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Perhaps, I may be a bit bias on “The Wing Zero EP” (although that doesn’t diminish Richie Branson’s skills). But after listening to it, all my doubts before were shattered as it helped lead my mind back to the night that became the catalyst of this publication, the formation of The H.D. Darkheart Company, and my formal introduction to anime, manga, and all things otaku: Saturday, May 27, 2000 12:00 A.M.
But before we get to that part of the story, let us begin a couple hours before with that Friday evening...exactly one week after graduating from Irwin County High School (Go Indians!). With a lot of luck, rare opportunities, and the admirable efforts from a multitude of individuals, I was able to earn a full athletic scholarship (and a handful of academic scholarships) to the University of South Florida (Go Bulls!). After a seri-ous game of “Phone Tag” with the coaches, I finally was able to move to (then) Fontana Hall to begin Summer Conditioning with the USF Bulls Football Team the following Monday. I can still remember crossing the Ocilla city limits, then the Irwin County/Tift County line as we headed to I-75 South. How happy I was to leave Ocilla, begin a new chapter in my life, and prove to those whom invested their time, love, and efforts in me that all their good deeds were not wasted (nor ever will be).
One of these individuals include the man whom I greatly admire and hope to emulate in courage, self-discipline, intelligence, and compas-sion, Retired United States Air Force Technical Sergeant (and my uncle) Marvin Campbell. Here’s an good example of his great character. After working a grueling 40+ hour week, TSgt Campbell has offered to drive a 4-hour trip from Tampa to pick me up from Ocilla, Georgia then drive another 4 hours drop me off to USF before he headed home to finally get some rest. Now, to say that “he’s one hell of a guy” would be an udder understatement.
During the drive to USF, we discussed topics ranging from humorous to the serious. After discussing some of scenes he witnessed during Operation: Desert Storm, we started on the subject about my future. I knew I wanted to be successful. Becoming a cardiac surgeon was on the top of my list. Well...it was...until I saw a football player on the opposing team break his arm during one of my high school games I played. After seeing the player’s bones poking out of his flesh, I knew that going into the medical field would not be one of my top choices any more. I’m pretty sure that’s when the idea of becoming a civil engineer or an architect started to look promising. Very promising. Although I don’t remember the conversation verbatim, I do remember him telling me to do something that would make me happy and the success would come afterwards. At the time, I always thought that they were both the same. I knew that money doesn’t buy happiness (as the old cliche’ goes) but it does “answereth all things”...as the Bible says (Ecclesiastes 10:19). Indeed, growing up in the projects a good amount of your childhood life while being in the same classes of children of doctors, lawyers, busi-ness owners, and teachers would convince the mind of such a child that success and happiness could be synonymous, I suppose. Perhaps, this is when the mantra I kept repeating to myself “just get to college and you’ll find your way” began. Either way, the moment has come. My life in Ocilla were bittersweet as this is the town during my then 18 years of existence that I experienced both my highest points and the lowest mo-ments of my life but now that chapter of my life is closed.
We have just pulled into the Fontana Hall parking lot.
As Uncle Marvin and I began unpacking his purple Dodge Cara-van with all of my belongings (consisting of an U.S. Army duffle bag full of my clothes, some graduation gifts, my late grandmother’s black & gray horse blanket, and both the Playstation 1 & 19 inch television my brother bought me before he went off to boot camp (whom is now known as United States Army Battalion Senior Logistician NCO Fredrick Camp-bell), we are both met by a stout man walking towards us with a wide smile and open palms to shake our hands. As he spoke, I recognized his voice as the other player in the recent “Phone Tag” game, Coach Earl Lane.
Gundam Wing: The InspirationBy: H.D. Campbell
Firstly, let me apologize.
As the founder of The H.D. Darkheart Company & Editor-In-Chief of We, The Otaku: The Magazine (amongst other things), my attention can become so engulfed in matters pertaining this publication and many other tedious tasks that I tend to put many things on the back burner that aren’t We, The Otaku or H.D. Darkheart-related. So to all my friends and family, please accept my apologies for not spending enough time with you. As I help build We, The Otaku to become the “Voice of the American Otaku”, a great amount of time and effort is needed on my part to navigate this course. Please have patience with me. Believe me, I am more than grateful for your understanding (even if don’t express it as it greatly deserves).
