Riaan 
Bobathathu bebesenza iMega64 – uchungechunge lwewebhu oluyisisekelo kusiko lomdlalo wevidiyo waseMelika – cishe amashumi amabili eminyaka, futhi uma udlule ezingosini ze-GameFAQs kanye nezigaba zokuphawula ze-IGN ekuqaleni kwawo-2000s, kungenzeka ukuthi ulitholile iqembu ezweni lakubo. ; ukubeka engcupheni ukuhlazeka kanye nokuwohloka emigqeni yomphakathi ye-psychedelic, a la “Jackass” noma “I-Tom Green Show,” ngaphandle kokutonyulwa kukhanon yomdlali.
Emdwebeni owodwa wakudala, u-Rocco uzungeza inxanxathela yezitolo egqokile njengoTetris omkhulu L-block – akulula ukuzulazula, ikakhulukazi abangaboni – kuyilapho umthwebuli ecwiliswa ukusabela okucindezelekile kwababukele. Kokunye, uShawn uzenzela imvunulo ye-“Katamari Damacy”, enamathela ohlakeni lwakhe oluthambile njengesudi emanzi, bese egingqa ibhola lolwandle eliphefumulayo lizungeze ipaki, lingenacala futhi likhululekile, ngaphambi kokuthola. ngiboshelwe engxabanweni eshubile emdlalweni we-softball. Emsebenzini wobuciko wobuciko we-Mega64, laba abathathu babamba ngekhanda ukuhlelwa kwe-DS esigqi sakudala “Ama-Elite Beat Agents,” futhi ukwenze ngokuthakasela endaweni yokudlela yase-Mexican ngaphambili ukuphuma ephelezelwa unogada.
Ngabuka lezi ziqeshana ngokuphindaphindiwe esikoleni samabanga aphezulu, ngihleka futhi ngiklabalasa ngesibindi sazo; i-id eluhlaza ngokumangalisayo ye-Mega64. Kodwa uma uzibheka njengomunye wabalandeli bokuqala beqembu lezigelekeqe, nawe, njengabo, ubheke phansi okufanayo. Sesitholile endala, nemidlalo yevidiyo — ikakhulukazi okuqukethwe kwabadali begeyimu yevidiyo, ikakhulukazi ngaphakathi kwe-“Jackass” vein – kuvame ukuba yindawo yezinsizwa nezintombi. I-Mega64 izama ukuguga kahle. Mhlawumbe bangakhanyisa indlela eya phambili, kanye futhi.
“Kube nokuguquguquka kwesikali kulokho okudala ukukhathazeka kokuphumela obala. Ngisemncane kwakuyilokhu kwesaba igunya. Njengokuthi, ‘Ngiyile ngane nje, futhi omunye umuntu omdala uzongicasukela,’ ” kusho u-Acosta ocingweni lwe-Zoom oluvela esitudiyo se-Mega64 e-San Diego. “Manje njengoba sengikhulile, kufana nokuthi, ‘Ngimdala kakhulu ukuba ngenze lokhu—. Umphakathi uzongibheka sengathi ngiyisihluku.’
“Bengihlale ngizitshela ukuthi wumsebenzi lona. Yilokhu esikhokhelwa ukukwenza. Amadoda alahla udoti azokhipha udoti, bese kuthi iMega64 ihambe no— nomphakathi.”
Kusukela ‘entweni encane eyisiwula’ ukuya emsebenzini
Amalungu ayinhloko e-Mega64 ahlangana emnyangweni wetiyetha wesikole samabanga aphezulu, eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambi kwe-YouTube noma i-Twitch. U-Botte wayenekhamera, futhi waqopha wonke ama-jinks aphezulu angemuva kwesigcawu intsha evuka ngawo phakathi nezinsuku zezinja zokuzilolonga kukaShakespeare. Ephathini yokugoqa yomkhiqizo ngamunye, u-Botte wayezohlela ndawonye isiqephu esivelele sezikhathi ezihlekisayo azithwebula, okwaba isiko lekilasi phakathi kwebanga lakhe.
“Eqenjini lethu kwaba nenkulumo enjengokuthi, ‘Ngemva kokuthweswa iziqu kukaRocco, ubani ozokhipha ama-video?’” kusho u-Acosta.
