The Final Episode of Kurt & Lucy Gotcha Covered
GameSpot
0:00 WELCOME everyone to the final episode of Kurt and Lucy Got you covered.
0:08 Feels weird to say.
0:09 It does feel weird.
0:11 We'll have you covered, but only for this week.
0:13 Well, yeah.
0:14 And then after that, you're on your own, kids.
0:16 Yeah.
0:17 Mom and dad on there to help out anymore.
0:20 Gaming mom and No, I don't.
0:21 I don't know if I like that.
0:22 Let's not go there.
0:23 Let's not go there.
0:24 But we've got one more episode.
0:26 We had a lot of viewer mail after we announced that the show was ending
0:29 and we wanted to say thank you so much to everyone and all the comments.
0:31 We've read them all.
0:32 Yes.
0:32 Every single comment.
0:33 It made our cold dead hearts uh warm up.
0:36 There was like a there was like a flutter in my heart that was like shucks.
0:40 I uh
0:41 and he booked a doctor appointment to check it was all good.
0:43 Yeah.
0:43 Yeah.
0:43 And I'm fine.
0:44 Blood pressure is good.
0:45 Good.
0:45 Genuinely good.
0:46 Good.
0:46 Cholesterol level good.
0:47 Genuinely
0:50 cool.
0:49 But yes, thank you so much.
0:50 Uh so this this episode is according to John Luke mostly viewer mail.
0:55 Um, one last time.
0:58 One last time.
0:59 I feel like we should do like a one last ride.
1:03 Last ride.
1:04 All right.
1:04 Okay.
1:04 Let's go.
1:06 What?
1:07 This is Who's going to do first?
1:08 This is the last time.
1:08 One of us gets to go first.
1:10 Uh, you do it.
1:10 No, let's go back to the very beginning.
1:24 viewer mail.
1:26 Dear Truck and Luchi,
1:29 I just wanted to reach out and tell you how much I'm going to miss this show.
1:31 I live in New York City and your silly antics and thoughtful
1:34 response has been keeping me sane on my long commute down into Brooklyn.
1:38 I especially love the little choose your own
1:40 adventure game you designed for the Leon Kennedy.
1:43 Oh, thank you.
1:43 Thank you.
1:44 It was clear you had a blast with that one.
1:45 We really did.
1:47 Are there any concepts or ideas you wanted to try
1:49 out on this show but didn't get the chance?
1:51 See you later, space cowboys/girls.
1:54 Ros P.S.
1:55 Please make sure that you take good care of Charmander and Suda 51.
1:59 They are national treasures and need to be
2:01 fed and walked at least three times a day.
2:04 Suda.
2:04 Speaking of which, Should we tell them?
2:25 We'll wait.
2:25 We'll wait.
2:26 It'll be fine.
2:26 Well, thank you, Ros.
2:27 Uh, what concepts didn't we do?
2:30 We had a big document of
2:32 There was So, yeah, there's a few there's a few that's coming to mind right now.
2:35 One of them I', this is just one as I'm firing them off.
2:38 One thing I really wanted to do,
2:40 I think we kind of I think we tried to do it,
2:41 but I wanted to I wanted to do big conversations.
2:46 Big
2:46 big Well, no, that was that was
2:48 No, that was deep conversations and I wanted to do
2:51 big like big topics I think it was called but we
2:54 would have enormous props like an enormous mug that we
2:58 would drink from and have like talk about big big ideas.
3:03 What was the one you wanted to do with the helium?
3:06 Did I want to do one with helium?
3:07 I thought you wanted to do like light conversations.
3:09 I think that was an idea that I don't know if that was my idea.
3:11 I think it was I remember at least the conversation.
3:14 I remember helium.
3:16 Oh yeah, there was.
3:17 So yeah, because I think we actually,
3:19 this is coming back to me, we researched uh like
3:22 price of helium.
3:23 The price of helium.
3:24 But then the other gas that actually turns your voice low.
3:27 There's two
3:28 like the opposite of helium,
3:29 whatever it's called for those chemists out
3:31 there who's going to be ashamed of me.
3:33 But yeah, we are going to do um light topics,
3:36 light conversations with the healing balloons.
3:38 That was one
3:41 in which I just become Finnish.
3:42 Yeah, I can't get on how much you sound Finnish.
3:48 Some I just want to speak to you about deep things.
3:52 Is that right?
3:53 Control resonate is coming.
3:55 Control resonate is coming from remedy entertainment.
4:00 Is it coming?
4:00 When is I don't know when like they haven't given it.
4:02 Oh, they haven't.
4:03 The sub.
4:04 I made that up.
4:05 We don't know anything.
4:06 I genuinely don't know anything about when that game is coming out.
4:09 Um and I mean there was like we tried to slam a few in last week's episode.
4:15 We had a bunch of Mother's Day things planned, I think.
4:17 Well, this is Mother's Day this week, which reminds me,
4:19 not for me.
4:21 Mother's Day came within March.
4:22 Which reminds me, we don't have to do this.
4:24 We don't have to do in this segment,
4:25 but I would like to do my mother uh on do my mother bit.
4:32 Look, sometimes things just come out of this this old yapper.
4:40 I definitely do the mother bit is what I wanted to say before
4:44 do the Mother's Day bit.
4:46 Yeah, sure.
4:47 Do the Mother's Day bit.
4:48 For[ __] sake.
4:50 You people are freaks.
4:52 First you think drugs are in the Charmander, then you think something awful.
4:55 I said something in another video that hasn't seen the light of day yet.
4:58 that
5:01 but I will say it kind of I don't know if there's any things
5:03 but I um we the the beauty of how we work as a team
5:10 and this show and it in its very nature is
5:13 we show up to work and we are just trying stuff
5:19 constantly all the time and trying to bend things
5:21 as much as we can and sometimes we will wake
5:23 up the morning of a shoot and all
5:25 of a sudden it's like wait what if we did this.
5:28 So, got you covered.
5:29 Text the group chat, "What if we did this?
5:31 Hey, can you hey, do you have this prop at home?
5:33 Hey, do you have this piece of clothing?" Like, that happens a lot.
5:36 Um, and honestly, that's kind of how even
5:38 the uh the Nick Leon Kennedy thing happened.
5:41 It's like we had the idea for him to fill
5:43 a briefcase and it was like the 11th hour the night before.
5:45 I was like,
5:46 "We need to add a there needs to be a game
5:49 element to this somehow." And then that dominoed into, okay,
5:52 well, what if we had scenarios and what if
5:54 we had dice and what if he had ammunition?
5:55 What if you had to use the resources that he put in the suitcase?
5:57 And that was like happened at 4 p.m.
5:58 And then the next day we shot with That's such a great example of like
6:02 the power of teamwork because I felt like everyone like contributed like
6:05 a little idea to it that made it become like a fully featured thing.
6:09 It was like
6:10 you I mean like even even like the next morning
6:12 I was like Lucy I need you to write a scenario.
6:15 Lucy just like and then even during that entire thing you may
6:18 not be able to tell because we're so good at what we do.
6:21 So fun.
6:21 But then maybe some of it was a little improvised some of it was off the cuff.
6:26 Who's to say?
6:28 The work of professionals.
6:29 Was there anything you didn't get to do?
6:32 Punch me in the face.
6:34 We were gonna dress as each other.
6:36 Yeah, that's been a thing.
6:37 Oh, yeah.
6:38 We I want I had that one as an idea, remember?
6:40 I even knew what shirt I was going to wear.
6:44 Yeah.
6:44 I mean, I
6:45 I mean, it's not hard to be me.
6:47 Okay, here's one we talked about a lot was
6:52 uh one, we always wanted to buy more props for the letters.
6:55 Yes.
6:56 Yeah, which we never did.
6:57 I'm
6:58 I don't think you would work.
6:59 But we wanted not a short sleeve one.
7:01 We wanted to do a bit We wanted to have an intro where we would have somebody
7:06 dressed up in a mailman costume actually deliver
7:08 the letters and we were going to get different celebrities,
7:12 we were like anytime someone visited, we'd have them do that.
7:15 Now that you mentioned it, and I know the segment's gone a little long,
7:17 we had a lot of conceptual ideas early on to design this set
7:23 in such a specific way.
7:24 I wanted what the whole pitch was like mid-century style cocktail bar
7:30 scenario very heavily inspired by Bosanova and Peewee's
7:33 Playhouse in which we wanted to get
7:35 like our own chairs and split the set in a way that would like
7:38 fit into this mid-century similar similar to the Trixie and Katchaca like
7:42 two different sides of the set.
