Intellivision Amico - Tommy Tallarico introduction + Q&A

12 hours ago, GrudgeQ said:

I have been loving Snestatic's chats with various retro gamers around the UK. Not usually too Amico specific, but very entertaining.

 

Also @Tommy Tallarico if Hans is sitting on a pile of promotional t-shirts in Germany, Snestastic Pete mentioned it is crazy expensive to get one in England. It is sad he doesn't have proper shilling garb, the shillaliens won't even give him a second look 😜

 

I agree, we definitely need a European distributor of Intellivision clothing, i'd have ordered a few things by now, but the price to ship from the US is way too high unfortunately 🙁

Hi tommy,

just wondering, when the vip editions are released to those outside continental us, will they ship via IE’s distributors, or will we have to pay shipping and handling?

When i put my deposit down, the exchange rate wasn't good ($160AUD) which is nobody's fault. (covid collateral damage)

Shipping from the us isnt cheap (quoted $63USD to post a gameboy advance everdrive cart only) which currently is $88AUD. Obviously a amico in box will cost a lot more to post.

any chance you can throw us a bone outside the us in relation to postage?

 

Tommy,

 

What are other licenses/partnerships are you considering to obtain?  What about Hanna-Barbera?  Maybe we could get a Johnny Quest game on Amico.

16 hours ago, IntelliMission said:

 

 

I guess Tommy Tallarico is the answer. The Playdate doesn't have a face, doesn't have a front man that you can attack and get obsessed with. This is why I always recommend to stay away or ignore people that create drama instead of confronting them.

 

Tommy is not perfect. Maybe his style and passion are too old school for some? Maybe he sometimes promises things that after 2 years are not totally possible 100%? Maybe his approach of personally clarifying any misinformation is too much for some people? But the truth is, thanks to his hyperactivity, we all know the Amico and the word is spreading. Let's be honest, many of us (not sure if a 25%, 50% or 75%) wouldn't even know the Amico if Intellivision Entertainment had used a low profile communication style as the Playdate does.

Well I think that it’s pretty much what you said. When a company that makes a product puts the head of the company out in public to such a degree, the perception becomes less about the product and more about the person. Look at Tesla for example. Often when I ask about the cars I end up being told how much of a jackass Elon Musk is.  The Tesla stock rises and falls on his actions, not the product. It’s not sustainable long term.
 

I understand why Tommy feels he needs to be front and center but, in my opinion, it hasn’t helped the product. I will never understand why the CEO of a multi million dollar company comes into this message board to exchange personal attacks with random forum users about other random forum users or YouTube people.  I don’t think someone in his position should engage at this level with negativity. Being a cheerleader is fine, but engaging or encouraging personal attacks, when in his position, is not. 
 

I also think Playdate is making a very different pitch. Their product is a toy, not being hyped as a game changer. For 150 you get a system plus 12 games. It’s a cute toy with an obvious gimmick. When you pull it out in public people will wanna try the crank. The games look fine and are appealing to someone who thinks the crank gimmick is neat. They also don’t go on message boards and engage with detractors. 
 

I really don’t get the Pat and Ian thing. They have been called drunks, haters (please let’s all agree to retire that word), ignorant, etc. Why? It’s a different opinion. Who cares if they are telling the truth or not? After Chameleon, VCS, etc, I think it makes sense to be skeptical of anything until it’s out. And if a YouTuber or a forum user can sink your product then how good is it really? I am someone who thinks one should let the product speak for itself.  Does Nintendo ever call forum users liars, or haters? Does Sony engage in personal attacks or encourage others to do so?
 

In my line of work I am often the very public face/advocate for the values and goals of the companies I work with. That means I see occasional positive feedback but mostly negative and mostly personal- it’s the nature of the beast- and I learned early on to devote energy to modeling the behavior and imaging you need to project. Otherwise you end up engaging in mud slinging and impacting your brand. I think it’s be wise for Tommy to do the same thing.  His response to the negative feedback should simply be something like “well, I know the finished product will change your mind and I can’t wait to get your feedback when it’s out. Thanks for being part of the conversation.”

 

 

 

4 hours ago, adam1977 said:

I agree, we definitely need a European distributor of Intellivision clothing, i'd have ordered a few things by now, but the price to ship from the US is way too high unfortunately 🙁

 

Noted!

 

 

2 hours ago, nightmonkeyii said:

Hi tommy,

just wondering, when the vip editions are released to those outside continental us, will they ship via IE’s distributors, or will we have to pay shipping and handling?

When i put my deposit down, the exchange rate wasn't good ($160AUD) which is nobody's fault. (covid collateral damage)

Shipping from the us isnt cheap (quoted $63USD to post a gameboy advance everdrive cart only) which currently is $88AUD. Obviously a amico in box will cost a lot more to post.

any chance you can throw us a bone outside the us in relation to postage?

