Death of the Brodeo

I originally planed on filling my intro paragraph with as many games journalist and internet cliches as humanly possible while still allowing it to be intelligible. Then I realized only true fans of Shawn Elliot and the 1up podcast “The Brodeo” would really understand the joke.

Upon hearing that Jeff Green was leaving(the 1up network) to work for Maxis, my heart did feel a tad heavy. Though not just because I was sad that I wouldn’t read or hear from one of my biggest inspirations anymore. I was happy for him. Mr. Green had worked for Ziff for seventeen years, working that long anywhere is incomprehensible to me. I was sad to see him go, but at least he decided to start a new blog where I could continue to read his work albeit through the lens of new game designer Jeff Green. And, I still had my biggest inspiration Shawn Elliot. So you can imagine my dismay when I read this on his 1up Blog:

Once, I was a green grocer. I worked with a fool for whom everyone was a fool -- as in, “Hey, fool. This one fool was wearing JNCOs.” Every day on the job, he explained how, in a Jackass world of action without consequence, he would demolish the joint by driving a bulldozer in and doing donuts. He didn't hate his job. Haggen, our workplace, wasn't one Caterpillar sale away from catastrophe. What he didn't like was that if he wasn't working there, he'd probably have to work at a place he liked less.


Hopefully you're wondering what this has to do with me leaving a job I love (yes, I'm leaving). Everyone dreams of dramatic exits? I dunno. Unlike The Fool, I'm happy here, where I wanted to come when I was a clerk and part-time teacher. I feel guilty giving up what others would give an organ for. I did get a damn good offer, though.


I'm going to make a game with one of the industry's most talented and impressive developers. Tune into tonight's GFW Radio for details.

For all those who have yet, or do not care to listen to said podcast (September 17th GFW) Shawn has landed himself a gig as an associative producer at 2k Boston. Meaning that he is going to be working under Ken Levine, and with the crew that made “BioShock.” So, my as of yet healed wound has not only be reopened, but deepened.

Now that all that melodrama is over with we can head over to the more heartfelt and sentimental. When I said that Shawn was my greatest inspiration I was not just hyper-dramatizing my sense of regret for not being able to read or hear his insightful critiques. What Shawn was doing and more importantly pushing for, in the field of games journalism, was ultimately what pushed me over the edge in my decision that I wanted be in this industry. His blend of philosophical discourse and jokes involving the use of fleshlights will be sourly missed. Though on a good note, word on the street is that 2k Boston is working on a new X-com.


And with this announcement it has been decided that the Brodeo is no more. Let me level with you all for a second, I listen to way, way, way too many podcasts. My favorite of the many that I subscribe to has always been GFW radio. The open forum format felt so much more natural and gave more incite and led to real discourse. For fear of sounding like some type of sycophant and becoming too verbose, I will just leave this post with a simple: Good luck to all members of 97.5 GFW radio “The Brodeo,” you will be missed.

Oh, and if you’re a fan of terrible internet humor check Shawn’s twitter. It’s internet gold.