Kinda Funny - Greg Miller quits IGN for new venture

[cdj]

Greg Miller quits IGN for new venture (http://www.polygon.com/2015/1/5/7494815/greg-miller-quits-ign-for-new-venture)

IGN frontman Greg Miller, co-host Colin Moriarty and two senior video producers have quit the media news network to focus on their own Patreon-funded entertainment venture, Kinda Funny.

Miller (pictured in black shirt), along with regular co-host Colin Moriarty and video producers Nick Scarpino and Tim Gettys, announced their departure today via Patreon. The team has been working together on YouTube side projects for some years, creating friendly chat-show-style vignettes about everything from politics to the best Oreo cookies.

But the new Kinda Funny will focus more on the team's core interests of games, comics, movies and TV — areas that they were previously discouraged to cover outside work by former employer IGN.


KindaFunnyGames has been added to our Twitch notifications on the top of the website, so live shows & content can be accessed here at TGT.

[CLW]

Saw this. Really ballsy for them hope it works out. It is an interesting test case to see the "future" of video game media/news. Will the "big" sites prevail or has Youtube/Twitch etc... efectively rendered big games media irrelevant much as the net has done the same with the MSM media.

[CLW]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlakjnrpOW8

[CLW]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3arIIbN7F0

[CLW]

Just checked their 2 Patreon sites and in total they are making $276,338.88 a year. Of course that is for 4 people no clue how they divvy up that cash but assuming = shares that's just over 69K a year.

Now they live in San Fran but that's not a bad hunk of change to be making to basically play video games and chat/stream all day long.

I'd do it in a heart beat. Of course, I'd always have my wife's salary to fall back on if I flopped. No clue what (if anything) these guys have for financial support.

[JeffHCross]

It's not a bad chunk of change, but that income in San Fran? No thanks.

[oweb26]

It's not a bad chunk of change, but that income in San Fran? No thanks.


Yeah that income in San Fran really isn't that much....

Just did a salary calculator, 69k in Nashville = 125,419 in San Fran cost of living difference. Not sure I would want that either.....

[CLW]

It's not a bad chunk of change, but that income in San Fran? No thanks.

I'm sure they hope to keep growing it from where it is now. I'm sure they have grown that # quite a bit actually since I posted the numbers above. However, I agree San Fran is a "problem" for them. For example using the 70K San Fran salary is the equivalent to "only" 43K here in Houston. Flip it if they make $70K in Houston they would need to make $114k in San Fran.

Honestly, not sure why they have not considered leaving San Fran now to a lower cost of living area. I know San Fran has become known for being the center of the video game media universe. However, with what they appear to be going for (streaming, podcast, etc...) you could really do that from anywhere so long as everyone could agree to move to the same location.

If I were those guys my butt would be moving the second the lease was up on my apartment and I'd be headed to a lower cost of living since my income is going to be the same no matter what.

[CLW]

Yeah that income in San Fran really isn't that much....

Just did a salary calculator, 69k in Nashville = 125,419 in San Fran cost of living difference. Not sure I would want that either.....

Beat me to the punch as I was typing out a much longer explanation of the same thing.

I agree they should leave that liberal hell hole San Fran ASAP.

[oweb26]

Beat me to the punch as I was typing out a much longer explanation of the same thing.

I agree they should leave that liberal hell hole San Fran ASAP.

I think we finally agree on something........

My wife is always looking at these house TV shows and when they do California the price vs size of those homes always astonishes me......

500k for a 1000sq ft home, 500k for a house in Nashville is a mini mansion, if you want to stay outside the city itself 500k is a ranch, cows included....lol

[CLW]

I think we finally agree on something........

My wife is always looking at these house TV shows and when they do California the price vs size of those homes always astonishes me......

500k for a 1000sq ft home, 500k for a house in Nashville is a mini mansion, if you want to stay outside the city itself 500k is a ranch, cows included....lol

Yeah I might be wrong but these guys probably would want to live in some sort of Metropolitan area. Moreover, they actually NEED a strong internet connection. So Kansas City, Austin or another city with Google Fiber would be a great spot for them.

[CLW]

For whatever its worth they are now up to nearly $82K/year for the four of them (assuming = shares). + whatever they get from their merchandise, youtube ads, twitch subscribers, etc.... My guess is they will probably clear $100K each in 2015.

[souljahbill]

They probably want to stay where they are for the access. I'm sure that 82k was more than what they were being paid at IGN.

[CLW]

They probably want to stay where they are for the access. I'm sure that 82k was more than what they were being paid at IGN.

I dunno Miller was basically the face of the company but I have NO clue how the business model works in the gaming media industry other than I've heard the pay generally BLOWS.

Someone said they also had like 1000 subscribers on twitch already which is another $5k a month.

I think these guys can live fairly comfortably doing this. The only question I have is this new internet/youtube/twitch basically get paid for your personality a bubble just waiting to pop or if it will have a lasting impact that will change the way video games are covered.

[CLW]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nraWczOyr2s

[SCClassof93]

I think we finally agree on something........

My wife is always looking at these house TV shows and when they do California the price vs size of those homes always astonishes me......

500k for a 1000sq ft home, 500k for a house in Nashville is a mini mansion, if you want to stay outside the city itself 500k is a ranch, cows included....lol

Bay area real estate is insane....................You could double the best year I ever had and adjust it every year for inflation, wrap it in gold and guarantee it every year for the rest of my life and I would pass if it required me to live in San Fran:smh:. Now San Diego is a different story :nod:

[JeffHCross]

I dunno Miller was basically the face of the company but I have NO clue how the business model works in the gaming media industry other than I've heard the pay generally BLOWS.Media + Pay = Blows. Pretty much across the board.

