I found your writing through your Forbes piece on Hades, the comprehensively enjoyable experience they achieved with that piece but most importantly, the subsequent link in that article regarding the audio/music in games. Sound is an often overlooked element of film & media and games are and have been certainly exploring that blank space in a profound way. Being a sound engineer, I observe life through the lenses (or filters) of my ears. With that, I would be interested in hearing if you listen to any dramatic podcasts or other audio heavy narrative. I recently have been exploring what seems to be a rapidly growing podcast storytelling market and am finding a bunch of cool shit. I’m even going as far as to create my own short story and Podcast series with several friends who voice act. It centers around an independent sci-fi story set in the universe of Deltron 3030. Kind of a fan fiction homage to one of the best Indy hip-hop albums of all time. Cheers brother.
Sorry Seamus meant to reply sooner! Thanks for the great comment. I actually don't listen to many podcasts and haven't dipped my toes in heavily narrative ones. Got any suggestions?
I think it's commendable that you write about some of these "harder" topics, but in a way that doesn't pit one side against the other. I agree with you 100%. I would much rather follow someone who writes a thoughtful piece that's honest, raw, and real--even if I disagree with it. I've been following you on Voice too and I still can't quite get a handle on what that site is trying to be ... sometimes it's challenging writing about your passions because there's always a layer of "well, is this what people want to read about?" But then again, everyone here knows what you write about and how you write about it, which means you are doing something right and we support you!
I think you are the one to write a story about the story of the the J.J. Abrams/Damon Lindelof-ization of movie-making. By that I mean the way all these movies are way over played, far to self-referential, plot heavy to the point of incomprehensibility. It's really hurt the joy of watching a movie. You are aware of the mechanics, pummeled by the FX. There is no release, no challenge. It's just plot, plot, plot. it's gotten to the point where a simple, well told story is attacked for not providing the draining of emotion and the dumbstruck nature of movies. I think you are the person to talk about this.
I would love to know your take on the Marvelverse; why it works and so forth. And whether you think JC’s Avatar 2 will carry on the success of the first one.
I’m a liberal who’s embarrassed about woke liberalism, so your newsletter is cathartic for me. I like that you’re approaching the culture war from a level-headed position. Cancel culture and social justice grievances are ruining interactions on social media and in the workplace. Hartley Sawyer even got fired from The Flash over deleted tweets. It also sucks that the woke left is fairly dominant in mainstream video game coverage. It leads to controversies you wouldn’t imagine people caring about, like The Witcher and Kingdom Come: Deliverance not having any brown people, Giant Bomb refusing to cover KC:D because they don’t like Daniel Vavra, problematizing black characters being voiced by white actors, or the idea that masked tribesmen in Little Devil Inside are a racist stereotype. It’s annoying that Eurogamer’s review of Dead or Alive 6 is frontloaded with complaints about the overt sexuality, and that outlets stump for Anita Sarkeesian instead of critically engaging with her views. If you want pushback against this strain of liberalism, you quickly find lots of bad-faith conservative reactionaries and anti-feminists. I felt pretty discouraged until I stumbled across writers like Jesse Singal, Kat Rosenfeld, and you, Erik Kain. I hope your commentary can help promote rational discourse for everyone.
To tell the truth, the Hogwarts Legacy post was an unbelievable breath of fresh air. There are (no exaggeration) literally zero other people writing critically and thoughtfully about the mobbing and groupthink that goes on in video game culture - articles like your Hogwarts Legacy piece simply never happen, in part because the video game press lacks independent voices, and because anyone who steps out of line gets stomped out of existence before they can speak up.
Seeing what was happening to the Hogwarts Legacy dude felt truly wrong to me, on a gut level - so I can't describe how cathartic it was to see your post articulating those thoughts better than I ever could.
These days, if you want political perspective on video game culture, you have exactly two options: the hyperpartisan games press, who are perpetually engaged in competition with each other to be the wokest website of all time, OR... the histrionic, neckbeardy YouTubers like TheQuartering who gleefully spend every minute of every day complaining about the boogeyman of feminism every 4 hours.
I think the game industry desperately needs someone like you - an independent voice who can write intelligently about these moments that we all know are unfair, but that the traditional games press is far too paralyzed to speak up about. Games writing badly needs its equivalent of a Glenn Greenwald or Bari Weiss figure: someone unafraid calmly and intelligently speak the truth about these cultural things we all see but are too afraid to speak up about.
That is really, truly heartening. Thank you. I love Greenwald so even being mentioned in the same breath is really nice. I think you describe the shitty situation gaming finds itself in very well: The judgmental, holier-than-thou social justice gaming press on one side and the equally constantly-outraged YouTuber scene. Of course, there are countless game journos and YouTubers who stay out of the fray and just do good work as well, but we (obviously) hear a lot less from them.