 

Hi,

 

That would be a question for my logistics team.  You could e-mail [email protected] and see if he could find the answer.  I think I have the answer, but I don't want to say something and have it not be true or end up changing as I know money/shipping is an important thing and I wouldn't want to disappoint anyone.

 

 

2 hours ago, GrudgeQ said:

 

 

Papa Pete hits it out of the park again!!

 

 

@jerseystyle Your opinion is very valuable because you're not cheering for any of the sides. I agree with many things you said, but:

 

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They have been called drunks, haters (please let’s all agree to retire that word)

 

Just like they're calling Tommy a liar or everyone interested in the console a "50 year old white dude that sit in a podcast and say 'yes, Tommy'", I believe people have the right to call these two "haters". You can't pretend they're not launching attacks in every single video.

 

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It’s a different opinion. Who cares if they are telling the truth or not?

 

I personally hate lies in every single aspect of life and I can understand fans of a product or a political movement call out lies and false accusations. You can't pretend lies are just like any other opinion, because they're not.

 

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And if a YouTuber or a forum user can sink your product then how good is it really?

 

Most Sega, Nintendo and Sony consoles have haters. Many youtubers have totally destroyed consoles like Nintendo 64, Switch or Playstation 4. Does that mean that these products are bad, as you suggest? As you can see, the logic is pretty clear here.

 

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Does Nintendo ever call forum users liars, or haters? Does Sony engage in personal attacks or encourage others to do so?

 

Sony and Nintendo have millions of loyal customers and they're not a small company looking for investors that is also a personal project that comes from the passion of someone. That's the difference. That's why Tommy has enganged so much with the haters (not with anyone who disagrees with him, but with people who got the information wrong).

 

In the last 2 pages, Tommy said he would like to do a podcast with the youtuber MOVIE MADNESS ENTERTAINMENT including the user FireWaterFX, a guy that, just like you, is interested in the Amico and wish the company luck but doesn't plan to buy the console (in his case it's because of the price, in your case is because of the visual style of the games not being pixel art). That guy had an opinion; that's an example of a different, valid opinion not based on lies. That guy was not planning to buy the console, but he didn't understand why Pat & Ian didn't accept Tommy's offer to see the console in person.

 

As you can see, Pat & Ian have a lot of people against them not because they disagree with their style or they don't like their books, but because of the lies they spread. And not all of them are fans of the Amico.

 

I agree with you that some of the graphics are not too attractive for hardcore retro fans like us, and, as many of us have suggested Tommy personally, you have a point when you say that maybe he should ignore the haters. But I rather have a CEO posting 100 messages every day clarifying lies, however weird that sounds, that 2 famous youtubers consciously spreading lies.

 

Edited October 17, 2020 by IntelliMission

24 minutes ago, jerseystyle said:

I understand why Tommy feels he needs to be front and center but, in my opinion, it hasn’t helped the product.

I would disagree totally on this part, 99% of the people following this project are really grateful for his incredible engagement with anybody interested in the product, regardless if you are a “big” youtuber or just a random follower on this forum. I’m sure that when the product is launched he will probably be forced to focus more on the primary target groups, and most likely will have less time to engage with people in these kind of forums, but his “unorthodox” approach and the company’s philosophy in general is one of their strongest USP’s, not the other way around. 

1 hour ago, Intellivision Master said:

Tommy,

 

What are other licenses/partnerships are you considering to obtain?  What about Hanna-Babera?  Maybe we could get a Johnny Quest game on Amico.

 

I don't really feel comfortable talking about that kind of stuff.  If we end up getting the licenses, it ruins the surprise.  If we end up not getting the licenses, people are disappointed.  The only one I've said we're working on is Tron with Disney.  I don't mind talking about that one because it's so big that if we do end up getting it... it would be a fantastic surprise for everyone and if we don't get it, people would understand (cost, etc.).

Hanna-Barbera would be pretty cool.  I haven't seen much from them at all over the past 20 years.  Ever since they were absorbed into the WB catalog.  How come they aren't making animated 3D movies of things like Captain Caveman, Hong Kong Phooey, Jabberjaw, Huckleberry Hound, Speed Buggy or even a live action sci-fi comedy based around The Jetsons!

Heck... how about the Banana Splits!

Hope you're loving my checked "wife-beater"... ah.... growing up Italian in the 70's.

 

3 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

I don't really feel comfortable talking about that kind of stuff.  If we end up getting the licenses, it ruins the surprise.  If we end up not getting the licenses, people are disappointed.

Well that's okay.  I totally understand.  What about a little hint though?  Just kidding, lol.