[gigemaggs99]

I'd be interested to see what overhead they have. If they are making 80-100K each but have no real costs....that's great money!

Games are probably donated or given so they will get a review, machines also, they probably work some sort of advertising deal to get a great internet connection, who knows where they live but if they don't have a lot of business expenses the money is just going in their pockets...who knows how they choose to live.

I agree that the cost of living is MUCH more in CA than say Texas but if you don't have any expenses then it's kinda pointless.

I'm a plumber, own my company....if I was lucky enough to have all the materials donated like they probably are for the above mentioned then I'd make A LOT more.

[CLW]

I'd be interested to see what overhead they have. If they are making 80-100K each but have no real costs....that's great money!

Games are probably donated or given so they will get a review, machines also, they probably work some sort of advertising deal to get a great internet connection, who knows where they live but if they don't have a lot of business expenses the money is just going in their pockets...who knows how they choose to live.

I agree that the cost of living is MUCH more in CA than say Texas but if you don't have any expenses then it's kinda pointless.

I'm a plumber, own my company....if I was lucky enough to have all the materials donated like they probably are for the above mentioned then I'd make A LOT more.

They have some overhead not sure how much. I know they admit when they get new/free stuff. Just yesterday they stated they got free laptops and a desktop from Origin. I suspect most (if not all) of their games/systems are free. However, I doubt lights, camera, mics etc... companies are lining up to just give them free stuff.

[cdj]

I've gathered the impression from their shows this week that they have a bunch of equipment already, but as CLW said they are also getting some from sponsors such as Origin. Didn't they do a some shows/programs on their own on the side while at IGN?

[CLW]

I've gathered the impression from their shows this week that they have a bunch of equipment already, but as CLW said they are also getting some from sponsors such as Origin. Didn't they do a some shows/programs on their own on the side while at IGN?

Yeah they started Kinda Funny (non-games) like in Sept/Oct last year as I recall. Greg and Collin started with Conversation with Colin, Oreo Reviews and other non gaming stuff (IGN would not allow them to talking gaming on their own youtube channel)

[CLW]

Patreon, Greg Miller and the real cost of going indie
http://www.polygon.com/2015/1/9/7520193/ign-greg-miller-indie

[CLW]

Inside Gaming guys leaving Machinima:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HnYsnvbiVU

[CLW]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhKOOgRFFlw

[cdj]

I enjoyed this Throwback Thursday video playing the NES version of Ghostbusters. I remember playing it and getting just as frustrated as they did.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avjm9IOTn-s

Anyone else play this one? Like them, I could get to the Zuul building, but always died on the stairs.

[souljahbill]

Holy shit! I had the game on the SEGA Master System (I also had the Genesis version). I didn't even know it was on the NES. It's essentially the game, it appears. I beat it as a kid. The stairs were harder than the end fight with Zuul.
SMS version
http://youtu.be/kLDDqWcZ4Vk

Genesis version
http://youtu.be/CfNU9_H2UhU

[CLW]

Yeah their throwback videos are always fun - played/rented Ghost Busters as a kid and I always died exactly where they ended today - never could figure out the stairs.

[Rudy]

I remember Zillion on Sega. That was hard as me and my brothers drew maps by hand to help navigate the tunnels and levels. A lot of fun. Also the old school third person/isometric Rambo games were a lot of fun.

I also remember a Rocky game back then. Very unbalanced as Creed sucked. No boxers were equal and Dolph lundgren was impossible. I remember almost knocking down the Russian once. Was the closest ever to doing it but my brothers and I could never come close again.

[CLW]

Alfredo Diaz also leaves IGN to go full-time Twitch streamer - best of luck to these guys but this just feels like a bubble that is going to pop and hurt allot of the "lesser" known people doing this now.

[SmoothPancakes]

Alfredo Diaz also leaves IGN to go full-time Twitch streamer - best of luck to these guys but this just feels like a bubble that is going to pop and hurt allot of the "lesser" known people doing this now.

Yep. It may be a good move in the very short term, but this has disaster written all over in a couple years.

[cdj]

So far, things are working out. They just created a new studio for their shows:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1ArIlhQKy0

[JBHuskers]

Good for them.

[cdj]

- Looks like they have added Geoff Keighley to the crew in some regard:

837109765629042688

[cdj]

Following a joke last week that had some upset (https://twitter.com/notaxation/status/839542070050115584) (leading to him avoiding PAX), Colin Moriarty is leaving Kinda Funny effective immediately.

841339076305276928

[bdoughty]

One day people will learn not to post anything on Twitter, EVER! Nothing good comes out of it. There is always someone out there ready and willing to be offended.

[cdj]

I didn't think that tweet (or follow-up) were that offensive, but I've read others say he has a "history" of comments like that.

Over recent weeks & months it seems like he has lost some interest in gaming and instead would rather be covering politics and news. This morning he appeared for a segment on Glenn Beck's radio program.

[JBHuskers]

One day people will learn not to post anything on Twitter, EVER! Nothing good comes out of it. There is always someone out there ready and willing to be offended.

I'm butthurt by this comment....

:D

[bdoughty]

I'm butthurt by this comment....

:D

http://i.imgur.com/SbFyA1b.png:Phttp://i.imgur.com/SbFyA1b.png