Kodwa uBotte wayengeyena owomdabu wedijithali, futhi ekuqaleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane yayingakabi bikho ikhompuyutha kuyo yonke imizi yaseMelika. Ngalezo zinsuku, uBotte wayehlanganisa iziqeshana zakhe zaseshashalazini esebenzisa ama-VCR amabili.
“UDerrick wayemncane futhi enesu elisha,” kusho uBotte, ekhumbula. “Uthi, ‘Hawu, hawu, hawu, kungani ungakuhleli lokhu kukhompyutha?’ ”
I-Mega64 yazalwa ngaleso sikhathi. Babengakazi nje.
“Ingqalasizinda yayivele ikhona ngesikhathi siphuma esikoleni samabanga aphezulu. Besesivele senze amahora amaningi okuqukethwe okwamukelwe kahle kubangani bethu, ”kusho u-Acosta. “Besifuna ukuqhubeka nomsebenzi, kodwa besingazi ukuthi sizokwenzenjani ngokulandelayo.”
Eminyakeni embalwa kamuva, impendulo yayingase ibe sobala. U-Acosta, u-Chatfield, no-Botte ngabe balayishe iphrojekthi yabo ku-YouTube, ngethemba elikhulu lokuthi i-algorithm izokhanya ngokugqamile kubo. Kodwa ukusatshalaliswa kwevidiyo yasekhaya okulula kwakunzima kakhulu ukutholakala ngo-2003, ngakho-ke inguqulo yokuqala ye-Mega64 yavela kumabonakude ofinyelela umphakathi e-San Diego. Usengakuthola lokho kusakazwa ku-inthanethi: Kuyi-scruffy futhi i-lo-fi enolaka – inomsindo wefilimu yasekhaya – idweba ngokucacile ohlotsheni lwamateyipu e-VHS ongawathola esitolo sasendaweni se-skate. Ikakhulukazi, uBotte ucaphuna “I-Tom Green Show” namafilimu e-CKY akhishwe u-Bam Margera omncane kakhulu njengamathonya ayinhloko. Bekungewona umdlalo ofanele ngaphandle kokuthi kuvele usongo lokushaywa – noma ukuboshwa. (Isibonelo: Omunye wemidwebo ethandwa kakhulu yenkathi ye-Mega64 ebizwa ngokuthi “I-Aggressive Caroling.” Iqembu licula elithi “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” kubabukeli abapholile, ngaphambi kokungena emgodini omubi, onodlame.)
Kepha okubaluleke kakhulu, lokho kusakazwa okufinyelela umphakathi kuvumele iqembu ukuthi likhubeke liqonde endikimbeni yezinganekwane ezigcwele ukuze kuthuthukiswe imigilingwane ebebeyikhipha – indawo yonke okumele bayibize ngeyabo. U-Botte wathatha indima yongqondongqondo omubi, owayephoqa izithunjwa ezimbili, u-Chatfield no-Acosta, ukuthi bahlole ikhonsoli yakhe entsha yegeyimu yevidiyo eyafaka izingqondo zabadlali bayo ngokuqondile ekhodini, yingakho bengase bazithole bezulazula ngokuzumayo endaweni ye-plaza. egqoke njengebhulokhi yeTetris. Igama laleyo khonsoli ecatshangelwayo? IMega64.
Ibhulokhi yokuqala yohlelo lweMega64 yaqoshwa ngokulindelwe okuphansi kakhulu. I-Chatfield, i-Acosta, no-Botte bebengakaqedi esikoleni esiphakeme, futhi bengenayo imethadatha okufanele bayihlaziye, bagcina umkhondo wokulandelana kwephrojekthi ngamakhasi abo ewebhu. Uma bekwazile ukuzuza ama-20 izivakashi ngosuku, lokho kubalwe njengempumelelo enkulu. (Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uBotte uzokwethulela umbukiso ku-G4, isiteshi sekhebula esafufusa esinikezelwe kusiko lomdlalo wevidiyo wama-00s, kodwa wehliswa kalula.)