48 minutes ago, IntelliMission said:

 

 

 

Just like they're calling Tommy a liar or everyone interested in the console a "50 year old white dude that sit in a podcast and say 'yes, Tommy'", I believe people have the right to call these two "haters". You can't pretend they're not launching attacks in every single video.

 

 

 

 

Most Sega, Nintendo and Sony consoles have haters. Many youtubers have totally destroyed consoles like Nintendo 64, Switch or Playstation 4. Does that mean that these products are bad, as you suggest? As you can see, the logic is pretty clear here.

 

 

Oh just to be clear, I think that you, or I, or anyone can engage on message boards, YouTube, etc. agree, disagree, all of that. Call out Ian and Pat as much as you want. Post opposing YouTube vids. It’s all good- I just don’t think the public face of the company should do that.

 

And to the second point you’re right people absolutely destroy products on YouTube. My point isn’t that criticism doesn’t exist, it’s that if the product is good some random youtuber with 50K subs won’t matter for the bottom line. Have any of the switch or PS4 haters actually hurt the company? I would argue no, which is why I feel Tommy shouldn’t be as focused on that. I’d rather he didn’t get “in the weeds”.  Now granted none of this has to do with the Amico as a product but I’d hate the Amico to turn into a referendum on Tommy as opposed to standing on its own. That, in my opinion, is where spokesmen have to tread carefully. And it’s hard when people make personal or unfounded attacks on you- but that’s part of what you signed up for as a public face of the product.

4 hours ago, jerseystyle said:

Well I think that it’s pretty much what you said. When a company that makes a product puts the head of the company out in public to such a degree, the perception becomes less about the product and more about the person. Look at Tesla for example. Often when I ask about the cars I end up being told how much of a jackass Elon Musk is.  The Tesla stock rises and falls on his actions, not the product. It’s not sustainable long term.

 

Hi.  I appreciate your thoughts and opinions and although I disagree with some of the things you've stated, it's great that we can have a kind and respectful dialog about some of the points you've brought up.

Pretty cool right?

 

On your first point (which I bolded above)

 

Sure it is.  It's absolutely sustainable.  Why do you think it isn't?  Bill Gates, Steve Jobs (who people still talk about even after his unfortunate death), Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffet, etc., etc. are just some of the modern CEO's who have so much passion for their products and what they do and I don't think Microsoft or Amazon will have any issues sustaining their businesses.  And it's been like that through history.  Study folks like Henry Ford, John Rockerfeller, Andrew Carnegie, etc.

I understand and recognize that you may not like or appreciate the style (I personally LOVE Elon Musk and how he's done things), but I think it would be false to say that it isn't a sustainable style to the actual business given the examples above.

 

 

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I understand why Tommy feels he needs to be front and center but, in my opinion, it hasn’t helped the product.

 

Again, I appreciate your opinion... but it doesn't mean it lines up with the facts.  This is the one point that I would disagree the most with you on and I think most folks would as well.

We are all human beings and when people can see and feel the passion from the person at the top, I believe it makes them feel better about the product overall and that they know the right decisions are going to be made for the right reasons.  Not financial... but for the love and passion of the project.  ESPECIALLY when said product is completely brand new to the market and the general population doesn't know what it even is.

I fully recognize that my methods are not the norm.  And that's why so many people have been drawn to what we're doing.  Because we are so transparent, because we do answer EVERY question, because we tell people how we feel and why we feel the way we do.  You may personally disapprove of this method and I can understand that.  But hopefully you can understand and recognize that something you feel and think may not be the same as the majority.  And there's nothing wrong with that either.  But to declare that it hasn't helped the product is just factually incorrect.

 

 

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I will never understand why the CEO of a multi million dollar company comes into this message board to exchange personal attacks with random forum users about other random forum users or YouTube people.  I don’t think someone in his position should engage at this level with negativity. Being a cheerleader is fine, but engaging or encouraging personal attacks, when in his position, is not. 

First, I don't exchange personal attacks unless someone has brutally and disrespectfully attacked me.  It's not the other way around.  Take this exchange as an example.  It would be very easy for me to ignore you, or tell you to screw off and you just don't understand.  But instead, I'm having a respectful back and forth dialog.  So lets make sure we keep it honest and say that yes... I will punch back (usually in a humorous way) at the expense of others.  But only after those folks have shown complete disrespect to me or others here.  And sometimes (because it's written words) I'll make mistakes or misunderstand folks intentions.  I'm human.

