The First Rise & Fall of the Escapist: Founder Alex Macris

CultureScape with Peter Pischke

Do you know the story of the first time the Escapist Imploded, back in 2014? What if I told you that the Escapist, one of the most influential gaming websites and YouTube channels of all time, was founded by a visionary entrepreneur who was later ousted from his own company for defending Gamergate? And what if I told you that he was also the one who discovered Yahtzee Crowshaw, the creator of Zero Punctuation, and pioneered the modern gaming YouTube format? In this exclusive interview, Peter Pischke of CultureScape sits down with Alex Macris, the founder and former CEO of the Escapist, to reveal the untold story of how he built a gaming empire and lost it all for Gamergate. You'll learn: - How Alex Macris started the Escapist as a PDF magazine in 2005 and turned it into a multimillion-dollar media company - How he found and hired Yahtzee Crowshaw, the British comedian and critic who revolutionized video game reviews with his fast-talking, animated series Zero Punctuation - How he developed the Escapist's YouTube channel and introduced innovative shows like Extra Credits, Jimquisition, and MovieBob - How he faced backlash from the gaming industry and the media for supporting Gamergate, a consumer revolt against unethical journalism and censorship in video games - How he was forced to resign from the Escapist in 2015 and what he's been doing since then This is a rare and candid conversation with one of the most influential and controversial figures in gaming history. You don't want to miss this! Alex's Social Media: https://twitter.com/archon?lang=en His Tabletop project: https://autarch.co/ Our Social Media: CultureScape Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4tYyrhAZLbSn4AOAG4nQr1 Twitter: https://twitter.com/HappyWarriorP --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Produced with the assistance of Baen Books & Young Voices. Music by FAAS Sounds, Song: Best Time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFB6-... Art by Peter Pischke; help from the helpful YOUTUBE crew. Video Editing by Chris Holowicki t: https://t.co/QUmAfUohFQ Interviews were scheduled with the help of Sean Korsgaard.