I think he was hired for another view into the industry, not necessarily a deep one. Be fair to the guy. He has a whole other... job.

Funny that here on Kotaku the next article down is about a guy who shaves game logos into his head. That's insightful too.

Bash is angry because Christian totally jacked his swagger!

I don't see anything "wrong" with what he posted. That was far from ranting, and he told the truth. As Kobi said, give him a break.

@daibondo:
Not ranting, but rambling

When THQ released Smackdown years ago, I believe the wrestlers backstage held tourneys amongst themselves. And if I remember correctly, Christian won most of the tourneys. This first article was a bit forced, but I'll wait to pass judgment after he writes his first real gamign article. He has experience writing for WWE.com a few years ago and he likes gaming obviously. This won't be anything new for him.

It wasn't nearly as bad as i thought it would of been.

Well, considering it was his first column, I think it was right to tell the gaming audience who he is, what he does, and why he is writing a gaming column. I didn't see a problem with his column.

I don't think you people realize what's going on here.

Some dumbass wrestler is about to be winning the bread for doing the exact same thing people here at Kotaku are getting paid for.

That has to sting. Equal opportunity Pulitzer winner, lawlz.

Personally though I don't seek the opinion of wrestlers on games, so I'll be skipping his column much like a good portion of the rest of the internet.

what do you suggest, bashcraft? random hentai posts in the middle of the night?

i kid, i kid <3

do I detect just a little bit of elitism mister bash? ;)

I have a similar problem to Cage, I will happily replay an old game even if I've got a new one sat on the desk waiting to be played. For example, I'm only a few stars into Super Mario Galaxy and I'm halfway through Eternal Sonata. Instead of finishing them I've been re-playing Panzer Dragoon Saga and Metal Gear Solid 1...

There are healthy obsessions with Puyo Puyo?!? (25th anniversary edition hasn't left my DS for more an an hour since I bought it in may....)

Why does unhealthy obsessions about one certain game happen? I try to complete a game, and if i cant, i try the other game i couldnt complete.

He does in fact "ramble." He says so himself! I personally don't see what's wrong with it.

@BD:
Yeah, so he gets money for being famous? What's your point? Rich and famous people always get paid for something stupid that someone else could do much better. It's the way the world works, unfortunately. Or, at least the way America works.

Also, BD, I hope that second sentence which was directed at you was not taken the wrong way. It's not a "What's your point? (You suck)" It's more of a "What's your point? (this is not something new)"

There is nothing elitist, or mean, or rude, or even slightly wrong with Brian's post.

Pro Wrestlers should stick to doing what they do best: Talentless acting. Just because this douche is a pro wrestler doesn't mean he suddenly has an opinion about games that I give a damn about. He's already shown he can't write to save his life, and despite his lack of writing ability he's being paid to pen an article for GameTap every month? No, sorry, they hired him for his name, not his opinion on games.

So don't give him respect he doesn't deserve.

Pro Wrestlers are nobodies to me, especially when it comes to their opinions about games. Get someone who's opinion I actually give a damn about, like Will Wright, or John Preskill, or Tetsuya Mizuguchi, or Toshio Iwai to name a few, and I will sit there and happily read their minds put to text. Oh wait, what's that? They don't have the time to write articles? They're changing the world with their talent, intelligence and ingenuity? I guess I can do without their articles on gaming, then.

@Atheist Jew: Now, that's just stupid. So, to review, you group all pro-wrestlers together by saying that they're "talentless actors," you call Christian a "douche" when you don't know him at all (which makes you a douche), and then you say that people like Will Wright are changing the world (as if by programming a game, you are curing cancer, ending world hunger, and bringing the troops home).

That's a special kind of stupid.

This guy's just another crazy rambling gamer, personally I love it.

@Atheist Jew: Dude, they're not meant to be geniuses. They're meant to connect with gamers on a more down-to-earth level.

Actually, we do have blogs for this. But fuck, if you no likey no ready.

@EvoAnubis: Wait, pro wrestlers aren't talentless actors?

@Atheist Jew:

What about all the boys that like wrastling? They're obviously going to enjoy this man's article. They (hopefully) wouldn't have him write without a reason, would they?

@Sabre_Justice: Spoken like someone who has no clue what it is to be a pro wrestler.

Heh, this guy is one of my favorite wrestlers. Hmm, wonder if his gaming skills is any good. He's probably get massacred online for the latest Smackdown...that damn game is a mess.