And that really brings me to my next point.   You should separate the man/human from the CEO.  I'm here as a fan of Intellivision.  Always read these message boards long before I became CEO of Intellivision.  I think my passion for retro gaming is pretty well documented at this point.  You don't see me using the Intellivision social media pages to attack people.  I have personal pages for which I have every right to express my personal opinions.  I'm not a suit, I'm not a typical corporate CEO and I'm the creator of the product (along with the amazing team of folks around me).  If you don't like my style and attitude... again... I totally get it.  When you put yourself in the public eye you're always going to rub people the wrong way.  Some people will love you for it... and others will hate you for it.  I was on a worldwide syndicated TV show about video games for over 12 years giving my honest opinions about video games in a very brash and unfiltered manner... I think I probably know a thing or two about backlash and have dealt with this kind of stuff a few times before.  

At the end of the day... do more people enjoy and appreciate it... or do more people dislike it?  I think the numbers and positive vs. negative videos/comments/people, etc. speak volumes.  When only 1/10th of 1 percent are giving dislikes to our videos... there must be something to be said about the approach we've taken and will continue to take.

 

 

 

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I also think Playdate is making a very different pitch. Their product is a toy, not being hyped as a game changer. For 150 you get a system plus 12 games. It’s a cute toy with an obvious gimmick. When you pull it out in public people will wanna try the crank. The games look fine and are appealing to someone who thinks the crank gimmick is neat. They also don’t go on message boards and engage with detractors. 

As you mentioned, we are building something very different and for a very different audience.  And not to put down Playdate in any way, shape or form because I absolutely LOVE the product and the people making it, but a lot more people know about Amico than Playdate right now.  A lot more people are following us, creating content about us (good or bad), etc.  Neither of us have spent (I'm guessing) any advertising dollars for our products.  Yet a lot more people are excited and creating daily content about us.  I think that just goes to show that the engaging I do and the methodology has been a lot more successful in terms of getting the word out and getting people excited and supporting the product before ever spending a single dime on advertising.

 

 

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I really don’t get the Pat and Ian thing. They have been called drunks, haters (please let’s all agree to retire that word), ignorant, etc. Why? It’s a different opinion. Who cares if they are telling the truth or not?

Who cares if they are really telling the truth or not?  Really?  Did you just say that out loud?

So I'm not allowed to give my personal opinion or to try and set the record straight on misinformation... however... other people can flat out lie, give misinformation, tear us apart, try to DESTROY the entire project... and I'm not able to say anything at all?

I think we're just on two different pages here my friend.  You don't understand my line of thinking... and I clearly don't understand yours.

And that's okay... we don't need to fight or ridicule each other about it.  We can agree to disagree.

 

 

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After Chameleon, VCS, etc, I think it makes sense to be skeptical of anything until it’s out.

 

So, because a completely different product in every way shape and form, the way it was handled, the way the money was raised, the fact that they had no real team, etc.... so because of that... everyone should now feel skeptical about anything else even remotely in the same industry?  Give me a break.  Quite frankly, at this point, after everything we've done and shown... it's insulting to even try to attempt to compare us in any way to the Coleco Chameleon.  And if you're not recognizing that, then my honest opinion is that you've been drinking too much of the P&I Kool-Aid.  I'm not trying to insult you... just trying to give you another perspective that is more in line with the facts.

 

 

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And if a YouTuber or a forum user can sink your product then how good is it really?

I've said this a million times and have no problem saying it again as you may not be aware.  There is nothing those 2 could EVER say or do that would sink me or Amico.  NOTHING.  EVER! 

They have shown themselves to be very dishonest people with a chip on their shoulders which many claim to be the product of ego and jealousy.  What were your personal thoughts when Pat declared publicly to everyone that he is more famous than I am.  Insinuating that I should just shut my mouth and bow to his retro greatness.

Question:  Do you think it's okay for them to continue lying and giving out misinformation about Amico when they continue to refuse to just talk to me about it or play it for themselves? 

And before you go down the path of "But you attacked them so that's why they don't want to talk to you!"   That my friend is untrue as well.

Please check out the complete timeline and one of my many olive branches to them along the way.  This is an UNLISTED video with comments turned off as it was never my intention to "clout chase" as they say or to get hits or publicize drama.  This was for them and for anyone else interested in knowing the truth and timeline.  Please feel free to come back and give me your honest opinion about everything that was said in this video.  I know it's long, but I did want to ensure that all of the details and timeline were shown as well as my thoughts and feelings on each one.

 

Enjoy.
 

 

 

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I am someone who thinks one should let the product speak for itself.  Does Nintendo ever call forum users liars, or haters? Does Sony engage in personal attacks or encourage others to do so?

 

Um... YES!  Yes they do!  Do you follow Microsoft & Sony and all of the back and forth they do to either pick on each other or make them look weaker?  There are TONS of it and for a LOT higher stakes.  Remember the wars between Nintendo & Sega back in the day?  Those were brutal... but widely entertaining.   

 

And Nintendo just sues people. 

