Hello! It's been a while, hasn't it? Apparently, I still get 200-300 views a month which is incredible considering this blog is slowly decaying into nothingness. Today, I'm going to explain why I abandoned CPGN and what's next for this site.
In December of 2017, I joined Gamelust - an established video game news and reviews site that is frequently updated. I write there. I write a lot. You should check it out and you can do so here. Because I'm busy writing there, It's been hard to here hence why in February I made the silent decision to stop publishing content here completely. I've also made the decision to keep this blog up because I want to preserve my terribly short writing for anyone who wishes to trace my origins.
I'll still visit every now and then but I strongly recommend you visit Gamelust if you want to see decent content from me or decent content from some of the most talented writers I've worked with.
Thank you to the 24,316 people who discovered this blog and thank you to those who continue to.
How Youtube Has Become One Big Reality Show
Last night at 2 AM in the morning, I called my friends on Discord and we all sat down to watch the Buddhism Hotline, a Youtube show where three 'buddhists' take calls from listeners who can become a buddhist after chanting a mantra given to them. The show first appeared online 2 years ago and ever since 4chan has been constantly raiding the live stream with offensive slurs and pro-gay comments (which is wrong according to the host Jonathan Hills).
Of course they play along with it since they get donations almost every minute. Excited for season 5 of the show, me and my friends watched as the hosts fought amongst each other, desperately trying to keep the show as kid-friendly as possible however 2 hours in a user by the name of Truebuddhist donated $5 (when you donate you get to enter a something which is read out by text to voice). Suddenly the show went offline. Confused, I went to the official Discord server to see what had happened.
According to the moderators TrueBuddhist had leaked the real names of the show hosts. It was then I reliased that Jonathan Hills, Mathias Miles and Gregory Pecks were all fake names.
I thought about it and the more I did I noticed how there was a massive amount of these reality shows on Youtube. Ricegum, The Paul Brothers and KSI are the best examples of this trend and it makes me wonder if Youtube is becoming one massive tv show that gets new episodes every day from multiple different angles. You've got the main contributors (like the names mentioned before) who record the footage of their daily lives. Then you have the reactors like Keemstar and H3H3 who react to what is happening, giving their views on the situations.
This kind of Youtube is racking up millions of views. Of course you still have other content like gaming and memes which still get views but nowhere near the amount Jake Paul gets for putting his brothers dog up for sale on Ebay.
Buddhist Hotline is obviously not part of the reality show Youtube has created but has instead made its own and it makes them enough money to keep it going.
Of course they play along with it since they get donations almost every minute. Excited for season 5 of the show, me and my friends watched as the hosts fought amongst each other, desperately trying to keep the show as kid-friendly as possible however 2 hours in a user by the name of Truebuddhist donated $5 (when you donate you get to enter a something which is read out by text to voice). Suddenly the show went offline. Confused, I went to the official Discord server to see what had happened.
According to the moderators TrueBuddhist had leaked the real names of the show hosts. It was then I reliased that Jonathan Hills, Mathias Miles and Gregory Pecks were all fake names.
I thought about it and the more I did I noticed how there was a massive amount of these reality shows on Youtube. Ricegum, The Paul Brothers and KSI are the best examples of this trend and it makes me wonder if Youtube is becoming one massive tv show that gets new episodes every day from multiple different angles. You've got the main contributors (like the names mentioned before) who record the footage of their daily lives. Then you have the reactors like Keemstar and H3H3 who react to what is happening, giving their views on the situations.
This kind of Youtube is racking up millions of views. Of course you still have other content like gaming and memes which still get views but nowhere near the amount Jake Paul gets for putting his brothers dog up for sale on Ebay.
Buddhist Hotline is obviously not part of the reality show Youtube has created but has instead made its own and it makes them enough money to keep it going.
YouTube Star Angry Grandpa Dies at the Age of 67
A famous YouTube star Angry Grandpa has died at the age of 67.