And back to you, dear reader. As I hope to be forgiven by my family and friends, the question is asked by many...
“What in the world lead you to start a magazine about ‘anime’, of all things?”
Once this question is asked, I would usually smile at their bafflement. “It’s an otaku thing”, I would say to myself then usually reply to the question with the most practical of answers. It’s just hard for me to explain being an otaku. Then after while, I would even question the concept myself. Slowly, the doubt creeps in...
“Me? In the world of Anime?”
“Why didn’t I follow one of my original life plans of becoming either a cardiac surgeon, a civil engineer, or an architect?”
“If I went the route of a cardiac surgeon, by this time now I’ll probably be finishing up my residency and entering a fellowship...”
“Or be in the final throes of setting up my own engineering firm.”
“Or putting the finishing touches to the skyscraper blueprint.”
“Is it too late for still do either of those?”
As I was battling this recent bout of doubt, I happen to check the email and luckily check the spam for deleting the multitude of messages. Scanning through the heap glancing through the subject titles ranging from increas-ing the length of my “manhood” to winning an international lottery I never played to helping out an Nigerian prince in exile, I noticed a message from “John Garcia” from Rapublicans informing us about a Gundam Wing inspired album on Crunchyroll by upcoming rapper/producer Richie Branson named “The Wing Zero EP”. “Please...” I thought, “don’t let this be as terrible as that Soulja Boy song!” But figuring that an artist would put time and effort to cre-ate a whole album based off Gundam Wing, I figured it would be no harm in listening (besides, I survived Soulja Boy’s “Anime” which, in my opinion, is the rap equivalent of listening to iron nails scratching a chalkboard.) So I went to Richie’s site, downloaded the free album, and gave it a listen. If I could give an one word description of “The Wing Zero EP”:
Nice!
As an avid listener to rap music (which means more than just Emi-nem, Jay-Z, and the other stuff on the radio), I can honestly say that Richie Branson is a diamond in the rough and we’ll go more in depth of his skills in the In Your Ear section. Indeed, we were so impressed with his talents that we have even added a link to the album in our Free Stuff section for your listen-ing pleasure. But thing is definitely for sure, “The Wing Zero EP” is way better than that (c)rap done by Soulja Boy. And don’t worry...we will put Soulja Boy’s “Anime” song to a taste test in the P.S. section as well. You’ll see what I mean.
And now I digress.
Coach Earl Lane.
Who would have known that this man standing in front of me with his wide smile and firm handshake would become the bane of my existence (at least the most visible bane) during my years as #92 of the University of South Florida Football team? Even today, after 10 or so years, I ques-tion if this man deserve such scorn. Many players on the team believe that he was only doing what he was ordered by Coach Jim Leavitt (yes...THAT Jim Leavitt). So if this was the case in my opinion, would he be considered someone “just playing his role”, a helpless puppet, or a coward with power? While I tend to side with the latter two choices from my subjective perspec-tive, the first choice wouldn’t be so much of a stretch after experiencing “real life” and witnessing worse atrocities from men of lesser standing observed from an objective view. But I must admit, if “just playing his role” was simi-lar to that of acting, he must be happy to worked himself up to the top as a cast of an Oscar-winning movie. He’s now the Defensive Line Coach at LSU!
Great job, Earl...just one thing that bothers me though. As I was checking out your bio page on LSUsports.net especially “The Lane File”, I could have sworn that your alma mater was Troy State not Northwood University when you coached at USF. I might be mistaken...but just to make sure, I went digging through some of my old USF Football media guides (yeah, I still kept them after all these years). And lo & behold, in the 1999 University of South Florida Football Media Guide, I found a rather interest-ing tidbit on our friend Earl Lane. It reads:
“A three-year player (1979-81) at Troy State shortly after USF defen-sive coordinator Rick Kravitz played at the same school, Lane also played football at Dodge City (Kan.) Community College and Plant High School in Tampa.”
