Cup of Jones - 11/28/17

I'm not trying to answer for Jones, I'm sure he'll answer, but maybe it's because they do not want to cover it. Who cares how much it sells. EZA is about them doing what they love doing. If there's no passion for PUBG, then they should not force it.

Completely unrelated to everything else in this thread, but: panel submissions for PAX East are open. I know you’ve talked about wanting to come back to Boston for it, so hopefully this is the year!

Ray Aldiar

Hey Jones, Despite being a long time fan and patron, I have rarely commented. However, this incident with Colin has moved me deeply, and has brought to mind many frustrations I've had with this community. Before I go any further, I just want to say how proud I am in you for not shunning away Colin because of fear of backlash or because he has a different opinion than you. This has to be the one of the greatest examples of Love & Respect being put in practice that I have seen from any of the Allies. I think people forget that Colin is a person, a person that you had (as limited as it was) a positive working relationship with. But some in the EZA community have reduced Colin to a faceless enemy that must not be sympathized with. This I find troubling because it shuts down the opportunity for discussion, debate, and especially the ability to extend L&R. I guess I am so troubled because I hold many of the same views that Colin does, but I have no ill will for any of the Allies or my fellow patrons. But more and more I feel hostility from the EZA community towards people with more conservative values. I want to be a part of the Allies, and at the beginning of my patronage I did feel that sense of community; but in recent months, and especially now, I am seeing that many here (or at least a vocal minority) would hate me for no other reason than my beliefs and opinions not lining up with theirs. I want to stress that it is not your fault, I realize that left-leaning audiences flock to EZA because many Allies are left-leaning themselves however I feel no animosity from you or the other Allies, just from the community we are trying to cultivate. I would love for you, Brandon to honestly ponder and respond to this question: How will you and the Allies help incorporate those of us who don't 100% agree with the majority or status quo? If a Colin Moriarty fan were to become a patron, how would you make him/her feel like they belong? With all my Love & Respect, Alexander de Freitas pronunciation for last name: (di-FRAY-tuss)

When did you know EZA were going to be involved with the Game Awards?

GmanSir

What kind of process do you have for avoiding spoilers in reviews? It seems like it would be a difficult task, given that the person editing the video hasn't usually played the game. I bring this up because there were reportedly some pretty big spoilers in your Xenoblade 2 review, and I'm curious as to how something like that could slip through.

Kenneth Childs

hey jones did you see the batman ninja trailer ? what do you think on this ionterpetation of batman <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwPFxcefpdU" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwPFxcefpdU</a>

I will have to disagree here. If we look at the various groups in the overall EZA community, the ResetERA folk are the same as what you claim the CM community is. They espouse hate, vile, and anger - openly harassing and closing down discussion to anything they disagree with. They created an echo chamber where they only seek validation for their own opinions, which is the opposite of Jones' view of Love and Respect.

I greatly enjoyed the Fireside chat between both you and Colin Moriarty. I enjoy the difference of opinions, but respect you both shared for each other. I will have to echo Colin's opinion here in regards to some of the more... vitriolic EZA community responses : These are people that you should not be trying to appease. The ResetERA community openly deride, insult, and attack those they do not agree with and shut down any discussion that is brought their way. It is either their way or the highway, which is antithetical to the kind of love and respect that you preach.

Hey Jones, late question but what song do you listen to when you need to get pumped/hyped? I feel for me it's a slow build song like "Dance Yrself Clean" by LCD soundsystem or "one more time" by daft punk. How about you?

inrainbow09

Hey Jones just wanted to continue giving feedback, I listened to the fireside chat and really enjoyed it. You did great on it, you made a good decision to be a part of it in my book and even Colin did okay until the end where he reminded me of the reason I can only take him small doses at best. I think you and other allies shouldn't be afraid of doing this kind of thing in the future if it is something that you want to do. I generally don't post in Patreon but this whole thing has me wanting to try to do it when I can, I would like to make the jump from just a quite supporter who consumed and enjoyed Easy Allies content to someone who his actively voicing what he enjoys and if it should arise what he doesn't. Thanks again for everything, keep up the good work.

In light of the drama about TGA's GoTY nominations, its time to address the elephant in the room, the lack of coverage of PubG. Why has EZA completely dropped the ball on coverage of the game? No streams. No podcast discussions. Meanwhile, Persona 5 got multiple hours of coverage, for a game that got less than 1/10th of the sales. While I'm not saying that coverage of a game should be relative to sales figures, I think its clear that consumers take Early Access games seriously. 6 years and 4 days ago(as of Tuesday) a review on GT opened with the line, "Some games take months or years to become a cultural phenomenon, but Mojang's Minecraft on the other hand was so familiar by its official release, the news passed with relatively little fanfare." With more and more games fitting that pattern, is it time for EZA's stance on not covering Early Access games to change?

micspam

Great stuff man. we should all try to keep a open mind and heart always.. That is true love respect.

Tegan Combatti

Hi Brandon- I wish I was writing to you on better terms, but alas I am not. I love Easy Allies, and I think the Allies themselves are fantastic. I also realize this is not exactly your area of control but I hope you can pass the word along. Plus I got I say this, because if I don't there is no chance anything will ever change.... Ok, here it is- I really, really, seriously, dislike the current group stream selection process. There are a large amount of people that are always disappointed by either the final nominations and/or the streamed game chosen... and yeah I realize in the end it is ultimately about the guys getting together for some fun, so in that sense the game chosen does not really matter (except for the huge fact that some games are just more entertaining to watch &amp; play than others); so with that said- why even give us a choice in the first place. Not to mention some people come up with real nice deep cuts like "WCW/NWO Revenge" or "Streets of Rage 2"; or also newer but lesser known games like Mr. Hoeg's hidden strategy gem suggestion "Tooth &amp; Tail", but all these games never get voted on. Which stinks because it is very possible those games would be entertaining to watch and have the Allies play them on stream. At least when Kyle was picking the games we just happily accepted it as a surprise and enjoyed the stream. But now there is all this tension, worries, and politics afoot for people wanting to get there games to be picked. No, in my opinion that is not cool, not civil and not reminiscent of what I hold as Love &amp; Respect. Maybe there is a way to make this process better, but I am not sure what it is. However in the meantime many patrons picks are getting shutdown- and that is a sucky feeling to have every-single-week. I am not saying things can't get better for this selection process, but I hope something can change, I hope. - L&amp;R longriflejack

Tegan Combatti

Have you tried reaching out to them on twitter? I'm always finding myself tweeting dumb stuff at them. Ben and Ian, I find are 2 of the most responsive. We can't all be Otoshigami, haha.

Minamik

Hello Brandon, Hello. My name is Maggie, my screenname is Dragonazul85 on Twitch. I subscribed to the EZA channel on Twitch right after Sweeney…so whenever attention is given to his name I rejoice. However, I will say, as a long-time subscriber and follower that sometimes I feel forgotten. I have not sent presents, but I try to be in chat as much as I can, and even though I’m approaching the two-year mark, I know that the Allies have no idea who am. This is also crazy to me because I watch EZA content multiple times a week. Sometimes, every day of the week. If this community were just like watching a TV show I would understand this feeling, but it’s not. I am endorsing this group every month. However…I don’t think this enosis is entirely on you…It’s on myself as well. It just makes me wonder how EZA can connect better with fans. I watch the shows and feel like I’m friends with everyone, and they have no idea who I am even though I give money every month. I’ve loved the group since the GT times and GT used to be my go to review site back in the day. I mean nothing negative from this comment. I just want to know how I can make my presence more known. I live in Florida, so I can’t attend the meet and greets out in California. I just would love to be able to see the group in person and show my appreciation. At the end of the day, I appreciate you all and hope can keep doing what you’re doing. -Maggie

Maggie Frayer

Jones, you wrote a 8 post twitter response when you have official ways such as a Patreon post or the Official EasyAllies Forum which no one uses.

Ibrahim Sozer

Brandon, do you like Kinect?

Alexander Zyryanov

Supporter since day 1, I listened to the podcast as well and thought that Brandon did a great job of representing easy allies, Colin was cordial and appeared to do his research and was very complimentary of our community. I personally would love to see guys like huber, moore, or bosman on colin's show I think it would benefit both fanbases and we would see another side of the allies we don't get with EZA. But than I made the mistake of reading the resetera thread, wtf is wrong with some of those people. If say bosman went on colin's show I think half of them would have a stroke.

