Intellivision Amico’s trademark changed to ‘abandoned’

[MrBeefy]

17 hours ago, Wayler said:

So he's using the Amico business model on this as well:

-Steal assets

-Use old tech

-Inflate prices

 

I'm surprised it doesn't include 6 preinstalled games. 

PREMIUM GAMES.

 

Also they didn't steal assets, they just borrowed them without permission and altered them.

16 hours ago, Matt_B said:

He's certainly pricing it as though it's the Ark of the Covenant. 😀

 

I'm wondering whether he really wants to sell it, is clueless about its value, or thinks this particular unit's provenance makes it worth more? Possibly it's a combination of all three.

If you look at his other stuff he has there much of it seems inflated. Wonder if it's a way to try and show its valuable.

5 minutes ago, jerseystyle said:

Man if smugness had an avatar…

 

Although that isn’t fair. He was greasy but he never stole money from disadvantaged folks.

They had basically the same trajectory. The big difference was money. Otherwise it was about shell colors and appealing to older gamers to throw away money.

 

If Kennedy got the same amount of money it would have been similar. Tommy and him were/are friends, and it looks like they learned some of the things to avoid. Like showing an open Amico shell.

 

This probably would have burned out as quickly if they didn't rely on crowdfunding and non-games to keep doors open. Remove that and they were basically dead in 2020.

[SteveTheColecoDude]

Tommy defended Mike Kennedy saying that he didn't mean to scam anybody, the project just got too big for him. Maybe that was him trying to plant the seed of that idea to get people to think the same way towards him and Intellivision.

[jerseystyle]

24 minutes ago, SteveTheColecoDude said:

Tommy defended Mike Kennedy saying that he didn't mean to scam anybody, the project just got too big for him. Maybe that was him trying to plant the seed of that idea to get people to think the same way towards him and Intellivision.

I wonder if Kennedy would’ve stolen money… hard to say where he would’ve drawn the line. I feel though that with Kennedy it was more about ego than money. 

[Matt_B]

Mike Kennedy gets let off the hook by a lot of people for the simple fact that the fakery was exposed before he got any money.

 

Things could only have gone extremely badly if he had though and the Amico pretty much spells out why. These things only work when managed by people with detailed technical knowledge and a very tight grasp on the purse strings. Ego trippers are just going to squander the money and produce nothing.

[MrBeefy]

48 minutes ago, SteveTheColecoDude said:

Tommy defended Mike Kennedy saying that he didn't mean to scam anybody, the project just got too big for him. Maybe that was him trying to plant the seed of that idea to get people to think the same way towards him and Intellivision.

Possibly. It is pretty obvious now that Tommy knew things were bad and lied about it.

 

The whole it isn't crowdfunding BS during them giving out loans and such.

9 minutes ago, Matt_B said:

Mike Kennedy gets let off the hook by a lot of people for the simple fact that the fakery was exposed before he got any money.

 

Things could only have gone extremely badly if he had though and the Amico pretty much spells out why. These things only work when managed by people with detailed technical knowledge and a very tight grasp on the purse strings. Ego trippers are just going to squander the money and produce nothing.

Amico is Chameleon on steroids. Put Tommy in Kennedy's shoes. What type of dumb excuse would he have said then when caught with fake hardware? 

[roots.genoa]

6 hours ago, MrBeefy said:

Amico is Chameleon on steroids. Put Tommy in Kennedy's shoes. What type of dumb excuse would he have said then when caught with fake hardware?

It was done on purpose to troll the haters™️!

[MrBeefy]

2 hours ago, roots.genoa said:

It was done on purpose to troll the haters™️!

I was thinking a claim that it was a WORK IN PROGRESS, and how dare people not read that it isn't the final product.

 

Throw in an insult of people being obsessed and mentally unstable for finding the video card in the case. Claim that it means they are doing something right if the haters are watching. Then throw out a line saying the data shows that non-gaming moms are okay with video cards because they are in to teraflops.

[Steven Pendleton]

8 hours ago, MrBeefy said:

The whole it isn't crowdfunding BS during them giving out loans and such.

At this point, it is quite clear that they really should have done an actual crowdfunding thing on Kickstarter to attempt to get the capital to make the systems. People don't like Kickstarter for various reasons, including successful Kickstarter campaigns for things that end up never materializing despite the success of the crowdfunding and the project creators simply vanishing with the money, so I understand why they tried to convince people that it wasn't crowdfunding, but trying to make a thing when you don't have the capital to make said thing is... an unusual business strategy.

 

In the event of an unsuccessful Kickstarter, either give up or try again later, although I believe there is another crowdfunding thingy out there that lets the project creator keep the money even if the campaign doesn't reach its goal.