Hmmm...interesting. So I continue reading:
“Lane graduated from Troy State University with a bachelor of arts degree in health and physical education.”
Really. And no mention of this on the LSU bio site? Now I under-stand that the Northwood University alma mater could have happened after your tenure at USF but why not mention Troy State? I mean, Troy State would have been the more prestigious of the two (in terms of football) and being that you played on their football team for three years would be con-sidered a great feat worthy of mention in this LSU bio guide. And yet, no mention.
But here is the most strangest thing...after this 1999 University of South Florida Media Guide, there was no mention of you attending Troy State in any of the later editions of media guides that I have in my posses-sion...
Like the 2000 University of South Florida Football Media Guide (see?)
Or the 2001 University of South Florida Football Media Guide (see?)
Or the 2002 University of South Florida Football Media Guide (see?).
Quite strange. Quite strange indeed. And just in case your Troy State information “magically” appear on your LSU bio page after the publication of this article, I’ve decided to take a screenshot of the bio page (for reference purposes, of course) with the understanding how this part of history would happily welcome alteration. Then again, such a tactic would be nothing more but another line in the script of “playing the role”...wouldn’t you say, Earl?
Sigh...my apologies, dear reader. That’s the thing about memories...you just can’t remember one thing without remembering other things. Oh well, I have seem to gone off subject again. Let me digress once more.
After all the pleasantries are complete, my uncle and I are lead up to
the room that I was to be home for the Summer of 2000. There, we are intro-duced (or for myself reintroduced) to my roommate and teammate, Devon Small. I met him earlier that year during my recruiting trip to USF. He looked just the same as he did as we first met...gold teeth and all. But just as one should never judge a book by its cover, Devon was no exception. Sure, he had the look & personality that one from a small country town like my-self would think a guy from Miami in the late 1990s and early 2000s would possess, but as I said before never judge a book by its cover. Devon Small is probably one of the greatest guys around my age that I have the personal sat-isfaction of knowing. Highly intelligent. He even helped me break out of my initial shyness when I first got there (he referred to me as “anti-social” when we first met). I’ll have to call him and thank him for that. So back to the story. After my uncle and I just finished putting the last of my belongings on my side of the dorm, we head downstairs towards the exit. As we prepared to say our goodbyes, Coach Earl Lane appears and quickly informs me that I start working in the Fontana Hall’s cafeteria that Monday afternoon after the morning Summer Conditioning in exchange for staying in the dormitory.
“Huh,” I remember saying to Coach Lane, “I thought I was on a full scholarship.”
“Yeah,” he stutters, “but the scholarship doesn’t take effect until Fall 2000.”
Hmm...why didn’t he inform me of this while we were in the perpet-ual game of “Phone Tag”, I wonder. Perhaps knowing this tidbit of informa-tion would have convinced me to spend that summer in Ocilla before report-ing to USF for summer practice alongside the rest of the recruits that year?
Could he have calculated that once I was here, it would perhaps be an impossibility that my uncle would drive me all the way back to Ocilla just to drop me back off knowing that I would have to be here at USF within three months anyways? Therefore this omission would be considered harmless once I was in Tampa?
Could it have been the same for Devon Small? The distance from Miami to Tampa is about the same from Ocilla to Tampa.
And why do I only see Devon here? Where are the rest of the re-cruits?
Quite strange. Quite strange, indeed.
But that is that. Besides, I was ready to leave Ocilla and begin this new chapter (just wasn’t prepared for this twist in the story, though). So understanding that I got to make the best of this situation, I told my uncle thanks and we said our farewells. Coach Lane told me that he’ll see me on Monday. Well, up to my new room, I go.
So Devon and I finally strike up a conversation as I headed to my side of our humble abode. Amongst other topics, the subject of our “new job” came up. From the impression I was getting from him, he wasn’t too happy about the arrangement either. But I guess we both agreed that we got to do what we got to do and contented ourselves to our fates. I then noticed that his TV was on.
“Hey, do you know if this place has cable,” I asked.