A Joker Fan

QUESTION: Hi Brandon, I hope you are having a wonderful morning. This is a long one, so feel free to take a sip of that tasty beverage. I am a big fan of your official podcast and especially Frame Trap. You guys are a very talented bunch and you’re doing a great job. But here’s my issue. I think you could do a better job of promoting your podcasts. Like few other patrons, I feel newcomers might find their length a bit intimidating. It’s not very tempting to click a 90 minute Youtube video if you don’t know exactly what it is about. Which is a shame because they are usually filled with funny moments and great commentary. So… Would it be a good idea to drop a 10-15 minute “teaser segment” a day or two before releasing the full podcast? So basically like every Thursday and Sunday. It could be a jolly news segment, a passionate rant or anything in between. I can’t think of a better example than Huber’s rant on BF2’s microtransactions (Frame Trap, November 13th). You might disagree, but I feel you would be killing two birds with one stone. Firstly, you would be promoting your podcasts on Youtube and doing it in an appealing way. Secondly, you would get your commentary out there sooner. I know being first isn’t the most important thing but I think it matters. Especially when it comes into the news stuff. Anyway, love the new live format. Enjoyed your podcast with Colin. Stay frosty. the_finnish_ally

the_finnish_ally

Jones, we all love your voice. Can I get an evil laugh?

Minamik

I listened to Colin's Last Stand Fireside Chats podcast that you appeared on. I really enjoyed it. I would really encourage people to listen to it. Jones did a great job representing EZA and our community. I hope you appear on more podcasts and spread our L&amp;R around! That being said Jones, Darksouls retro part 4? L&amp;R

FreeDoM

I think you should do whatever you can to grow this community. If a bigger community means more money, and more money means more content, better content, then grow this community. I want me some Trailer Jones. I think at the end of the day, this community should be able to handle itself. We can block/ignore other users in Twitch Chat, moderators can ban any extremely toxic community members. I don't think an unpleasant exchange between two community members is going to dissuade either of them from supporting EZA. We're here to watch you discuss and play the things we care about, be it video games, anime, movies or tabletop games. As long as that's what you're doing as the content creators, I don't see a problem in collaborating. At the end of the day, it's up to you who you collaborate with. I think if community members don't like someone you're collaborating with then they can skip that piece of content. Discussing video games with a "bad person" doesn't make you a bad person. A growing community is bound to have some problems, regardless of how that community grows. As long as you keep that mantra of 'Love and Respect' and tackle issues as they come, that's the best we can ask for. I don't know, it's hard to put my thoughts into words. Off topic note: Super excited that by some miracle the Game Awards and PSX are both on my days off, and at night when I'm awake. It's very rare that I get to catch these things live and I'm hyped.

POKEY CLYDE

Hi Jones, I know you already talked about it before, but I was wondering if there had been any more discussion on doing top 10 videos or a similar show. Those were by far your most popular videos (even more than Final Bosman, I believe) and would certainly bring more patrons or push the current patrons to up their pledge if you would make that the 45k goal or something like that. You could even get a new patron pledge level were people can suggest and vote on the next top 10, like we do for the Tuesday group stream game. I'm sure a lot of people would be ready to up their pledge to 10$ to get that opportunity. If I recall, the reason you mentionned for not doing those kinds of videos anymore was that it was too hard to get everyone at the same place to talk about it and that those meetings were always stressful with people fighting for their own top 10. I was wondering if there wasn't a way for you to fix those issues... Maybe you only do one video every two weeks or even one every month. Maybe only do a top 5 instead of a top 10... Maybe you ask every ally to come up with their own top 5 and, similarly to the way you vote on the Hall of the Greats, you just tally the votes by yourselves to decide the official EZA top 5, avoiding all the debates and the potential conflicts. Just spitballing here, but those videos are extremely popular on Youtube and we all value your opinions, so I think it would be a great opportunity for you to gather more attention and to get us all closer to that 50k goal.

MaxVSTheGames

Jones you have to be careful with these sponsor tier patrons. I know extra money is always nice, but if you keep adding them soon podcast halftime is like over 5 minutes and that doesn't really help or isn't useful for that tier if people just skip over the part.

I am grateful that the podcast happened and I am happy - after listening to it - to know it was in fact a mature and productive discussion - as I had known it would be when you first announced it. I am somewhat troubled by how willing you are to put reins in the hands of the community because I trust the judgement of you and the crew, not "the people", which is why I felt very strongly during the kerfuffle. Your content - with your vision - with your voice - is why I jumped on Patreon on day 1 and every time the community gets to influence that content - vision - voice, I question whether I am getting out of EZA what I had hoped I would a year and a half ago. Your humility and your kindness is coming through with everything you do, but maybe almost to a fault.

Michal Dudic

aw jones looks so sad. I don't like seeing him having to go through this :(

Hi Jones, I really feel like working with CM in any capacity is and was a mistake. I appreciate that this view won’t be shared by everyone, but what I have always enjoyed about GT and EZA is that they felt like communities that rejected some of the views that CM has espoused. I know that CM isn’t going to be anathema to everyone, but beyond his views and opinions he represents a completely different type of community that does not jibe with how I perceive EZA. I’m not a Patron who watches streams (though I do sign in once a month to give you a sub) or regularly posts on Patreon, so maybe I don’t have a great sense of what the community is actually like. That being said the community has always felt, to me, distinctly different from Kinda Funny and certainly from Collin’s Last Stand. The ship is, as always, yours to steer and at the end of the day I think you should do whatever you think is right. I just think it’s worth considering that who EZA associates themselves with can influence how the community perceives EZA. L&amp;R

Otawong

I think having a $750 sponsorship tier instead of the $250 tier would be a better deal and appeal for sponsors.

Ibrahim Sozer

Hey Jones, this question is asked/comment brought up before watching this episode, so I may have a question on next week's about this weeks, or a second question posted here, but I need to bring this up and it may be a bit intense. I was quite insulted with the tone that Dragon Age: Inquisition was discussed on the Nov. 22nd podcast. I feel that every other game mentioned as the winner of a particular year's most GotY awards was met with intrigue, surprise, joy, expectation, or some combination of the four, but all with EZA jolly vibes except for DA:I. The panel and Kyle seemed to roll their eyes, scoff, and Ben made a comment that sounded derogatory, or at least borderline so, when learning it was so many awards. None of the other games were dismissed as a fluke that had good "timing" as Kyle said. It felt very disrespectful, as if none of the Allies could believe that anyone could have chosen it as GotY, much less more outlets than any other game that year. I'm not big on being offended by things, but it's something I've noticed over the years that happens all the time when the game is brought up in any context, but this time I had to bring it to your attention. What are your thoughts on the game? Why do the Allies seem to have such disdain for it? They've never done a long discussion, so I'm not sure where the hate comes from. I respect their opinions, but the attitude is what I found so insulting. As games journalists, you can make your opinion known, and should, but all games are worthy of some respect (even Battleborn), but especially those that have love from your peers at other outlets. I feel that being so dismissive is an insult towards your peers who loved the game, and that you don't respect their opinions on it, nor the opinions of fans of EZA and the game, sure has myself. I'm sure that's not the case, but that's how it comes across. I'd like you to answer the question marks above, but address the entire comment and the spirit that I'm trying to get across. As harsh as this may sound, it is said, as always, with Love and Respect. Please read this comment outloud from after I said "intense" through the "Love and Respect" at the end.

Joseph La Russa

Hey! What do you enjoy more, battling robot dinosaurs in Horizon Zero Dawn or killing orc captains in Shadow of War? Love and Respect!

No question, just wanted to send out REAL love, respect, and support. Colin has political opinions, just like everyone else. That in no way makes him the villainous monster the extreme left pretends he is. I would LOVE to see a collab between you two, as you are two of my all-time absolute favorite 'online personalities' lol whatever that is. Keep it real, Jones. Nothing but love!

rrice64

I trust in Jones.

