Classic Game Room

Last updated

Classic Game Room
Cgrmk3 title card.jpg
The Classic Game Room Mark 3 title card (2016–2017)
Genre Video game review, sketch comedy
Created by Mark Bussler
David Crosson
Directed byMark Bussler
Starring
  • Mark Bussler (1999–2019, 2023–present)
  • David Crosson (1999–2000)
Theme music composerTom Myers
Opening theme"Flock of Cowboys"
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons16
No. of episodes2,796
Production
ProducerMark Bussler
Production location Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
EditorMark Bussler
Running timeVaries, usually 2–9 minutes per episode
Production companiesInecom, LLC
Original release
Network FromUSAlive
ReleaseNovember 11, 1999 (1999-11-11) –
October 23, 2000 (2000-10-23)
Network YouTube
ReleaseFebruary 28, 2008 (2008-02-28) –
January 19, 2018 (2018-01-19)
Network Amazon Prime
ReleaseMarch 2, 2018 (2018-03-02) –
present
Network YouTube
ReleaseDecember 31, 2018 (2018-12-31) –
April 24, 2019 (2019-04-24)
Network YouTube
ReleaseJune 28, 2023 (2023-06-28) –
present

Classic Game Room (commonly abbreviated CGR) is a video game review web series produced, directed, edited and hosted by Mark Bussler [1] of Inecom, LLC. The show reviewed both retro and modern video games along with gaming accessories, pinball machines, and minutiae such as gaming mousepads and food products.

Contents

The show broadcast its reviews via video-sharing website YouTube under the screen name 'Lord Karnage' until late 2013, when they moved to Dailymotion, citing issues with YouTube. In May 2014, via the Classic Game Room's Facebook Page and YouTube channel, it was announced that the show would again be posting episodes on YouTube. It also moved onto Patreon and Amazon Prime, before being cancelled in April 2019. After a four-year hiatus, the series returned to YouTube as Classic Game Room 2085 but was short lived due to declining viewer numbers not justifying the cost of making episodes. The series currently continues as Classic Game Room: The Podcast, where Mark talks about various aspects of games, music and general pop culture using his own signature flair of humor, insights and sometimes fantastical "real life" space stories.

History

The Game Room era (1999–2000)

The show was originally titled The Game Room [2] and presented by Mark Bussler [3] and David Crosson. Founded by Bussler, it launched on November 7, 1999, on the internet startup website FromUSAlive. [4] The pair had met at film school and shared a mutual love of movies and video games.

At first, Bussler and Crosson planned to review mainly then-modern games, but after a segment on older games proved to be popular, the show began reviewing earlier titles. The show was run on a tight US$50 budget, so improvised special effects were used. [5] However, the low-budget nature of the show led to slow episode production rates, and when revenue failed to cover the costs of running the show, The Game Room was canceled on October 23, 2000. [4] [6] Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2 for the Sega Dreamcast was the last game to be reviewed on the show. [6] Crosson moved onto a career in pharmaceuticals, [7] while Bussler would spend the next 8 years producing and directing documentaries on American history, such as Expo: Magic of the White City , and working with actors such as Gene Wilder and Richard Dreyfuss. [8]

The revival (HD) era (2008–2015)

The show returned as Classic Game Room HD (HD standing for Heavy Duty according to Bussler) [9] [10] on February 20, 2008, hosted by Bussler. Crosson appeared at the end of the show's first episodes, Captain America and The Avengers, [11] where Mark asked him what he thought of the game.

On August 29, 2009, Bussler announced the launch of the Classic Game Room website ClassicGameRoom.net (now ClassicGameRoom.com) on the show's YouTube channel. [12] The website hosts links and embedded videos to all the show's episodes as well as written reviews. Later, the site began hosting reviews written by fans of the show as well as linking to their videos.

In May 2010, Inecom launched a second show titled CGR Undertow hosted by Derek Buck. Later he was joined by TJ and a rotating cast of other reviews. The show had reviewers give their own take on games reviewed by Mark as well as other games not reviewed on the main show. In early 2012, some Classic Game Room reviews were co-hosted by Derek [13] and TJ.