“Yeah,” he answered, “I’m watching BET right now.”
Cool, I thought! I was hoping that they have that channel that only showed cartoons all day as well. The channel that only showed cartoons. It was this channel I was watching when I came to Tampa for the recruiting trip that made me decide not to go to the club with Devon, Big Them (Therri-mann Edwards, the man assigned to be my “big brother” while I was at USF. A great guy whom was rumored to have a love for cartoons that even rivaled mine), Uncle Ron (Ron Johnson, a man cooler than the AC set on the lowest temperature), and the rest of the recruits that night. I’m pretty sure this may have been the first signal to convince Devon of considering me “anti-social”. So I quickly connected the cords to my TV, flipped through the channels,
and found it.
Cartoon Network, it was called. Hold up! Based out of Atlanta, Georgia?
Why in the world didn’t they have this cable channel in Ocilla, Geor-gia. Ocilla and Atlanta were only four hours away from one another and yet they have it here in Tampa which has to be an eight-hours drive from each other? Now, Cartoon Network is shown in Ocilla so hurray for that. Why not then when I was spending so much time watching BET? Oh well, that’s water under the bridge.
So I began watching Cartoon Network...with the volume low...didn’t want to get clowned by Devon on the first night of us being roommates. But that was no use. I couldn’t keep my laughter silent. So when Devon came over to my side to ask what I was watching that had me laughing so hard...I was so occupied by all the laughter that I didn’t notice him come over. It was too late for me to change the channel. He saw it.
I was clowned.
“Howard,” he laughed, “you still watch cartoons?”
Now that the “cat was out of the bag”, what else could I say?
“Yeah, bruh,” I said trying to hide my embarrassment.
“See!” he exclaimed pointing his finger at me, “I knew you were dif-ferent.”
Different. That’s a nice way to put it.
Devon was cool about it and just thought it was just another thing that made me odd amongst the rest of the guys on the team. Oh well, no point of being ashamed of who I am. I turned up the volume and continued watching. It was cartoons galore. Old classics such as the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. New favorites such as Dexter’s Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, and Cow & Chicken. Throughout this all-you-can-watch cartoon buffet, one commercial kept coming on that piqued my interest. Here’s the commercial. Intrigued, I made sure to stay up to watch this “Midnight Run”. So I kept watching and laughing and watching all the way till 12:00 am.
It’s Saturday, May 27, 2000 12:00 am. After the Midnight Run intro finishes, the Gundam Wing intro starts (tap here to see it for yourself). I was taken aback to say the least. Imagine. You just finished watching Wile E. Coyote falling off a cliff after another failed attempt to catch the Roadrunner about five minutes before and now you are about to watch a show like this? And now it starts.
“With high expectations, human beings leave Earth to begin a new life in space colonies,” the narrator says as a nicely drawn futuristic space scene scrolls across the screen.
“However, the United Earth Sphere Alliance gains great military pow-ers and soon seizes control of one colony after another in the name of justice and peace.” The next scene shows a robot shooting down a space shuttle with a cannon.
“Whoa!” I thought, “this ain’t Transformers!”
Then it begins. I may be wrong but I’m pretty sure it was Episode 7: Scenario for Bloodshed. Here’s the summary of that episode. (via Wikipedia)
Spoiler Alert!!!
“The five Gundams all gather at the New Edwards Base in an attempt to kill the higher echelon members of OZ, but they discover too late they have been tricked; Heero has already eliminated the pacifist leaders of the Alliance while Lady Une and the leader of OZ, Colonel Treize Khushrenada, manipulate, then kill, General Septum, the only survivor. The Alliance is
overturned from within and OZ takes over as the new ruling power.”
End of Spoiler.
Those words just doesn’t describe that episode to me well enough. The politics of military dominance vs. weapons disarmament. Treize’s masterminding of the whole situation. Operation Daybreak. Lady Une’s brutality. And that ending theme song.
That ending theme song.
The only word that could be used to describe those 30 minutes: ineffable.