Cash

Hi Mr Jones. I have been a patron since day one but I have never commented or engaged in the community in any way. Just want to say that I respect you and I am grateful for all the entertainment you and your group have given me. I will continue to support you.

Hi, im a recent patreon but an old fan, i wanted to comment because i dont think its fair to presure you into taking a stand in political issues, this is a gaming community not a political one, and i dont think that we have to put a barrier on political beliefs, i am aloud to have an opinion contrarian to yours as long as is legal and still be fan of the allies, also i am still a fan of the allies no matter what they belive in their private lives, I think I do not have to tell the people who I am working with my political preferences or if I support one thing or another, why take a stand in something that will allienate a section of the community when this is about the games. Love and Respect Luis

I have been a patron since day one and a fan of GT from way back in the day. I have been mostly a silent supporter. I love you guys but I am not active in the community, I don't often comment on posts and I don't take part in twitch chat. But I figured I might as well throw my voice into the ring on the Colin subject. I am not a fan of Colin. My politics and his don’t always align, which is fine, and the joke tweet he made on National Women's Day didn't really offend me (although the people that WERE offended I empathize with, and I do think it was a bad day to make that kind of joke). But his response to the criticism shows the kind of person he is. He could have said "It was just a joke and I am sorry if some people took it the wrong way and were hurt by it as that was not my intention" but he instead calls the people he offended "humorless sacks of shit." As for the portion of his fan base that is truly awful, he simply says he is not responsible for everything his fans say and do, which is true. However, he never really tries to distance himself from them (that I’ve seen). I am bothered by people who use “SJW” and “feminist” as insults. I have seen it often in comments/replies to Colin and I am now seeing it in Easy Allies comments more often since this whole issue came up. I consider myself a feminist and, as Ian has said in one of your videos, I don’t see caring about “social justice” as a bad thing. I am not considering pulling my funding over this because I love all of Easy Allies (if we have to pick favourites, it’s gotta be Don) and I know Jones is caught between a rock and a hard place. I just wanted to make my feelings known.

Marble Match

Hey Mr. Jones! (Reposting this because Patreon being Patreon) First my comment on the collaboration with Mr. Moriarty and then my question: First and foremost: I do not mind you collaborating with him. The reason being is if the both of you wish to come together and discuss games, or as you have done, your histories being a part of the industry, that's totally fine. If it's in the realm of politics, then I can understand the consternation. HOWEVER, if the backlash you are receiving is ONLY because of his political affiliations, then I don't want to go so far to say you shouldn't consider that point of view, but by not even considering a collaboration with anyone based on political leanings that are not in the extreme (which Mr. Moriarty is not), then yourself and the other Allies handicap themselves and limit opportunities, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, that mindset is not adhering to the second half of the tag: Love &amp; RESPECT. You touched on it being a goal, so it’s incredibly confusing when there is backlash in the extreme, with no apparent consideration in compromise or understanding. I believe it is healthy for disagreement, but the full-on fire-sale, no way, non-negotiable “If he thinks the way he does then forget this!” (I’m paraphrasing of course) way some feel and have expressed is concerning and hard to fathom. There was a comment you read that expressed a logical concern that Mr. Moriarty and/or his community threatens the positive mentality that EZA has attempted to be. I would like to kindly remind there is less than desirable people in all communities. Yes, that includes Easy Allies, and EZA is not immune. But to combat hurtful and damaging speech is positive speech. That is why Love &amp; Respect, to me, is NOT a slogan. It’s a mindset and way of life that I embrace in an effort to be a better person. So, I’ll be someone who, if I see something negative geared towards EZA or its community, will speak up with that positive speech. As you have taken great pains to sit through in several Cup of Jones to have civil discourse, speaking only for myself, I know you have done and are doing all you can to allow everyone a voice. You also touched on welcoming as many people as possible. Well how would you know who the bad eggs are until after the fact? You can’t, so, it is my belief, all of us (EZA and your fans, myself included) MUST be as welcoming to everyone and be mindful of everyone and when we encounter those who are not, try to understand them while simultaneously implore them to be as loving and respectful as that is what EZA stands for. If I may: Will you all, at some point when it gets as divisive as this topic has become, release a group statement during the beginning or ending of the group stream on such subjects (The topic of Mr. Moriarty excluded of course because I feel it’s a bit too late on the matter)? Doing this yourself is great, but having ALL Allies input would be helpful, even if there are dissenters and even if everyone just gives a shrug and defers to a “All that has been said I’m in agreement with.” I am also aware you cannot (nor do I believe you would want to) speak on behalf of the other Allies, but please consider this a request to bring it to the others’ attention (if that hasn’t happened already). Do I agree with Mr. Moriarty’s politics or some of his game preferences/views? No. ESPECIALLY the former. But just because I may not agree with whoever EZA may or may not collaborate with doesn't mean you shouldn't. I am just one person, and I'm sure this feedback will be taken into consideration but not acted on, but I urge you sir: PLEASE. Don't simply turn down any potential networking or content simply because others don't like or RESPECT someone else's politics. (If you couldn't tell, I greatly hate politics with a passion) Whether you read this to yourself or live in the next episode, thank you sir for doing so, for all of your time, and comments on this subject. Now for the hard-left turn to my completely unrelated question: With December upon us, I was wondering if, starting in 2018, EZA would consider more seasonal themed group streams like the Halloween streams you've had the last two years. A Christmas party or New Year's celebration? A Valentine's group stream (Shout out to Waluigi Sneak ‘N Love ;-] )? 4th of July patriotic stream? Just some fun ideas to get a jump on 2018. Thanks for taking my questions every Cup of Jones, but more importantly, thank you so very much for taking the time to read any of what this one random guy from across the country has given in feedback Have a wonderful day!

Brandon K Gann

Sorry for your loss. I don't really know who Colin Moriarty is. I do trust that the Allies hearts are in the right place, and that if you keep being yourselves the right people will find you. Sooo, on a different tack, what's the most dangerous wild animal you've crossed paths with where you live? I've had a badger on my door step, and crossed the road to avoid a fox.

Kif

As I've now watched this episode and the previous episode in their entirety, I just want to say how happy and proud I am to be apart of this community. Reading through all these comments and watching how Jones responded to everything has made me more certain than ever that I am in the right place. I'm very sorry to see that some people are leaving over this, because it strikes me as some of the clearest proof in recent memory that life is difficult and complicated, and that the only way we can successfully conquer those difficulties is by communicating with one another openly, honestly, and respectfully. If you're someone who is considering pulling their support, please reconsider, because you can contribute so much more by staying than going. Cheers to all of you.

Fluffhead108

My question was about doing a patron survey about changes in eza future, not political stuff.

Matt Brookbank

Just FYI, Just listened to the audio only ver., my comment/question wasn't read at all despite you mixing up my name somehow. You get a lot of questions, and it's amazing if I was the only mix up, so all is forgiven. L&amp;R Matt

Matt Brookbank

Very well said, Alexandru

Angel Sanz Correa

This is separate to my other comment - Mr. Jones, Bloodworth is highly under appreciated by the community for the job he does. I feel without him Easy Allies would be lost and I would like to ask if you would personally give him a thank you for myself for the job he does within Easy Allies.

Mr. Jones, thank you for reading my comment. I know that you didn't even have to look at it, acknowledge it or read it out loud. I actually feel a lot stronger on the subject and held a lot back in my comment but I feel there is no need to go into it much. I have the example you asked for but don't feel that it is worth talking about as it would create more arguments. I greatly respect your decision. Thank you for your time.

You bring up a very good point.

Hell yea! Good to hear that. I fear this whole situation is decreasing the stock of Jones with a lot of people

Parasitepaladin

Actually the tweet was sent to him by another patron or fan of EZA etc. who disagreed with what they stated among the many, many other posts trying to attack either person. As posts are public, anyone was free to respond how they wanted to the post.