[MrBeefy]

3 minutes ago, Steven Pendleton said:

At this point, it is quite clear that they really should have done an actual crowdfunding thing on Kickstarter to attempt to get the capital to make the systems. People don't like Kickstarter for various reasons, including successful Kickstarter campaigns for things that end up never materializing despite the success of the crowdfunding and the project creators simply vanishing with the money, so I understand why they tried to convince people that it wasn't crowdfunding, but trying to make a thing when you don't have the capital to make said thing is... an unusual business strategy.

 

In the event of an unsuccessful Kickstarter, either give up or try again later, although I believe there is another crowdfunding thingy out there that lets the project creator keep the money even if the campaign doesn't reach its goal.

They did do an actual crowdfunding thing multiple times. Being on Kickstarter would have been the exact same result. The investor pulling out was a sign they were done. That's when they basically started to ask for money while acting like they were further along and there was a chance it would come out.

 

They were alledgedly looking at doing KS instead of StartEngine for their last push. They had enough money to crap out a basic android board. They either didn't want to or were really that innept. The crowdfunding platform makes no difference when you have 600 years of ignorance running the project.

[Steven Pendleton]

6 minutes ago, MrBeefy said:

They did do an actual crowdfunding thing multiple times. Being on Kickstarter would have been the exact same result. The investor pulling out was a sign they were done. That's when they basically started to ask for money while acting like they were further along and there was a chance it would come out.

 

They were alledgedly looking at doing KS instead of StartEngine for their last push. They had enough money to crap out a basic android board. They either didn't want to or were really that innept. The crowdfunding platform makes no difference when you have 600 years of ignorance running the project.

No, I mean like an actual crowdfunding thing that they are not pretending isn't a crowdfunding thing. I'd never even heard of StartEngine until just now (yes, just now as in your post that I am quoting lol), so there is also a chance that being on Kickstarter might have brought in more people simply due to higher visibility, as well, as I believe Kickstarter is the most widely-known crowdfunding thing.

Edited September 27, 2022 by Steven Pendleton

[digdugnate]

I think that was the exact reason they went to StartEngine rather than Kickstarter, though, is because for a time the emphasis was on 'it's not crowdfunding'; StartEngine had different rules for investors/etc than Kickstarter did and it would've been an easier way for Inty to slide out.  (this is all just conjecture on my part, though)

[roots.genoa]

Also I'm wondering if investing platforms are not worst than crowdfunding platforms for consumers, because you don't necessarily get the actual product, just money - and only if it's successful. So in the case of the VCS for instance, backers got at least something even though the console remains a niche product.

 

Maybe the silver lining of all this is now people will be suspicious of both types of platforms.

[Steven Pendleton]

I'd rather have money than the Amico, though, unless a system gets made and sent to me and is so rare that I could take it to those WATA scammers to get it graded before they get legally demolished for their scam and sell it on ebay for more money than Intellivision itself is worth. Now that I think about it again, though, that shouldn't be too hard to do with or without WATA, given that Intellivision is bankrupt or extremely close to it.

Edited September 27, 2022 by Steven Pendleton

[MrBeefy]

4 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said:

, so there is also a chance that being on Kickstarter might have brought in more people simply due to higher visibility, as well, as I believe Kickstarter is the most widely-known crowdfunding thing.

How many more millions do you think they needed to raise and blow out their cornhole down the toilet?

[Rowsdower70]

Doesn't Kickstarter require you to actually produce something or be liable?

[Steven Pendleton]

50 minutes ago, MrBeefy said:

How many more millions do you think they needed to raise and blow out their cornhole down the toilet?

I don't have sufficient knowledge to answer that.

 

8 minutes ago, Rowsdower70 said:

Doesn't Kickstarter require you to actually produce something or be liable?

As far as I know, no. Maybe someone who cares to investigate more than I do can find out and tell us.

[MrBeefy]

2 hours ago, Rowsdower70 said:

Doesn't Kickstarter require you to actually produce something or be liable?

I believe they want a prototype at least. I think they would want you to attempt to refund people. However just look at how their "100% refundable preorder" went. It would have led to the same result. "Well sorry everyone. We ran out of money. As consolation have some of these MP3s on the house."

 

2 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said:

I don't have sufficient knowledge to answer that.

Well they pissed away everything they got which was in the millions. They didn't need more money. They needed to actually do something. Instead they were more focused on looks (offices and office parties) and astroturfing.

 

Speaking of astroturfing, I really wonder how many of the single thread posters here at AA were the marketing team? Ever since they started laying people off and closing offices it seems much more quiet everywhere. Isn't that what basically happened to the reddit? Everyone just basically stopped posting or modding it? I wonder how many people are even active in their FB group anymore?

 

RTU had a stream going over old Tommy talks. 