In late 2013, Classic Game Room left YouTube and began posting videos on Dailymotion. On May 8, 2014, Classic Game Room announced via its Facebook page and YouTube Channel that they will be returning to YouTube on May 10. [14] Episodes first hosted on Dailymotion were added to their respective YouTube channels. The last episode posted on dailymotion was the review of Mario Kart 8 .

On November 2, 2015, Bussler announced that the show would highly slow its production following the end of the 2015 year. Changes would include the shutting down of the show store and its secondary channel CGR Undertow entirely ending production. Bussler stated that this is due to a change in his life and he would like to focus more on his writing and film making. He also said that he would continue the show as a hobby similar to how it began for him. [15]

CGR Mark 3, Patreon and Amazon (2016–2017)

Bussler later opened a Patreon for the series at the recommendation of fans in order to keep the series operating as normal, but would be renamed Classic Game Room Mark 3. The first CGR Mk3 was released on January 8, 2016. During mid-2016, due to declining YouTube ad revenue, Bussler experimented with a premium content delivery system. Subscribers on Patreon received full length game reviews, dubbed "Hyper Cuts", and free streaming video services received significantly shortened preview-length versions of the same reviews – effectively creating a partial paywall.

After this was met with negative reaction by fans, overall average runtime of the free streaming reviews returned to their normal length, with extended reviews available to Patreon subscribers. The extended reviews later became available on Amazon Prime in December that year.

CGR Mark 4 (2017–2018)

In June 2017, Bussler announced another update to Classic Game Room, intending to broaden the content variety that would encompass toys, comics and anything else Bussler fancied. [16] Subsequent videos dropped the Mark 3 moniker.

Classic Game Room 2085 (since 2018)

On January 19, Bussler announced another new move off on YouTube and supposedly permanently onto Amazon Prime, under the new title of Classic Game Room 2085, for March. [17] The new series would feature episodes far longer than YouTube, and cover a variety of games in each one. Bussler cited irrevocable differences and frustration with YouTube and its services as the contributing factor. [18] Season 1 debuted on March 2.

On February 5, 2019, Bussler said a second season was as yet undecided. [19] Around the time of the main series' 2023 revival, however, Bussler announced there would be a second season of 2085 starting at the beginning of 2024. Season 2 began as of January 1, 2024.

Classic Game Room Infinity (2018–2019) and second closure

From December 2018, Bussler returned to YouTube (as well as to Instagram and TikTok) with a new show titled Classic Game Room Infinity, which focused on shorter, snappier content. [20] On April 24, 2019, Bussler announced on Instagram that he had decided to end all video production, and to continue the Classic Game Room brand as a book publisher.

Rebranding and Classic Game Room Year 24

CGR Publishing has distributed books on video games, video production and American history. [21] The channel was briefly known as Turbo Volcano and sold t-shirt merchandise, before being rebranded as '80s Comics reviewing classic comic books and art supplies. After a year of inactivity, the channel was rebranded as CGR Publishing in 2022 and began posting new commercials for books, as well as episodes of Bussler's podcast.

In mid-2023, the YouTube channel's name was once again changed back to "Classic Game Room". In June 2023, without making an official announcement, Bussler began uploading new game reviews to YouTube under the moniker. [22] The first review was of the PS5 port of Ninja Golf, a game on the Atari 7800, and saw the return of the early HD era presentation, with Bussler only using narration over game footage. [23]

Other series

CGR Interviews

Bussler has also conducted a number of interviews with people involved with the video game industry, as part of the CGR Interviews series, such as his interview with Tommy Tallarico, video game soundtrack composer and founder of the Video Games Live concert series. [24] In addition, Bussler has been interviewed for The Art of Community book. [25]

CGR Films

A documentary film, Classic Game Room – The Rise and Fall of the Internet's Greatest Video Game Review Show, was released on August 28, 2007, on DVD. It is 100 minutes long and featured footage from a number of the original reviews and commentary from Bussler and Crosson. The film was directed by Bussler. [4]

In 2015, a second film, The Best of Classic Game Room: 15th Anniversary Collection, also directed by Bussler, was released on Blu-ray and DVD. [26] It has a runtime of 280 minutes and features a collection of videos previously available on YouTube but also includes plenty of exclusive material including exclusive game reviews, an interview with Dave Crosson, a commentary track and more all wrapped in a comedic story arc involving time travel, robots, and clones.