Mr Jones, No Questions(s) this week, just listened to the most recent Cup of Jones and wanted to say it is impressive how you handle critical feedback from the community. I am garnering some new found respect for the Brand Manager. Respectfully, Morgan Mohalla

Morgan Mohalla

I have a question but I want to say something about the whole Colin thing first. Well I actually have a lot of things to say but I'll keep it to just one specific issue I have. So while I don't like the idea of EZA collaborating with Colin, I could just about accept you going onto his show. You've had a working relationship with him in the past and he's been good to you so I get it. What frustrates me though is after this whole thing blew up, he sicced his fanbase after a single EZA fan that messaged you on Twitter. That fan didn't @ Colin or anything, but he still looked for it, retweeted it and then posted a screen cap after it was deleted, knowing full well what many of his fans would do since this is not the first time he's done this. This is harassment, plain and simple. Now I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt on this one. Maybe you didn't know about it since I know that was a busy and emotional week for you, so I guess I just want you know that this is about way more than political differences and it's absolutely not a "both sides" issue. I have absolutely no intention of listening to the podcast or whatever it is you did with him, though I hope it went well for you. But maybe next time an opportunity comes up to work with him (which I hope it doesn't), consider the way he's treated some of your own fanbase on top of everything else he has said and done. So now that all that fun stuff is out of the way, time to for a bit of a downer question! So earlier this year Chris Cornell passed away. I've been a huge fan of his for a very long time, even still I'm surprised just how much his death has had an effect on me. It's been over 6 months and I've tried many times, but I can't listen to his music anymore without getting emotional, in fact I've barely listened to any music since then. So I guess I'm wondering, has a musician or a celebrities death ever had a bigger impact on you than you would've expected? Thanks for reading, cheers

"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one" is a phrase I was taught to take to heart and live. In the grand perspective of life, it is an ideal that if we all can strive towards a greater good, we could see humanity exceed beyond politics, ideals, beliefs, etc. But we do not live in a world where that ideal is universal. Everyone is intitled to their own beliefs, their own ideals, and I respect that about all people, so long as it does not cause irreputable harm to others, and that in of itself has many shades of gray. I see why people are offended, though. After all, some would say that Brandon Jones the official voice of Easy Allies, and would that not mean that his words and actions around the video game community act as a reflection of EZA as well? Should it matter, on the other hand, what Brandon Jones does when not taking on the persona of EZA? Can we not also show some respect of his (or any Ally's) opinions and choices in life?

Professor Metal Gear

At the end of the day I became a patron because you guys were entertaining fellas and being a big fan of GT I wanted that to continue, by and large however I'm feeling more and more disconnected with the community through no fault of the allies, a lot of the problems I outlined in a EZA forum post in october have not changed. Adding more people from other communities is not a bad idea to me, despite the labels people like to throw around the people you fear can come from anywhere, or are already here. Being gatekeepers doesn't do us any favors, for every undesirable person there could be 100s or 1000s of people you DO want, and this prevents them from connecting with us. In the end Jones the only way you'd ever do me wrong is by letting this type of drama and political discourse become the weekly norm, that's not why I'm here, it's not an enjoyable aspect of this place, I sought refuge here BECAUSE I felt this was a place where it was about games and having a good time and NOT all this other baggage, I get that everywhere in my daily life enough. If you see an exit survey from me, that'll be why. And I don't want it to come to that. I'm not trying to demand anything from you cause it's your own decision on how this ship's course is charted. I just want you to be aware of what drew me here in the first place, I'd like it to be like that again. Maybe there just needs to be time for this to blow over, maybe it will take a look back to see what's important, I don't know. But as it stands now this isn't the place I once thought it was. This is not up for debate for anyone else reading either, I'm sick to death of the topic. This is my feedback, if that chaps your hide...I can't help you. Cheers Jones, I hope your experience on Colin's show was positive.

ZyloWolfBane

They live on opposite sides of the country, so I'm not sure how that would work.

TurboChickenMan

Hey Jones! First I want to say how much I love you and all of the allies. I normally keep my opinions to myself but I wanted to let you know how I felt after listening to this Cup of Jones. I feel you did a great job addressing how you felt the community could do a better job at communicating with each other. I still felt that there were a couple of things that could’ve been addressed to make things clearer to everyone. I feel that it would have been beneficial for everyone to have a better understanding of how you felt about the concerns people raised about Colin directly. The other part that I feel is missing is a brief explanation why after receiving the feedback, you made the decision you made. It seems that some of the people disappointed in your decision feel like their concerns were not taken under consideration or just simply dismissed. I support you in every decision you make because I know your heart is in the right place. I appreciate everything you do for us as a community, specially addressing difficult discussions like this one with everyone. Also as far as your comment about being fearful of misrepresenting groups of people, I completely understand it, and from my personal experience it is something very difficult to overcome. My only advice to you is to do what feels right for you, and don’t let fear stop you from standing for what you believe. Coming from some of those group of people you mentioned, just having someone standing by in support can make a world of a difference.

Hey Brandon, the current EZA trailer video where the team comes together - can you give us some insight into how that came about? Who planned it? Who wrote/shot it? Any amusing stories in the creation of the video you can share?

El Roberto

Hi Brandon, I'm not completely informed on the whole issue surrounding Colin, but I have a suggestion. This seems to be too important of an issue to let stew for a week at a time, especially when some patrons believe you aren't listening to their concerns. Maybe it would make sense to address people more swiftly with something along the lines of a dedicated live stream, where you could receive immediate feedback from the chat

Eric Mitchell

I love the idea of EZA, I honestly was so sad when GT ended because it feels a bit like you guys are more friends than just entertainers to me. I rarely ever engage in internet communities, it's actually generally so toxic, specifically in video games. Here I almost felt like implicitly there was an understanding that the toxicity does not STAND. I am weirdly tearing up writing this message, but I am very invested in preserving the integrity of love and respect. Frankly, I don't care about Colin or any of his ilk... But someone said something that resonated with me- I was very disappointed with the general public response to the way that Ian and Damiani get treated. I agree with the idea that there is a lot of diversity of opinion in the Allies, but one of the reasons why I anticipate more cultural/gender diversity is because just highlighting the acceptability of others moves the conversation in a more positive direction. I am a person of color and honestly it's a difficult world trying to navigate with people out there that hate me for reasons I can't control- so for what it's worth I just love, love, love when we take small stands to show that everyone is accepted.

Rhodesiensensical

Brandon did take a stand. He took a stand to be open to talking with people, even if their personal views don't exactly match up with his personal views. It's ok to disagree with people. That's part of life. But when you shut someone down simply because you disagree with someone. that becomes a problem. Do I not belong in this community because we do not agree? I would hope I still belong, just as I feel you still belong despite you not agreeing with me.

What about the EZA fans who targeted and harassed Colin? From what I read on Twitter, it seemed like Colin was merely defending himself from defamation, which is completely reasonable. Do you have examples of the contrary?

The way that people are so negatively reacting to this Colin thing I honestly find personally insulting. Why can't we have different political beliefs and still be friends? I probably have different opinions politically than a lot of people, here or otherwise, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy talking with people in this or other communities about video games (or other things!). Of course politics is important to people, but in those cases having calm and educated debate is healthy; shutting people down and refusing to talk is usually less so. It was honestly getting to the point where I felt maybe I didn't belong, because I may hold different political beliefs from time to time. But this move from Jones makes me feel so much better -- it shows that the Allies themselves are accepting of people, regardless of their different backgrounds, political beliefs, or any other differences we may have. That means so much to me coming directly from you Jones, so thank you for encouraging a truly inclusive community. I think even allowing Colin to appear in EZA content (which I know is not happening for a number of logistical reasons as well) I think would be great as well. We should be accepting of people, not only people we agree with. Obviously, if someone is intentionally bringing toxicity into the community via "trolling" or something of that nature, that is not indicative of L&amp;R. However, having a healthy discussion with someone you disagree with is, in my opinion, incredibly representative of that ideal. Basically, thank you Jones for showing me that I am still a valued member in the community. Completely agree that L&amp;R is a process.

Hi Jones I discovered Gametrailers because it hosted episodes of the Angry Video Game Nerd. Will James Rolfe (The AVGN) ever be a guest on the Easy Allies? Keep up the good work, you probably have no idea how much joy you all give me. Thanks

I gotta be honest, over the past few weeks or so Easy Allies has only made me sad. I have so much I want to say but what is there that hasn’t really already been said. I feel this is a mistake but it is yours to make. Even the way Colin jumped on your Twitter replies...it’s just childish. He attacks and then plays the victim. Says what he wants and it’s our problem if we don’t want to tolerate his crap. He never seems to take responsibility for anything. All these people saying they know what Colin is and what he isn’t is silly. I highly doubt anyone here really knows him. I also don’t pretend to know you, Jones, but my perception has definitely changed because of this. I wish I could be more eloquent but this is all I got.