Charles Marvin Greene Jr who was notorious for his for his videos smashing items of value, Angry Grandpa amassed 3.4 million subscribers. Yesterday a video was uploaded to the channel titled RIP Angry Grandpa.
In this video the son of Charles explained how his father passed away after beating a short battle with cancer in 2016. The family then found out the next year that Angry Grandpa had been diagnosed with cancer again but unfortunately this time he was not able to beat it. He passed away on December 10th 2017.
Memorial videos and tweets have poured in with famous YouTubers like Keemstar and Boogie making videos. Our condolences are with the family of Charles Greene.
Charles Marvin Greene Jr who was notorious for his for his videos smashing items of value, Angry Grandpa amassed 3.4 million subscribers. Yesterday a video was uploaded to the channel titled RIP Angry Grandpa.
In this video the son of Charles explained how his father passed away after beating a short battle with cancer in 2016. The family then found out the next year that Angry Grandpa had been diagnosed with cancer again but unfortunately this time he was not able to beat it. He passed away on December 10th 2017.
Memorial videos and tweets have poured in with famous YouTubers like Keemstar and Boogie making videos. Our condolences are with the family of Charles Greene.
Help Save the Internet
The internet is a free place. People can express themselves freely and its often how people make money but what if the government started to commercialise the internet?
That is the situation that is happening right now. The head of FCC Ajit Pai is about to pass a law in December that will end Net Neutrality. The very law that has kept the internet from becoming a capitalist dystopia.
Net Neutrality stops internet providers from being able to accept money from companies to slow up their service. For example Facebook could pay more to Comcast just for Facebook to be faster than other websites. It could also lead to providers using packages, blocking out websites or slowing them down.
Fortunately we can stop the government going through with their plans by writing to congress. Even if you don't live in the US this is extremely important as it could easily become a worldwide issue.
Support the internet here.
That is the situation that is happening right now. The head of FCC Ajit Pai is about to pass a law in December that will end Net Neutrality. The very law that has kept the internet from becoming a capitalist dystopia.
Net Neutrality stops internet providers from being able to accept money from companies to slow up their service. For example Facebook could pay more to Comcast just for Facebook to be faster than other websites. It could also lead to providers using packages, blocking out websites or slowing them down.
Fortunately we can stop the government going through with their plans by writing to congress. Even if you don't live in the US this is extremely important as it could easily become a worldwide issue.
Support the internet here.
10 Games we Recommend to pick up in the Autumn Sale
The games on this list were based off editors choice and uniqueness.
10. Car Mechanic Simulator 2015
Yes we know, what an odd game to kick our top 10 list off with however this game pleasantly surprised me and at £1.49 it's a steal. Fixing cars has never been as fun and even though the 2018 edition came out recently this version stands out for its easy to learn gameplay and modern UI. You can get Car Mechanic Simulator 2015 here.
9. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
After the recent free weekend Rainbow Six has seen an increase in players and with the basic edition costing only £5.99 It's a price you can't pass up.
Rainbow Six Siege pits you against other players in a 5v5 match where teamwork and thinking is key. As the defense you must protect the room where the item of interest (whether that be a hostage or a bomb) is hidden from the offense team. Use barricades and hold out for as long as you can or kill the enemy team.
As offence you must infiltrate the building and defuse the bomb or rescue the hostage. At the start of the round you are given less than a minute to find enemies and the item of interest with drones. The defense team can shoot your drones however.
Rainbow Six has been a known tactical shooter for nearly two decades however siege is no doubt the best installment in the series so far. You can get the game here.
8. Unexplored
A game that we've been covering since its early days, Unexplored is a game that takes procedural dungeons to the next level. Countless traps, weapons, items, enemies and levels all make the game unique every run and with a neat character creator it has everything you ever need from a roguelike RPG.
Since our beginnings last year we've been praising Unexplored and we honestly can't recommend it enough. You can get Unexplored here.