7:44 Uh if I remember right I mean the entire show identity was pitched on um
7:49 tiki like tiki theme like tiki bar sort of mid-century cocktail stuff.
7:52 So there's like stuff like that that we're like
7:54 if the time comes and we get the budget.
7:56 Get a budget.
7:56 Yeah.
7:58 So know what could have been and if
8:00 anybody just wants to be like whoa what's that?
8:02 You need a bunch of money to build a set and do a thing.
8:07 PayPal.
8:09 Anyways
8:10 anyway.
8:10 Thank you very much.
8:11 Thank you very much.
8:13 Next letter.
8:21 Oh, I just pulled myself.
8:24 I actually pulled something.
8:26 Viewer mail.
8:28 That was a deep.
8:28 I know.
8:29 We're gonna get real.
8:30 It's gonna be Ooh.
8:32 Hey, Kurt.
8:34 Lucy and John Luke.
8:37 J O N L U J E.
8:41 Ah, John Luck.
8:42 I call them Jean Luck Sep.
8:46 When we were making a soap opera, that was the actor name we came up with.
8:50 Just finished the latest episode.
8:51 Sad to hear that the show is coming to an end.
8:54 I always really enjoy tuning in as it's like
8:57 a nice mix between a live show and something more curated.
9:01 Nice and light to give me a bit of an update
9:05 on the goings on in gaming with goofing and spoofing.
9:08 It's true.
9:10 Uh I couldn't think of any good gaming related questions.
9:13 So if you could anamorph into an animal, what would it be?
9:16 All the best and uh hope got you covered.
9:19 can make a revival someday.
9:20 Cheers, James.
9:22 James cat.
9:25 Worm.
9:24 Cat.
9:24 Why?
9:25 Wim in case he gets split in half.
9:27 I think worms are just really cool.
9:28 Is it because of the would you love me if I'm still a worm?
9:31 Is that
9:32 No.
9:32 Okay.
9:33 Is that a thing?
9:33 I don't think it's aware of that meme.
9:35 Well, I'm not aware of a lot of memes.
9:37 That's true.
9:37 And I'm a happy man.
9:39 Would your wife still love you if you were a worm?
9:42 She better.
9:43 I am a worm of a human.
9:44 I mean, you know, like you little worm.
9:46 Worms are cool.
9:47 They get to go into the dirt.
9:48 They have multiple brains.
9:49 They can be cut in half.
9:50 All that jazz.
9:51 They can be split into two.
9:52 I feel like they're not very smart though because if
9:54 a bird does doing this makes them think it's raining.
9:57 Well, I'm aware of that.
9:58 If you if you were the anomorph people,
10:00 they kept their their intelligence, right?
10:03 They didn't just be like, I'm a[ __] worm now, right?
10:06 I mean, they were like,
10:08 yeah.
10:07 Do you get claustrophobic?
10:10 Uh, in crowds of people who are irritating me.
10:14 Okay.
10:14 So, in underground you'd be fine.
10:15 Yeah.
10:15 Underground, I think it'd be nice and comf.
10:17 Mhm.
10:19 Um,
10:19 no.
10:19 I don't know.
10:20 The worms a worm's the first thing that came
10:21 to my my my little noggin because um little worm brain.
10:25 Yeah.
10:25 I also really I don't want to be a spider, but I just think spiders are cool.
10:28 Um, I don't want to be an ant, but I like ants.
10:31 Like the way ants exist are cool.
10:32 I want to be a little guy.
10:33 Like group thing.
10:34 Little dude.
10:34 Either that or like a No, I want to be a worm.
10:40 Okay.
10:40 Yeah, I'd be a cat.
10:41 What about you, Jean Luke?
10:42 A cat.
10:43 Yep.
10:43 Are you joking?
10:44 Cats have the best lives.
10:46 They sleep all day.
10:47 They have great athletics like jumping around and
10:51 they don't have to go for walks in the rain.
10:55 No.
10:54 Unless you live outside like you're a you're not you don't have a home.
10:59 And also like No, no.
11:02 I want to come back.
11:02 I want to be one of my cats cuz my cats live like little
11:05 But if you're But if you're anor do whatever you want.
11:11 Thanksg But you're an anomorph.
11:12 So you can
11:13 change will.
11:14 though.
11:14 You could just be like, I'm going to go
11:16 I'm going to be a cat now.
11:17 I'm going to be a cat.
11:18 I'm going to hang out with all the other alley cats.
11:19 See what they're up to.
11:20 That's the thing is like I don't know if I would want anyone to rub my belly.
11:24 I don't think most cats do.
11:25 And well, peanut jelly.
11:28 So my cat Me a life of never touch my belly.
11:32 I'll cut your hands off.
11:34 But I think she's now learned how badly we want to do it.
11:37 So she's like holding it.
11:39 Go ahead.
11:40 And we're allowed to do it for just a little
11:41 bit and then she'll be like oh I just stop.
11:44 Just kidding.
11:45 Just
11:45 I mean I have I always have marks in here because Jelly like
11:51 Yeah.
11:50 And she goes into play mode and she I need to trim.
11:52 I was on a call this morning and she was on my knee and she and then
11:56 I had a shower after and I just looked down at my leg and it was like ah
12:00 this looks like um I've walked into a bush of thorns.
12:05 Anyway, it was through pants.
12:06 It was through
12:07 wow damn girl.
12:08 Yeah.
12:09 Anyway, worm.
12:12 You're next, man.
12:19 I got so many good times doing this.
12:21 Yeah.
12:21 I mean, think about how many more times you're
12:23 going to be we're going to be opening these letters.
12:25 I know.
12:26 Like, or even like the cool people we have.
12:29 Like that one time with Roger Craig Smith.
12:32 Oh, yeah.
12:32 When he what was it?
12:33 Say Yes to the Dress.
12:34 He said Yes to the Dress.
12:35 Sonic the Hedgehog.
12:38 Yeah.
12:56 No, No.
13:17 No.
13:36 Still no.
13:37 No.
13:40 Almost something.
13:42 Yeah.
13:42 There's a valiant effort.
13:52 Yes.
13:55 Yeah.
13:57 Yes.
14:08 Anyways, G.
14:11 Is this viewer mail?
14:12 Oh, sorry.
14:13 Viewer mail.
14:16 Gert.
14:18 Gert
14:17 and pusy.
14:18 Ooh, both those names together sound like
14:21 what I smelled in the men's bathroom today,
14:23 which is acidic and rotten.
14:25 With the show ending,
14:26 are you guys going to have your own solo
14:28 content on your personal channels or new shows on GameSpot?
14:31 Seriously going to miss the both of you?
14:32 Definitely want to see more of you guys outside of narrating
14:35 reviews and showing up on Friends per Second every two weeks.
14:37 Thanks for the show, Ocean Yap.
14:40 Ocean Yap.
14:41 Ocean Yap.
14:41 Uh, well, yeah, of course we'll be doing more stuff on GameSpot.
14:44 The thing about Got You Covered is it actually does take quite a lot of time.
14:50 Um, and so that does free us up to do
14:53 more things and like we've this show has been
14:55 such a great test bed for random things that it
14:58 has kind of invigorated us to do those random things.
15:01 Um, we filmed a lot in the last week some fun bits that will be going out.
15:06 Not got you covered related.
15:06 Not got you covered related,
15:07 but it was kind of from ideas that were seated within got you covered.
15:12 Yeah.
15:12 the best thing like the so to answer your question, we are gonna Yeah.
15:17 We're still gonna be making stuff and this has like the show has allowed us
15:23 to creatively to just prove to us to ourselves that we can show
15:26 up and try something different and new without like the tried and true.
15:29 Like there's always going to be a place for what we do as GameSpot
15:31 because it's I see it as our responsibility as an outlet to do news,
15:36 reviews, informationational content, things you should be looking for.
15:40 Um, and the balance is trying to make sure we're
15:44 trying different things while still trying
15:46 to find the balance of entertainment and information.
15:48 Sure.
15:49 Yeah.
15:49 So, stuff like the Nick video,
15:50 like the like the Resident Evil overpacked as we call it.
15:53 Um, that came from us kind of getting in a room
15:56 for got you covered like Nick's going to be on.
15:58 What are we doing?
15:59 So, um, as Lucy said, we have many videos coming that are gotcha covered pill.
16:08 Yes.
16:07 But not necessarily gotcha covered.
16:09 So, no, it will not be The Last of Us, um, the game nor the show.