Bdun912

FYI, I didn't really get too deep into this, so I didn't see anything, and would not know where to look.

Parasitepaladin

Howdy all! I've seen a few people talk about Colin attacking EZA members, and Colin sticking his community on EZA members. That sucks. If you really want Jones to back away from Colin, I feel it is best for you all to provide Jones with the specific examples and proof of these attacks. Not saying that they didn't happen, I'm saying that Jones will be able to make a better informed decision if the proof is right there in front of his face. Take Care, folks!

Parasitepaladin

Here is the list of people you can't have as guests :

Ibrahim Sozer

Cultivating a community is about actions as well as words. Saying the right things, asking people to be respectful and to love each other, is easy. Telling people to not be hateful and to not be a jerk is easy. Am I glad the words are said? Absolutely. Should they be the end of the story? Absolutely not. Nobody is perfect, and nobody should demand perfection. Nobody can know the heart of another, and everyone does things they later regret. But Colin is not an unknown. Colin has shown, many times, exactly what and who he is. Colin's fans have shown, many times, exactly who and what they are. Love and Respect are not just words, and they are the antithesis of everything Colin and his fans represent. Ignoring the way both he, and his fans, went after EZA community members just for having this discussion is unacceptable. To not address it, directly and forthrightly, is unacceptable. There is no Love there. There is no Respect there. Colin has one mode: Attack. He attacks people for their opinions, he attacks people for their beliefs, and most importantly he attacks people for their innate characteristics. You say Love and Respect is a process? Nothing about engaging with Colin is conducive to that process. I cannot support Colin, or his fans, even tangentially. By appearing on Colin's show you are providing Colin with Easy Allies' blessings. Whether you think you are or not, whether you like it or not, that's how it is. It tells him, and them, that they can continue to behave without showing any Love or Respect. I have supported the Allies since day one. That has been my action: Supporting people I believe in. The withdrawal of that support is not done with gleeful malice, but with mournful sadness. EZA will always have my love, but this is simply not a decision I can respect. TL:DR Continuing to engage with Colin after he and his fans targeted and harassed members of the EZA community is simply unacceptable to me.

Tygre

Brandon I support you. I'm sorry I'm a silent patreon here, so take this as you will. To those holding your "patronage" over someone's head is so disrespectful its not even funny. The reason America, nigh, the world is in the state it's in is because we run from issues that make us uncomfortable. My best friend (read brother) is on a completely different spectrum politically than I. I don't run when we talk politics because he's just as entitled to those opinions. Colin made a terrible joke, both in execution and context. He's not an evil person though, he's human. The less we talk, and I mean talk. Not how's the weather? The less we as a society will function. I would take a step back and try to come to terms with what L&amp;R actually means because a lot of you seem to have missed that lesson.

I've listened to the EZA podcasts for ~6 months after I felt KF's content became too silly after Colin's departure (not to mention they booted one of their founders because of a twitter lynch mob of the easily offended). I was on the fence for becoming a patron because I wasn't sure what kind of community EZA was really creating. After I saw the twitter "controversy" last week I joined to see the last two CoJ episodes to ensure EZA wasn't a community that refused to hear opposing viewpoints. I've now increased my pledge after viewing the episodes. A community that can collaborate with people with different views than they may hold is much healthier than one that refuses to hear or speak to anyone with an opposing view. It's a shame to see that a few may have left the community because of this "controversy" (only in 2017 could this be an issue) but hopefully my small contribution - and maybe others - can help make up the difference. I've really enjoyed the podcast content I've heard for the last few months and I'm looking forward to some of the other content I can now access as a part of the community. L&amp;R

mccadoyle

I'm so sorry you feel that way. I'm upset he's still going to be attending as well. I didn't know a choice had been formally made.

Hi Jones, I'm going to be honest and say I'm pretty disappointed by your response and I've lost a lot of respect for you over this debacle. I have a lot of issues with Colin and his community and it annoys me a lot that you basically said "I hear you, I don't like what he says on Twitter but I'm going on his show anyway," but the one thing that actually offends me is Colin singled out and sicked his followers to harass members of the EZA community and your response is... Nothing. In fact, less than nothing because you're still going on Colin's show. I've thought for quite a while that it was sad that EZA didn't stand up for Ian and Damiani when they were targets of harassment but to implicitly endorse a source of harassment towards Allies who just wanted to share their thoughts with you on Twitter is super gross to me. I've been a patron from day one and a GT supporter for years before that but I'm dropping my pledge later today. It sucks because I'm a huge fan of EZA and I might be back at some point, hopefully when there's less toxicity within the community, but I just don't feel comfortable financially supporting anyone who would go through with Colin's show despite everything that happened. Cheers, LiquidSolid

Very well said Jones. You're heart is always on the right track.

Chris K

I used to have a Twitter account but I realized that using it was bringing me down most of the time. It's not surprising that some researches show that the more people use social networks the less happy they tend to be. So my advice would be to stay as far away as possible from stuff like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

One last general thought before I move on from this issue: The "respect" part of L&amp;R means more than treating people with deference. It means respecting their intelligence, their critical thinking abilities, and their right to come to their own conclusions. I see a lot of noxious and simplistic claims from the EZA community this week about how giving Colin a platform will expose people to what he has to say, which is dangerous. I can't emphasize enough to extent to which this thinking runs counter to showing respect, as it assumes your fellow allies, or more generally your fellow citizens, are too stupid or naive to consider various points of view and critically examine a complicated issue. If Colin's ideas are as odious as they're made out to be (they're not, in my experience, though I disagree with him almost every time I hear him speak) then respect the ability of your peers to see that. If some don't, think about why you failed to persuade them and then keep trying. Respect the integrity of your own argument by allowing others to accept or reject it. L&amp;R

Fluffhead108

What was the most surprising Christmas gift you have ever received? for me it was the original Playstation. I had never heard of it before but when I played it for the first time I nearly crapped my power rangers pjs.

Joey and Cait

Brandon – Long time Patron, watch a lot of EZA content but do not get involved much in the community. I did feel compelled to comment on this though. With all the love and respect in the world – Please take a stand on issues. Take accountability when you make a mistake and have an opinion even if you know not everyone will agree with it. By trying to appease everyone I feel like you appease no one. It is my opinion that going on Colin’s show was a mistake. I think that you are a very intelligent human being who cannot possibly be so aloof as to not be aware of the type of opinions and general audience Colin courts vs. the general audience Easy Allies courts. If this is an attempt to gain more viewers/interest in EZA I believe it backfired. I think that you should own up to this or if you feel differently than you need to explain why. You spend much of this video addressing your feelings on the community, its behavior etc. but don’t take accountability for a decision that you made that caused this. There are certain issues that “Love and Respect” must unambiguously address and associating yourself with someone that – in my opinion - stands counter to that at the very least, deserves explanation to your audience which you still have not done (unless I missed it). I know that this is a video game related community and it’s not your job to provide political commentary but your ambiguity towards very real issues that impact our community, country and the world is frustrating to me. I don’t know what it’s like to run a community of 6K+ members and I won’t pretend to but I would like to think that there are certain issues, regardless of political affiliation, that I would take a stand on, especially when things are at a fever pitch as they are now and there are certain people I would not affiliate myself with regardless of my personal views on that person. Being on Colin’s show was a mistake. You made it. Own it or tell me why it’s not. Have an opinion Brandon. - Love and Respect -

Considering he's the antithesis of L&amp;R, I definitely think he should not be a guest on EZA.

Side note that was a Trigun reference, I am fully aware it's Love and Respect. =P

How are we supposed to Spread Peace and Love to the rest of the gaming community if we all hide in the garage! Get out the Jonesy! Good luck!

I feel for Jones, Mainly because I totally get where his mind is at, by now we all surely know his intentions and almost all the allies character traits. Some of these controversies and political debates are very complex subjects that require a lot of thought. Sometimes people who have not experienced these situations or problems with society, can't relate to them. Or just can't believe it's a problem to begin with. L&amp;R

There is a Mandatory update where Huber and Ian play a Scorn demo sent to them.