 

I clipped the overall summary here https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxJF5XStdauY-83CM4HG8_JUwHfzLAlWxG

[Flojomojo]

40 minutes ago, MrBeefy said:

Speaking of astroturfing, I really wonder how many of the single thread posters here at AA were the marketing team? Ever since they started laying people off and closing offices it seems much more quiet everywhere. Isn't that what basically happened to the reddit? Everyone just basically stopped posting or modding it? I wonder how many people are even active in their FB group anymore?

 

That's an interesting question. There was SO much astroturfing and so many single-issue posters. Some of them seem to have taken out an AtariAge membership. I'll take credit for shaming Tommy into doing so, it was the least he could do, considering how hard he was working the volunteer moderation team. Did any of them maintain it, or did they let it expire? 

 

Thanks for the RTusa clip, it was exactly the right amount. That guy is really gross and it's hard to listen to him. 

[MrBeefy]

5 minutes ago, Flojomojo said:

 

That's an interesting question. There was SO much astroturfing and so many single-issue posters. Some of them seem to have taken out an AtariAge membership. I'll take credit for shaming Tommy into doing so, it was the least he could do, considering how hard he was working the volunteer moderation team. Did any of them maintain it, or did they let it expire? 

 

Thanks for the RTusa clip, it was exactly the right amount. That guy is really gross and it's hard to listen to him. 

Need to watch at no less than x1.5. X2.0 is optimal but sometimes x1.75 is necessary to understand.

[Flojomojo]

I'd rather have an edited version where he's not farting and burping and playing with the sound board every 3 seconds. But that's OK, I think we all know @Tommy Tallarico was making things up as he went along, telling people what he thought they wanted to hear, and breaking every rule of project management. Not because he's a bad boy with an attitude, just because he didn't know any better. 

 

Do you think he did permanent damage to the Intellivision brand? Or was it already dead, and his Hail Mary play was their only shot at relevance?

[MrBeefy]

6 minutes ago, Flojomojo said:

I'd rather have an edited version where he's not farting and burping and playing with the sound board every 3 seconds. But that's OK, I think we all know @Tommy Tallarico was making things up as he went along, telling people what he thought they wanted to hear, and breaking every rule of project management. Not because he's a bad boy with an attitude, just because he didn't know any better. 

 

Do you think he did permanent damage to the Intellivision brand? Or was it already dead, and his Hail Mary play was their only shot at relevance?

I think he dug a hole pushed Intellivision into it and spent years covering it with dirt.

 

I watched enough of those infomercials to see how he would change his story every other one. It was manipulation of men wishcasting who couldn't think for 5 seconds to either ask a follow up question or go, wait what?

 

That RTUSA interview he watched was horrible. No one ever asked any follow up question of any meaning. Or when asked would ask it again because he would spend 30 minutes not answering it.

 

[Rowsdower70]

1 hour ago, MrBeefy said:

I believe they want a prototype at least. I think they would want you to attempt to refund people. However just look at how their "100% refundable preorder" went. It would have led to the same result. "Well sorry everyone. We ran out of money. As consolation have some of these MP3s on the house."

 

Well they pissed away everything they got which was in the millions. They didn't need more money. They needed to actually do something. Instead they were more focused on looks (offices and office parties) and astroturfing.

 

Speaking of astroturfing, I really wonder how many of the single thread posters here at AA were the marketing team? Ever since they started laying people off and closing offices it seems much more quiet everywhere. Isn't that what basically happened to the reddit? Everyone just basically stopped posting or modding it? I wonder how many people are even active in their FB group anymore?

 

RTU had a stream going over old Tommy talks. 

 

I clipped the overall summary here https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxJF5XStdauY-83CM4HG8_JUwHfzLAlWxG

I appreciate the clip, I saw he was streaming last night.  I clicked the stream, saw a shirtless Rich, threw up a little, moved on.

[MrBeefy]

1 minute ago, Rowsdower70 said:

I appreciate the clip, I saw he was streaming last night.  I clicked the stream, saw a shirtless Rich, threw up a little, moved on.

He even got tired of watching his own video with Tommy.

[Rowsdower70]

29 minutes ago, Flojomojo said:

 

 

Do you think he did permanent damage to the Intellivision brand? Or was it already dead, and his Hail Mary play was their only shot at relevance?

I don't think he did it any favors.   He certainly didn't draw in new collectors.   That being said, I dont think I've heard any old Intellivision collectors (myself included) having a ritual burning of their old stuff.  

Edited September 27, 2022 by Rowsdower70

[MrBeefy]

1 minute ago, Rowsdower70 said:

I don't think he did it any favors.   He certainly didn't draw in new collectors.   That being said, I dont think I've heard any old Intellivision collectors (myself included) having a ritual burning of their old stuff.  

I agree with the old collectors.

 

I do think Intellivision will be known more as mud to the wider audience. I totally see it replacing Chameleon as the go to discussion of scam consoles.