Next up was Dragon Ball Z. It was so cool. At first glance, it re-minded me of an animated version of WWE Wrestling (with better story-lines). My impression of it became better once I understood the storyline. Once Midnight Run ended at 1:00 am, I made up in my mind that I would do something like this...whatever it was. Then after a good internet search in the Computer Lab downstairs the day after, I found out that this type of animation was called anime.
The rest of that summer was a blur. If I could recall those days, I can remember that brutal Florida summer sun, those long days working in the cafeteria, sleeping a good amount after conditioning only to wake up to go to work in that cafeteria, the Shuttle (my God, the Shuttle), my reignited passion for drawing, and the embracing of my new interest “anime”. But if I was pressed to have another memory, it would be me humming Gundam Wing’s ending theme song.
That ending theme song.
I was careful to hum it silently to myself at work, or at Summer Conditioning, or around Devon. No point of adding more ammo to my list of my “differences”. So it went on like this for Summer Conditioning, then the Two-A-Days after I met the rest of the team and still no word about my new interest therefore no instance of me getting clowned.
Then the cat got out the bag...again.
Even with my carefulness of not letting anyone hear me humming, I still was always drawing or looking up something anime-related so such peculiar activities eventually would finally catch an eye or two of the 100+ men whom I was surrounded with nearly day and night. So I prepared myself for the clowning.
But it never came.
Rather, many of the teammates would tell me how they use to love watching Thundercats when they were younger. Others would come up to me any tell me the stories of when they use to draw Transformers and Ninja Turtles during class with the majority of the confessors being upper-classmen. I even heard that rumor from a handful of players that my “big brother”, Therrimann Edwards, was a huge cartoons fan and still watches them...but this rumor is still unconfirmed. After all of these tokens of ac-ceptance from perhaps some of the most popular men on USF’s campus, there was no holding it back now. I love anime. And I can show it. Kinda.
So the Fall semester started and because this tidbit of information was perhaps an interesting topic amongst players and the women whom they would converse, I would have some of the best looking women at USF at the time approaching me with questions along the line of:
“Hey! Aren’t you the one who loves Dragon Ball Z?”
“Why, yes.” I replied in my mock Barry White voice. I would never correct them, though. No point of looking like a complete geek...but for the record, while I may love Dragon Ball Z, I’m in love with Gundam Wing. Just saying.
And while we are on the subject of women and Dragon Ball Z, I can recall a scene that would’ve left any otaku a bit baffled. During the off season around Spring 2001, I was preparing to watch the full-hour block of Dragon Ball Z (when it was airing on Cartoon Network at 5-6pm) in my Holly B dorm living room area. Suddenly, the door opens and a couple of teammates walk in asking if Dragon Ball Z started. I answered not yet so they came in and made themselves at home plopping down on those brown couches. Then I hear knocks on the door. I open it and there stands three of the best looking women in our freshman class asking for one of the teammates whom just walked in.
“Come on in,” replies the teammate whom shall remain nameless, “We’re about to watch some Dragon Ball Z with Howard.”
They enter into the door with no objections from me. And just as I’m about to head to take my seat, the door opens again. Two more teammates walk into the room. At least the women knocked, I thought but what the hell...I considered these men my brothers anyway.
“Howard, boy, we heard you’re about to get on this Dragon Ball Z,” says a player whom shall also remain nameless.
“Yeah,” I replied, “it’s about to come on.”
“Y’all boys better hurry up and come find a seat,” yells one of the players from the living room. They take their seats. One of the three girls wave at one of our new guests. One of the guys gives a perfectly timed “Sup” with his head nod to the lady’s salutation. The Dragon Ball Z intro begins and all the clamor from everyone suddenly ceases. As I try to find a seat amongst the gathering, I pause momentarily to observe this peculiar scene. Sitting in my Holly dorm living room are 5 football players, 3 beautiful women and me with our eyes affixed to this 19 inch TV about to watch Dragon Ball Z...with no shame at all! Anime is such a beautiful thing.