He has mentioned this before, where next year they are going to all sit down and talk about what shows to continue and what is the best way to use their time, how to diversify the 3 podcast shows. I think it's not a surprise, more so housekeeping that needs to be done. Since most of these shows are not his I don't think he can give you a clear idea, for example Bossman changing the way bets are done on his podcast, I am 100% sure Brandon has no idea what he is changing, even if Bossman talked about it with him, it's subject to change.

Hey Jones, quick question: What's one of your favorite "couch co-op" video game moments?? I love hearing stories of jolly co-operation. It reminds me of my own memory when my friend called me the day Gears of War2 just came out and he said "I need you to come to my house. right now" I went over not knowing what was up and we played all weekend.

Andrew Left

Dear Mr. Jones, this might be my first CoJ comment since the inception of EZA, so please enjoy: 1)Please offend me once in a while. Let’s offend each other, maybe clarify what we said, discuss and try to understand the other side. If no agreement is being reached, at least accept/respect the others opinion. In my opinion that is way better than just being a blank sheet of paper that accepts everything. 2&amp;3) I certainly don’t agree with everything you white guys [btw just be yourself, don’t try to force yourself to be “diverse”, if you truly want to be diverse you would me 1/3 white, 1/3 yellowish, 1/3 black and have a stick and hole etc -&gt; accept diversity in mankind, don’t force it on every tiny little group of people is my opinion] do, but I still love you! I also like L&amp;R. I also think it’s good to give everyone a chance or two and maybe even more, but there should be a point where you stop give people chances and accept that there are people which don’t deserve respect. 4) You are the only entertainers on the world wide web I watch. I tried others in the past (and during the phase between GT and EZA), but only you click with me. I enjoyed every week of GT Live, but that’s because you did the show, not because of the guests. I’m sorry to say this, but I really didn’t care about the guests ^^ So, I don’t really care what you want to do with others in terms of cooperation to widen your audience. Yours Sincerely, The one and only DiamondCrusader P.S.: I have pretty much no idea who that Colin person is or what he did (just like with most reaaaally dumb negative/dumb videogame political topics)

100% this

Brandon Patton

Hi there Brandon! On December 6th Finland celebrates its 100th independence day. Do you have any favourite Finnish games you like? (Remedy, Housemarque, Angry Birds etc.) Or any particular thoughts about our northern country? [And as you like to know these, the 'E' in Ville is not silent.] L&amp;R

Ville Ranto

Hi Brandon! I really enjoyed the Thing Board Game and Fiasconauts is my favorite EZA show. Are you planning on having more of those board games videos, maybe a game every two weeks or something?

MaxVSTheGames

Well done Jones, and I for one am glad you're appearing on Colin's show. I think that not appearing on it would set a scary precedent where particular patrons could essentially blackmail you via withdrawing their support if they didn't like a particular person whose show you were appearing on. I personally don't think Colin or the majority of his community is toxic and hateful (of course there is a hateful, vocal minority as there is in the EZA community; see rude comments towards Ian on any given podcast), though I can see how people might think that. What I struggle to come to terms with is how such a collaboration (Colin won't even appear on EZA) would "allow a voice for hatred and bigotry" (as I saw one Twitter user put it) in the EZA community. You're on his show, talking about things that are not political or controversial. I can foresee a small crossover of audiences but as you said that's something we take in our stride, and is why comment moderation exists in the first place in case such people are derogatory or discriminatory. I also understand your general neutrality on the issue because, as you (explicitly or implicitly, I can't remember) mentioned in the show, EZA caters to a wide variety of people, all of different backgrounds and life experiences. The situation is very rock and a hard place for you; someone will always be at issue with your decision, one way or the other. Regardless, I think you handled this show really well, and spread the L&amp;R message very effectively. Thanks

Brandon as a fellow big Disney fan, I was just curious why you don't seem too enthused about the live action adaptations and if you could share some thoughts as to why or where you would like to see Disney go with their big movie properties going forward?

Just wanted to add that i'm not going to judge and accuse a person until there is absolute concrete evidence of heinous activity.

I respect Brandon Jones because he accepted the OFFER and didn't let people who have narrow views control him. Especially when those views are unjustified slander. Everyone who knows what joke is or has any comprehension skills knows that what Colin has said isn't in any way either racist or bigot. It's the same shit that happens with Ian too. Spinning what Ian said about the sexual harassment cases into "So white male opinions don't matter huh!?". Also anyone who is offended at WOMEN TALK TOO MUCH joke need to grow thicker skin.

Man, I hear ya. I have been a hands off patron since day one as well, not because I don't want to engage, but because it felt like a small community of patrons had some sort of monopoly on "love and respect". It was such a bummer to see people hold their patronage, or even just support, over Jones head as some sort of tool to shame him with if he "stepped out of line". It was a sad thing to see, especially over the holidays. It's like everyone wants to be the teacher, but couldn't fathom being the student. I didn't become a day one patron so EzA would be exactly what I wanted, I did it to help give Jones and Co. the freedom to do whatever THEY wanted. These guys, Jones in particular, have been doing this for a long time, and in my estimation, doing it well. Through them I have learned so much, not just about videogames, but how to interact with people in my day to day life. L&amp;R went from a little jingle to something I would say to myself everytime someone disagreed with me, or even did something I hated. And that's hard man. It's very hard. But being resentful for long periods of time is way worse. It will eat you up inside and beat you down if you let it. Thank you EzA for helping me understand this, you have earned my patronage for as long as I am able to give it. Sorry for the long response, seeing another patron that doesn't post much speak up really helped me get my thoughts out, so thanks for that. Like Jones said, we all have a lot of growing to do, and I hope this community is as willing to look inward as it is outward as EzA grows like it deserves to. L&amp;R

Reese Redmond

It’s times like these that make me glad to be one of the thousands of “hands off” patrons. I just let auto pay do it’s thing, and I get to sit back and enjoy dozens of hours of quality content from creators who’s opinions and values I respect and support. I trust the allies, and they have earned that trust. That said, it is clear that the community was predisposed to cliques due to the transition from GT. This, in addition to these recent EZA “shakeups”, does result in an overall unwelcoming vibe to any newcomers. It’s sure prevented me from engaging, but even as someone who is outside the community, I would prefer to see the community open up and welcome all who are interested in seeing L&amp;R first hand. (This coming from a day 1 patron who followed from GT)

Brandon Patton

Hello! Good question. I see what you mean. And just to make sure, you mean... Person A says something racist Person B says person A is being racist Person C says person B is name calling person A Right? You are worried about person C being taking seriously while person B is made to look they are wrong? I obviously can't speak for Jones, but I don't believe this is something you would have to worry about. I feel Jones is smart enough to look at the full conversation, not take anything out of context, and make the right judgement call. When Jones was talking about this, I believe he was talking about mean and rude named calling, the two examples he gave were bitch and snowflake. I know my opinion doesn't mean much, but just wanted to drop in and say you do have a valid question, though I feel your concern that made you ask it is something you don't have to worry about with Jones. Jones is a smart fella. Hope all is well!

Parasitepaladin

Amen.

Parasitepaladin

Thanks for getting into this further Jones. You did a good job in covering many thoughts and ideas with such a hot topic. I truly think that one of the best ways to heal our society is to help humanize other sides of opinion. With a more conservative foundation myself I have gained MANY liberal friendships from doing the things I enjoy. If I was to take their political stance and and shove who they are in a box I would have to trim my Facebook list by 75%. I've taken the time to at least understand them but I think only worked with building friendships outside of the political hot zone. Having those cordial times together is what grounds me from getting ahead of myself and building negative assumptions on them. I know the internet is probably the hardest place to do just that but something to think about when having cordial discussion with differing opinions regardless of topic (gaming or otherwise).