@Channing:

Well my point really was that the bar is low.

While Crecente and Ashcraft and the whole gang are professional and organised and are doing well for the gaming communities, the level of writing for games is fairly low when compared to the rest of the journalism crowd. So much so, that some wrestling retard can just start a gaming column and do the exact same thing content wise that is being done here with meticulous dedication.

I'm fairly certain that everyone who dedicates themselves to writing for Kotaku is attempting to spearhead, or to more accurately put it, attempting to BE the spearhead of a new emerging kind of journalism, which is the gaming section of the world.

The thing is, the craft of writing about games, is very much underrated. As the TV was the tool of the devil, so are the computers today and the digital devilry that they deliver through the intertubes. It is the tool of the Satan himself first, before it's recognised as the most superior form of art (which games made today, the high budget ones, are).

However, until the industry starts high fiving itself and starts pouring money into being its own standalone format without the need for Samuel L. Jackson, a film actor, to present its awards, but for someone relevant to gaming to do so, gaming journalism will be on the fringe of serious journalism, if even there.

There are no Pulitzer prize categories for this type of journalism, as hard as Kotaku may try (which I endorse, and I wholeheartedly wish to be realized), it speaks a lot about your craft when a Wrestling Scientist (seriously, if all the jumping around and smacking your head against the floor hasn't depleted you of braincells, then the decision to do that for a living has) can enter the game and write on almost the same level as the top industry leaders of game related authority (Kotaku in this case).

I know if I was Ashcraft, I'd be pissed too. Hence, the article.

That's my take anyway.

@Atheist Jew: wow, good job there. nice italics job on "nobodies," i would've never have comprehended how adamant you were, otherwise. what's wrong? did a football player wrong you in high school or something? douche.

i don't like pro wrestling. but some people do. and i'm sure a lot of them are aware that it's fake. and yes, wrestlers should probably stick to brawn rather than brain. but this guy has fans who probably appreciate his opinions on video games, intelligent/qualified/blah blah or not.

@BD:

I see what you're saying but I don't think they're really trying to say that this wrastler is at the same tier as other writers.

People write books all the time, it doesn't mean that they're instantly at the same level as other novelists. If BAshcraft is really sore over this I think he needs to take it with a grain of salt. I don't think anyone is trying to say that this wrastler feller is at the same level as other journalists.

@photoboy:

I'm the same way, but unlike Christian, I won't pour hours into a game unless I really love it (which is why I'm glad there isn't a glut of Sandbox games out there as that's my fave genre). I will, however, continue to play stuff I've already completed over and over again while my collection of cellophane-wrapped titles grows.

Part of the reason I keep picking stuff up, of course, is because of discontinuation. The week I went to get Disgaea Afternoon of Darkness, it was discontinued. :(

@EvoAnubis: You're wasting your time, people think that just because pro wrestling has predetermined outcomes and storylines that it takes no talent or physical gifts to do what they do. Plus, let's face it, it's "cool" to hate on it with the majority of people.

They should have used AJ Styles instead- and dedicated it to the Nintendo DS.

Given the choice, I would have played Top Spin 2 for months straight instead of Gears of War myself.

But yeah, why do we need some "celebrity" to ramble about how much he loves video games? As my grandma used to say, "who gives a rat's ass?"

Jeez, I didn't know quasi-famous people weren't allowed to have opinions or write about something they obviously enjoy outside of their chosen profession. He likes games, he's getting paid to write about something he likes, I really don't see how this is a problem.

I also agree with Arstal. AJ dedicating his tag title win to Pokemon Diamond was classic...though AJ likes Stuntman, so maybe he shouldn't get his own column.

Come on Brain he's a fucking wrestler. It's not like his view is even supposed to be the most insightful one around. I think it's pretty cool to get this kind of *different* perspective.

It wasn't that bad - it seems a little cruel to be so harsh on the guy.

He likes games and he'd obviously like to write about something he likes. If you want to fault the fact a celebrity is writing about games, blame whoever hired him - not him.

If they started paying Clay Aiken to do a monthly write-up, you people would be up in arms over the value of his opinions on gaming, even if he posted anecdotes about being addicted to Katamari, Madden, or C.O.D. 4

Just because you're fairly recognizable and you also play video games, doesn't mean a gaming column is a good idea. He should get a blog, post a few articles, and take it from there.