And now we fast forward nearly 12 years later. So much as happened to me in those years to shape me from that awestruck country boy from Ocilla, Georgia to the head of this startup company known as The H.D. Darkheart Company, LLC with Editor-in-Chief of this publication as one of the many hats I’m currently wearing at the writing of this article. So much has changed in the American Otaku Culture with many industry giants gone, the passing of Toonami (although its resurrection may be possible), the faltering of economy, the closing of bookstores that carried many manga volumes, and the major impact technology has played in much of the culture. But one thing that hasn't changed is the love that Americans have for manga and anime. Perhaps it has...anime seems to be getting more popular. The attendance at anime conventions from the early 2000s to now are steadily increasing. Many non-otakus can tell you who won the battle between Goku and Frieza (without going to Wikipedia). I seen a car with the Zeon emblem and the words “Hail Zeon” below on it back windshield. And I personally saw two people with Fullmetal Alchemist related tattoos (one of the Homunculi, the other of the Elric’s cross). As anime and manga gain a greater acceptance in America, perhaps the past eras of the Voltrons, Robotechs, and Toonamis were nothing more than pre-cursors to an golden age that will be far amongst our imaginations. Perhaps We, The Otaku: The Magazine! may play our part in this era. Perhaps Richie Branson will become the sound of this era. Perhaps American authors and artists will create manga (not comics) that will be compete with our Japanese counterparts and gain the worldwide recognition as Gundam, Fullmetal Alchemist, Dragonball, Bleach, or Naruto. I don’t see why not. Stay tuned.
Anyways, this have been a fun article to write (as well as lengthy one). The trip through the past and the hope of the future are always interesting journeys for me. Now, I must return to the present and help create this “golden era” mentioned earlier...but before I do that, I’m gonna crack open this Gun-dam Wing box set, binge on the entire series, and return back to my first love. Perhaps I can get my 4 year old daughter to stay still and watch them with me. Perhaps not. Either way, thanks for the trip down memory lane, Richie.
“If used games continue the way that they are, it’s going to cannibalize, there’s not going to be an industry.”
As a customer, this may sound a bit dramatic especially when you consider that the price of a new game & a pre-owned game isn’t too significant (perhaps a $3 difference). But from a developers and publishers point of view, the pre-owned sales of their titles which usually becomes the sole revenue of the store in which the developer or publisher does not get a cut may be a bit unfair considering the time, money, and effort spend creat-ing, developing, marketing, and publishing the game. Assum-ing this mindset is true, could this be one of the causes of video games’ rising prices?
“I would argue that used games actually increase the cost of games,” says Dyack to GamesIndustry International.
Objectively, understanding that the “cost” a game con-stitutes a greater spectrum of the game’s creation other than its price setting to consumers, the setting still plays a major factor in the a game’s pricing. But from a subjective perspective, one can empathize with David Dyack after having to cut 45 mem-bers of his staff last year. Dyack may have a point.
So what will save the Video Game Industry? Many stu-dios, after witnessing Mojang’s success with Minecraft, believe that mobile gaming and digital distribution as their salvation (if they like it or not).
Indeed, David Braben of Frontier Development has confirmed his studio’s work on a mobile project and even ap-plauded Apple, Google, and others for their efforts. As noted in a GamesIndustry International article “Braben Says Used Games Has ‘Really Killed Core Games”:
"I think the problem was that the market then was very confused, whereas nowadays it's far clearer. Of course, a lot of that is hats off to Apple, but also the principle of the App Store, which is fantastic," he remarked. "And that applies to a lot of platforms -- it applies to Android, and it now applies to Mac OS, and it's been announced for Windows 8 and I think that is a very interesting realignment of the stars."
But wait...didn’t digital distribution help cause Game’s demise?
And the cycle begins yet again. One thing is sure though...there has to be at least one pissed UK gamer out there at the moment.
By: H.D. Campbell
Game is flat-line. And it doesn’t look pretty for their customers either...read this statement issued by the company to GameSpot and you’ll see what we mean.
