Evil Avatar in the News: Halo 3 Edition

[bapenguin]

It's been an exciting few days for the staff here at Evil Avatar. Last week Dr. Finger (Michael Chauvet) and myself (Nicholas Puleo) attended a Halo 3 Beta Preview Event (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/11/halo-3-multiplayer-beta-event-nyc/) in New York City. It was a great event and we got to meet quite a few people. Among those people were journalists for some pretty big publications, namely Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/) and USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com).

Both of us were lucky enough to talk to these reporters about the game and give our insight. The experience was a bit eye opening (for both of us) in seeing how the mainstream media works.

I talked with Justin Grant of Reuters for a good 10 minutes regarding Halo 3. We discussed the new gadgets, the myriad of new weapons as well as some details of the new maps. We talked about how the Halo franchise is a growing juggernaut in the console world, and that Halo 3 will be no exception selling just as many if not more than Halo 2 did over the console's life. Finally Justin asked me if there was anything that needed improvement. We talked about how the graphics didn't take quite the leap they probably could have. Comparing the game to others on the platform it didn't match up in terms of visual fidelity.

Justin decided that his article should have the somewhat negative approach to stir up the controversy (and hits).

You can read his article on MSNBC.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18620926/).

On the flipside you have an article printed today in USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2007-05-14-halo3-beta_N.htm). The article discusses the excitement and anticpation many gamers have for the Halo 3 beta. They even mention how a beta on such a large scale on a console is something that rarely (or has never) occurs.

There is a great quote in the article by none other than Michael "Dr. Finger" Chauvet. Michael Chauvet of online game site EvilAvatar.com compares the Halo franchise to The Godfather. "It's probably as big as a game can get. It's a franchise that is so beloved, and it's quality."

Both articles give Evil Avatar.com a mention. It's pretty surreal, and it's great to see the media taking us as a serious source for gaming information.

[Kamalot]

Props to you and Dr. Finger on the great press. :D

[lockwoodx]

Very nice. You guys work hard and are pretty much the only gaming site I've gone to in the last 6 month.

[Knite]

Both articles give Evil Avatar.com a mention. It's pretty surreal, and it's great to see the media taking us as a serious source for gaming information.

And then unsuspecting people can come on by, and be scared back away from the talk of all these people walking around without pants and furry porn. I think that'll knock the "serious" spin for a loop ;-)
heh

Congrats to y'all =)

[CrashCart]

Very nice. You guys work hard and are pretty much the only gaming site I've gone to in the last 6 month.
Seconded. And don't forget the excellent community backing it all. Even the forum trolls are more eloquent around here. :D

[roboninja]

Ev Av. Drop it like it's hot :D

[childish]

good job guys.....

on a side note do u think so many people are gonna be downloading that beta 2morrow that its just gonna crash and no one will be able to get it for a day or so....

[Johan]

Even the forum trolls are more eloquent around here. :D

I would thank you, but I'm all choked up! ;)

Nice work, red EvAvers!

[Billen]

I read this earlier at Reuters. Nice for you guys. You realize that from now on the road is filled with surgery-induced tits, white powder and champagne?

[Dr.Finger]

While Nick and My experiences with the press were pretty similar, the end tone of each article was a little different.

I spoke to the USAToday reporter, Mike Snider, for about 20 minutes at the party. Not only about Halo 3 but about the coming year in gaming as well. We discussed what was good with the game, what needed a little work, but also about Halo's position in the industry. I had a great time takling to the guy, he was really interested in the industry since he's not a full time gaming reporter, but covers the greater entertainment industry.

[thesilentdeath]

Seconded. And don't forget the excellent community backing it all. Even the forum trolls are more eloquent around here. :D

Agreed, although I don't post a lot I do read just about all my gaming news here.

[bapenguin]

Seconded. And don't forget the excellent community backing it all. Even the forum trolls are more eloquent around here. :D

I wanted to somehow mention and thank everyone in the community in the post...but didn't know how to do it without sounding hokey.

[Abednigo]

Very cool guys.

I'm too cool to like Halo though.

;)

[Goronmon]

Drop it like it's hot.You leave now...

[CrashCart]

I would thank you, but I'm all choked up! ;)

Nice work, red EvAvers!
You're not a troll all the time.

If I could find it, there was an excellent post that described how every full moon you go on a trolling posting spree. Something about posts comprised of anger and spittle? ;)

[Kamalot]

Hold on now. There's too much love in this thread. Need to break it up a bit with a...

Why is this news?

[Mr.Green]

Hold on now. There's too much love in this thread. Need to break it up a bit with a...

Why is this news?
How about:

I'm not impressed.

[roboninja]

You leave now...
lol, the exact response I was looking for. Thank you :D

[Vermillion]

Evil Avatar: Daily gaming news about us being in the news about gaming... with attitude! :)

http://members.cox.net/ejohnston1/evilavatarlogo.jpg

[Mdot23]

Word, great work again guys. Definitely good to see some knowledgeable people in the industry (like us on EvAv!) getting their voices heard, since we actually know about the games. Hopefully this leads to more exposure and respect.

PS. Bap, I finally jacked a vehicle last night after you signed off, haha.

[Xerxes]

Hold on now. There's too much love in this thread. Need to break it up a bit with a...

Why is this news?

HUGGIES.. Wait, what?!

Actually I was like why am I the only one not overly excited about press. Dr. Finger you should of convinced him to come to the dark side. Be a pure game journalist. Dash his hopes of ever being the next being the next Barbara Walters.