16:14 I was I was trying to be like, uh, and we will still making video.
16:19 We will still be making videos for GameSpot.
16:20 And the hope is that what we've done here will have
16:23 a ripple effect on how we look at other videos and stuff.
16:27 So, yeah.
16:31 Next letter.
16:33 Excuse me.
16:49 You know what?
16:49 This actually just reminded me.
16:52 Remember that one time, that one episode that we did with Roger?
16:56 I was just think so I'm really And I'm just like
17:01 I feel like we need to give our guests less coffee.
17:05 Yeah, I've been meaning to find a way to talk
17:09 to you about this, but that was a that was a lot.
17:13 Yeah.
17:15 So, the gamer went out one time.
17:17 Were you actually being Mirage live?
17:21 Yeah, that was wild.
17:21 That was um that that was it was it was like a I call
17:24 it like digital puppetry because uh because at the time uh one second, sorry.
17:33 Wow, that is good.
17:34 Is that espresso?
17:35 Right, these guys.
17:36 You know, that reminds me the time uh I don't know if you guys knew this.
17:39 I was I have been the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog.
17:45 2010.
17:45 Yeah.
17:45 And and and and maybe Yeah.
17:47 And it's it's been like one of the I mean, when you think about it,
17:49 it's going back to like 2010, which is like not that long ago.
17:52 16 years.
17:52 When was the Mirage thing?
17:54 Was was this Mirage?
17:55 When was the when was the
17:56 uh that was No, that was that came along after the Sonic the Hedgehog stuff.
17:59 A lot of people think Sonic Colors was one of my first games.
18:01 It actually wasn't.
18:02 It actually started with a little bit of a thing called Alton Towers,
18:04 which is an amusement park over in the UK.
18:06 And then theoretically, sorry.
18:08 Theoretically, my first gig was actually as Sonic Free Riders,
18:11 which was um released on the Xbox FOR THE CONNECTION BECAUSE NO,
18:16 NO, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK LIKE SONIC, YOU'RE YOU'RE THE BLUE BLUR.
18:19 YOU'RE THE FASTEST THING ALIVE.
18:20 AND I'M LIKE, I KNOW.
18:20 I KNOW.
18:21 I CAN'T BELIEVE A LOT OF PEOPLE It's really kind
18:22 of a sad thing because a lot of people go like,
18:24 "Oh my god, you have been doing this.
18:25 You are him." AND I'M LIKE, HE is not really technically a thing.
18:28 It's like, it's me.
18:28 I'm doing the voice.
18:29 It's not really IT'S A TALKING BLUE HEDGEHOG.
18:31 IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I DO LIKE like naturally or that like and people
18:34 think I walk around and I'm going to talk like this all the time.
18:36 Like my voice is going to be like this.
18:36 Like I'm going to walk up to SOMEBODY GO LIKE, "HI,
18:38 can I get like a double espresso LIKE THIS?" LIKE WHO WOULD
18:40 AS I'M A GROWN MAN WE'RE TALKING LIKE THIS do I am tired.
18:48 I am so tired.
18:50 Can we get you anything?
18:51 No.
18:51 I'm good.
18:52 I'm good.
18:52 I'm going to walk this off.
18:55 Okay.
18:54 I'm good.
19:01 This is surely is the greatest movie I've EVER BEEN ON.
19:03 SO, THIS IS GOING TO BE LIKE RELEASED IN THEATERS OR IS
19:05 THIS what is this like a podcast BUT IT'S AUDIO ONLY?
19:07 I DON'T WORKED.
19:08 OH MAN.
19:09 OH MAN.
19:10 I'M SONIC THE HEDGEHOG AND I'VE BEEN SONIC THE HEDGEHOG SINCE 2010.
19:13 DID I DID I TELL YOU GUYS THAT?
19:14 THERE WAS A TIME THERE was a time that it started off
19:16 it was like I was sitting there I went from Captain America.
19:18 I mean I do all of THESE THINGS BUT SONIC THE HEDGEHOG IS ONE
19:20 OF THE ROLES THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE EVER DONE.
19:22 AND I'M SITTING THERE THINKING LIKE HOW COULD YOU
19:23 NOT KNOW THAT I'M THE FASTEST THING IN LIFE.
19:24 THE BLUE THE I'M JUST A GUY WHO LOVES ADVENTURE.
19:31 OH, THIS IS SO GOOD.
19:33 OKAY.
19:33 UM, I'm sound like the hedgehog.
19:39 ISN'T THAT RIGHT, SUDA?
19:50 A female.
19:53 This one's jumping away from me.
19:58 Hey, Bert Lindsay.
20:03 Lindsay and Joe look is a great name.
20:06 Look, if D is disco can have jolly disco, watch out cuz he's looking at you.
20:13 You know what?
20:13 I think I'm going to start telling the bagel lady, "My name's Joe Luck." Hey.
20:18 Yeah.
20:17 Hey, bagel lady, I'm looking at you cuz I'm Joe Look.
20:23 Joe.
20:21 That's really good.
20:22 Thank you, Pax.
20:24 Um, thank you for all the shows you've done.
20:27 I've enjoyed them a lot.
20:29 I've watched them all since the start and I've
20:31 been looking forward to new ones each week.
20:33 Hope you can come up with some new similar format to try out.
20:37 Look on the bright side though.
20:38 At least now Suda can go back to making games or something.
20:44 Yeah, I don't think that's going to happen.
20:52 Anyways, I've got two ideas for something
20:54 fun you could do for your final episode.
20:58 Okay.
20:58 A real life Mortal Kombat like actual fight
21:00 to the death like right now on camera.
21:10 Okay.
21:10 Okay.
21:17 Okay.
21:17 All right.
21:20 Where's the other?
21:21 Oh, all right.
21:23 Um, or B, switch seats.
21:28 Either one works.
21:29 Well, uh,
21:31 want to try it?
21:33 Okay.
21:38 I don't like it.
21:39 Yeah.
21:39 No, thanks.
21:40 Okay.
21:45 Sincerely, Pax.
21:47 Thanks, Pax.
21:48 Thank you.
21:48 Thank you so much.
21:50 Sorry, Shaju.
21:53 That's fine.
21:56 Okay.
21:54 You know what?
21:55 Anything for the bit.
21:59 It's funny that um so the part of the letter that uh
22:03 Kurt did not read out is that I was apparently the safe bet.
22:07 Uh
22:06 and I will say that appar not apparently because it's true.
22:09 In the office, I have become quite a good shot.
22:11 According to you,
22:13 you said it.
22:14 I said you're getting better.
22:16 Quite a good shot.
22:16 I can dodge bullets.
22:22 We had some devs come in on Friday and all we were
22:25 doing was playing with the toy guns that we have in the office.
22:27 Yes.
22:28 These foreign developers.
22:29 Yeah.
22:29 From Australia and they were like, "Ah, America."
22:34 Oh, they they were into it.
22:35 They were They were the ones who wanted to play Russian.
22:37 Yeah.
22:37 They suggested it
22:38 with our Nerf guns.
22:39 Anyway, next letter.
22:51 viewer mail.
22:54 Dear Lacy and Kir,
22:56 I really just hold I am I am my heart with all I just need to say
23:03 that all it took was one person spelling my name wrong
23:05 and it has become a throughine for the entirety of this show.
23:10 And to the person who did that, thank you.
23:13 Thank you.
23:14 This is how you make art.
23:17 Collaborative.
23:17 I'm so sad the show is ending.
23:18 The show felt like it came from an older
23:20 era of the internet that was more experimental and looser.
23:23 On that topic, I wanted to ask you about traditional games media and its future.
23:27 Nowadays, many people flock to YouTubers, streamers,
23:30 or Reddit threads to get their news and takes on games.
23:33 How have you seen games media change during your time in the industry?
23:36 And how do you see it changing to adapt to the new landscape?
23:39 I for one hope traditional outlets like GameSpot still stick around.
23:42 I prefer the more professional style and the occasional
23:44 weirdness that pops up from them like Got You covered.
23:47 PS, I'm pretty sure I got your names right,
23:49 but is there any chance someone has been changing them?
23:51 Blah blah blah.
23:53 I hope your law blog is going well.
23:55 You uh you've been in this industry longer than me, so I kind of want your take.
23:59 I'm coming up to 12 years of games.
24:01 Yeah.
24:01 Yeah.
24:01 But you've been even before then you had a couple under your belt.
24:04 So maybe like 15.
24:06 Oh my god.
24:07 Um, how have I seen things change?