Anyways, thanks again. I'm glad that post struck a nerve, or at least the sort of nerve that has people talking and hopefully thinking. I do think it's time people start standing up to the bullies.
Hey Erik, I thought the whole point of doing this was so you can write the stuff that you are truly passionate about without bending to whims and trends that click driven economy demands? I think you should keep going for a little while longer and see what sticks with you. I love your posts about cancel culture and the deep questions around it. Nobody is saying these things and they do need to be called out. When I don't like something you post, I simply ignore it till the next one :)
You do you mate. It's refreshing to not go somewhere where everything is aligned to my thinking or desires. It gives me a fresh perspective that I haven't considered
Thanks. Yeah, I'm not really saying "tell me what to write about and I'll change everything" it's more like "I hope this is interesting to you guys, let me know what else you're interested in" and some folk have offered up some cool ideas and most people have been super positive. It's all such new territory, I think I'm just looking for feedback and so far I'm pleased with what I've heard!
As to "refreshing to not go somewhere where everything is aligned to my thinking" I think that's very cool, and really refreshing for me to hear. There's nothing more boring that a total echo chamber. Thanks again!
I'm loving the articles so far, I wouldn't change a thing. The honest, well reasoned takes on hot button issues like race and cancel culture are a welcome change from the usual reactionary click bait.
Your comments, thoughts, opinions on a broad spectrum of topics....including but not limited to culture & even politics... as well as the usual entertainment stuff would be of interest to me. I started following your wrings not so much on gaming (I am ancient of days thus not a gamer, but my grandson is; your columns help me understand what he is interested in) but rather for your reviews of various TV/streaming programs (Vikings, Walking Dead, etc.) , some of which I agree, some challenged me and some of which I thought you were just plain wrong....but all of which I felt offered thoughtful, insightful commentary which I would expect in whatever you write about.... so expand your horizons....be "diabolical" with whatever interests you... as it will also, most likely, interest me as well.
That's a really cool thing to hear, thanks so much! I definitely would like to start doing more of my TV stuff here if I can start making some money off this newsletter haha.
I found your writing through your Forbes piece on Hades, the comprehensively enjoyable experience they achieved with that piece but most importantly, the subsequent link in that article regarding the audio/music in games. Sound is an often overlooked element of film & media and games are and have been certainly exploring that blank space in a profound way. Being a sound engineer, I observe life through the lenses (or filters) of my ears. With that, I would be interested in hearing if you listen to any dramatic podcasts or other audio heavy narrative. I recently have been exploring what seems to be a rapidly growing podcast storytelling market and am finding a bunch of cool shit. I’m even going as far as to create my own short story and Podcast series with several friends who voice act. It centers around an independent sci-fi story set in the universe of Deltron 3030. Kind of a fan fiction homage to one of the best Indy hip-hop albums of all time. Cheers brother.
Sorry Seamus meant to reply sooner! Thanks for the great comment. I actually don't listen to many podcasts and haven't dipped my toes in heavily narrative ones. Got any suggestions?
I think it's commendable that you write about some of these "harder" topics, but in a way that doesn't pit one side against the other. I agree with you 100%. I would much rather follow someone who writes a thoughtful piece that's honest, raw, and real--even if I disagree with it. I've been following you on Voice too and I still can't quite get a handle on what that site is trying to be ... sometimes it's challenging writing about your passions because there's always a layer of "well, is this what people want to read about?" But then again, everyone here knows what you write about and how you write about it, which means you are doing something right and we support you!
Thanks, Momma's Pen! That means a lot!
I enjoy your more political posts. Some day I would like to read some kind of retrospective on older controversies from you.
I have a few to dip into no doubt...
I think you are the one to write a story about the story of the the J.J. Abrams/Damon Lindelof-ization of movie-making. By that I mean the way all these movies are way over played, far to self-referential, plot heavy to the point of incomprehensibility. It's really hurt the joy of watching a movie. You are aware of the mechanics, pummeled by the FX. There is no release, no challenge. It's just plot, plot, plot. it's gotten to the point where a simple, well told story is attacked for not providing the draining of emotion and the dumbstruck nature of movies. I think you are the person to talk about this.
I would love to know your take on the Marvelverse; why it works and so forth. And whether you think JC’s Avatar 2 will carry on the success of the first one.
Both great ideas, thanks!