[DangerousDaze]

Congrats on a job well done. Now let's see the forum creak under the weight of all those newbies... :)

[agentgray]

While it's great EvAv got some press and the bigwigs here were quoted, Halo is nowhere close to the excellence that is the Godfather movies.

(Plus, I hope that Halo 3 doesn't follow the same pattern as the Godfather movies. Heh.)

[Goronmon]

http://members.cox.net/ejohnston1/evilavatarlogo.jpg
Awesome! :D

[Mdot23]

So who's the equivalent of Moe Greene in Halo? I mean, he did make his bones while we were dating cheerleaders, for Christ's sake.

[TheDancinMan]

Hey, I'm happy for the press the site is getting, though indirect. Hopefully it doesn't lead to spam and hundreds of 11-year-olds saying they're the "roxzors" at Madden.

[Xerxes]

Dr. Finger are you going to the kegger over at Troy's. Bro, I got room in my jeep if you need a ride. :p

[J-Dizzle]

Nice one guys.

Seriously, EvAv is an outstanding site. I am also one of those people who comes here for my gaming news every day and nowhere else.

And with the new network sites we have a genuine multi-site community going on here, and I'm proud to be a tiny part of it.

I guess, keep up the good work, in a none-patronising way :D

[Trazzlo the Magnificant]

I talked with Justin Grant of Reuters for a good 10 minutes regarding Halo 3. We discussed the new gadgets, the myriad of new weapons as well as some details of the new maps. We talked about how the Halo franchise is a growing juggernaut in the console world, and that Halo 3 will be no exception selling just as many if not more than Halo 2 did over the console's life. Finally Justin asked me if there was anything that needed improvement. We talked about how the graphics didn't take quite the leap they probably could have. Comparing the game to others on the platform it didn't match up in terms of visual fidelity.

Justin decided that his article should have the somewhat negative approach to stir up the controversy (and hits).
Oh, oh, don't you just wish you would have mentioned that the PS3 version will look so much better?! :D

I am glad that gaming is getting so much attention right now, and Evil Avatar is a very good representative for a gaming site, in my opinion.

[Watership]

"The graphics can use some work ... They're not much different than the previous Halo," said Nicholas Puleo, editor of gaming news web site Evilavatar.com.

So YOUR the reason my friends were msning me telling me, "Dude, I reading ALL over that halo 3 looks exactly like halo 2!". Man, That quote is everywhere. Mass media penetration for Evil Avatar, but Frank O'Conner is probably sad.

[ferrarimanf355]

Ha! Take that NeoGAF! While a couple of retards that don't know better quote that leper colony as a legitimate news source, USA Today loves EvAv! :)

[Spigot]

Heh. Awesome news, Bap & Dr. Finger. Do you guys get those funky little "Press" tags to put in your hats now?

[DeluxE]

This is great! I've also noticed myself abandoning a lot of the "mainstream" news sites for EA and Joystiq... And I must say, the community here has got to be the most interesting and well informed I've yet seen. Keep it up guys, now the world is watching! ;-)

[Dr.Finger]

Hey, I'm happy for the press the site is getting, though indirect. Hopefully it doesn't lead to spam and hundreds of 11-year-olds saying they're the "roxzors" at Madden.We're thinking about adding a random question about either organic chemistry, string theory, Proust or the Peloponesian Wars to the registration form to avoid just such an occurance.

[Mdot23]

We're thinking about adding a random question about either organic chemistry, string theory, Proust or the Peloponesian Wars to the registration form to avoid just such an occurance.

As long as existing members don't have to answer them, I'm all for it! haha

[CptTripps]

This is indeed pretty cool exposure for the EVAV. Yall are famous now, one day I'll tell my grandkids "I chainsawed that guy in GoW once".

[Sl1pstream]

Now all we need is an EvAv column in USA Today.

'gratz.

[Evil Avnovice]

Just wanted to stop by and give the both of you props. :cool:

[Norse]

The guys over at Gamerscore Blog (http://gamerscoreblog.com/team/archive/2007/05/15/545199.aspx) commented on this story:

Nicholas Puleo and Michael Chauvet from the inimitable Evil Avatar both saw their share of ink this week, as they were quoted in a Reuters article (syndicated by newspapers across the world) and USA Today. They give a sneak peak about how the world of big media reporting works.

Nick (BAPenguin) offered some commentary about it in a forum post "Evil Avatar in the News." Interesting comments about how his quote about the Halo graphics might have been a bit sensationalized.

........

It's interesting to note that the influence of community members is spread a lot wider than just the sites you participate in! Well done!

[CPaladino]

I've been a lurker in Evil Avatar from before I was at Microsoft, but our team does visit the site, and we love the growing community - although admittedly, I am not sure what the named color schemes are for the admins. ;)

[Vermillion]

I've been a lurker in Evil Avatar from before I was at Microsoft, but our team does visit the site, and we love the growing community - although admittedly, I am not sure what the named color schemes are for the admins. ;)


Red - Gods in human form. Wheelers of the mighty homoerotic banhammer.
Green - Daddy warbucks (Scrooge McDuck kind of donations)
Pink - Philanthropists (donated more to this site than to most charities)
Orange - Donationaly challenged (they gave us the change from their #2 value meal)
Yellow - Utterly worthless bottom feeders who suck the marrow out of the souls of the living

I see you are yellow. Please direct yourself to the largest fire and jump in :)

[Ventura_DK]

And then unsuspecting people can come on by, and be scared back away from the talk of all these people walking around without pants and furry porn

What's wrong with furry porn? ;)

And grats guys, I know how it feels when the big mainstream media uses one's "baby" as a source. You should all be handing out cigars! :)