Thank God for Me!

Oh hello, didn't see you there! I'm Jim Sterling, and I do stuff on the Internet that some people enjoy (a bit). I've been reviewing videogames for roughly eight years, and I've served as host of popular webseries The Jimquisition for quite a few of those years. Until recently, my work has been hosted within the confines of "traditional" videogame media - established outlets that use advertising networks and, increasingly, sponsored content, in order to pay their creators. 

And I have grown to dislike it. Significantly. 

The ad-supported model is the default model, but it can give undue power to people who really don't care for, or indeed know much about, videogame criticism. I've grown tired of the perpetual fear that one day I'll be asked to say, "Today's episode of Jimquisition is brought to you by the refreshing taste of Mounting Doo!" I've always considered myself fortunate enough to maintain a lot of distance between myself as a content creator and the marketing departments cutting their brand deals. I'm afraid that the distance, however, is getting smaller and smaller, regardless of my efforts. There are media powerhouses out there that are struggling, and their struggle is leading to changes in business that I am not comfortable with. I don't want to be under the shadow of corporate entities, and I don't want to feel my criticism of the games industry exists by their good grace. 

So it is that I have been able to negotiate with my former contractors to regain full creative control of The Jimquisition, which I intend to turn into a three-pronged production. With your kind help, there are a trio of content offerings I have lined up.


The Jimquisition Video Series
My weekly webseries, ad-free, hosted on my YouTube channel (JimSterling), every Monday morning. The Jimquisition is a topical show that discusses the game industry, particularly criticizing business practices and anti-consumer tactics among "AAA" publishers, as well as other interesting and often controversial developments involving games. With sarcastic self-aggrandizement, I'll be here every week to provide commentary and ribaldry, and I'll be able to do it free of any leash. 

Jimquisition Videogame Reviews & Editorials
Introducing The Jimquisition Dot Com!

I love writing about videogames. Video production has taken a dominant role in my professional life these past few years, but writing reviews of new videogames is something I have a particular fondness of. In the past, I've served as reviews editor for both Destructoid and The Escapist, but now I want to provide the same written criticism in a completely independent environment. With your funding, I will create an ad-free website without sponsorships, brand deals, or site skins. This site will provide reviews of the latest videogames, and who knows? If I get enough funding, I could be able to do more there, and maybe even get a little freelance staff together. Maybe. Sky's the limit!

More recently, the site has hosted a number of wider editorials, including Jimquisition-style written opinion pieces, shoddy attempts at humor, and some of the best interviews around featuring a number of high profile developers. As you've provided me the freedom to work more, the scope has expanded tremendously! 

The Jimquisition Podcast
Initially a vague promise, the podcast that is now Podquisition has become a hugely popular aspect of The Jimquisition Experience (tm). Featuring Gavin "Miracle of Sound" Dunne and Laura Kate (who can be crowdfunded also if you like her great work) alongside yours truly, the insightful mixes with the horrific as we discuss the game industry through a truly shattered lens. You're guaranteed at least an hour of meandering nonsense with some clever stuff thrown in. 

Episodes release every Thursday, with a little flexibility here and there for hosts having real-life getting in the way. 


I am not planning to offer a load of rewards and tiers. The three-prong plan for Jimquisition is not tiered - I want to offer it in one juicy package! I hold myself to the same standards that I've always held the game industry to - I want you to fund me because you want to fund me. I do not want to gate off content, hold it to ransom, or otherwise batter you into opening a wallet. While I will obviously need to raise awareness of this Patreon, I will not litter my videos and social media with constant calls for funding. I'll do some promotion, because that makes sense, but I'll work hard so that it isn't obnoxious. You wanna watch and read my stuff, not be advertised to!

To access my Jimquisition content, you need only access it. Pay as much or as little as you want. Pay nothing if you don't believe you should. I have one milestone goal which would cover production costs as well as support for my family and the paying of bills. Anything above that would be incredible, and allow me even more freedom to do stuff. I want to keep this simple though. 

Clearly, I'll need to be able to make a living off this in order to keep doing it, but it's your decision as to whether or not I do. I've gone back and forth on the idea of crowdfunding. I've been scared to do it, sometimes critical of it, and I've always wanted to make stuff first and get paid later. But this is a chance to strike for true independence and editorial control, and after much soul-searching, I think this could actually work. I sincerely, truly hope it works. I don't want to work in the old system anymore. I want to be able to make videos and write reviews on my own terms now, and to directly serve you, the audience. And I don't want to do it while hawking some bloody corn snack products. 


Disclosure is important. I need to be upfront with you all to make this work. So let's be clear about what you will and will not be funding, as well as my other sources of income. Any changes to the dynamic, to my work, to anything involving this, will be disclosed immediately, as and when they occur.

I Have Other YouTube Projects: The JimSterling YouTube channel is affiliated with Maker, and current video playlists earn a humble amount of money (usually enough to buy silly Alien merchandise and contribute to my tax payments) from ads. Existing playlists are not part of this Patreon, and will continue as normal. In future, when it comes time to renegotiate contracts with Maker, this could change. You'll know if/when things change. 

FistShark Marketing: FistShark Marketing is a free weekly comedy podcast starring myself and Conrad Zimmerman. It has its own Patreon page! It's a really rad show and you should consider looking into that. My financial interest there is that it would cover the hosting costs I've been currently paying out of pocket. The rest of the team gets it all, because they're swell. 

I've Done Some Voice Acting: I have contributed to a handful of videogames as a voice actor, specifically Jazzpunk, Volume, Inhale/Sepulchre/Exhale, and You Are The Reason. I have always disclosed these involvements, I have not reviewed videogames I've performed in, and should future performances occur, I will continue to disclose them and refuse to review them.  

My Agreeing With You Is Not Being Funded: Let's be super honest with each other - I will not always say things you agree with. Whether I tackle a subject on The Jimquisition that you have opposing views on, or I love/hate a game you hate/love, there will be times where we philosophically clash. That's okay! I love civil disagreement, personally. Of course, some people take disagreement more personally and angrily, and they may expect that crowdfunding requires my views to align with theirs. That's impossible. If you choose to fund me, please be aware that my personal opinion is my personal opinion, and that I will share it even if you don't like it. 

Review Copies: I'm not yet sure if videogame publishers will continue to provide copies for Jimquisition reviews, but every review I write will disclose how I obtained the copy in question. If a publisher provided a review code, the review will say so, as it will if I purchased the game myself. 


I think that covers most of it, but if anything else pops up, I'll cheerfully discuss it. This is very new territory for me and, quite frankly, it's scary. Exciting, but nerve-wracking. For well over half a decade, the love and support of an amazing audience has kept me plying my trade to large publications. Now, it is my express hope that the same love and support can allow me to ply it directly to the audience, without middle-men and the risk of corporate pressure. 

Whether you fund me or not, thank you. Honestly, thank you. The fact I even feel like I could attempt this is thanks to you all. 

Thank God for you. 

And Thank God for me.

There are no strings on me.