@Shimmergeek: "If you want to fault the fact a celebrity is writing about games, blame whoever hired him - not him."

Agreed.

The guy is one of the best talkers in the business. His columns will improve, trust me.

why cant 'the natural disasters' get a blog? by now typhoon and earthquake are too old to wrestle it up, im sure with their powers combined they could ramble just as well...at least id be more interested.

@Shimmergeek:

Agreed, I didnt think it was that bad. I mean it filled the readers in to what kind of person he is and that will make it easier to judge his reviews when he starts writing about actual games.

"So insightful."

Says the guy that posts his personal email once daily that gets sent back and forth between him and another editor on his own gaming page. So insightful!

I like Kotaku and all just pointing out the kettle to you pot.

@Atheist Jew:

There is nothing elitist, or mean, or rude, or even slightly wrong with Brian's post.

speaking for myself AJ I was just joking, note the winky face guy on my post.

To be honest though, the post isn't that bad. It's obvious he isn't a writer so you have to cut the guy a little slack. if someone approached me and offered to pay me for writing about games I'd have a hard time passing it up even though I'm a building contractor.

Christian is cool and the muthafuggin gang, yo, and when you strike him down he becomes more powerful than you could ever imagine!

@Atheist Jew: So basicly, what you are saying is "Not News"

All blogs talk of the personal life. Kotaku is one of them. Sometimes the stories are great (bash with his son and the stuffed animal down the sewer in texas) sometimes, meh, it is filler. But all blogs do this to some degree. Is he ranting and rambling? Yes. Does Crencence do this from time to time? A little. Do other writer's do it? Yeah.

This is mister Cage's field. He knows wrestling, and he is a what seems like a casual gamer. That's a unique look that most of us will never see. Is it ground breaking Romeo style gaming new? No, but it is a nitch and it could be interesting, it could be entertainment. That's a point. You don't want to give him a chance because he's a action soap star more known as a pro wrestler.

And top spin for 8 months? Heaven help him if he ever finds wow.

Whether or not it was Ashcraft's intention, the post does come off sounding somewhat vicious and petty. There are thousands of craptacular writers out there in the journalism field, and lots of "celebrities" get columns on subjects that interest them, whether or not they're actually toting any writing ability of merit. Since we've survived their existence this long, and there's no point in sight where people might become discriminating enough to say "This is shit" and walk away, who cares? How many people would even know about this guy if the other gaming blogs weren't reporting on his getting the column?

On a related note, while I have no umbrage with Ashcraft, Kotaku itself does have some writers whose posts I only scan for clickable media. My opinion and all that, but I wouldn't be casting too many stones at the glass tower across the way.

"Look forward to future rambling antics where Cage goes on and on about his unhealthy obsession with Puyo Puyo and why he can't seem to break the seal on his Mass Effect copy. So insightful."

I guess it's not as bad as that one game blog where they write these "note" posts to each other all the time that don't even have anything to do with gaming at all.

Frist Kurt Schilling goes into gaming then Christian who's next? Ross Perot.....LOL I love I tell you IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII love it.

Most crotch grabbers and crotch grabbing fans speak and think this way. I see no problem with the lowest common denominators of society communicating with each other so long as it stays on the neckcar circuit and whatever channel hosts this mouthbreathers bit. To fans of this, remember to vote November 6th.

I just came here to say the Christian Cage is an awesome guy. I look forward to his views on gaming. Just because he's a wrestler doesn't mean he's an idiot. Just like any other random sampling some are idiots, some are smart, some are jerks, some are not. It's usually the guys that come off the worst in the ring that are the best kind of people outside the ring (see: Edge). However, nothing is going to change the mind of some people. Basically, what I'm saying in a rant-tastic way is, Yes he's a Wrestler his job his wrestling, but that doesn't mean that he can't also be a gamer and write an entertaining column while he's at it.

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing what Christian has to say. *Grins* Must say though, that pictures outdated since he works for TNA now and not the WWE.

@Ashkihyena: Oh, btw, if you wanted a rambling post, wait till the Ultimate Warrior makes a blog about gaming, there'd be some real rambling there.

"Look forward to future rambling antics where Cage goes on and on about his unhealthy obsession with Puyo Puyo and why he can't seem to break the seal on his Mass Effect copy. So insightful."

Whoa, where did this animosity come from? Did Cage kick your dog?