Blogs Dec 27, 2011 at 11:16 am

Penny Arcade-Powered Shitstorm

The Stranger Testing Department
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Comments

1
On the one hand, I don't like that Gabe is trying to get his readers to be his personal army. On the other hand, fuck those Ocean guys.
Zebes on December 27, 2011 at 11:50 AM Report this
2
Exactly. It's kind of creepy—but well-deserved.
The Stranger Testing Department on December 27, 2011 at 11:54 AM Stranger Staff
3
What is an army of flying monkeys for, if not to use?
Foghorn Leghorn on December 27, 2011 at 11:56 AM Report this
4
Link is borked.....
Smokes on December 27, 2011 at 12:00 PM Report this
5
This is the url: http://penny-arcade.com/resources/just-w…

If PA is overwhelmed, there's also coverage elsewhere: http://kotaku.com/5871235/controller-com…
The Stranger Testing Department on December 27, 2011 at 12:05 PM Stranger Staff
6
I meant the link to the slogs permalink is borked. :-) Wanted to share the flying monkey comment without stealing it outright!
Smokes on December 27, 2011 at 12:30 PM Report this
7
I'll never understand why PR firms are run by people with only a remedial command of written English.
Some Old Nobodaddy Logged In on December 27, 2011 at 12:31 PM Report this
8
@7- Evidently the guy plagarized almost all the content on his website. (http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/…) Utter incompetence seems to be the hallmark of the Ocean Marketing organization.
dwightmoodyforgetsthings on December 27, 2011 at 12:34 PM Report this
9
Textbook example of how not to treat customers. Amazon is filling up with bad reviews, Googling for "Ocean Marketing" is a minefield, etc.
Westlake, son! on December 27, 2011 at 12:40 PM Report this
10
This guy markets himself as a social media expert. Watching his little business crumble due to his own idiotic actions is amazing.
SeattleSeven on December 27, 2011 at 12:41 PM Report this
11
This is what happens when you hire a Juggalo to do your customer service.
BostonFontSnob on December 27, 2011 at 12:42 PM Report this
12
Sorry- I don't think this is Gabe trying to form an army. I'm very, VERY happy that he is posting this. It means I can make an educated decision regarding frequenting Ocean Marketing ever. This douche-nozzle who wrote the emails is what's causing this shit-storm. Not Gabe. Don't shoot the messenger thank you.
Aedan Robinson on December 27, 2011 at 12:50 PM Report this
13
http://i40.tinypic.com/2u8coaq.png
BostonFontSnob on December 27, 2011 at 12:57 PM Report this
14
@13: That is exactly what I thought after reading this!
TVDinner on December 27, 2011 at 1:00 PM Report this
15
This story keeps getting better, and better.... now with possible 'roid-rage attached! http://kotaku.com/5871400/cut-paul-ocean…
Smokes on December 27, 2011 at 1:18 PM Report this
16
@14 I believe the original image is actually from Paul Christoforo's Facebook page.

This saga has to be some kind awesome hoax, right? It's too perfect.
BostonFontSnob on December 27, 2011 at 1:33 PM Report this
17
@16: Oh my god, shut up! This is really too good to be true.
TVDinner on December 27, 2011 at 1:50 PM Report this
18
I love this debacle SO MUCH. That follow-up about his apparent forum habits is just the absolute cherry on top.

ESTROGEN STRATAGY -or - BRO I GOTTA GET SUM FISHEZ FOR MAH BITCH SHE LOVES THEM PINKY ONES WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE PINKY ONES U ARE SO WORTHLESS I WILL HAVE BOSTON PUNCH YOUR FACE
balderdash on December 27, 2011 at 1:54 PM Report this
19
I love the city of Boston, but man, there are some spectacular douchenozzles that come out of that place. I love the link @14. This scandal is of course the first thing that comes up when you google "avenger controller" or "ocean marketing". True genius at work here.
Fnarf on December 27, 2011 at 2:32 PM Report this
20
This is so much fun to watch.
Beetlecat on December 27, 2011 at 2:39 PM Report this
21
I feel pretty bad for the company that actually, you know, makes the controller. If they're stuck outsourcing their PR shit to a PR shit like Paul Christoforo, I'd imagine it's because they're not a big operation, and now their product is going to tank not on its own merits but because of how some third-party asshole treated customers.

