Welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight! I, @zombiepie, am once again honored to be your host as we look back at the best community creations and site-related news from the previous week!
It's weird to say this, but this week marks the 15th anniversary of the Giant Bomb Persona 4 Endurance Run! It is undoutedly one of the most important, foundational video series in the site's history. Feel free to chime in about still naming your video game protagonists "Charlie Tunoku" or watching the series a second or third time? Do you have a favorite moment? The "I looooove them balls" moment still gets me to this day!
First and foremost, let's give @pugtato a HUGE "THANK YOU" for shelling out the cash to get Brian Cox to record their now legendary Cameo for Mike Miquanchi. It's simply incredibly seeing what all of you goofballs are willing to do to show your love for this website.
Hopefully everyone enjoyed the latest travelogue entitled Catch Me if You Dan, but there were some people asking about the impromptu reaction stream that Jan organized where other staffers watched Dan's travel video for the first time. While this promotional stream will not be formally archived on the site or YouTube, you can still catch it on the Giant Bomb twitch account.
Additionally, @jearum, a frequent creator of Giant Bomb related art, has updated their ko-fi account! If you want a blast from the past and are interested in seeing how long they have been making Giant bomb fan art, give it a gander. Also, if their art has ever brought a smile to your face consider sending them a donation.
Finally, with BlueSky now open to EVERYONE and not just to those that are able to snag an invite, here's a friendly reminder of how to follow the Giant Bomb staff and myself on the platform. I cannot guarantee that any of these will be people's preferred social media platform, but these are the staff accounts on BlueSky that I have been able to confirm are real. Also, if you find the Giant Bomb staff active on a different social media platform, drop a comment over here so I can update the list.
Tweets
Mike Miquanchi got a letter...https://t.co/D4yO2z7620https://t.co/wsr66cCntn pic.twitter.com/Sk6XtEF00i
— World’s Famous Giant Bomb (@giantbomb) February 7, 2024
— Dan Ryckert (@DanRyckert) February 9, 2024
15 years ago,
— Brad Lynch (@MarinoV1) February 9, 2024
On a cold dark night,
A news reporter was killed...
So we jumped into a television for a 155-day test of endurance. pic.twitter.com/XoGdDUFDnX
He was born for this.
— 🏳️⚧️ Creaky Legs 🏳️🌈 (@CreakyLegs) February 8, 2024
(Extended Audio Only below) pic.twitter.com/rxjhIbXAXB
This is the kind of prestige television we all need. @giantbomb @Tolkoto @JeffGrubb @DanRyckert @GBDudersFeed pic.twitter.com/GfhAMKPWJ5
— Pickle Giraffe (@Pickle_Giraffe) February 8, 2024
Dan Dan Dan Dan Dan
— "It is I, Jearum!" 🇵🇭 (@jea_rum) February 5, 2024
Dan Dan Dan
Dan Dan Dan Dan Dan
Dan-Da-Dan!
(eta 2025?) pic.twitter.com/ddAYFC5qIL
Galleria
Where In The World Is Carmen Dandiego +
Giant Bomb's Blight Club: The Tortured Gamers Department (By: @kone)
With Dan traveling the world for everyone's entertainment, artist Kone played around with Photoshop to combine him with everyone's favorite continent explorer, Carmen Sandiego!
Likewise, if Blight Club ever decided to get into music-making, Kone has an album cover they could use that really captures the spirit of the series.
Blight Club NOW WITH MIQUANCHI (By: @jearum)
jearum is back with an updated version of their Blight Club x Super Friends image now with Miquanchi now joining the team!
Wild, Pure, Simple Life. (By: @theMaximumYeti)
This week marked the stunning conclusion to the site's coverage of Tail of the Sun! In honor of that, theMaximumYeti decided to imagine all of the staff in the series as characters from the game!
A Call For A New Mitch Meme!(By: @KinguAmoz, @LoungerLoun1, and @JupiterJazz92)
Last week, I put out a call to make meme art based on Mike pointing to the camera while wearing his Quan Chi makeup! Many thanks to KinguAmoz, LoungerLoun1, and JupiterJazz92 for responding to the call with these wonderful works!
Giant Bomb Jeff Grubb GIF + Giant Bomb Jeff Grubb GIF (By: @unusedcow)
Over on the Discord, UnusedCow decided to have FUN making an animated gif of Jeff Grubb that is bound to HAUNT YOUR DREAMS! They also made a Batt Grubb variant!
Also, consider joining the Discord to catch community-created goodies like this when they drop!
Activities
The GB Album Club 051 - Guns by Quelle Chris (By: @unclejam23)
The latest edition of the Giant Bomb Album of the Week club is for Guns by Quelle Chris! Have any of you given this album or any of their other works a listen? Click the link above to join the fun!