“The firm has issued a statement saying that "until fur-ther notice" all Game gift cards have been frozen, along with points in GameWallet accounts and on Game Reward Cards. No new pre-orders are being taken, and no refunds can be obtained for existing pre-order deposits. Software trade-ins are still possible for those looking to accrue Game Reward points or exchanges conducted in the same purchase. Trading in soft-ware for cash and trading in hardware at all have both been in-definitely suspended. The firm is also not currently able to offer refunds or exchanges, irrespective of whether the purchases were made before or after administrators were brought in.”
Game has activated the Reward Cards at the writing of this article, but with the cashflow & profit problems, obstacles obtaining credit on good terms with suppliers, & the beef with EA that lead to the companies’ fallout were accurate roadsigns to Game’s demise.
Even so, could the instances mentioned before be the major culprits? Could digital distribution be the major sus-pect? According to Minecraft creator Markus “Notch” Pers-son, he believes Game’s closure “is an unfortunate side effect of digital distribution”. There may be some proof to that. Indeed, Persson & his company, Mojang, has earned $80 million from Minecraft since October 2010. So does that means that digital distribution will evenly lead to the destruction of other brick and mortar companies?
Perhaps if the company does not integrate and effec-tively execute digital distribution into their business structure, as Game provides the example. On the other side of the pond, however, GameStop is another story. Even though their sales were down 3% in the fourth quarter of 2011, GameStop’s digi-tal revenues were up 57% year-over-year. GameStop is even in the bidding against OpCapita & The Royal Bank of Scotland to purchase Game as the writing of this article. OpCapita won the bidding war but what if GameStop emerged victori-ous from this war, then integrate their business strategy with the fallen retailer & flourish? This may proved that brick and mortar concepts & digital distribution can coexist. Let’s see if OpCapita takes this route. At least, for the moment, the distri-bution side of the Video Game Industry would be okay.
But can the same be said about the industry as a whole?
The GameStop model may seem a godsend to many gamers who purchase games preowned and save a couple of bucks or to others who want to get rid of games they do not want and sell them for cash or trade-ins for other games. Good for us, not for game makers. Just ask Silicon Knights founder Dennis Dyack. Just as Frontier Development’s David Braben argued that “pre-owned has really killed core games”, Dennis Dyack chimes in at GamesIndustry International start-ing:
By: H.D. Campbell
As my mind began to wonder while trying to complete this issue, I decided to step out of “Editor” mode and take a break. As I was drifting off in my own thoughts, a memory sprung back into my mind. I remember in 8th Grade a conver-sation with my friend, Daniel, in homeroom this one particular morning. I remember him asking this question...
Daniel: Hey, Howard.
Myself: What's up?
Daniel: You know when you watch TV shows and you see the people in the background talking but you can't really hear them...
Myself: Yeah...
Daniel: There are a lot of times when I feel like those people. You know, when it wouldn't really make a difference if I was there or not. Do you ever feel that way?
Myself: Yeah, I do...sometimes...
Once that memory passed, I began to ponder the question a little more and began thinking about other times in my life. Scene after scene, I began to realize something. It always seemed like I was either the supporting cast in someone else's life story or the fodder in the background that could have been easily replaced by someone else. Now, I under-stand that every minute I'm alive it's another sentence in my Book of Life and, yes, there has been many parts that I've felt like the main character conquering much adversity in the story. But, it seems as if though the scales are more tipped to the side of sidekick rather than main character or at worse, an extra. I know I'm not the only person who feels this way (with Daniel being another), so I began to wonder if it was okay to be nothing more than a secondary character for some else's life story.
My answer: NO!!! I feel that it's time for one to take back control of their life. Even if you don't want the limelight on you at all times, at least be counted. Your presence should always be known and be quite significant in every situation you are involved. This means at work, at home, at school, anywhere. In my opinion, this is an aspect for one to actually exist & live and not just be born & fall into the oblivion of conformity afterwards. So to finish this article, I challenge you (as well as myself) to stand up and be counted. Allow others to become the sec-ondary characters in your Book of Life, not you becoming their sidekick or the background fodder. You deserve a kick-ass story...so make it happen. Anyways, let me get back into “Editor” mode and continue with this long journey known as We, The Otaku! Y'all take care.
