Waiting for Wii: And I'll form the head!
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ May 12th 2006 at 6:45PM }
The sight of billions of people waiting in line to touch Nintendo's elusive Wii is hardly something unusual at this year's E3, but men with robot heads are considerably less common. I cautiously approached the frightening man-machine hybrid and was relieved to find that underneath the metallic shine and pulsing red eyes was a passionate gamer eager to get his hands on Nintendo's new games. Yanier Gonzalez decided several months ago that, in order to get into E3, he would have to create a distinctive gaming website. The result was Destructoid, a nifty independent blog that has since become a real passion for Yanier. He told me that he was eager to try out The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and would gladly spend hours in line to give "average Joes" a glimpse at what goes on at E3. Kudos to Destructoid, and thanks for letting me borrow your home-made robot head!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
crummy @ May 12th 2006 6:56PM
Apparently GamePolitics doesn't like this guy much.
http://gamepolitics.livejournal.com/284818.html?mode=reply
livest one @ May 12th 2006 8:21PM
Thats weird, I am watching the E3 06 live show on G4
right now and I keep seein him in the crowd
he sure does get around
Walter Liebkemann @ May 12th 2006 10:34PM
Nice Voltron reference!
Puppetpallmich @ May 13th 2006 1:23AM
Hes getting really popular really quick, its surprising what a robot head can do for you.
Sabre @ May 13th 2006 4:29AM
w00t! That's me reading the magazine on the left side of the guy.
Now...as for their "credentials" I wouldn't consider him a "real" gaming website. Why? B/c of what I heard them say as they were being interviewed by Ludwig. Sorry but that doesn't make you "professional" nor will it ultimately make you a respected gaming website.
E3 is for "Industry Professionals" and not for people who "Really want to get into E3 but have no interest in working in the industry."
Niero @ May 13th 2006 11:38PM
That was actually Franco in the G4 crowd, the helmet weighs about 15 pounds so we took turns :)
Ludwig, it was an honor and a priviledge for to have met you and thank you for the kind words. I see now that some didn't appreciate our mascot at the show, but I'm finding that the few open minded people whom actually talked to us did enjoy our quirky company. And we frickin LOVED the shirts, that was totally unexpected and extremely awesome. If you're ever going to be in Miami you have a home here!!!
As for Sabre: I have never claimed to be a professional journalist (or even cohesive). You should have also overheard me describe ourselves as an "indie gaming web site" -- which has become a favorite hobby for the four of us who will continue to grow it. When you say "working in the industry" I interpret that as "playing video games" which I think I've been working hard at since I was six years old. I don't need a degree in journalism to have a little forum, dude.
In response to GamePolitics: "In all fairness - I don't know what I was thinking walking into a press conference, they hated us. In retrospect it's just not a good fit for our "special brand" of reporting. Even if we never become a huge respected site, we have our loyal little readership whom really does like the site and that's good enough for me. The moment we take ourselves too seriously, the fun stops. It almost happened at that press conference so we elected to not go to any of the workshops. We had a blast on the floor with "the little people", and that's where we fit. We did a ton of Extreme Robot Makeovers and hope to post a little gallery soon about it. Even the E3 security guards wore the helmet! It was a **blast**"
Did you also overhear that we're buying a USB NES PowerGlove to review modern games with it? That's the kind of stuff we're about. When you want professional reporting, you'll read Joystick. When you want to read E3 babe pickup lines and Mario fart jokes, try our forums. And next time tap me on the shoulder and give us a chance, won't ya? :)
(BTW - I think he was just un poquito jealous that he too didn't have a robot helmet and get a totally sweet Joystick Katamari Damacy T-Shirt from Ludwig).
Sabre @ May 14th 2006 3:52PM
"When you say "working in the industry" I interpret that as "playing video games" which I think I've been working hard at since I was six years old."
Uhh...how about no. If that was the case then watching movies would make you (going by your logic) a certified movie critic (like Ebert.) By "working in the industry" I mean people who actually DEVELOP games (artist, programmers, designers,etc.) or those who help to promote and pitch game concepts. Making a website so try and get into E3 does not make you a "real" journalist.
Fronz @ May 15th 2006 12:27AM
Well, for what it's worth Sabre - I help post for the Destructoid page and I'm in college for a degree in Game Art and Design. I'm one year away from graduating, but I realize a degree in something doesn't make you an automatic professional in that field.
But as far as I know about the other few guys that run the site - it wasn't made exclusively for a free ride to E3 - it's part of a chain of DoubleViking.com websites. I was skeptic, but when you have a few hardcore video game fans with decades of gaming blisters to boast running a presentable website, then the only thing separating them from the staff at IGN is their paychecks (which is pretty much whatever the IGN staff makes minus all of it).
It all comes down to what Niero already said - our website isn't ment to look or feel professional - it's run by hardcore gamers with a similar audience. As far as E3 goes, we were just kicking back with the rest of the best, and trying to help fill in the rest of the world of what E3's really like. You can only hit refresh on IGN.com or GameTrailers.com so much before you crave something else - something new and fresh. And that's us.
And P.S. - E3 is hardly for 'industry professionals' - we all know E3 is nothing compared to the GDC.
Sabre @ May 15th 2006 12:50AM
"Well, for what it's worth Sabre - I help post for the Destructoid page and I'm in college for a degree in Game Art and Design. I'm one year away from graduating, but I realize a degree in something doesn't make you an automatic professional in that field."
I actually have that same degree from the Art Institute in Orange County, CA.
Oh and hate to break it to you...but comparing GDC and E3 is like comparing Apples to Oranges. GDC is more for learning and the technical side of game development while E3 is all of that PLUS the ability to see what others have been working on for the past months and years. This was my 7th E3 btw the way so I know the differences AND I work for a rather large gaming media/middleware company.
Niero @ May 15th 2006 2:56AM
Fronz, maybe we can learn by example.
Sabre - where's your blog dude? (EYES BURNING)