24:09 I mean, certainly there has been the shift towards uh the ma
24:14 the media as in like the specific like games media side of things
24:19 branching out into broader mainstream like New York Times and Washington Post
24:24 having if not complete verticals but at least having someone covering gaming.
24:29 Um, I think there will always absolutely be
24:31 a need for proper games coverage and journalism.
24:35 Um, and a thing that the games media
24:37 right now is sorely lacking is that career path,
24:41 the training, um, to be able to accurately report on things and do it properly.
24:48 Um I you know the thing it's like I follow streamers,
24:54 I follow content creators like YouTubers,
24:56 like there are specific people I follow on different platforms and I
24:59 think everyone brings something to the space but I think games
25:01 journalism is sorely needing those trained professionals to make sure that hey
25:07 if there are huge news stories like Blizzard and the um sexual
25:13 harassment lawsuit or things with financials and mergers and things where
25:17 legal gets involved Because also the thing that people don't pay attention
25:20 to is like a lot of times when you are publishing something
25:24 that has like ramifications you need legal to check it over and
25:31 average content creator will not have that that legal backbone like
25:36 to protect themselves from being sued for something like liel or slander.
25:41 Um so there is that part of responsibility that I feel like the j the press has.
25:46 Um, and I think GameSpot and IGN and Kotaku will always be there.
25:52 I think all of the major gaming outlets have been slower
25:58 on the uptake to adapt to how things have moved and changed, right?
26:02 My um, beautiful by the way, thanks.
26:05 Eloquent that is that is that is the words
26:07 of a woman who has BEEN IN THIS WHO done it.
26:11 So, uh, my feelings are the exact same.
26:14 There's I I could talk about this all day.
26:16 Um because there's I think there's a few there's
26:18 a few layers that I want to touch on because they
26:22 they fold and topple over each other.
26:24 Um both media and YouTubers and influencers and people who like it's it's
26:28 hard to draw a line of who's informed to say something and who's not.
26:33 Um I often want I often you kind of said this but I
26:38 to paraphrase it there's always there's context
26:40 and there's information and there's then there's opinion
26:43 and they're like the thing that traditional media
26:46 often is equipped to do or has the even the privilege to do is context
26:51 is information that is not readily available
26:54 to other people like YouTubers or other influencers.
26:57 There are people out there who are absolutely excellent at what they do and do
27:00 have the mentality of a person who knows
27:02 how to get information and deliver it objectively.
27:05 But in most cases um you said it
27:10 at the top there is there are YouTubers and there's influencers
27:15 and there's people even people like me when I
27:16 first started like I did not have a traditional background
27:20 me
27:20 in journalism.
27:20 I did eventually start working at a newspaper and I
27:23 didn't even enter that newspaper as somebody who was reporting.
27:25 I entered it as like a calendar editor and then eventually I
27:28 started reporting and then eventually I started kind of building that muscle.
27:31 In reality I started as a blogger and like that's what allowed me to like
27:34 build the muscles to understand it the inside
27:36 out the industry from the inside out.
27:38 Um, so where I think things get lost is actually the confusion.
27:42 Media thinks that that they have to adapt to YouTubers
27:46 and YouTubers having to think they have to adapt to media.
27:48 And I think that's where things get
27:51 it's an ecosystem of everyone has their own.
27:54 So like we we've been in conversations where it's like how do
27:56 we be more like this a personality a YouTuber or a thing?
28:00 And the thing that I think we always come back down to as YouTubers,
28:03 the thing that make YouTube I think the value in a YouTuber
28:06 is when a person doubles down and owns a beat.
28:10 I was going to say that like because people don't realize is that
28:15 GameSpot is much smaller than you think it is.
28:17 Like people think that per by size, by staff size, we're on the same par as IGN.
28:22 We are really, really not.
28:23 And so for those games that are lifestyle games, your GTA Online, your
28:28 your Fortnite, your like Len Rose and like like all those games,
28:32 we have people on staff who are experts.
28:34 But if you are a content creator and your entire beat says destiny,
28:41 yeah,
28:40 then you have a lot more authority because you are kind of in there,
28:44 you have a lot of authority because you are in there and you can see
28:46 the changes and you are more kind of dialed in to the um to the player base,
28:52 but also that's your only thing.
28:53 you don't have to divide your attention which is what
28:55 so while we have a lot of specialists and we
28:57 use freelancers who are specializing in things which is how
29:00 we get to stay on top of things but it's like
29:02 there's so many games it's impossible
29:04 yeah and like so that's where I always saw the value
29:07 in individual YouTubers and influencers the people who are like
29:10 I cover this thing so when a thing comes out
29:13 a game of a certain genre I know who I'm going to
29:17 to trust that's not to say we don't do that here
29:20 like we individually have beats like my beat
29:24 has was kind of decided like I'm surv survival horror dude.
29:28 So whenever a survival horror comes through it's
29:30 kind of my responsibility to know about it.
29:32 Um whenever Resident Evil game comes out it's
29:34 that's my responsibility to be on top of it.
29:37 Um, and I this could this could be interpreted wrong,
29:42 but I do think there is um an importance
29:45 to the generalist if if that makes sense.
29:48 As in like GameSpot still serves a place
29:51 to have a general view and kind of pulse
29:55 check on what is happening that you often
29:57 times don't get from a one-stop shop YouTube channel.
30:00 Um, so as for the future, as the internet dies,
30:05 if you're not aware, the internet's been struggling as a whole,
30:08 especially as AI becomes a and I don't mean
30:10 this in like some sort of like negative sentiment,
30:12 but it's like, you know, AI as a search engine, as an information engine,
30:17 is killing the internet as as we know it
30:19 in terms of a search engine and getting to the top.
30:22 But that being said, there's almost more of a need for traditional outlets,
30:27 for traditional media people to make sure
30:29 they are in contact with developers, with publishers,
30:33 with PR to know what is happening because otherwise
30:35 you might get a halfwashed opinion from an influencer,
30:39 YouTuber, and I'm not bad mouthing anyone,
30:41 but they're not always the most informed from the inside out.
30:44 Sure.
30:45 And I mean there's other we we've been going on about this for a minute.
30:47 So I'm just going to like my final point on it is that also it's like
30:52 QA is so important.
30:54 Not just having a team supporting you is so important to have to like
30:58 fact check to make sure that hey does this does this sound right?
31:02 No, I remember this happening.
31:03 You know like are you being mean?
31:04 Are you being constructive?
31:05 Like does this sound this sounds like you could maybe
31:07 say this in a way that's a little bit more informed.
31:09 And that's the thing where it's like there
31:11 are so many advantages to working on your own,
31:12 but like also having someone there to check
31:16 you on things is uh is really important.
31:17 So I think everyone exists within this ecosystem.
31:22 It doesn't have to be us versus them.
31:24 Exactly.
31:25 Yeah.
31:25 Yeah.
31:26 There's good people out there making good good[ __]
31:29 A lot of good people,
31:30 including us.
31:32 So yeah, thank you.
31:33 That's an insightful question that I feel like
31:35 I don't feel like I get to talk about much publicly.
31:38 some letter.
31:42 Wait, wait, wait.
31:43 Um, want to take a moment cuz we don't That was your stomach.
31:47 That was my stomach.
31:49 Keep going.
31:49 Uh, we don't really take a moment to sort
31:51 of say thank you to the folks behind the scenes.
31:55 Um, so obviously you see John Luke,
31:57 Joe Luck,
31:58 Joe Luck a lot.
31:59 Um,
32:02 Spencer,
32:01 Spencer, Emilio, uh, cameraman Roger.
32:11 Yep.
32:12 Yep.
32:12 Uh he's got to go fast, everyone.
32:14 Yeah.
32:14 But no, just want to say thank you because you guys
32:16 are instrumental to this show and we're in front of the camera,
32:20 but it wouldn't exist at all without all of you behind it.
32:23 So, thank you.
32:25 Yeah.
32:26 All right.
32:26 All right.
32:29 Viewer mail.
32:32 We were almost We were the same.
32:36 Oh, this person got our names right.
32:41 Hey, Kurt Ann and Lucy and Jean Luke.
32:45 I love the show.
32:47 Thanks.
32:47 Sorry to see you go.
32:49 What's one of your favorite mentions of a video game in a non-game related show?
32:56 One time, one of mine is a Seinfeld where George tries to buy
32:59 the Frogger arcade cabinet with his high score from the pizza place.
33:03 Holes.
33:04 I need holes.
33:05 Quote, Seinfeld.