And let me give you a little insight on the game industry.  I know a lot of folks at the top of video game companies.  Publishers, developers, hardware, etc. and a lot of them send me e-mails or call me saying how much they love my style and wish they could do the same except for the fact that they have stockholders and a board of directors to deal with but that they live vicariously through me.   

Pretty funny actually.  

 

 

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In my line of work I am often the very public face/advocate for the values and goals of the companies I work with. That means I see occasional positive feedback but mostly negative and mostly personal- it’s the nature of the beast- and I learned early on to devote energy to modeling the behavior and imaging you need to project. Otherwise you end up engaging in mud slinging and impacting your brand. I think it’s be wise for Tommy to do the same thing.  His response to the negative feedback should simply be something like “well, I know the finished product will change your mind and I can’t wait to get your feedback when it’s out. Thanks for being part of the conversation.”

 

 

Your final comment is one for which I agree with the most!  And typically... that is my first line of approach.  But the difference is that we're dealing in an industry with a lot of immature over-the-top passionate people with a webcam and microphone whose only goal is to make money and get more clicks if they can successfully destroy us.  This has been admitted publicly on a few different occasions by a few different YouTubers (big and small).

But I would also like to ask you this.  You say you are the public face of the company you work for/with.  Very cool.  What if declared enemies of you and your product were making up LIES about you on purpose?  In hopes of destroying you and your product.  Which in turn (in this economy and pandemic) could potentially destory and effect the lives and families of our 50+ employees and hundreds (if not thousands) of our developer employees and families.  And the obsessed negative stalker folks (notice I didn't use haters! ) don't just do it once, and not every once in-awhile... but every hour of every day.  On purpose.  Just curious if your response would be "I can't wait to get your feedback when the product is out". 

I'm thinking no. 

A better approach may be to address the lies and show that those folks shouldn't be taken seriously and why it's clear what their intention is and that they continue to be incorrect about everything that comes out of their mouths because of complete bias and jealousy.

And to be frank... it's rare that I address the negativity.  Read through this thread, look at ALL the hundreds of hours of interviews I've done at this point.  Please don't make it seem like it's the focus of the attention I give.  Quite the opposite.  I'll give my thoughts on the subject when asked.  If I didn't... THEN THAT would be suspicious!!  "Why doesn't Tommy address the haters lies?  He must be hiding something?"

I continue to answer EVERY question no matter WHO asks it.  And if they are polite... I'm polite back.  If they are idiots... I'm typically polite one more time.  If they continue... then yes... they get a counter-punch typically in a humorous way.

 

In regards to the 2 ding dongs, they have said the following things...

 

No retailer would carry Amico.

No developer will ever make a game for Amico.

Amico will never be able to sell over 5,000 units.

Only 50 year old white people will buy the product.
Mobile gaming is a niche and nowhere near the numbers of console gaming (said THIS YEAR!).

No mom, kid or parent will want this system for their families.

 

And I could go on and on and on and on and on.

So yes... in a way... I do let our successes and goals speak for themselves and we're going to be successful no matter what certain negative egotistical jealous YouTubers say.

But in the meantime... and early on a Saturday morning... I have every right to discuss it if people are so inclined to talk about it.

 

Feel free to continue the conversation with me.  Isn't it cool that a CEO is willing to take the time to respond?

 

 

1 hour ago, theswede said:

I would disagree totally on this part, 99% of the people following this project are really grateful for his incredible engagement with anybody interested in the product, regardless if you are a “big” youtuber or just a random follower on this forum. I’m sure that when the product is launched he will probably be forced to focus more on the primary target groups, and most likely will have less time to engage with people in these kind of forums, but his “unorthodox” approach and the company’s philosophy in general is one of their strongest USP’s, not the other way around. 

Correct on all fronts.

 

 

1 hour ago, Intellivision Master said:

Well that's okay.  I totally understand.  What about a little hint though?  Just kidding, lol.

 

No worries!  That's fun!  Here's a hint for 2 different ones.

 

 

Sports

Cards

 

 

 

 

 

23 minutes ago, jerseystyle said:

Oh just to be clear, I think that you, or I, or anyone can engage on message boards, YouTube, etc. agree, disagree, all of that. Call out Ian and Pat as much as you want. Post opposing YouTube vids. It’s all good- I just don’t think the public face of the company should do that.

 

I respect your opinion about that.  I just disagree with it.  No worries.  All good.  I'm not going to tell you that you are wrong for feeling that way.  But I will tell you that I feel it has done a LOT more good than you are giving it credit for.