Turnip Boy Robs A Bank Is The 3Rd Game Of UUGPGC Year 3! Finish By February 12. Mark Spoilers! +
Unsanctioned Unofficial Game Pass Game Club Voting Thread For Cycle Starting February 12 2024 (By: @bigsocrates)
The community-run Game Pass Game Club has selected Turnip Boy Robs a Bank by Snoozy Kazoo as its latest pick! Have you checked out either of the Turnip Boy games? Click the link to join the discussion and fun!
Additionally, if you are reading this over the weekend, then there is still time for you to send bigsocrates your vote for the next edition of the Game Pass Game Club! There are some incredibly interesting candidates to vote for like Rollerdrome and Brotato!
Blogs
Night School: Persona 3 Reload Review in Progress Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 (By: @infantpipoc)
infantpipoc is starting a new blog series wherein they play Persona 3 Reload in five hour chunks and then report on their progress and thoughts about the changes it made from the original. Check out episodes #1 & #2 NOW!
Mega Archive: Part XXXVIII: From The Addams Family to Shining Force II +
Indie Game of the Week 356: Suzy Cube (By: @mento)
Aero the Acro-Bat, Snake Rattle 'n Roll, Boxing Legends of the Ring, Haunting Starring Polterguy, Shining Force II and MORE headline the latest "Mega Archive" post by moderator Mento.
Mento is also back with another edition of their "Indie Game of the Week" and this time they played Suzy Cube! What's it like playing an indie 3D platformer under the backdrop of AAA representatives of the genre? Read their blog to find out!
Units: An Analysis of Pikmin 3 (By: @gamer_152)
Continuing their retrospective on the Pikmin series, moderator Gamer_152 tackles Pikmin 3 and assesses its many Wii U trappings as well as the attempt to translate it to the Switch.
Discussion Threads
Today Marks the 15th Anniversary Of The Giant Bomb Persona 4 Endurance Run (By: @zombiepie)
February 9th marked the 15th anniversary of the Giant Bomb Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 Endurance Run! How did you first come into contact with the feature? What are your favorite moments? Are you still naming characters "Charlie Tunoku?"
Next Fest Demo Recommendations (By: @manburger)
A new edition of Steam Next Fest has started! Have you found any gems or buried treasures? Join the community discussion and share which games you strongly recommend other people check out before the event ends!
Skull & Bones Beta Discussion Thread (By: @spacemanspiff00)
The Skull & Bones beta has started and many are already talking about their thoughts on the forums! Have you tried the beta? Are things looking good? Does it seem like it offers any improvements to the Ubisoft formula?
Stephen Totilo Reports That Toys For Bob Might Be Closing As Part Of Microsoft/Activision Layoffs (By: @bigsocrates)
The reporting on Toys for Bob has changed, but what are your thoughts about the studio losing 80+ positions and going all-remote? Also, is putting the studio on Call of Duty support a waste of its talents?
IGN's Staff Move Forward With Effort To Unionize (By: @zombiepie)
IGN's staff are moving forward with unionization. Join the rest of the community in celebrating this courageous step and stand in solidarity with workers collectively fighting for appropriate wages and working conditions.
Funimation Streaming Is Being Rolled Into Crunchyroll, But Digital Purchases Are Not Going With It (By: @bigsocrates)
Funimation is being rolled into Crunchyroll, but digital purchases on Funimation are being deleted. Is this business direction a lawsuit waiting to happen? Join the community discussion and share if you are impacted,
EVO 2024 Roster Revealed; 3rd Strike On The Main Roster To Honor 20th Anniversary Of The Greatest Evo Moment Ever (By: @zombiepie)
Is everyone ready for the GLORIOUS RETURN of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike to the EVO Championship Series? Where do you stand with some saying there were game "snubs" like Dragon Ball FighterZ or Melty Blood: Type Lumina to the main event games selected?
Microsoft Is Reportedly Going To Put A Bunch Of "Exclusives" Out On PS5. Is MS Inevitably Going Third Party? (By: @bigsocrates)
The internet is buzzing about the possibility of Microsoft Corporation putting a bunch of "exclusives" out on PS5. Do you buy these rumors? If it happens, do you think it will signal Microsoft becoming a third-party publisher?
Lists
Most Infuriating Foes I've Ever Fought (By: @captainofthestars)
captainofthestars decided to have some fun with their latest list on the site by annotating what they consider the "Most Infuriating Foes I've Ever Fought!" Whether it be old or new foes, they have a fun spread of gaming baddies!
User Reviews
@doomocrat's Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth review declares the game a joy to play but one that misses the mark in entering the halls of greatness in the series. Read all about what their issues were while also reading about why they loved the cast.
@sbc515's The Last of Us Part II review shares why the game from top to bottom does not work for them. Neither the games characters nor its moody environments did anything for them.
Wiki Page Of The Week
I know... I have picked this wiki page before, but the 15th anniversary of the Persona 4 Endurance Run is important and there's no better page to mark this anniversary other than the AMAZING wiki page for the original game. Though edited several times since the series ended, this page speaks to the massive volume of quality work done on the wiki during the early phases of the site.