2015 also saw the release of a compilation film from the sister channel CGR Undertow, A Great Big Bunch of CGR Undertow, on DVD. [27] It is a collection of previously released reviews presented by Derek Buck and his clone. Special features include a mini documentary and a blooper reel.

In 2016, Bussler announced a series of feature length video game reviews, the Classic Game Room Feature Reviews, beginning with MUSHA . The 90-minute reviews, funded by Kickstarter crowdfunding, would be in-depth analysis of games, covering everything from presentation to controllers, with comical elements.[ citation needed ] The following reviews were Herzog Zwei and Super Pac-Man.

CGR Podcast

In November 2021, Bussler launched a new podcast, CGR Podcast, featuring Turbo Volcano. Presented by Bussler, the show discussed behind-the-scenes work in publishing and retro pop culture. [28] Episodes began to be uploaded to YouTube the following year, starting with Episode #8: Nobody Puts Truxton in the corner.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>1Up Network</i> American entertainment network

1Up.com was an American entertainment website that focused on video games. Launched in 2003, 1Up.com provided its own original features, news stories, game reviews, and video interviews, and also featured comprehensive PC-focused content. Like a print magazine, 1Up.com also hosted special week-long online cover stories that presented each day a new in-depth feature story, interview with the developers, game screenshot gallery, game video footage, and video of the game studio and creators. On February 21, 2013, Ziff Davis announced it would be winding down the site, along with sister sites GameSpy and UGO.com.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Gerstmann</span> American video game journalist

Jeff Gerstmann is an American video game journalist. Former editorial director of the gaming website GameSpot and the co-founder of the gaming website Giant Bomb, Gerstmann began working at GameSpot in the fall of 1996, around the launch of VideoGameSpot when GameSpot split PC and console games into separate areas. He shared his thoughts on a variety of other subjects every Monday on his GameSpot blog before his controversial dismissal from GameSpot in 2007 following a review of Kane & Lynch: Dead Men. In 2012, Complex magazine named Gerstmann in their top 25 biggest celebrities in the video game industry.

GameTrailers (GT) was an American video gaming website created by Geoffrey R. Grotz and Brandon Jones in 2002. The website specialized in multimedia content, including trailers and gameplay footage of upcoming and recently released video games, as well as an array of original video content focusing on video games, including reviews, countdown shows, and other web series.

<i>Rastan Saga II</i> 1988 video game

Rastan Saga II, known in Europe as Nastar and in North America as Nastar Warrior, is a hack and slash platform arcade video game developed and released by Taito in 1988. It is the sequel to Rastan. The story in this game tells how Rastan got his titular name and saved a vast region called 'Rastania' from evil monsters known as "The Wicked Group." Rastania, the kingdom which Rastan saves in this game, subsequently becomes his kingdom to rule. On June 20, 2024, the arcade version of the game got ported as part of the Arcade Archives series.

<i>Angry Video Game Nerd</i> Comedy web series about video games

The Angry Video Game Nerd is an American retrogaming review comedy web series created by and starring James Rolfe. The series centers on Rolfe's titular skit character, often simply shortened to "the Nerd", a short-tempered and foul-mouthed gamer who delivers commentary on retro games of poor quality. While the series began with Rolfe simply playing games while providing retrospective commentary, the show has grown in scope to encompass sketches featuring guest characters, reviews of gaming consoles and peripherals, and short lectures about video game history and culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LoadingReadyRun</span> Canadian entertainment group

LoadingReadyRun, often abbreviated to LRR, is a Canadian entertainment group that produces video and audio comedy. It often covers video games, internet trends, and popular culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hank Green</span> American vlogger and entrepreneur (born 1980)

William Henry Green II is an American YouTuber, science communicator, novelist, stand-up comedian, and entrepreneur. He produces the YouTube channel Vlogbrothers with his older brother, author John Green, and hosts the educational YouTube channels Crash Course and SciShow. He has advocated for and organized social activism, created and hosted a number of other YouTube channels and podcasts, released music albums, and amassed a large following on TikTok.