 

 

23 minutes ago, jerseystyle said:

 

And to the second point you’re right people absolutely destroy products on YouTube. My point isn’t that criticism doesn’t exist, it’s that if the product is good some random youtuber with 50K subs won’t matter for the bottom line. Have any of the switch or PS4 haters actually hurt the company? I would argue no, which is why I feel Tommy shouldn’t be as focused on that. I’d rather he didn’t get “in the weeds”.  

 

I agree 100% with this thought.  I'm really not focused on this stuff as much as you are thinking.  I'd say when it comes to PR type stuff.  I spend 95% of it talking about the product... and in the times the negative stuff comes up.  I'll address it head on.  And yeah... I'll leave a comment or two on a few hater videos knowing that I just triggered them to create more content about us for the next few months.  They aren't bright enough to understand that I'm using them.  They fall into the trap so easily... kinda funny.  

The other thing to recognize that I feel is important to the discussion is that you'll also never hear any of this come up in more mainstream or non-gaming interviews.  Never.  Why?  Because aside from people not caring... I don't care as well.  The fact that a handful of obsessed folks hate us so much is a HUGE positive for the overall outcome.  It means that we are pushing buttons and people are interested.  It's easy to understand that the "real" reason people hate us and want us to fail is that deep down (and they'll never admit this) we are doing something that they only wish their own personal gaming systems were doing... but aren't. 

Now see... look there.  My last line just triggered 4 or 5 new videos and memes. 

 

 

 

23 minutes ago, jerseystyle said:

Now granted none of this has to do with the Amico as a product but I’d hate the Amico to turn into a referendum on Tommy as opposed to standing on its own. That, in my opinion, is where spokesmen have to tread carefully. And it’s hard when people make personal or unfounded attacks on you- but that’s part of what you signed up for as a public face of the product.

 

Absolutely!!  I really believe we do agree on a lot of things.  The only difference of opinion I think is that by diving in the weeds it's not having a positive effect.

I understand I rub people the wrong way... but people will tell you that its one of the things people appreciate.  No bull, raw, heart on the sleeve, passion who is not going to back down to anyone.

 

Some folks don't like that... others do.  I've found in my career that the majority do appreciate it when I act like myself instead of putting on a corporate facade.

 

All good my friend.  I once again appreciate the discussion and I hope there are no hard feelings.  We can disagree on a few issues and still be friendly and respectful.  I hope I haven't crossed that line in any way with any of my responses.  Not my intention, but sometimes taken that way as we're not having a face to face discussion.

 

Thanks!  Appreciate your honesty and suggestions. 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, jerseystyle said:

Well I think that it’s pretty much what you said. When a company that makes a product puts the head of the company out in public to such a degree, the perception becomes less about the product and more about the person. Look at Tesla for example. Often when I ask about the cars I end up being told how much of a jackass Elon Musk is.  The Tesla stock rises and falls on his actions, not the product. It’s not sustainable long term.
 

I understand why Tommy feels he needs to be front and center but, in my opinion, it hasn’t helped the product. I will never understand why the CEO of a multi million dollar company comes into this message board to exchange personal attacks with random forum users about other random forum users or YouTube people.  I don’t think someone in his position should engage at this level with negativity. Being a cheerleader is fine, but engaging or encouraging personal attacks, when in his position, is not. 
 

I also think Playdate is making a very different pitch. Their product is a toy, not being hyped as a game changer. For 150 you get a system plus 12 games. It’s a cute toy with an obvious gimmick. When you pull it out in public people will wanna try the crank. The games look fine and are appealing to someone who thinks the crank gimmick is neat. They also don’t go on message boards and engage with detractors. 
 

I really don’t get the Pat and Ian thing. They have been called drunks, haters (please let’s all agree to retire that word), ignorant, etc. Why? It’s a different opinion. Who cares if they are telling the truth or not? After Chameleon, VCS, etc, I think it makes sense to be skeptical of anything until it’s out. And if a YouTuber or a forum user can sink your product then how good is it really? I am someone who thinks one should let the product speak for itself.  Does Nintendo ever call forum users liars, or haters? Does Sony engage in personal attacks or encourage others to do so?
 

In my line of work I am often the very public face/advocate for the values and goals of the companies I work with. That means I see occasional positive feedback but mostly negative and mostly personal- it’s the nature of the beast- and I learned early on to devote energy to modeling the behavior and imaging you need to project. Otherwise you end up engaging in mud slinging and impacting your brand. I think it’s be wise for Tommy to do the same thing.  His response to the negative feedback should simply be something like “well, I know the finished product will change your mind and I can’t wait to get your feedback when it’s out. Thanks for being part of the conversation.”

