#avenger controller

...just when you thought it was over new details emerge which continue to boggle the mind.

The day started with The Escapist breaking the news that, forerunner for douchebag of the year, Paul Christoforo was still making waves in the not quite stagnant shit pool of Ocean Marketing.  This time, rather than being abusive and insulting to customers, it was revealed that PR genius Paul had been holding N-Control's email and twitter accounts and details hostage; and trying to extort both continued pay and future profit sharing in exchange for their release. Full story here.

The new guy in charge of PR for N-Control, a gentleman called Moisés Chiullan, took to Reddit today for an AMA on the whole debacle to date and how he intends to guide the Avenger Controller through this whole horrible situation.  You can read the full transcript of the entire AMA session by clicking here 

The whole AMA session makes for some interesting, and at times curious reading.  There's an admission that one of the positive reviews on Amazon for the Avenger was posted by it's creator, and that a few of the others were made by friends and family of those close to the controller.  The conflict of interest is apparent, but perhaps understandable. Moisés has called for complete transparency from now on and threatened to walk away if such biasing tactics are used in the future.  Perhaps out of this crisis N-Control might have actually stumbled upon someone who is able to take control of this situation and guide them safely through the shit storm.

 The whole situation continued to get weirder though as the mighty Forbes got involved and printed an interview with Paul Christoforo giving him the chance to explain his side. The interview is here and there's even a blink and you'll miss it apology; although it is still mostly Paul putting across an over-inflated sense of his self worth and a still, breathtakingly staggering ignorance of the fact that people have actually read the e-mail conversation and are aware of who said what to who.

Anyways, that should just about catch people up on what's been happening with this story.  Hopefully it will die down soon and N-Control can get on with the job of fulfilling the orders they have and continuing to develop what is a promising control interface.

Until next time, take care

Be Excellent to Each Other.

References:

The Escapist: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114994-Ocean-Marketing-Attempts-To-Extort-Former-Client

Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnyegriffiths/2011/12/29/from-control-to-ko-paul-christoforo-interviewed/3/

Yesterday I made a post about Paul Christoforo and realized that I said Paul Christoforo was an ex employee of Ocean Marketing.  My apologies.  He's not an ex employee, he just no longer has the makers of the Avenger Controller as a part of his clientele.

But either way, continue in the effort to try and make sure this product goes to market.  The real person who should be flamed here is Christoforo. And while he has sent out retraction statements it doesn't seem very apologetic.  Obviously, his career is done in the gaming community.  Probably the marketing community.

On a final note, everyone who had preordered the controller is going to be getting the ten dollar discount disgruntled customer, Dave asked for!  All the more incentive to actually give this product a shot.  It also has a definite release date, "January 15, at the latest."  If you ask me, the Avenger Controller has an awesome new PR representative in town and his name is Moisés Chiulian.

A key excerpt from a supposed 38-year-old professional:

"OK Mike whatever you say lol , are you sure hour not in Boston I spoke to the person who ran the show in Boston last year. If you let some little kid influence you over a pre order then we don’t want to be a your show ,Ill be on the floor anyway so come find me , I’m born and raised in Boston I know the people who run the city inside and out watch the way you talk to people you never know who they know it’s a small industry and everyone knows everyone. Your acting like a douchbag not that it matters pax east pax west , e3 , CES , Gamer Con , SSXW ,Comic Con, Germany I’m all over the place. If we want to be there we will be there with industry badges or with a booth you think I can’t team up with turtle beach , Callibur or Koy Christmas , I can’t get Kevin Kelly to pull some strings or G4 , Paul Eibler Ex CEO of take 2 ,  Rich Larocco Konami , Cliff Blizinski Epic who were working with on a gears version , Activision who were working with on a MW3 and Spider man Bundle , The Convention Center Owners themselves , Mayor of Boston come on Bud you run a show that’s all you do and lease a center in Cities you have no pull in its all about who you know not what you do.  I’ll see space where ever I want , with who I want when I want and where I want so many ways around you and so many connections in this industry its silly. Anyway , I have no issue with you Sean Buckley Engadget, Scott Lowe IGN and the list goes on and on. Little kids unhappy with a PRE ORDER starting trouble and you email that to us , he’s a customer unless you’re his boyfriend then you should side with the company not the customer. Be Careful"