7. Slime Rancher
Ever wondered what it would be like to care for cute slimes on a farm? Slime Rancher lets you do just that and with a 33% discount it's a great game to wind down with. You take the role of Beatrix LeBeau, a young rancher who traveled from earth to the far, far range to start a new life looking after slimes.
You can get Slime Rancher here.
6. Borderlands 2
Shoot and loot Borderlands 2 is hands down the best game in the Borderlands series. The game takes you to Pandora once again and pits you against all sorts of enemies. Play as 4 (+2 DLC) characters with millions of procedural guns.
You can get Borderlands 2 here.
5. Guts and Glory
Guts and Glory is effectively Happy Wheels in 3d and it's great. We did a review a few weeks ago and gave it a solid 10 for its addictive gameplay. There really is no explanation for this game so we thought we'd put a video here:
You can get Guts and Glory here.
4. Payday 2 Ultimate Edition
Payday 2 is the only heist simulator you'll ever need. Customize your heister and take him/her through countless heists all the way from a basic bank robbery to a skydive from a plane. This game has it all and the Payday 2 Ultimate Edition includes all DLCs for a mere price of £15 in the sale.
You can get Payday 2 Ultimate Edition here.
3. Counter Strike: Condition Zero
For years Counter Strike has been a world wide success and to this day people still play the old Counter Strike to this day and for only 69p it's never been a better time to relive those old memories of rushing B.
You can get Counter Strike: Condition Zero here.
2. Streets of Rogue
GTA meets roguelike in this 2d RPG. Pick the playstyle you want and progress through procedural cities by doing missions. The game has many characters (and a character creation system) each with their own skills.
You can get Streets of Rogue here.
1. Windward
It was hard to choose between this and Streets of Rogue however in the end Windward came out on top. Explore procedural islands with towns that grow corresponding to how you interact with them. Trade goods or do quests or fight against (or with) factions and pirates. Complete with RPG mechanics Windward gives you the best adventure on the seven seas for a cheap price.
You can get Windward here.
So that's it! What did you think of our list? We sure missed a lot of games however that's what the comments section is for! Don't forget our second annual CPGN awards will take place on the 31st December of this year.
As offence you must infiltrate the building and defuse the bomb or rescue the hostage. At the start of the round you are given less than a minute to find enemies and the item of interest with drones. The defense team can shoot your drones however.
Rainbow Six has been a known tactical shooter for nearly two decades however siege is no doubt the best installment in the series so far. You can get the game here.
8. Unexplored
A game that we've been covering since its early days, Unexplored is a game that takes procedural dungeons to the next level. Countless traps, weapons, items, enemies and levels all make the game unique every run and with a neat character creator it has everything you ever need from a roguelike RPG.
Since our beginnings last year we've been praising Unexplored and we honestly can't recommend it enough. You can get Unexplored here.
7. Slime Rancher
Ever wondered what it would be like to care for cute slimes on a farm? Slime Rancher lets you do just that and with a 33% discount it's a great game to wind down with. You take the role of Beatrix LeBeau, a young rancher who traveled from earth to the far, far range to start a new life looking after slimes.
You can get Slime Rancher here.
6. Borderlands 2
Shoot and loot Borderlands 2 is hands down the best game in the Borderlands series. The game takes you to Pandora once again and pits you against all sorts of enemies. Play as 4 (+2 DLC) characters with millions of procedural guns.
You can get Borderlands 2 here.
5. Guts and Glory
Guts and Glory is effectively Happy Wheels in 3d and it's great. We did a review a few weeks ago and gave it a solid 10 for its addictive gameplay. There really is no explanation for this game so we thought we'd put a video here:
You can get Guts and Glory here.
4. Payday 2 Ultimate Edition
Payday 2 is the only heist simulator you'll ever need. Customize your heister and take him/her through countless heists all the way from a basic bank robbery to a skydive from a plane. This game has it all and the Payday 2 Ultimate Edition includes all DLCs for a mere price of £15 in the sale.
You can get Payday 2 Ultimate Edition here.