 

 

 

Lots to say regarding my opinion on this one, but time is short
 

Paragraph 1 - agree with most of this one

 

Paragraph 2 - strongly disagree with opinion that Tommy has not helped Amico. Its still 1/2 a year away form its initial launch, and its not a follow up product that people already know about. I believe much of the current awareness is solely attributed to Tommy; and remember, true advertising has not yet started.  Tommy also has the right to address miss information and defend him self (and the product). yea, he's a CEO, but he is also a passionate person working on a a product launch of a product he is passionate about. Amico is now soon to come into the main publics eye and think the handling to date, given where things are at, are not inappropriate. Last thing to say is that Tommy’s time here is for those excited and following the product.  I’m sure P&I would love it if they were able to influence Tommy’s time spent here with us. 

 

Paragraph 3 - has the playdate attracted a set of people who are obsessed with trashing that product? You don't want me to call them haters - does Trashers work for you? Not sure if the Playdate has or hasn't, as I do not waste time stalking a product I don't have an interest in. 

 

Paragraph 4- its not their opinion of the product or skepticism! Why do people not get that?  It’s that they are spreading disinformation and are actively looking to undermine the efforts of IE, the team and the mission (for the benefit their click count BTW). Would you prefer IE work this through court?  The product is not yet out for it to speak for itself, but the team and their passion, the details released to date, and videos, and interviews, etc do speak for it. P&I are bullies and facts are simply facts,  and people need to apply some self perspective and critical thinking. When did alternate facts and boasted opinions represented as facts become equal footing to real facts?  You may like some one and even the narrative, but at the end of the day there is reality and there is fiction, and if you truly like those spinning fiction as facts, maybe you should call them out on it to prevent them from making fools of themselves.  Bullies and their actions need to be addressed - take it from someone who was raised by by one. - I could write a book...

 

Paragraph 5 - Amico is not yet in the public eye and we are kind of still in the sandbox stage.  I’m sure once The Amico train pulls out of the station, Tommy will be focused appropriately on the different phase of of the product life cycle. 
 

21 minutes ago, Starpaddler said:

Lots to say regarding my opinion on this one, but time is short
 

Paragraph 1 - agree with most of this one

 

Paragraph 2 - strongly disagree with opinion that Tommy has not helped Amico. Its still 1/2 a year away form its initial launch, and its not a follow up product that people already know about. I believe much of the current awareness is solely attributed to Tommy; and remember, true advertising has not yet started.  Tommy also has the right to address miss information and defend him self (and the product). yea, he's a CEO, but he is also a passionate person working on a a product launch of a product he is passionate about. Amico is now soon to come into the main publics eye and think the handling to date, given where things are at, are not inappropriate. Last thing to say is that Tommy’s time here is for those excited and following the product.  I’m sure P&I would love it if they were able to influence Tommy’s time spent here with us. 

 

Paragraph 3 - has the playdate attracted a set of people who are obsessed with trashing that product? You don't want me to call them haters - does Trashers work for you? Not sure if the Playdate has or hasn't, as I do not waste time stalking a product I don't have an interest in. 

 

Paragraph 4- its not their opinion of the product or skepticism! Why do people not get that?  It’s that they are spreading disinformation and are actively looking to undermine the efforts of IE, the team and the mission (for the benefit their click count BTW). Would you prefer IE work this through court?  The product is not yet out for it to speak for itself, but the team and their passion, the details released to date, and videos, and interviews, etc do speak for it. P&I are bullies and facts are simply facts,  and people need to apply some self perspective and critical thinking. When did alternate facts and boasted opinions represented as facts become equal footing to real facts?  You may like some one and even the narrative, but at the end of the day there is reality and there is fiction, and if you truly like those spinning fiction as facts, maybe you should call them out on it to prevent them from making fools of themselves.  Bullies and their actions need to be addressed - take it from someone who was raised by by one. - I could write a book...

 

Paragraph 5 - Amico is not yet in the public eye and we are kind of still in the sandbox stage.  I’m sure once The Amico train pulls out of the station, Tommy will be focused appropriately on the different phase of of the product life cycle. 
 

 
Great post.  I agree 100% with everything said.  Especially the last line.

 

In the future I won't have the time to be here as often as I would like.  But I do enjoy the awesome discussions and passions on both sides.

The scariest thing for me would be if no one cared or no one talked about it!  If this thread had less than 100 responses over a year and a half... then yeah... the idea and product may be in jeopardy.  Especially in an Intellivision forum!

I'm not sure of another subject matter on AtariAge (and I could be completely wrong on this so please feel free to correct me) that has so many responses and views in such a short amount of time (19 months).  The train has not started to slow at all.  Seems to be growing.  I would tend to believe that is a good sign.  Wait til the rest of the world and general public start to hear about it.  Word of mouth is very powerful.  It's what turned the Wii from (OMG! NINTENDO HAS LOST THEIR MINDS!) to the #3 greatest selling console of all time (at the time of release).

