Last week, ace Kotaku Interns Jen Schiller and Joshua Rivera underwent a vital video game journalism rite of passage: their first publisher Press Event. At the suggestion of their mentor and spiritual guide Stephen Totilo, the two met up afterward via the magic of the internet to discuss their thoughts on the proceedings.
This began on Friday, when Josh was on a Greyhound bus and Jen was here at Kotaku Tower.
Josh: Okay. Want to try talking about this press event thing Stephen suggested? It might not work out, WiFi is fickle.
Jen: Sure!
Josh: And if there's a meal stop, I'm totally ditching this.
Jen: Lol. Okay so lets wrap, and by wrap, what I mean of course is presents. We're preparing for xmas early. WHICH IS WHY we were at a Christmas in July event two days ago, right?
Josh: Regardless of your intent, I hate you right now for using a word that implies food
Jen: Sorry!!
Jen: So the food that was at the Majesco event... off limits?
Josh: It's okay haha. I'm not really that bitter. But thinking about food is nice. It's like eating with your mind. And it's on topic too, because I was absolutely astounded by the amount of food they had there.
Jen: Haha
Josh: Dood it blew my mind.
Jen: I figured they would have some snacks or something but seriously. Nice digs. Did you go into the event with any expectations?
Josh: Well, see, I'll respond to that while still talking about food, and by extension, booze.
Jen: What? Didn't expect the drunken guy who was super excited about The Hidden?
Josh: Hah! On the contrary, he was EXACTLY what I expected. But still,
as press, we're supposed to go to these events to cover games, right? And they're held to show off games.
Jen: Right.
Josh: So I wonder how the guy/gal who plans them and selects the food and pays for the alcohol feels if we don't like their games.
Jen: Well first of all, Majesco pays an event planner to do all that fancy stuff. So it's different feelings being hurt.
Josh: Well, yeah. But imagine for a second it was the same person.
Jen: Haha okay.
Josh: I imagine some angry old guy yelling from the kitchen:
A-WHAT, YOU DONT A-LIKE A MY GAMES BUT YOU'LL DRINK-A MY BOOZE AND EAT-A MY FOOD? I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR ARTICLE.
For some reason he's Italian, too. Kind of like Mario. But bitter.
Jen: Lol. I wish Cooking mama had been behind the bar. That would have been clever.
Josh: Cooking Mama terrified me. I was not expecting her to be there. in the flesh.
Jen: Haha I liked her. But I don't know why Majesco insists on using that costume, just give a relatively small girl with short brown hair a bandana and an apron. Voila!
I have to say, I liked that they had the actual game producers there. It was nice to talk to someone so hyped up about games that usually get shoddy coverage.
Josh: Is Science Papa Cooking Mama's husband? Or dad? Or granddad? I'm curious. And therefore the world must know.
Jen: I guess husband. Let me check the magical internets.
Josh: Oh yeah, it was cool talking to those guys.
Jen: Okay, clearly that's Einstein. The papa of science. And... not a Majesco game at all.
At this point, Joshua, who had been connected to the internet while on a Greyhound Bus (I know! Crazy!!) lost his connection and the intern duo had to resume their debrief later
Jen: Back to Majesco! Should we talk about the guy who talked about Parking Wars? Because that felt like it went on forever.
Josh: Oh yeah. It did. I'm not even sure how that game might be a story. Have you ever even watched Parking Wars? I haven't.
Jen: Yeah no. I barely even watch the commercials. The show is basically meter maids with too much power.
Josh: Really?
Jen: Yes. It's ridiculous. And OF COURSE there's an overly complicated game about it.
Josh: I don't really watch cable. So I'm kind of oblivious to what's out there. I don't even believe half these shows exist. Which is why I had no idea it was a licensed game.
Jen: I thought it was kind of interesting you could tell when a publisher believed in their product. They kind of let the game do the talking. But those who knew they were hawking shovelware worked a little harder to... convince us it wasn't shovel ware.
Josh: You think so?
Jen: Well yeah. I mean the Hidden guy got that system into our hands as soon as he could and let us both try it out
Josh: I feel like, while some of the games felt like blatant cash-ins (HI ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS DANCING/SINGING GAME LOADS OF CHILDREN WILL MAKE THEIR PARENTS BUY), I'm not sure that there was hawking of shovelware. For example, the Parking Wars guy. He was dull, kind of boring, and I had to struggle to keep my eyes from glazing over
(I may have napped standing up)
Jen: Yes.
Josh: There wasn't much "playing" for him to show us, though, ya know?
Jen: Well yeah, but let us poke around and ask questions based on the
content, don't you think? ESPECIALLY for a social networking game, which (in theory) should be always updating. See what elements people really enjoy, and then the game might be able to gain traction.
Josh: Facebook games are about being obsessive and trying to get all your friends to be obsessive with you. And sometimes you're "playing" an ad. I mean, perhaps Parking Wars Guy isn't a fair example, because of the nature of what he was promoting. Anything you encounter that a rep didn't seem too excited about?
Jen: Not really. The Mama guy seemed genuinely into his products.
Josh: Heh heh. "Mama Guy". Almost like "Mr. Mom".
Jen: He kept saying how he lets his neice play as the games are being developed and she really likes them.
Josh: Awww. The Hidden guy was very enthused too.
Jen: Yeah.
Josh: He didn't say as much about Pet Zombies, but I didn't ask a whole lot either.
Jen: I liked them both a lot. I actually watched him explain both games to someone while you were feasting.
Josh: Ahem.
Jen: And it was nice that he didn't repeat himself much.
Josh: "Organizing my notes".
Jen: Hahaha yes. That's what I said, isn't it?
Josh: Exactly.
After a brief bout of whatever the internet equivalent to an awkward silence is, Jen and Josh plunge into what undoubtedly may have been the most newsworthy aspect of the entire event
Jen: Okay has our well gone dry?
Josh: I was going to talk about our Bloodrayne tattoos. Which sounds kinda funny taken out of context.
Jen: Hahahahahaha I still have mine I think. I wish I had it here with me we could apply them and that could be the image. Ridiculous
Josh: Haha I totally would if I had mine with me. But honestly....who gives out Bloodrayne temp tattoos?
Jen: The same people who give out cooking mama oven mitts
which, actually, are awesome.
Josh: See, that makes sense, though.
Jen: And it's practical! Maybe they figure Blood Rayne is sexy, temporary tattoos are sexy...both ooze maturity and coolness. Easy enough to connect the dots.
Josh: Hm. But what would the ladies think?
Jen: They would be turned on. obv.
Josh: And would you say there was an even male/female ratio?
Jen: you know, I think there was
Josh: So that both genders could indulge in sexy temp tattoos?
Jen: Oh. Haha I thought you meant at the event.
Josh: I did lol.
Jen:In all seriousness, it was a very silly gift. We were the youngest ones there—and we kind of laughed at it. The age limit for temp. tattoos is like 11.
Josh: Haha. I think I got a Psylocke temp tattoo when I was six.
Jen: See, that would be awesome. At six you're like YES TAT ME UP.
Josh: I wonder what everyone else would do with their tattoos?
Jen: Apply them in places only their 3DS can see.
Josh: Aaaaaaaaaaannnd scene!