Zugdar

Another great episode! Good job talking about the serious stuff. I'm in the camp where you can go where ever you want. You guys are always praising the mods, so I assume if there are any jerks, they would take care of them. I believe you can make this community bigger. But speaking of the community. How would you suggest somebody join the community, or break into it? From what I understand, the best way, and pretty much only way is through twitch. Other than that, it is the EZA forums. With the length EZA has been around, people know each other and have made friends. Cliques if you will, have you said before. Breaking through that may be intimidating to some, challenging even. Like, why would people acknowledge random new people when they are trying to keep up with all their friends? And also with keeping up, twitch chat moves fast depending on the stream. That also may be hard for people start chatting. This is all assuming people can even catch the streams, which a lot of people have trouble doing due to work, life, and timezones. The EZA forum is the other way, though it is a bit slow. So joining the community that way may be a better way. Though the allies themselves hardly bring up the forums, and barely post in it themselves. It doesn't really feel too important. And to add, that in general, there is no real central hub for the community. There are various places some even not liking the people that go to other places. When it comes to WHERE to be a part of the community, I feel there is not unity. With all of this said, can you dispel any of these worries, and in general give advice to anybody wanting to join the EZA community you are always praising and the members so vigorously defend? And Jones, feel free to paraphrase this and cut whatever you need to when/if you read it. P.S. Writing and saving longer comments in notepad beforehand is a big help.

Parasitepaladin

This isn’t a Colin question but When you describe collaborations, are there opportunities besides simply showing up on each other's shows?

Dale Payne

Thank you for all of this Jones. I also took a week off and there was a lot to catch up on! I know you to be a sincere and genuine human. You and the rest of the Allies can always count on my patronage. (Even if it's just $5 &gt;_&gt; &lt;_&gt;

I agree with this. The only ally I ever really see around on the forums is Bloodworth. You've got your very own forum, so it'd be a shame to not use it.

Minamik

This time we could even get him a little fan so it's less like a sauna!

Minamik

I don't have an MD, but I loved and miss the multicam stuff from the GT Time/GT Live days. Also Ian on the tricaster was a beautiful thing I miss dearly. Was really nice having him there as a regular on the podcast providing cutting background commentary that I oh so loved. Just wanted to put my two cents in on that. Studio in 2018. I believe.

These days, it's hard to go anywhere or do anything without hearing about politics, so I really appreciate that you guys try to keep from directly engaging about politics. I'm just happy that there's a place where we can all come together out of our shared love of video games, movies, tv, anime, etc and just enjoy each other's company. I feel that you all do an excellent job of leading by example. I'd hate to see you ruin this jolly place by soapboxing, because that's not the reason I think most of us are here.

Minamik

Jones you're truly a genuine person and I mean that. I can tell that you're very measured and I at times, interpret it as being cautious, but I'm wrong. I for one am very happy that you'll be joining Colin in the next Fireside Chat and I'm looking forward to hearing it. Love and respect is a goal, and I'm glad that you aren't kow-towing to all the folks who overreacted over this Colin controversy. EZA produces some of my favorite gaming related podcasts (second only to Giantbomb) and I'm glad you folks didn't let some in the community push you over. I'm an American born Afro-Latino and not once has Colin insulted me through his tweets or actions or made me feel fearful of any of the nonsense folks have said regarding his person. Just my 2 pennies. L&amp;R

Gustavo

Hey Jones, I don't care too much, but you told us to correct pronounciation of names. Mickle Hairvel Nemmoe i think is how i would write it americanized. Many danish people can't even pronounce my name when reading it for the first time, so whatever.

mikkel hervel nemmøe

I wouldn't be an Ally if it wasn't for Colin but in a slightly different way. I used to love Kinda Funny and found Colin to be a captivating speaker despite him being a million miles away from me politically. This changed for me as Colin became completely disinterested in the Gamescast and often disrespectful to Tim. The hubris of his Colin was Right show (the one on Nintendo is comedy gold) was the final straw and I had already backed away from Kinda Funny before his inevitable departure. While I was backing away I remembered Brandon Jones on the Gamescast so started checking out the Easy Allies. I still dip into Kinda Funny but Easy Allies is now my home. Colin is a no go for me now so I will not be consuming the Fireside Chat with Jones.

Hi Jones! While I don't agree with your eventual decision re: the Colin thing, I do appreciate your attention to getting a variety of opinions on the comments last week, so I hope I’m not dragging out the subject. I do have some concerns about one thing in particular that you said today though, about “calling people names”. Obviously I don’t support name calling and general abuse, but what concerns me is that a lot of ill-intentioned (and some well-intentioned, albeit uninformed) people will use a minority calling out behavior that’s transphobic, racist, etc to say that those minority members are “name calling” the people they’re trying to correct. I saw many people trying to educate a little on transphobia issues in particular over the past week, but were repeatedly shot down by people saying “[x specific action] isn’t transphobic” despite not being part of that group themselves, then saying they were being attacked. Call it paranoia, but I worry that this is being included under “name calling” because of the gut reaction almost everyone has to being told they’ve been doing something wrong without realizing. I’m having a hard time phrasing my question, but I guess it’s just me asking what you mean by name calling? Because defending against bigotry and attempting to educate isn’t that at all. I love this community dearly and want to see it become its best self, and I get nervous that some voices are being heard over others because of the way our society conditions us to privilege them without realizing. L&amp;R, Spencer

Hi Brandon, At the start of CoJ you gave updates on shows and other various things happening inside EZA, but now only respond if somebody do a question about it or redirect the question to the person involve in it, would be nice to have that update on shoothing and some ideas without spoiling the "surprise" you all want to give us?

Daniel Garza Andrade

About the sponsors and games some of them make (Iron Harvest, Scorn). You say there won't be reviews, but I remember you (or another Ally) saying you will still do streams. Has that changed in any way or not? I get why you don't want to do reviews but I would love to see your guys impressions on those games. Especially Iron Harvest is looking really neat. I did see the Scorn stream, which was pretty neat. About Iron Harvest though: for quite some time I've been following Simon Stålenhag. He's a Swedish artist that does art about the 1980's but with influences from science fiction. Sort of like 1980+. Via his art I stumbled upon 1920+, quite some time before they began working on Iron Harvest. So it's really cool to see that art coming to life. Can't wait to see play that game :)

Stefan Vlemmix

I completely agree. While listening to Jones mention their hard stance "against white supremacy and Nazis" I couldn't help but think, "yeah, but casual sexism is cool as long as you're joking, right?". My wife was extremely upset about this Colin debacle. So much so that she has pulled her patronage. Now that it's confirmed they're collaborating, I can't really blame her. Very, very disappointing.

Javi Rodriguez

Hey Jones, I’m a bit disappointed not with the decision you came to (although I would have preferred if you declined Colin’s invitation) but instead on HOW you presented the decision you’ve made to appear on his show. While I support you and the allies regardless of the decisions you make, it was frustrating listening to you describe the issues brought up about Colin with such vague wording. What I would have preferred seeing from you was a direct address of the issues that many community members brought up. His comments on the success of Asian Americans (ignoring the diversity of origin of people typically described as Asian American and failing to acknowledge the massive class and income disparity among them) somehow dispelling the myth of white supremacy were particularly frustrating to hear as someone who has experienced institutional racism and white supremacy in the past as a cis half-black male. This is not even to mention the additional ignorant sexist and transphobic comments he has made on Twitter and other platforms. What I feel the community needed was a direct address of these topics, because both people on both sides needed to hear why these comments were not enough to dissuade you from appearing on his show. However, I’ve also seen comments stating that after coming to this decision, you are “pretending to care,” that I do not believe but I can’t help but feel you brought comments such as these on yourself by being so non-committal and failing to be direct with the community. L&amp;R Chris Briscoe

Rebweeb

Good chat Jones, thanks for this. I'm glad to see you came down on the side of, let's call it, optimism. Know who you are and believe in what you stand for, and speak honestly, whatever the subject.

Bradley Spies

I wouldn't be an Ally if it wasn't for Colin. I was a longtime fan of Beyond and followed him over to Kinda Funny because I enjoy the insight he brings as far as games go. After he left KF I tried to stick it out but it just wasn't the same without him so I was looking for a new place to get my gaming fix and I remembered Brandon being on KF when Easy Allies first launched. I, for one, am excited about Jones being on Colin's show. That being said, I tried to get into CLS and it just wasn't for me because I wasn't interested in the subject matter. And to be fair to those with concerns about his community, those concerns are very much valid. I left the CLS FB group after a couple months because of all the negativity and toxicity. I promise you guys that all of Colin's supporters aren't bad people though!