 

From where I sit... I'm liking our chances so far.

 

Thanks for the discussion everybody.  Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

 

 

Speaking about the Playdate, there's still no date to play with it. No release date, I mean. They were supposed to ship "somewhere in 2020", but a few days ago they said that they will give "an update with information later in the year" instead.

 

It almost looks like the virus has affected them, huh? But again, none of these people are going to attack Panic for it when the technology used is clearly much more simple than the one used in the Amico.

 

I still like it and wish Panic the best of lucks. A brand new console full of new, pixel art games will be refreshing.

Edited October 17, 2020 by IntelliMission

29 minutes ago, Tommy Tallarico said:

 

 

 

 

Absolutely!!  I really believe we do agree on a lot of things.  The only difference of opinion I think is that by diving in the weeds it's not having a positive effect.

I understand I rub people the wrong way... but people will tell you that its one of the things people appreciate.  No bull, raw, heart on the sleeve, passion who is not going to back down to anyone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to write out those responses. I appreciate that and will watch the video you linked- I’m in a quarantine hotel right now so have lots of time, haha.

 

I understand your perspective and I feel like it comes down to a difference of opinion and I am fine with being in the opposite side of most AAgers. I also did not mean any disrespect at all to the Amico as a product, I was just speaking about how the past few years have led to a veneer of skepticism- I wasn’t comparing Amico to Chameleon but rereading my post I totally see how it came across and I apologize for that.

 

I will say this, though- let’s call a spade a spade here. You are a very successful person, who built a legacy in our industry even before your work with Amico. I used to look forward to your show on GTV back in the day so am very aware of your career. Even though I like to think I’ve had a pretty good run in my field, you’re far more successful then me, and probably most of the people on this board and for sure almost all (If not all) of the YouTube folks. So it feels to me sometimes like engaging with these guys is like punching down. But I can see how, given your position and your goals with the Amico, why you believe these responses help build the brand.
 

Again I appreciate the response. I’m a fan of everything being successful- I’d love it if Amico, VCS, Playdate, PS5, Switch, etc all made tons of money. More eyes and money on the industry is better for everyone. More products meeting more needs is a positive. I remember as a kid walking into Toys R Us and seeing 2600, 5200, Intellivision, Coleco, PC,  stand alones, LED games... it would be great if the industry could support multiple types of product long term again. So I wish you and your team all the luck in the world.

Tommy,

 

Where do things stand at this moment with the production of the Amico? The Covid delay pushed things out to April. Short of another worldwide shutdown, is there anything that might throw the schedule off or did pushing it out to April allow for all sorts of wiggle room if something unexpected happened?

 

I remember not that long ago the issues where finding spots to stress test, getting enough people at once in the CA office, overseas production constraints because of all the companies needing those resources, etc... all due to Covid. 

 

So I was just wondering if you’re having to watch for anything specific at this point (not counting another shutdown) that would make you nervous about staying on track.

Edited October 17, 2020 by Jake67

I feel like I'm the last person left in this forum who have no idea who Pat and Ian are. I'm totally fine living in ignorance.

4 hours ago, jerseystyle said:

They have been called drunks, haters (please let’s all agree to retire that word), ignorant, etc. Why?

Sorry, one last thing^tm, skeptics and people with critiques are not (at least by my standards) considered haters.  
Haters (by my definition) are those that make up facts, obsess on following and trashing something they are “not interested” in, yelling at every roof top and investing considerable time and effort in dispensing lies to anyone willing to listen in order to try and sway (influence) peoples’ opinions. If you wish to retire the Hater moniker, what term would YOU like used in stead; cause if the term fits, it fits. 

21 minutes ago, vongruetz said:

I feel like I'm the last person left in this forum who have no idea who Pat and Ian are. I'm totally fine living in ignorance.

I’m not that far off from you I never really followed any video game news until Intellivision announced Tommy as CEO and they announced a new console was coming.  I had given up on modern gaming after PS3 because I didn’t enjoy the type of games you could get for the most part I missed Easy to understand hard to master games I could play with others.  I got so excited about Intellivision retuning that I watched every video released about the Intellivision Amico at first so I saw a couple Pat & Ian vises then but since their fake apology video haven’t clicked on a single video because I don’t like the way they act so I refuse to support them with clicks.  
 

I got burned out on all the hate after a while and stepped back from the whole Amico thing to recharge for a little while but I am glad to be back because being part of this experience with Amico has been amazing.  I’ve always been a huge Intellivision fan it’s the first gaming system my family had and it’s the one we played together the most in my mind.  What has been so great for little though is that thanks to Tommy’s passion and his openness it really makes me feel like I’m part of Intellivision and I wouldn’t trade the experience and people I have met through this experience for anything