Ngaphandle kwanoma yikuphi ukuqoqwa kwemali ngomugqa, iqembu lezigelekeqe likhiphe isethi ene-DVD ekabili yezinto zalo ngengalo yokushicilela ividiyo ye-Something Awful ngo-2004. Yayibizwa nge-“Mega64 Version One,” futhi yavela njenge-zero-budget sci-fi romp: gonzo. imidwebo efakwe kubakaki i-whiff encane ye-long-formj, i-anime-ish yokwakha umhlaba. Lawo ma-DVD asakazwa ezweni lonke, futhi kungakabiphi iMega64 yaba nezithameli zezwe lonke ngomfutho wezwi lomlomo.
“Impela babeyingxenye yegagasi lokuqala labantu abenza amahlaya ngemidlalo ngeminyaka yawo-2000, kanye ne-Electric Playground kanye neminye imibukiso embalwa,” kusho uMerritt K, umenzi wegeyimu kanye nentatheli eyayingumlandeli we-Mega64 wokuqala. “Ithonya labo alinakubukelwa phansi – ngenkathi abanye omagazini bezama amahlaya ahlobene nemidlalo phakathi nawo-80s nama-90s, ukuqhuma kwabantu bezulazula ngendlela okwenzeka ku-YouTube ngasekupheleni kwawo-2000s kungalandelela umlando wabo kubo. ”
Alikho kumalungu eliqinisekile ukuthi kungani, ngempela, i-Mega64 ibambekile, kodwa i-Chatfield inombono olula: Bekungekho okuningi okuqukethwe kwamavidiyo. mayelana nemidlalo ekuqaleni kwawo-2000. Ubukhona banoma ubani ukugubha isiko njengomlandeli – kunokuba umgxeki noma umthuthukisi – kwakuyinoveli. I-Mega64 yayisiwula futhi yashibhile, kodwa abantu abasesikrinini babeyithanda imidlalo ngendlela efanayo thina wenza. Mhlawumbe yilokho kuphela okwadingeka.
“Ngaphambi kokuba sazi, kwakunezihloko zomagazini ezazibhalwe ngale nto esasiyenza, nakuba sasingayiphusheli kanzima kangako,” kusho uChatfield. “Sishaye into ecokeme. Saqashelwa ngaso leso sikhathi. Manje, kuneziteshi ze-YouTube ezintsha ezingu-10,000 ngosuku.”
Njengoba uhlobo lwe-Mega64 lukhula, nohlu lwezivakashi zabo lwakhula; kungazelelwe, i-Mega64 skits iveze ama-cameo by Hideo Kojima, Gabe Newellfuthi Shigeru Miyamoto. Babamba amadokodo emihlanganweni emikhulu emhlabeni wonke, futhi bathengisa izinkundla zemidlalo yaseshashalazini ukuze bakhiphe izinto ezintsha. Amalungu abasunguli ayesenemisebenzi yosuku – i-Chatfield yayithatha amakilasi asekolishi kuze kube ngu-2007 – kodwa ekugcineni kwacaca ukuthi naphezu komsuka we-Mega64 ongemuhle, isiguquke yaba into eseduze nohlobo lwefa.
“Angikaze ngigxile ekwenzeni imali,” kusho u-Acosta. “Besinemisebenzi yosuku, kanti iMega64 bekuyinto ebesiyenzela ukuzithokozisa. Ngajabula ngokuphelele ngalokho. Futhi ukube abantu bebebuka? Kuhle. Kodwa mhlawumbe kwakungenakugwemeka ukuthi yayizokhula futhi idume kakhulu, futhi mhlawumbe kwathatha iminyaka ukuthi lokho kungenakugwemeka kuthathe.
“Into eyashintsha kakhulu yindlela engangikhuluma ngayo ngeMega64. Lapho ngisemncane, kwakuyilobuwula engangibenza nabangane bami. Kodwa manje sekuwumsebenzi wami iminyaka engu-20. Bengisabhekisela kuyo njengalesi siphukuphuku esincane, kodwa lesi siphukuphuku sasiwumsebenzi ongaphezu kwalokho abantu abaningi abaphupha ngokuba nawo. Savele sazithola.”