<i>Sturmwind</i> 2013 video game

Sturmwind is a 2013 scrolling shooter video game developed by German studio Duranik and originally published by RedSpotGames as an independent commercial release for the Dreamcast. It was re-released in 2016 and 2017, without the original RedSpotGames branding. A remastered version titled Sturmwind EX was also released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One. Controlling a space fighter craft, the player must fight endless waves of enemy forces while avoiding collision with their projectiles and other obstacles. The gameplay consist of vertical-scrolling and horizonal-scrolling stages, with players collecting three different weapon types in the vein of Thunder Force and Axelay.

Christopher David Johnson is a British television presenter and actor. He began presenting on the CBBC Channel in January 2010, and continued until April 2016. His first television appearance was for BBC Three, introducing Family Guy. Chris also makes content on YouTube under the user name OfficialCDJ.

<i>Extra Credits</i> Educational gaming web series

Extra Credits is a video lesson series currently run by Matthew Krol and Geoffrey Zatkin, narrated by Matthew Krol, with artists Scott DeWitt, Nick DeWitt, David "D" Hueso, and Ali R. Thome and Jordan Martin and writers Robert Rath, R. Kevin Doyle and other staff members. Social Media is run by Kat Rider. The series of videos discusses topics pertinent to video game development and game studies, addressing the legitimacy of video games as art, and creating intellectual discourse on important issues in gaming culture.

Revision3 was a San Francisco–based multi-channel television network that created, produced and distributed streaming television shows on niche topics. Founded in 2005, it operated as a subsidiary of Discovery Digital Networks since 2012. The network produced technology and gaming oriented programming in tandem with traditional comedic, political, DIY, and movie-related content. On March 31, 2017, Discovery Communications closed the website.

<i>Hello Internet</i> Discussion podcast by Brady Haran and CGP Grey

Hello Internet is an audio podcast hosted by educational YouTube content creators Brady Haran and CGP Grey. The podcast debuted in 2014 and released 136 numbered episodes and 18 unnumbered episodes until February 2020, when the last episode was published. The podcast is currently indefinitely suspended and inactive. Listeners of the podcast are known as "Tims". The episodes of the podcast are usually about the interests of the creators and the differences between the hosts' lifestyles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve McNeil</span> British Twitch and TV host (born 1979)

Steve McNeil is a British comedian, Twitch streamer, author, and TV host who is best known as co-creator and team captain on video-game comedy TV show Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit. Steve has also created content for Ginx TV, and is one half of the Go 8 Bit spin-off project WiFi Wars, a live interactive video-game comedy show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aunty Donna</span> Australian comedy group

Aunty Donna is an Australian surrealist comedy group formed in Melbourne in 2011. The group consists of performers and writers Mark Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane, alongside writer and director Sam Lingham, director Max Miller and composer Thomas Zahariou. Their work spans numerous live shows, a YouTube channel, a podcast, a studio album, the Netflix series Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun, the ABC Australia series Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe and the picture book Always Room for Christmas Pud. They have frequently collaborated with other comedians, including Michelle Brasier and Demi Lardner.

Mark Bussler is an American filmmaker, entrepreneur and multimedia artist, who is best known for creating the long-running gaming web series Classic Game Room.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kinda Funny</span> Online entertainment company

Kinda Funny is an online entertainment company that produces videos and podcasts on video game culture, film, television, and comics.

<i>The Last Podcast on the Left</i> Dark comedy podcast

The Last Podcast on the Left is a weekly podcast on the Last Podcast Network featuring podcast producer and researcher Marcus Parks, comedian and actor Henry Zebrowski, and comedian Ed Larson, three longtime friends. Episodes have explored the topics of serial killers, cults, conspiracy theories, UFO sightings, ghosts, cryptids, the occult, and readings of fan-submitted creepypastas. The name is a reference to the 1972 horror movie The Last House on the Left.