33:07 Never seen Seinfeld.
33:08 Uh, it wasn't a thing in the UK,
33:09 which is surprising because I feel like there's a lot.
33:11 Oh, yeah.
33:11 Frazzia.
33:12 Didn't you also have uh Two and a Half Men?
33:16 Yeah, I had I had an English I had an English friend who loved
33:19 it was they tried to make it a big thing.
33:21 Yeah.
33:23 Cryptic.
33:23 That's the person.
33:24 Yes.
33:24 Uh, that is Alex.
33:26 Okay.
33:26 Don't cancel me because he got cancelled.
33:28 But I will never forget the House of Cards PS Vita reference.
33:33 Oh, I don't think I even know this.
33:34 Oh, in like one of the early the the first season of House of Gods,
33:38 uh Kevin Spacy's character, again, don't cancel me.
33:43 Um, but he just says it in such a random way.
33:45 He goes, "Is that a PS VA?
33:48 I should get one for the car." And then you,
33:50 it's like a kid playing God of War on PSV.
33:55 Okay.
33:55 It's just the way he says, "I should get one for the car." sounding like that.
33:59 Um, the space chicken from Futurama.
34:04 Uh, I think I have one.
34:07 Yeah.
34:06 Um, it's from a British show.
34:08 Hit me.
34:10 Spaced.
34:10 I mean, Space is filled with a lot of gaming references,
34:13 but there's one in particular that has stuck with me because I think it
34:15 actually influenced the way I like think
34:17 about like comedy and scene transitions and storytelling.
34:21 And that is uh the episode of Spaced whose name
34:25 the character's name who I cannot remember Simon Peg's character is
34:28 in his apartment and a actual zombies break in and he's
34:31 like shooting with a shotgun and like it's like so well shot.
34:34 It's so awesome and then in reality he's just playing Resident Evil 2.
34:39 Um and it's fantastic.
34:40 In fact, I used that
34:42 bit for inspiration for when we had Nick come in and fought zombies.
34:46 Like that was what was in the back
34:47 of my head the entire time I was filming that.
34:49 Um, amazing that one.
34:51 And also, you know, um, was it Beyonce?
34:55 Well, that's with a DS.
34:56 Was that an ad?
34:59 Okay, if we're talking about the legendary brain training advert, Beyonce,
35:04 I guess that's I guess that's game related.
35:06 Well, those were ads, but the Nicole Kidman one.
35:09 Oh, what was I?
35:12 52.
35:14 Yeah.
35:16 52.
35:16 Yeah.
35:17 Um,
35:18 yeah.
35:18 I love those.
35:19 Trying to think if there's any other one.
35:20 I have one.
35:21 Oh, here we go.
35:22 Uh, Heroes.
35:24 There's like a kid playing Heavenly Sword.
35:29 Wow.
35:28 But but he's playing it with his mom and they're playing co-op.
35:33 Oh, yeah.
35:34 And they show it and you're like, that is clearly
35:36 a single player PS3 exclusive game came out.
35:39 What was that?
35:39 A launch game?
35:40 Uh, close to I don't think quite launch, but yeah,
35:43 I was I was that one always stuck in my brain.
35:45 Yeah.
35:46 I mean, there Sopranos and playing Mario Kart with his kid.
35:49 Yeah,
35:50 like a man 64.
35:51 That's a great bit.
35:54 Yeah.
35:53 I'm trying to think what else has been in
35:56 They're not ever really I remember there's a bit in Breaking Bad where they're
36:02 just like arguing about what the best zombie game is.
36:05 I don't think I remember.
36:06 And I remember like it's like it's I've seen Breaking Bad.
36:09 It's uh what's his name?
36:10 Um
36:11 Aaron Paul.
36:11 Aaron Paul and his two stoner friends.
36:14 Oh.
36:14 And I remember they're like, "No, man.
36:16 Like it's Resident Evil." Like, like Leon's so cool and like Ashley's got like
36:22 I don't remember.
36:23 Like they're like talking about how hot Ashley is and you're like
36:25 she's underage.
36:27 Yeah.
36:27 She's a little girl.
36:28 No, I think she's pervert.
36:29 Yeah.
36:31 Pervert.
36:31 Pervert.
36:31 Anyway,
36:32 uh one more is that I love in IKEA when they have the fake consoles.
36:37 Oh, yeah.
36:37 Yeah.
36:37 Those are the fake controllers.
36:39 Oh, yeah.
36:39 They just have like 360 to this day.
36:42 They will have 360 and PS3 shelves some.
36:44 Yeah.
36:44 And sometimes they just like paint them white completely and Yeah.
36:48 Yeah.
36:48 Yeah.
36:48 Cuz they they have gamer furniture at IKEA now.
36:50 I'm going IKEA tomorrow, I think.
36:52 On Sundays.
36:54 Okay.
36:56 Okay.
37:03 Roger.
37:03 Oh, come on.
37:06 Get it together.
37:16 Okay, Kurt Lucy.
37:20 Oh, hey.
37:20 Looking back at your career so far in covering video game news and reviews,
37:24 is there a game you can think of that makes you go, you know what, I was wrong.
37:27 Maybe something you were too harsh on or not critical enough of.
37:30 Absolutely devastated that the show is ending and we
37:32 were and we are all lesser for it.
37:34 Is there any news on who will be watching after Suda 51 now?
37:37 Also, I wanted to give a special thanks to John
37:39 Luke for making it all happen with a heavy heart.
37:41 Swoop Crown.
37:42 Swoop Crown.
37:43 Thank you.
37:45 Who's watching after Suda?
37:47 Um um
37:49 Roger Craig Smith.
37:50 Yeah, I'm Yeah, Roger.
37:52 Have it under control, too.
37:53 Come on.
37:54 What were you wrong about?
37:58 I mean, yeah, Kurt.
38:00 What were you
38:01 What were you about?
38:01 What was I wrong about?
38:02 I'm trying to think.
38:04 Well, I know.
38:06 I guess you don't have to say it,
38:07 but I know you've always been like, "Oh, I should have given that a
38:10 There is one game that I do I just I do think I should I mean,
38:13 I don't I don't even know if we're allowed." I don't know.
38:15 I I actually don't know the the ethical journalistic
38:18 rules of doing this, but like Yeah,[ __] it.
38:20 Um I do think back and I feel like I should have fought for Laura to be a 10.
38:27 M um during you know you mentioned earlier
38:31 about like the QA process of like people
38:32 reading other stuff and like the way people
38:34 don't don't understand how reviews work for us
38:36 is sometimes we just write the review we don't even put the score we just
38:40 say like unless we're really confident what
38:42 the score is you know in most cases like
38:44 us as reviewers will write the copy give it to the team and then the team
38:48 will say this reads like an eight a seven so on um and there was
38:53 a little debate about Laura about you know one person saying it read like a 10
38:56 somebody else saying it read like a nine and ultimately we won with a nine.
39:01 Mhm.
39:00 Um I don't want to say like I was wrong about that, but it's
39:03 one that lingers in my head because like now that the game's been out for
39:07 almost two years, I want to say three.
39:10 Yeah, it's been three.
39:11 Um
39:12 2023 was it?
39:13 Yeah.
39:13 I mean, it's just one of those things that when I when
39:16 people talk about like games that influence you or games that inspire
39:18 you or like just I think about design all the time and I
39:21 always like always at the top of my list every single time.
39:24 It's like blur line laser eyes.
39:26 Um, I don't know if I was wrong about that.
39:30 There was like go on this.
39:31 I was I was worried about giving Resident Evil 4 remake a ton
39:35 because I felt like I was like, is this just like a excitement thing?
39:38 What is this?
39:39 And then um a year later I was like, we'll see how I feel and I was like, nope.
39:42 I was dead ass right.
39:44 Yeah, I felt good about that one.
39:46 Yeah.
39:45 What about you?
39:46 That's the thing is that I have my my only
39:48 major review for GameSpot was Persona 5 and it was vanilla.
39:51 So, I feel very justified in giving that a nine
39:53 because I think Royal made it the 10,
39:55 which Michael then updated um the review,
39:58 but not even review related to.
40:00 Are there any specific things?
40:01 I think
40:03 I have one after you
40:05 for me.
40:06 No.
40:06 No.
40:06 Yeah.
40:07 Yeah.
40:07 I remember you were really
40:08 I remember you were like so
40:10 I don't think I was critical enough of Dragon Age the Veil God,
40:15 but I also think
40:17 I mean I was critical of the initial trailer but I also
40:19 think that they were very good uh at vertical slicing that game.