Kusuka ku-stunts kuya ekuzinzeni
Iqembu lisahambisa ama-stunts omphakathi abe yikhadi lokushaya le-Mega64. Ngonyaka odlule nje u-Acosta wahlangana ngodaka oluthile ukuze enze umbono wakhe omuhle kakhulu ka-Ethan Winters, kakhulu ukudideka kwabantu bendawo yaseSan Diego’s Old Town. Kodwa njengoba amalungu ayekhula, kanjalo nama-contours we-Mega64. Namuhla, u-Chatfield, u-Botte, u-Acosta, kanye nomhlanganyeli osenesikhathi eside u-Garrett Hunter balahle zonke izifiso zabo ezilandisayo zethelevishini – ungqondongqondo omubi neziboshwa zakhe ezingenalusizi – ukuze banikeze ukunaka kwabo okuningi ku-podcast yamasonto onke yomkhiqizo. Uhlelo luhlekisa kakhulu, kodwa futhi luzolisa kakhulu kunokululaza kokuthi, “I-Aggressive Caroling.” Ngokuvamile, u-Botte ungitshela ukuthi uma sikhuluma ngobuciko, akanantshisekelo kulezi zinsuku enanini lokushaqisa lomsebenzi wasekuqaleni weqembu.
Yebo, iMega64 isaletha ividiyo eshisayo njalo nje. Abathathu thatha ngendlela exakile ethi “Untitled Goose Game” iqoqe ukubukwa okungaphezu kwezigidi eziyisi-6 ngo-2019futhi umdlalo ophusile we “Dragon Ball Z” i-arc icishe iphindwe kabili lelo nani ngonyaka odlule. Kodwa isiteshi se-YouTube seMega64 sisonke sibamba ababhalisile abangu-641,000; inombolo enempilo, eqinisekile, kodwa ngaphansi kwemikhawulo yezimpawu ze-crossover njenge-PewDiePie ne-Markiplier. Iqembu alilahli ubuthongo ngenxa yesimo salo. Abahlali beklama izindlela ezintsha zokweqa i-algorithm, futhi abasindwa yikungavikeleki kwe-clout. Kulezi zinsuku, uhlobo lwe-Mega64 lubonakala luqondiswe ngqo izethameli ezazingenelwe yifilosofi yazo eminyakeni edlule.
“Abalandeli bethu bazinikele,” kusho u-Acosta. “Sinabo abancane, kodwa bazinikele kakhulu emsebenzini wethu. Ngicabanga ukuthi sifeza okungaphezu kweziteshi eziningi ezinkulu. Sinamasosha amancane kodwa angamasosha aqinile.”
“Bahlale bebaningi, abakaze bahlulwe,” kwengeza uBotte.
Ku-Twitch naku-YouTube, iziteshi ezintsha ziqhakaza emoyeni omncane njengabantu abafisa ukuthonya – abahlezi phambi kwamacala e-neon PC kanye nemakrofoni e-gray-foam – shicilela isikhukhula sokuqukethwe esingapheli, sifisa ukugcina izinombolo zikhuphuka. Ababhalisile abaningi, ukubukwa okwengeziwe, ukuchofoza okwengeziwe, neminikelo eyengeziwe kudingeka ikhathalogi ende yetimu yegeyimu yevidiyo efanayo iziqeshana. Ubiquity umgomo oyinhloko; ukugcwaliseka kokudala kuthatha isekhondi elikude.
I-Mega64 – mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi ingeyesizukulwane esihlukile, noma mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi ibusiswe ngenye isethi yezinto eziza kuqala – ikhethe ukusimama kunokwanda. Kuyavela, wena kungaba ubudala ngomusa emidlalweni yemidiya.
“Kuyajabulisa ukwazi ukuthi laba bafana engangibabuka ngisafunda ekolishi basazijabulisa,” kusho uMerritt.
“Ngisebenza namaqembu angakwazi ngisho ukuvumelana ngalokho afuna ukuba yikho,” kusho u-Acosta. “’Ingabe siyafuna ukwenza lolu hlobo lomculo? Noma lolu hlobo lomculo?’ I-Mega64 ayikaze ibe yinto eyodwa. Kungaba umbukiso wokufinyelela emphakathini lapho siphuma khona siyodlelana nabantu, futhi kungaba i-podcast lapho sikhuluma khona ngezimpilo zethu.”