Great CoJ. I support your judgement ln this one.

Hey Jones. I know you think that Colin is a friendly guy. That's cool, but what do you think about the controversies that he's been involved in. You know some of the stuff that a lot of people in this community finds problematic. I mean personally I dont really care much about the tweets he made. And maybe it was blown just a tiny bit out of proportion, still I can see why some people would find them hurtful. Clearly some people in the community do. So I just find it curious that you didn't really take a stance on any of the issues that people brought up. You don't have to agree with them but I think you do need to talk to them and explain them where you stand. I know it's a delicate situation. And I know that you can't afford to alienate a large portion of your Patrons. I just don't think tip toeing around these complicated issues is going to solve anything in the long run. I think you need to speak your mind. Not demanding anything here or trying to tell you what to do. Just my opinion. Also, L&amp;R to you Jones and ALL of the community. Even the people who don't agree with me.

Mikkel Bak Sørensen

I demand satisfaction!

Ibrahim Sozer

Jones I don't necessarily agree with your decision but I will trust your judgment on this, any collaboration is up to you and the other Allies. But could you maybe discuss with Colin (not on the podcast itself but personally) if he could refrain from posting community comments on his channels? Not saying there shouldn't be any discussion ever but nothing good comes from 2 communities having a go at each other on twitter with him adding fuel to the fire.

Jones, I appreciate the fact that you care about this community so much that you want to see it change. You want to see everything get better and as a patron, that is one of the most encouraging things I can hear. It really makes me want to continue to be a patron. Please keep talking about these hard things. Please keep preaching love and respect. And please keep striving to help us grow as a community. We are here because of you guys and you guys are here because of us. Let's keep growing together, it's only way things will get better. Love and Respect.

Tony Hawk 4 = Pinnacle. Most content, most varied objectives, most moves, Fun minigames, skater specific final challenges, bigger levels, last game that is similar to older games, CULMINATION

Colin shouldn't be ruled out as being a guest on EZA.

Ibrahim Sozer

Thats a good comment.

Tokyo Slim

I was encouraged by a lot of this episode, and disheartened by much of it as well. It is clear that you are coming at this from a place of consideration, of having debated the options and weighed the community’s input. You want this community to be safe and accepting, but I worry that the safety is at risk of being a casualty of the acceptance. I genuinely believe you when you say that you want to be a champion for other voices, but being a champion comes with risks and sacrifices, comes with making choices that may prioritize the wellbeing of those already in your community over trying to extend your reach. I hope that when it comes to future decisions on which you ask for the community’s input, you take care to balance not only the volume of response but also the voices that are speaking. If the majority of people on one side of an issue are speaking from a similar perspective as the one you have, consider listening a little harder to those voices you don’t hear as often. I care about this community, and I want to see it grow and evolve. I hope that as it does, you not only listen to the voices in your community that ask for representation, but also act on what you hear from them. Your voice is louder than theirs. I believe that you can use it to do great things.

Ray Aldiar

I felt that my previous comment became quite long and maybe a little harsh, so I want to take a chance to also spread some love. Feel free to read this comment as well, leave it to the next week or just pick one of my comments if you want. It is almost Christmas and I will be quite busy and prolly miss some cups. So I want to quickly look back at my time here at EZA and Thank all of you for being awesome. Thank you to everyone that engage in the community, brings positive and jolly Vibes. Especially thanks to @tahitianwarrior, @Mbun @Skylerarch, @TheStebe, @SilentConsonant @TheGranArcanum with more who are there during my days at work in the twitch chat just to talk and have fun. Also Thank you to @Candycoated Thorns @Zephyr Moon with more that made me feel welcome, in the chat, listened to my quiche and tea rants and helped me open up and engage more in the community! The community has been suuch an important part in my life and lets not forget Brandon Jones which have given me life advice which Ive taken and turned some bad things around. Endless Love and Respect!

Sebastian Hall

Hi Jones, first of all I want to say thank you for a great episode. Sometimes shakeups like we have had lately can make a community come out stronger, as long as you wont let it break you. Its been kinda sensitive and we have seen some of the ugliest pieces of this otherwise lovely community sneak out. I think that arguing is good, it lets a conversation get going, I mean how boring would it not be if we all just agreed 100% all the time? We grow together and get to know each other more and more each week by talking about games and life. I just hope that in desperate times we can all take a deep breath and keep from bursting out in hotheaded name calling. I want to urge that people that feel attacked (and/or trolled) on the forum Flag the offensive post or even PM me (Lotias) or any other of the lovely mods so we get a chance to investigate the issue. That said it doest mean that you should flag someone the moment that someone disagrees with you, but it gives us a chance to step in before things gets ugly, especially on topics such as politics and I do sometimes worry a little for the GOTY discussions as there are so much passion and hot feelings involved. Also I personally feel that one of the main issue are how “some people” are dragging the entire community over one edge like “they are ALL like a certain way”. As well as threatening with pulling your funds if you dont get that exact one thing wont help. Feedback is great, but pure threats arent helpful for anyone. You have to remember that the allies already are super busy and I sometimes worry over my Tuesday quiche that Jones or any of the other allies one day will burn out.

Sebastian Hall

Jones, though you had to cheat, that's a good Tony Hawk pick. 2 is indeed the best and most highly rated game in the series, and When Worlds Collide is definitely one of the top tier songs in it. I actually bought the album after hearing that song. But after hearing how little contact you have with the series, it is now absolutely paramount that you spend some quality time with it. Aside from being the pinnacle of the series, 2 is in fact one of the highest rated games EVER, currently taking the #2 spot on Metacritic's all-time list, and often suggested by members of the Group Stream Committee. I personally recommend the Dreamcast version, which has much smoother graphics than the PS1 version, though the choice is yours entirely.

TurboChickenMan

Hey Jones - I, Jedi is one of my favorites of the EU Books! Glad you mentioned it and I suggest giving it another read some day! The main character was first introduced as one of the leads in the X-Wing series of novels and you are right, he was originally a detective that only later discovered that his 'hunches' were signs of force sensitivity. The book is very unorthodox due to being written in first person, and the character becomes a Jedi that isn't able to use telekinesis regularly but instead has a knack for mind tricks and illusions. He's very much like a Batman-type, right down to his backstory of becoming an orphan after witnessing his father's murder. As a bonus, there's a good deal of Mara Jade in it. Highly recommended, a great read

VGJunky

I just want to say that I trust any decision you make, Brandon. I've been following you (and the rest of the Allies) for almost 4 years now. At this point, I am confident my ideals match yours. Keep doing your thing. L&amp;R.

Michael Tucci

Love the tact for each issue. Respect the responsibility Brandon is taking for the direction EZA goes. I understand that the Allies are still finding their footing, but L&amp;R transcends many of these disagreements. Props to the community members that engage with grace.

Cloisterance

You do your thing Jones, wouldn't be a Patron if I didn't trust you or the rest of the Allies.

I noticed there are a few allies who are active on ResetERA, but not the actual Easy Allies forums. I don't have a big opinion on it, but it'd be nice if they visited both forums.

laughter47

I can't imagine there being many communities with just 100% pure a-holes, especially in gaming. The nice ones are always welcome I'd say.

Benny Samuelsson

Thank you for being so open and direct on such difficult topics especially reading negative criticisms live. Must be tough. One minor comment on the episode: I can tell you're really struggling to get your perspective across the right way to please as many as possible, but it can end up being the same message being repeated a lot over the course of the entire episode. Of course, this is less of an issue when there's easier topics to discuss than on a few of these recent ones. No matter, impressed that you keep doing them every week no matter what issues arise. L&amp;R!

Benny Samuelsson

That must not have been Easy, but I think you handled it well. I'm sure the dust will kick back up over you appearing on FSC, but maybe there is an opportunity there as well. If you manage to draw the cool ones out of the CLS crowd with your appearance, let's make sure they feel welcome.

The Hashtagonist

Would it be possible for TTE to be streamed on Twitch in the future?

Louis Sandiford

Loves yew!

ComboBreaker