40:24 Similarly with Mass Effect Andromeda,
40:28 um I remember playing that for the first time,
40:31 like my the first hands-on, I was like, "Oh, wow.
40:33 I actually really love the way this moves
40:34 and whatever." But then playing the full game, I was like, "Aha, no." Um
40:38 I was going to say this is less like
40:39 a I feel wrong because I don't think it's wrong.
40:41 But like I I always feel weird when I preview a game and come away very
40:47 positive on it and then I play the full thing.
40:48 I don't think there's anything.
40:49 I mean, cuz that's the thing.
40:51 You You were judging the game on that slice that you saw.
40:53 Totally.
40:53 It's more of like acknowledging the reality,
40:56 but like there's that weird thing where you're like, "Ah, did I was I Yeah.
41:00 Trust me, there's games that I previewed."
41:02 Previewed like this past year that I will not say that I was like
41:05 I loved my time with it, but I'm definitely like the game's not out yet.
41:10 So, don't uh There is one, if you don't mind me saying,
41:14 there's one that I saw you flip-flop on.
41:15 What's that?
41:17 Immortality.
41:17 Oh, because I didn't like it.
41:19 You did not like it and then I loved it.
41:21 You flipped it.
41:22 There was a period of time where where I was like I thought I was like maybe
41:26 I know John Luke was really high in that game but I thought I was like[ __] like
41:30 are we the only ones?
41:31 Like cuz like it was very divisive at the 11th hour.
41:34 At the 11th hour and then all of a sudden one day you came in and you were like
41:38 and you're like I get it and I was like
41:40 yeah I forgot about that.
41:41 Yeah.
41:41 And then um the other one I do I don't
41:43 think I'm I think I'm a little justifi not justified in
41:48 one more and then I'm done.
41:52 Um Silent Hill 2 remake.
41:54 Still haven't played.
41:54 I'm sorry.
41:55 I know you haven't.
41:55 Um but I was very I notoriously did not
42:02 really enjoy that first game and kind of was like
42:04 on the out like exist in this weird realm of appreciation
42:06 for it but didn't entirely see what other people saw.
42:10 Um, and so when the remake came along,
42:12 I don't want to say I was critical of what the game looked like,
42:17 but I was critical of its existence in a way.
42:20 Um, in which I was like, I just don't care.
42:22 Um, and there was a few things where I was like, this looks rough.
42:26 Um, and I think that game, that remake is phenomenal.
42:30 Um, it completely like re programmed my brain
42:36 and even how I think about the original one.
42:38 Mhm.
42:38 So, that's one of those things where it's like,
42:41 "Okay, all right.
42:42 All right.
42:43 Okay.
42:43 You got me.
42:44 You got me.
42:46 Good." Um, but yeah, I don't know.
42:47 There's maybe a game or two I wish I gave a lower a point lower,
42:51 but I'm not going to say what they are.
42:53 I'll only say if I was going to give them a point higher.
42:55 You'll just have to guess out of the games I reviewed.
43:00 Next.
43:00 Next.
43:21 This doesn't even say who this is from, like who it's to.
43:25 Oh, okay.
43:26 At a pivotal point in the iconic Jackie Chan film, Who Am I?
43:31 Jackie Chan sprints up a hill, climbs onto a platform,
43:35 and with arms held high, shouts out to the skyline, "Who am I?"
43:44 Sure.
43:43 Could you Could you three each take a turn,
43:47 yelling this, followed by other two by the other two
43:51 chiming in with remarks about your character and who you are.
43:59 Okay.
43:59 Then at the end of each descriptor,
44:01 please describe yourself, optionally in a Mr.
44:04 Bean accent.
44:10 Uh, this show and the three of you are pure gold,
44:12 and I can't wait to see what's next.
44:15 Thank you.
44:16 All the best, Matt.
44:18 Spawn spawn holes.
44:20 Spawn holes.
44:20 Spawn holes.
44:21 I'm so sorry.
44:22 Spinal holes.
44:23 Spawn holes.
44:23 Sph.
44:26 Thank you, Matt.
44:27 Uh, excellent work in uh interweaving both Mr.
44:31 Bean and Jakey Chan.
44:32 I feel like you wrote this.
44:34 Which what
44:36 Jakey Jakey Nikki Jakey Chan.
44:37 I love Jakey Chain.
44:38 I love Jakey Chain.
44:40 Uh oh, Jakey Chan.
44:42 Anyways, um Jakeie Ch.
44:45 So, it's uh mentioning both Jackie Chan and Mr.
44:49 Bean.
44:50 Uh Matt, I've seen your comments.
44:52 I know you watch.
44:53 I've seen you.
44:54 I've been seeing you for a long time.
44:56 So, I know I've just never had to say your name out loud.
44:59 Just as a heads up, but uh I know you I know you know me.
45:05 You think you know me?
45:06 Anyways, this is a You want So, how do we want to do this?
45:09 You have to yell.
45:11 Who am I?
45:12 And then the three
45:14 the other two have to describe you and then you describe yourself.
45:17 So, am I supposed to be a character when I scream, "Who am I?"
45:19 No, you're supposed to be you.
45:20 Yeah, you're you.
45:21 You're you.
45:21 I'm supposed to be me.
45:23 Yeah.
45:23 So, you scream who am I?
45:24 This is This feels like therapy.
45:25 Yeah,
45:26 we're okay.
45:26 So, am I going first?
45:30 Sure.
45:30 Okay.
45:33 Be careful with the TV.
45:36 Okay.
45:36 I'm Jackie Chan or No, I'm not.
45:38 I'm Kurt and I'm running UP THE HILL.
45:40 WHO AM I?
45:48 OKAY.
45:49 UM, TONY, you go.
45:51 Uh, you're a grumpy old man.
45:55 What?
45:56 I love things.
45:58 I love things with grumpiness and passion.
46:01 I
46:02 The am we were having We were sitting
46:04 at the table the other day and you kept being like,
46:07 "I don't do this." And we're like, "Yeah, you do."
46:10 I don't
46:10 in real time.
46:11 I was saying, "Actually, no, hold on." Like, I don't judge people for that.
46:14 Well, actually, hold on.
46:16 So, hold on.
46:16 Let me back up.
46:17 I don't do this.
46:17 Uh, well, hold on.
46:19 Okay.
46:20 Grumpy old man.
46:21 Oh, okay.
46:21 I was gonna be a little nicer than that.
46:23 Oh, thank I'm not going to look at you.
46:25 We don't compliment each other.
46:27 This is the rule.
46:28 Yeah, this is actually a rule.
46:29 When we do, when we do, it's like, okay.
46:33 Um, I think you are a very principled person who
46:36 knows exactly who he is and is very confident in that.
46:39 I think you are an incredible artist in all aspects of things that you create.
46:45 Uh you're very creative and even though you are a grumpy
46:49 old man sometimes you never fail to bring a lot
46:51 of incredible energy and pep people up and just have a laugh
46:55 and uh hiring you is the best thing I ever did.
46:59 __] off.
47:01 Don't look at me.
47:02 Well, I know who I am.
47:03 Enough.
47:04 An[ __]
47:09 Are you crying?
47:11 No.
47:12 Oh, enough.
47:13 Okay.
47:14 enough.
47:15 Who are you?
47:16 Oh, I have to describe who I am.
47:17 Yeah.
47:18 Oh, God.
47:20 Well, for one, it's true.
47:24 I'm intense.
47:26 I feel things wholeheartedly.
47:30 You know when I like something and you know when I don't.
47:33 Um, so yeah, you can interpret that as grumpy.
47:37 But I also have an overwhelming sense of love and care and passion for things.
47:44 And uh I also think everyone should just be who they are and like who they are.
47:48 And I that's the principles I live by and therefore that's who I am
47:52 genuinely.
47:53 Kurt, you are the person who would least need to say who am I?
47:58 Cuz I think of everyone I've ever met, you are the most.
48:02 Is this my funeral?
48:03 You you like you are so confident in who
48:06 you are compared to everyone else I've ever met.
48:09 Like you Yeah,
48:11 it's the mustache.
48:13 Yeah,
48:13 it really is.
48:13 I woke up one day and I said, "I can[ __] do it."
48:16 And you did.
48:17 And I don't give a[ __] what you think about it.
48:20 End of story.
48:21 Sure doesn't.
48:23 Okay.
48:23 Oh my god.
48:24 All right, I'll go.
48:31 WHO AM I?
48:34 WOW.
48:34 I really like the really fun screaming.
