism, as a whole, is not a hugely profitable enterprise. Games journalism is even more niche.

Now given the fact that The Escapist has its long-standing tradition of poorly/irregularly paying their content-makers. The Extra Credits debacle revealed a number of other content creators that were unhappy with how they were treated. Interestingly, Jim stood up for the Escapist at the time, when he was relatively new to the site and look where he is now.

So, it seems far more likely that it's easier to ax the creative people and bring in a bunch of new contributors to make Top Ten Lists. Because Top Ten Lists are WAY cheaper to produce than videos.

 

[Queen Michael]

If this keeps up I know what's coming. A lone man will be standing in the Escapist offices. To himself he'll mutter "But can I really fire myself?"

 

[Davroth]

Yeah, would we should be doing is emailing all of the advertisers and telling them that they're hiring unethical journalists! That'll show them!

Step one would be not to come here anymore. No matter what you do, your presence here helps their metrics. If you really want to show them, leave, and then email advertisers.

I really support this idea. Anyone who is really unhappy with a website should stop visiting it. I did that months ago with Kotaku and I'm a far happier person because of it.

After reading many of MarsAtlas's posts over the last few days I would suggest that he/she/it/other may be much happier taking up permanent residence on Tumblr.

Here is a great and informative video on how to get started:

Oh, I hear you. I'm sure we can all do with a little less salt in here.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I didn't read many of the CI articles because I often found the topic at hand didn't appeal to me, but the ones I did read were very well thought out and enjoyable. It's definitely a loss for the site but I can't say that the stance taken in some of the articles would have fit into the "happy happy fun time" rebranding.

 

[arsenalabu]

Welp, that's probably it for me. I loved reading his columns every Friday morning before lectures. At this point, I'll only be coming for Shamus and Critical Miss, and less than one piece of content every second day definitely isn't worth a PubClub membership.

To those that haven't read his columns, I would strongly recommend it. He always felt like a proper old school articles writer to me; he made the issues and topics he discussed so much more interesting than a more casual style (like most of the news articles use) would have.

He has a blog called robwritespulp as well if anyone is looking for his extra stuff; no announcement on there as of yet though.

 

[Lunar Templar]

not a single fuck give here. I had actually forgotten that even existed as a thing on this site so it going away, really is only a matter of concern due to how much content the site has been bleeding off in comparison to new content coming in.

 

[Callate]

What can I say? That's unfortunate; I enjoyed many of his articles. Doubly unfortunate, given the timing. The Escapist needs new hires and new material, not less, and they need them yesterday. The over-all sensation of this many major contributors departing in such quick succession is not a good one.

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

Who?

Man I didn't even know this guy was here :/ Well, good fortunes in your future sir.

It's possible.

And by that I mean, it's possible there are likely a number of (now former) content creators who wanted to distance themselves from GG, and have therefore decided to distance themselves from this site to achieve that.

I wasn't exactly clear where escapist "stood" on GG (pre exodus) and didn't really care...but from what I can remember it was a sort of appeal to the "neutral" side while still courting GGer's?

Well, I'd say that the Escapist being pretty much single digits numbers of sites that didn't outright censor GG talk like pretty much everyone else. I don't personally know of Robert Raths' work but from what people are saying in his thread he didn't seem to have the issue of covering basically the same thing over and over before leaving like Sterling. Or a history of getting into online insult matches like Bob.

This is honestly more of the Escapist getting hit with layoffs in the same way we saw with IGN last year, Gamespot the year before, etc, etc. Its the same market that's couldn't keep Joystiq afloat. Times are changing. A lot of the original video content that brought people here has been gone for years. People are honestly freaking out over literally 3 people leaving/being layed off when a bunch of original content has been gone for years. This site had a LOT of original miniseries like There Will Be Brawl and Unforgotten Realms. There era where Yahtzee was a fresh face here.

Jim left of his own accord. Bob was layed off and has frankly been childishly salty about it on Twitter. Seems Robert Raths' reasons will be his for the time being.

 

[EHKOS]

I'm getting that cathartic feeling of eating popcorn in a lawn chair, maniacally laughing whilst watching a violinist slide past you down the deck of the Titanic. You're going to sink too, but watching as Failure crumbles your surroundings seems so justified.

 

[Kingjackl]

Of course this would get announced literally days after I finished a binge of all his articles. I wasn't that into Critical Intel before, now I am and it gets taken away!

I give it about a week before Unskippable goes. Now of the ones I'm keen on, it's just Yahtzee and Shamus Young left.

 

[Starbird]

honest question...does anyone else suspect the recent exodus of site producers (sans jim..but even then) was "politically" motivated? that escapist is taking a more...shall we say "GG friendly" stance?

Don't know, but with Jim and now Moviebob gone I am only really here for the forums and ZP. SO sad to see Escape to the Movies gone as well as Bob's stuff about old TV shows, movies and comics. Turned me onto a lot of gems I was not aware of.

 

[Bat Vader]

It's possible.

And by that I mean, it's possible there are likely a number of (now former) content creators who wanted to distance themselves from GG, and have therefore decided to distance themselves from this site to achieve that.

I wasn't exactly clear where escapist "stood" on GG (pre exodus) and didn't really care...but from what I can remember it was a sort of appeal to the "neutral" side while still courting GGer's?

I wouldn't say they court GG. I know Tito had a hand in helping GG have discussions here. I don't think it was courting them so much as showing good faith in letting GGers talk. Plus, it helps make the Escapist not a target. Attacking a place that gave you shelter is sort of a shot in the foot in my opinion. This place has seemed to be pretty neutral though in all of it which is nice.

 

[Zhukov]

Seriously?

Fucking seriously?

When I saw the thread title I thought you were joking. Y'know, "Oh ha ha, even the columnists are leaving."

Well, shit. I really liked his stuff.

The Escapist is quite literally running out of contributers to lose.

But don't worry everyone! Liana K, that other chick whose name I've forgotten and the anti-transexual guy will save us!

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

GAAAHHH! I want to weep at this point. Lost Lisa Foiles, Lost Jim, Lost Bob, Now lost Rath. I love the Unskippable guys, Shamus and obviously Yahtzee is everyone's main reason for finding the Escapist, but I'm missing all the contributors I enjoy :-(

I even liked those Movie Physics guys that did that short lived run on physics from Hollywood films. *sigh*

I loved Robert Rath's recent piece on Sleeping Dogs and Hong Kong. I left for HK a couple of days later and am in fact in my Kowloon hotel room right now as I type this. I've also gotta remember to play Sleeping Dogs when I get back!

 

[Scarim Coral]

"voluntarily"? That doesn't bound too well given to the current situation on this site.

Sure I only read a couple of his articles but still with several people gone and one l person in, the outlook on this site is getting worse.

 

[shrekfan246]

People are honestly freaking out over literally 3 people leaving/being layed off when a bunch of original content has been gone for years.

You might want to do a recount there, what with the four writers/members of staff who also recently left or were fired, and with Gav "Miracle of Sound" leaving.

 

[rbstewart7263]

Seriously?

Fucking seriously?

When I saw the thread title I thought you were joking. Y'know, "Oh ha ha, even the columnists are leaving."

Well, shit. I really liked his stuff.

The Escapist is quite literally running out of contributers to lose.

But don't worry everyone! Liana K, that other chick whose name I've forgotten and the anti-transexual guy will save us!

I had trouble understanding what he meant by that tweet. Perhaps it was poorly written. If he is a bigot that is truly a shame but I am looking forward to the new content all the same.