I’m a liberal who’s embarrassed about woke liberalism, so your newsletter is cathartic for me. I like that you’re approaching the culture war from a level-headed position. Cancel culture and social justice grievances are ruining interactions on social media and in the workplace. Hartley Sawyer even got fired from The Flash over deleted tweets. It also sucks that the woke left is fairly dominant in mainstream video game coverage. It leads to controversies you wouldn’t imagine people caring about, like The Witcher and Kingdom Come: Deliverance not having any brown people, Giant Bomb refusing to cover KC:D because they don’t like Daniel Vavra, problematizing black characters being voiced by white actors, or the idea that masked tribesmen in Little Devil Inside are a racist stereotype. It’s annoying that Eurogamer’s review of Dead or Alive 6 is frontloaded with complaints about the overt sexuality, and that outlets stump for Anita Sarkeesian instead of critically engaging with her views. If you want pushback against this strain of liberalism, you quickly find lots of bad-faith conservative reactionaries and anti-feminists. I felt pretty discouraged until I stumbled across writers like Jesse Singal, Kat Rosenfeld, and you, Erik Kain. I hope your commentary can help promote rational discourse for everyone.
To tell the truth, the Hogwarts Legacy post was an unbelievable breath of fresh air. There are (no exaggeration) literally zero other people writing critically and thoughtfully about the mobbing and groupthink that goes on in video game culture - articles like your Hogwarts Legacy piece simply never happen, in part because the video game press lacks independent voices, and because anyone who steps out of line gets stomped out of existence before they can speak up.
Seeing what was happening to the Hogwarts Legacy dude felt truly wrong to me, on a gut level - so I can't describe how cathartic it was to see your post articulating those thoughts better than I ever could.
These days, if you want political perspective on video game culture, you have exactly two options: the hyperpartisan games press, who are perpetually engaged in competition with each other to be the wokest website of all time, OR... the histrionic, neckbeardy YouTubers like TheQuartering who gleefully spend every minute of every day complaining about the boogeyman of feminism every 4 hours.
I think the game industry desperately needs someone like you - an independent voice who can write intelligently about these moments that we all know are unfair, but that the traditional games press is far too paralyzed to speak up about. Games writing badly needs its equivalent of a Glenn Greenwald or Bari Weiss figure: someone unafraid calmly and intelligently speak the truth about these cultural things we all see but are too afraid to speak up about.
I think you might be that person, Erik. :)
That is really, truly heartening. Thank you. I love Greenwald so even being mentioned in the same breath is really nice. I think you describe the shitty situation gaming finds itself in very well: The judgmental, holier-than-thou social justice gaming press on one side and the equally constantly-outraged YouTuber scene. Of course, there are countless game journos and YouTubers who stay out of the fray and just do good work as well, but we (obviously) hear a lot less from them.
Anyways, thanks again. I'm glad that post struck a nerve, or at least the sort of nerve that has people talking and hopefully thinking. I do think it's time people start standing up to the bullies.
Hey Erik, I thought the whole point of doing this was so you can write the stuff that you are truly passionate about without bending to whims and trends that click driven economy demands? I think you should keep going for a little while longer and see what sticks with you. I love your posts about cancel culture and the deep questions around it. Nobody is saying these things and they do need to be called out. When I don't like something you post, I simply ignore it till the next one :)
You do you mate. It's refreshing to not go somewhere where everything is aligned to my thinking or desires. It gives me a fresh perspective that I haven't considered
Thanks. Yeah, I'm not really saying "tell me what to write about and I'll change everything" it's more like "I hope this is interesting to you guys, let me know what else you're interested in" and some folk have offered up some cool ideas and most people have been super positive. It's all such new territory, I think I'm just looking for feedback and so far I'm pleased with what I've heard!
As to "refreshing to not go somewhere where everything is aligned to my thinking" I think that's very cool, and really refreshing for me to hear. There's nothing more boring that a total echo chamber. Thanks again!
I'm loving the articles so far, I wouldn't change a thing. The honest, well reasoned takes on hot button issues like race and cancel culture are a welcome change from the usual reactionary click bait.
Awesome! I'm so glad to hear that!
Your comments, thoughts, opinions on a broad spectrum of topics....including but not limited to culture & even politics... as well as the usual entertainment stuff would be of interest to me. I started following your wrings not so much on gaming (I am ancient of days thus not a gamer, but my grandson is; your columns help me understand what he is interested in) but rather for your reviews of various TV/streaming programs (Vikings, Walking Dead, etc.) , some of which I agree, some challenged me and some of which I thought you were just plain wrong....but all of which I felt offered thoughtful, insightful commentary which I would expect in whatever you write about.... so expand your horizons....be "diabolical" with whatever interests you... as it will also, most likely, interest me as well.
That's a really cool thing to hear, thanks so much! I definitely would like to start doing more of my TV stuff here if I can start making some money off this newsletter haha.