Although from reading further back, about a similar situation another customer got into back in February, it sounds like this sort of thing- huge delays of shipments from China- is a recurring problem. So Ocean is not wholly to blame.

Still, shitty situation to be in.
Zebes on December 27, 2011 at 2:57 PM Report this
22
@21 that's precisely what makes this so fascinating. Nobody was to blame, and nobody was looking for blood. But Paul/Ocean had to make it about being a jerk and is reaping the benefits of that as we speak... :)
Beetlecat on December 27, 2011 at 3:14 PM Report this
23
Anyone who tries to pull the "Do you know Who I am" card is a moron.
Shini on December 27, 2011 at 3:31 PM Report this
24
And here's the messy denouement: http://penny-arcade.com/resources/an-upd…

I know Gabe loves Spiderman, but he's coming off as more of an Incredible Hulk here, I think.
balderdash on December 27, 2011 at 4:17 PM Report this
25
I started reading... then I wondered why I should care.
Drew2u on December 27, 2011 at 4:37 PM Report this
26
I'm just glad that, in this case, it's pretty clear that the guy is getting what he deserves. Some people (like the editor of The Stranger) are known for jumping the gun when unleashing the flying monkeys of the internet.
Matt from Denver on December 27, 2011 at 4:45 PM Report this
27
@6 Haha, the Lord loves those who cite their sources :)
Foghorn Leghorn on December 27, 2011 at 4:50 PM Report this
28
As of 2PM, Ocean Marketing is no longer handling PR for the manufacturer, Kotkin Enterprises. They done been fired.
Lack Thereof on December 27, 2011 at 4:52 PM Report this
29
flying monkeys and a murder of trained attack crows. The internet ate my baybee.
freesandbags on December 27, 2011 at 5:16 PM Report this
30
@24 You know...I don't mind Hulk Rage Gabe. HR Gabe always picks some amazing battles. Jack Thompson was an amazing battle that needed to be fought (you do know who he is, right? If you don't, you should read up on him). And this battle was a sort of small-time prick that needed to be taken down a few notches.

The whole scenario kind of reminds me of a certain somebody who writes for The Stranger. But, I think Gabe/Mike actually is a bit more cautious with the battles he chooses to engage in than the certain somebody around here with flying monkeys.
TheMisanthrope on December 27, 2011 at 8:04 PM Report this
31
The Internet is fast! And mean! And funny!!
http://wwebsiteasontheinternet.com/
http://youtu.be/xqV9kx40RG0
mattro2.0 on December 27, 2011 at 9:35 PM Report this
32
As an old fart, I can't believe how quickly this moves; but the video is hilarious. His suddenly meek "apologies" aren't helping. Hope he enjoys his 15 minutes, although I bet he imagined it would be for something else...
I Love IPA on December 27, 2011 at 10:04 PM Report this
33
@19, I may be over defending my city here, and I don't have the time to research where this guy is really from, but I'd like to think not Boston. Little Italy isn't actually a neighborhood (unless he means the North End, but no one calls it anything other than the North End).
Scarlet_Spider on December 28, 2011 at 6:57 AM Report this
34
@24, Yeah, the whole thing turned out kinda like the end of DEATH PROOF. It wwould be sad if he didn't deserve it. (I'm not fixing that typo, for obvious reasons)

@33 Oh this guy is definitely from around here. Maybe from the North Shore (or even Worcester!) and likes to say he's "from Boston". But this guy is a Masshole through and through.
(I always felt that instead of doing continuing seasons of Jersey Shore MTV should have iterated— taken the setting nationwide from season to season starting with a show called "Massholes".)
BostonFontSnob on December 28, 2011 at 7:36 AM Report this
35
@34- Eh, they should do a show in Providence, which is Boston's New Jersey.
dwightmoodyforgetsthings on December 28, 2011 at 10:33 AM Report this
36
@24: "I know Gabe loves Spiderman, but he's coming off as more of an Incredible Hulk here, I think."

I don't think Ocean necessarily needs to get stomped to the ground, but the overpaid, underqualified violent manbaby should never ever work in that field again.
undead ayn rand on December 28, 2011 at 12:39 PM Report this
37
Whoops, Ocean necessarily needs to be stomped down, but the company that *hired* Ocean shouldn't deserve all the negativity that that he spawned.
on December 28, 2011 at 7:56 PM Report this
38
winning!
Cassette tape fan on December 31, 2011 at 9:51 PM Report this

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