48:37 Yeah, it's great.
48:38 Yeah, I really enjoy it.
48:38 It's great.
48:39 All right, John, you won first.
48:40 You're going again.
48:41 Okay.
48:41 All right.
48:41 Uh
48:44 Lucy, you you have to say something mean.
48:48 Oh, okay.
48:50 Uh I'm not going to say something mean this time.
48:52 I um Lucy, you are the most talented person
49:01 in this entire that has walked into this company and I mean
49:08 that like you don't think you're talented or no you
49:13 you I you are more talented than you think you are.
49:16 you can do things like I have watching you
49:19 on this show the way in which you have uh done
49:23 bits you have been funny you have been able to like
49:28 hang with Kurt and riff on him in a way
49:30 that I know that you were like oh I don't
49:32 know if I can do that like I have watched you
49:34 grow so much in just the last like 26 episodes
49:37 we've done it has been incredible um I think you're amazing thank You
49:47 Matt, you really picked a hell of a Yeah.
49:49 of a card.
49:50 Anyways,
49:52 my turn.
49:54 So, per our rule, I'm not going to look at you.
49:57 I don't like complimenting you.
49:59 Just for the record, you don't suck.
50:05 Lucy, you want to know why you're so great?
50:08 Because you hired me.
50:12 because you let this guy who did not have a big following count,
50:17 did not have some big crazy uh subscriber count,
50:23 didn't have some crazy social media.
50:24 Um, but you chose me and not to make it about me.
50:28 That's not the point that I'm trying to make.
50:29 The thing that I'm trying to go with is
50:31 that you have an uncanny ability to recognize[ __] of value.
50:37 Not saying again, this sounds like you're it's me,
50:39 but what I'm trying to say is time and time again,
50:43 I've witnessed your ability to observe something and see the worth in it
50:49 and know when it's worth doing something
50:51 and know when it's not worth doing something.
50:53 Uh, I also don't think you give yourself enough credit cuz you're probably like,
50:57 h, I don't want to be super cool.
50:58 Uh, uh, uh, uh, but to John Lou's point, you're sharp as nails.
51:02 You're always on top of your[ __] And I've always said this.
51:05 I think I've said this to your face, so this is a compliment.
51:07 But I do think you're one of the most important people in this industry.
51:11 And I think you're one of the most important I'm getting emotional.
51:19 You're good at what you do.
51:21 And I really think uh this industry would be screwed if you weren't around.
51:27 Love you.
51:28 I love you both.
51:31 Woof.
51:32 God[ __] Matt.
51:34 Matt Sp.
51:40 Um,
51:39 anyways, yeah, but most importantly, thanks for giving me a job.
51:46 You also brought me to San Francisco in the process of
51:48 brought you over 24 hours.
51:50 And I that was not my idea.
51:53 Yeah.
51:53 For context, I was flowing in for a try out basically for like
51:56 an on camera read and I had it was a 24-hour trip from upstate New York.
52:02 And for anyone from upstate New York,
52:04 you'll know that it sucks to fly out of because it's not like a direct flight.
52:07 You have to have connecting flights.
52:08 24 hours, flowning out to San Francisco,
52:11 ate the worst pizza of my life when I got here.
52:14 Thought I was going to get food poisoning.
52:15 Came into the office.
52:16 Was tasked with writing a script, an intro to a script on the spot.
52:22 Yeah.
52:22 In which then I had to go in front of a camera.
52:24 Sure did.
52:25 Read that script from memory because we didn't have a teleprompter.
52:31 Uh until alarmingly recently.
52:32 Yep.
52:32 And then I was taken into a room in which a bunch of weird photo not weird.
52:36 That sounds weird.
52:37 A bunch of like head shots were taken of me.
52:39 And I was like, "Oh,
52:40 I got this in the bag." And then all of a sudden Lucy was like,
52:43 "Thank you.
52:44 We'll let you know.
52:45 So long." And then I was like let
52:47 into the wilderness of San Francisco being like,
52:49 "I have no idea what just happened.
52:50 I have no idea." And then I had to fly home that night.
52:52 It was a job.
52:53 Yeah.
52:54 And then uh when Lucy called me to say that she got the job,
52:58 she's like, "We would like to offer you the job." And what did I say?
53:04 No.
53:04 I said what if I said no.
53:08 And it was dead silence on the other side.
53:11 And I was like, I'm joking.
53:12 I'm joking.
53:12 I thought I think I thought I made
53:14 it abundantly clear though and like this job, please.
53:17 Um, so yeah.
53:20 Yeah.
53:19 Okay, Jean Luke, you're up next.
53:22 You have to scream whoever.
53:23 Doesn't Lucy have to Oh, I have to say who I Oh, shoot.
53:25 Yeah.
53:26 Sorry.
53:26 Go ahead.
53:27 I think first of all love you both.
53:30 Um I don't really think about who I am.
53:36 I think I am just someone who tries to do their best
53:38 and I think in some ways that is a very positive
53:42 trait to have but in other ways it means I overcommit
53:44 to things and I feel like I'm pulled all over the place.
53:46 But I am trying to not like leave a mark,
53:52 but I want to leave things better than how I found it.
53:56 And so what I and this is from Kyle Bosman.
54:00 I credit him with this all the time is
54:01 I watch an episode of the final Bossman years
54:03 ago and he always said a n out of 10 even a naugh out of 10 game has value.
54:08 And I like to take that approach in how I look at everything.
54:11 I try and see the positive and I like
54:14 to be constructive because at the end of the day,
54:16 we are all only here for a short amount of time.
54:19 What is the point in just ripping everything down and not trying to make things
54:24 better?
54:25 That's how I live my life.
54:26 One dumb pun at a time.
54:28 Yeah.
54:28 There's one thing I didn't get to say though, cuz I got all funky wonky.
54:32 Don't worry.
54:34 Um I was The one thing I was gonna say is you've taken me off guard many times.
54:40 Interesting.
54:40 As in I didn't As in because you didn't know I could juggle.
54:43 Well, neither did you.
54:44 Well, that is true.
54:45 You did juggle and I was like my you didn't know
54:48 you could juggle and our both of our minds were blown away.
54:50 But no, just there's just a few I've worked with you for x amount of years,
54:53 but I often times uh don't get to realize how much time you had before.
54:58 Um and there's just times where you just like
55:00 do things and I was like very like holy[ __]
55:02 I didn't know you could do that like like juggle.
55:06 So yeah, you've surprised me.
55:08 All right, gentlemen.
55:09 Time to scream.
55:10 I don't think I've ever heard your screaming voice.
55:13 I I'm I'm not very screamy.
55:16 I heard you like scream sort of once,
55:17 but I think it was because of something that happened in Vanderpump Rules.
55:21 I have the high pitch like Yeah.
55:23 Yeah, I've heard that.
55:24 Yeah.
55:25 Um All right.
55:26 So, what's the line?
55:28 Who am I?
55:28 Who am I?
55:29 I want to say what am I?
55:31 You could say that.
55:34 WHO AM I?
55:36 SOUND LIKE YOU KIND OF FELL OFF the cliff a little bit.
55:38 Who am I?
55:40 All right.
55:41 All right.
55:41 Who am I?
55:42 John Luke, you are the backbone of this place.
55:44 Truly.
55:45 Um, it has been such an honor to work
55:47 with you for so long and see how you've grown,
55:50 how you have just taken ownership.
55:54 Not to sound like a[ __] review system,
55:56 but like just you have such an expertise and care
56:01 with how you approach your work and you approach things
56:05 with like such good nature and authority and like when
56:09 I say the backbone of this place, I really mean it.
56:12 Like you are organized, you're always thinking ahead,
56:16 but you're always thinking about other people too and how you can help.
56:19 And it just it not only makes you a joy
56:23 to work with, but also like we've become a lot closer
56:25 in the last couple of years and it is a joy
56:27 and privilege uh to call you my friend and I love you.
56:30 Oh, I love you too, Jean Luke.
56:33 You're somebody with great hair.
56:35 Thank you.
56:35 Really great hair.
56:36 Annoyingly great hair.
56:38 Uh but I also think um you have such a defined moral code.
56:47 Yes.
56:48 of what is right and what is wrong.
56:50 And when you see something that is wrong, you will do something about it.
56:55 Uh there's been many times in the the years I've
56:58 worked with you where something will happen and it will upset
57:00 a few of us in which we often times are like
57:03 we just have to work with it or go with it.
57:05 Uh and you put up a fight.