3. Counter Strike: Condition Zero
For years Counter Strike has been a world wide success and to this day people still play the old Counter Strike to this day and for only 69p it's never been a better time to relive those old memories of rushing B.
You can get Counter Strike: Condition Zero here.
2. Streets of Rogue
GTA meets roguelike in this 2d RPG. Pick the playstyle you want and progress through procedural cities by doing missions. The game has many characters (and a character creation system) each with their own skills.
You can get Streets of Rogue here.
1. Windward
It was hard to choose between this and Streets of Rogue however in the end Windward came out on top. Explore procedural islands with towns that grow corresponding to how you interact with them. Trade goods or do quests or fight against (or with) factions and pirates. Complete with RPG mechanics Windward gives you the best adventure on the seven seas for a cheap price.
You can get Windward here.
So that's it! What did you think of our list? We sure missed a lot of games however that's what the comments section is for! Don't forget our second annual CPGN awards will take place on the 31st December of this year.
Steam Autumn Sale brings Discounts on Thousands of Titles
The Steam autumn sale has officially begun with near 6,000 titles having discounts.
Along with the sale comes the second annual Steam awards. Gamers can vote for games to nominate in 13 categories (and one they could make themselves) and receive a badge at the end. The games that were picked the most would be sent to the finals in December where players would vote once more from a short selection of games. The same is happening this year and will surely be an event you won't want to miss.
The sale runs through till the 28th November here. In the meantime check out our top 10 games we recommend to pick up in the sale.
Along with the sale comes the second annual Steam awards. Gamers can vote for games to nominate in 13 categories (and one they could make themselves) and receive a badge at the end. The games that were picked the most would be sent to the finals in December where players would vote once more from a short selection of games. The same is happening this year and will surely be an event you won't want to miss.
The sale runs through till the 28th November here. In the meantime check out our top 10 games we recommend to pick up in the sale.
World of Warships comes to Steam
Wargaming.net, the people behind the hit free to play World of Tanks have brought their naval installment to Steam. The game has been out prior since 2015 but the move to Steam on the 16th November has already seen some issues.
Players have reported issues of not being able to log in with their Wargaming.net accounts and it was not long before the devs responded that new accounts had to be made and all progress on the standalone client was not transferable. This of course made many users angry and they took to Steam reviews giving the game an overall mixed rating.
Wargaming have released a statement in the form of a Steam forum post. The post is titled frequently asked questions. This is what they have to say on the account issue:
Q Can I use my Wargaming.net account?
A: Unfortunately, not. World of Warships wasn’t initially designed as a cross-platform project. That means that if you've played the game already you would want to keep using the original client. If you log in using Steam, you automatically create a new game account, which binds to your Steam account. Important note: all updates to the game installed using Steam client will also be downloaded and installed through Steam. Same is true for the original client: you can not update a Game Center or launcher installation through Steam and vice versa.
Players have reported issues of not being able to log in with their Wargaming.net accounts and it was not long before the devs responded that new accounts had to be made and all progress on the standalone client was not transferable. This of course made many users angry and they took to Steam reviews giving the game an overall mixed rating.
Wargaming have released a statement in the form of a Steam forum post. The post is titled frequently asked questions. This is what they have to say on the account issue:
Q Can I use my Wargaming.net account?
A: Unfortunately, not. World of Warships wasn’t initially designed as a cross-platform project. That means that if you've played the game already you would want to keep using the original client. If you log in using Steam, you automatically create a new game account, which binds to your Steam account. Important note: all updates to the game installed using Steam client will also be downloaded and installed through Steam. Same is true for the original client: you can not update a Game Center or launcher installation through Steam and vice versa.
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Hello! It's been a while, hasn't it? Apparently, I still get 200-300 views a month which is incredible considering this blog is slow...
-
The games on this list were based off editors choice and uniqueness. The Autumn sale this year has brought us many games for a low pri... -
Last night at 2 AM in the morning, I called my friends on Discord and we all sat down to watch the Buddhism Hotline, a Youtube show where th...