<i>Game Makers Toolkit</i> YouTube channel about videogame design

Game Maker's Toolkit (GMTK) is a video game analysis video series created by British journalist Mark Brown. Beginning in 2014, the series examines video game design and aims to encourage developers to improve their craft. It is hosted on YouTube and funded via Patreon.

<i>Scott the Woz</i> American gaming comedy review series

Scott the Woz is a gaming comedy review web series created by American YouTuber Scott Wozniak. The series, starring Wozniak, covers video games and gaming history. Episodes are written and directed by Wozniak, with recurring characters played by his friends. Compilations of episodes were syndicated on the 2021–2022 revival of the TV network G4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nostalgia Nerd</span> British Internet personality

Peter Leigh, more commonly known by the alias Nostalgia Nerd, is a British presenter, YouTuber, author and Twitch streamer, who documents and specialises in ageing technology and software. First appearing on YouTube in 2014, he routinely and enthusiastically explores forgotten computers and the technology surrounding them. He often specialises in historical documentaries on vintage computing, but also delves into technical explanations. Leigh also ventures into modern, mystery, explanation and more frivolous tech videos, with a humorous style and British wit.

References

  1. ↑ "Classic Game Room – CGR 2085 Podcast Making Of "My Love Affair with Star Wars"". YouTube . January 29, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Cool Interview with Game Room's Mark Bussler". J2games.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Interview with Mark Bussler on Movie Addict Headquarters via". Blogtalkradio.com. August 28, 2007. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Mark Bussler (2007). Classic Game Room: The rise and... (DVD). Inecom LLC.
  5. ↑ Briggs, Tom. "Interview: Mark Bussler". Sega-16. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Game Room". Archived from the original on March 2, 2001. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  7. ↑ "David Crosson". LinkedIn .
  8. ↑ Mark Bussler. IMDb.com
  9. ↑ "Loaded Cartridge Interview with Mark Bussler". Archived from the original on April 26, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Destructoid interview with Classic Game Room's Mark Bussler". Destructoid.com. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Classic Game Room – CAPTAIN AMERICA and the AVENGERS review for Sega Genesis". YouTube. September 19, 2012. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Classic Game Room Website! 8/29/2009". YouTube. September 29, 2009. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Classic Game Room – CHOPLIFTER HD review". YouTube. January 18, 2012. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Classic Game Room RETURNS TO YOUTUBE". YouTube. May 8, 2014. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Classic Game Room video game reviews retro collecting Vectrex, Sega, Atari, NES games". classicgameroom.com. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015.
  16. ↑ "- YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on November 5, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Classic Game Room – 208520852085208520852085208520852085". www.youtube.com. January 19, 2018. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021.
  18. ↑ @ClassicGameRoom (January 22, 2018). "Lots of questions, I don't have many answers yet. YT's failure to address the theft of my content is unacceptable and unprofessional. I'm investing in the show's future elsewhere. Complete overhaul with Classic Game Room 2085 this March" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. ↑ "classicgameroom". twitter.com.
  20. ↑ "Classic Game Room Publishing". Archived from the original on January 23, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  21. ↑ "My book on the Chicago 1933's World Fair". Instagram. April 24, 2019. Archived from the original on December 25, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  22. ↑ "News".
  23. ↑ "Classic Game Room: Ninja Golf for PlayStation 5 review". YouTube . June 27, 2023.
  24. ↑ "hlopshop.com". hlopshop.com. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Second Edition Community Interviews: Mark Bussler, Classic Game Room". Art Of Community Online. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  26. ↑ "The Best of Classic Game Room: 15th Anniversary Collection". Amazon. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  27. ↑ "A Great Big Bunch of CGR Undertow". Amazon. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  28. ↑ "CGR Publishing Podcast | CGR Publishing". November 19, 2021.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.