57:06 And so I've been able to witness someone
57:09 like you stand up not just for yourself,
57:12 not just for other people, but for the identity of GameSpot time and time again.
57:17 Uh, like Lucy said, you are the backbone.
57:19 I think you're the oil that makes these gears churn,
57:24 that makes you are the per You're not even like the person makes the train go.
57:27 I've seen you lay the tracks.
57:29 Yeah.
57:30 Um, and even though you've worked here longer than me,
57:33 I feel like I've seen you transform and evolve.
57:38 uh from someone who was always good at production,
57:40 who always like did their thing, but also took the chance to challenge
57:44 themselves and put themselves in uncomfortable situations,
57:47 even if it was hard as[ __] So, you did good.
57:50 You're doing good.
57:51 You're great.
57:52 Um I seriously don't know how this room would function if you left.
58:00 And unfortunately, I consider myself pretty savvy on a production level,
58:04 but the amount of times I've had to call you and be like,
58:06 I can't turn this light on.
58:09 Can you please help me figure this out?
58:12 Um, and if you weren't here, I don't think that light would turn on.
58:16 So, it's uh make a manual, please, for your sake.
58:20 And um yes, everyone else's.
58:23 Thank you.
58:25 Who are you?
58:26 Who am I?
58:27 Um, I think too much about who I am.
58:35 All the I have the opposite problem of of Lucy where
58:38 I think too much about myself uh and who I am.
58:43 So, I guess I would just say I am me
58:50 and I should just focus on being me and Yeah.
59:01 I don't know.
59:01 I just Yeah.
59:05 Yeah.
59:05 Um and I have great hair.
59:06 You're right.
59:06 Really have gray hair.
59:07 I um the other day my woke up and uh
59:12 was in the bathroom with my wife and we were
59:13 both getting ready and she was like doing all
59:15 this stuff and I just walk in and I just go,
59:18 "All right, I'm good." And she just turned and looked at me and was like,
59:22 "What the[ __] It does look good.
59:25 You're right." Yeah.
59:28 Yeah.
59:28 Done.
59:29 Thanks.
59:31 All right.
59:32 Cool.
59:32 __] you, Matt.
59:33 Yeah.
59:33 Thanks, Matt.
59:34 Thanks for Thanks for a whole lot of nothing.
59:36 Yeah.
59:37 Enough.
59:38 Enough.
59:39 Enough letter.
59:40 It's yours.
59:42 Well, it's time for the final beef of the week.
59:54 Wait, do we have a beef?
59:55 Or as they call in America, beef of the week.
1:00:09 I feel like I should be on the box of some porridge or something.
1:00:14 I don't know.
1:00:15 Yes.
1:00:15 Yes.
1:00:16 I love I love I love Miss Lucy James's
1:00:20 porridge where she wears a burger on her head.
1:00:23 Nothing says good porridge like the Burger Queen herself.
1:00:28 Miss Lucy James.
1:00:29 Actually, don't eat a Burger King.
1:00:31 I might have a burger for dinner today.
1:00:34 Would you know why I don't eat at Burger King?
1:00:36 Oh, I don't know why you don't eat burger.
1:00:38 Because one time um when I was a youth,
1:00:40 I went in and I had to use the toilet at Burger King and someone had
1:00:43 done a massive green[ __] like all over
1:00:46 the floor and everything like it was green.
1:00:51 Are you okay?
1:00:52 And um sure wasn't relish.
1:00:54 Traumatized me.
1:00:56 Okay.
1:00:57 Anyway, you're not missing much.
1:00:58 I don't think that Burger King exists anymore.
1:00:59 back.
1:01:00 Uh my f my final beef is genuinely just like algorithms.
1:01:05 And this is not just because the show is ending.
1:01:07 I just find myself really beefed uh up against algorithms.
1:01:12 And I'm fed up of a machine telling me what it thinks that I would like
1:01:17 instead of me knowing what I would
1:01:19 like and deliberately following those people, those artists,
1:01:23 and then not getting served their output
1:01:26 because instead I'm being pushed um random[ __] that I don't care about.
1:01:33 And so I know a lot of people can
1:01:35 uh we've seen a lot of comments and letters and such of people saying,
1:01:38 "I didn't even know you guys were around." Blah blah blah.
1:01:41 Imagine working in it.
1:01:44 It sucks.
1:01:45 But it's I just Yeah, it's just, you know,
1:01:46 part of our modern day life that I I hate.
1:01:52 And I think when it comes to games, not only am I missing, you know,
1:01:55 videos and podcasts and whatever, but it's also I'm missing game releases
1:01:58 because everything works on an algorithm now.
1:02:00 Everything is on an algorithm.
1:02:03 And it sucks.
1:02:03 And it sucks.
1:02:05 Um I It's It's why I've often given Here we go.
1:02:09 It's why I've often given a a very I've given this this one spiel like a million
1:02:14 times on this show and it probably sounds
1:02:17 redundant and like not all that clever or philosophical, but I do stick by it.
1:02:23 Um, as someone who does not rely on algorithms often because
1:02:27 I'm not on a lot of things to be indulging them, but I do love to remind people
1:02:35 like there is good stuff out there.
1:02:38 Do not wait for it to come to you.
1:02:40 I know it's difficult to be like, well, where do I look?
1:02:43 Where do I go?
1:02:44 Um, and sometimes the best places to go are your friends.
1:02:48 What are you playing?
1:02:49 What are you reading?
1:02:50 What are you watching?
1:02:51 Who do you like?
1:02:52 And you may get a suggestion you may not like,
1:02:53 but it might open a little crack or a little door or a little
1:02:56 thread that then brings you to something else you didn't know was there.
1:02:59 Um, we all have a responsibility to support the stuff we like.
1:03:03 Yeah.
1:03:03 And that comes in different forms and different ways.
1:03:06 And for this show in particular, yes, it was very difficult to watch um us
1:03:11 make something that we love that clearly people love,
1:03:15 but there is an expectation and it just wasn't meeting
1:03:18 that expectation and we can sit here and blame the algorithm.
1:03:22 Um which we will.
1:03:25 But um that being said, just if there's something you like,
1:03:31 you don't have to scream to the clouds for people to pay attention to it,
1:03:34 but you know, just remember there's value in sharing stuff that interests
1:03:39 you outside of a discover weekly Spotify list, which I absolutely
1:03:46 AIDS stop AID that's woof.
1:03:50 Um so yeah, that's a good beef.
1:03:52 Yeah, it's all beef to end on.
1:03:54 Do you want to take the hat off?
1:03:58 Beep.
1:04:01 Sorry.
1:04:01 I threw it perfectly onto the shelf.
1:04:03 You could juggle.
1:04:04 You could throw burger hats.
1:04:05 What else can you do?
1:04:07 You could do Yoshi voices and all that.
1:04:11 Hey, I surprised you with Batman or Joker.
1:04:14 I surprised myself with that one.
1:04:15 Okay.
1:04:16 Anyway, thank you for watching.
1:04:18 Kurt and Lucy got you covered.
1:04:19 Brackets in general.
1:04:22 We love making the show.
1:04:24 We're sad it's ending.
1:04:25 We know you're sad it's ending.
1:04:26 Um, but we'll always be here.
1:04:27 We'll be on GameSpot.
1:04:28 Come find us.
1:04:29 Um, thank you so much for all
1:04:31 your letters and comments over the last few months.
1:04:33 Yeah.
1:04:33 And also, just to make a note, a lot of people just send in letters this week.
1:04:37 Uh, we did not read all of them.
1:04:38 We decided to pick out the ones that were questions,
1:04:40 but please know that every single one of you who wrote a letter this week,
1:04:44 mostly just lamenting what's happening to the show, we did read them.
1:04:49 Um, and including all the comments and all that stuff.
1:04:51 That's a good uh pep in my step to be like, "Huh, look at that.
1:04:55 Huh?
1:04:55 Oh, yeah.
1:04:56 What did you know?
1:04:57 What did you know?"
1:04:59 Another huge thanks to John Luke, Spencer, Emilio, our editor.
1:05:02 Roger.
1:05:03 Suda's going to be hanging around.
1:05:05 Yeah.
1:05:05 At least he'll still be here.
1:05:17 So, okay.
1:05:30 Okay.
1:05:29 Well, thank you everyone.
1:05:31 Peace out.
1:05:33 I've said that before and I'm Yeah.
1:05:34 No, that did not sound natural for you.
1:05:36 Love you.
1:05:37 Love you.
1:05:37 Bye.
1:05:39 Bye.