An open letter to Tim Buckley

Dear Absath,


That's the name you used to go by, remember? Of course, that was back when we first met, back when you were an actual gamer. That was back when CAD was still fun, that was back when gaming, apparently, meant something to you. You rallied us for Wintereenmas. You made us proud of being gamers. You made us feel we belonged.


CAD's changed, but that's not my problem with you. It's (d)evolved from a gaming webcomic to a webcomic about games. For good or for bad, that's not for me to decide. Personally, I used to check your site on a daily basis, without fail. Nowadays, I check it once a week, maybe. I still read CAD. I'm not enjoying it anymore, but, nonetheless, I read on. I'd just as easily stop, to be frank. But that Ethan, that Lucas, that Lilah, that Zeke, that Scott and that pet penguin deserve at least a token read. For old time's sake, if not for anything else.


Again, this is not my problem with you. At least not at the moment, that is.


My issue's been festering for a while, but only now did that zit break open and the pus of discontent flowed loose. My issue lies with those little texts you post, every once in a while, below the aforementioned webcomics. The ones that make you sound like an arrogant prick, holier-than-thou spiel oozing out of every word, condemning games as if you're the world authority on games? You know the ones. 


Every once in a while, you will post something worth reading. You will introduce a new game. You will back up, intelligently, your opinion, regardless of my agreeing with it or not. It'd be a pretty boring world if we all agreed on everything, after all. But, most of the time? You will stand upon your perceived pedestal, and preach. And the trouble with preaching, the real trouble with preaching, is those that cannot make their own minds up, or the ones who don't speak the bullshit language, will listen. And, unfortunately, your almost Torquemada-like polemics do affect sales, even slightly. So, in dissing a game to sound big and clever (DNF is a notable example of this), you're not helping gaming. You're not helping gaming get better either, because all you do is focus on what you feel is bad, completely forgoing what is, or might be to other people, good. No. What you're doing, Tim, is helping no one else but your ego.


 You're not reviewing when you do that, Tim. You're opinionizing. And you're not good at it. When you were a gamer, we listened. You rallied us against argumentative assholes, against know-it-alls, against stupid corporate policies. And we rallied. 


Now? Now you're just a self-proclaimed authority, an Ouroboros feeding on his ego, and you're on your own. Keep your readers. We'd rather be the gamers instead. Or, to put it another way:

Succinct enough? 

Bye, Tim.

-Korn

P.S: This has been sent to you on your e-mail address.   Although, most probably, you'll ignore it.