PSINext

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PSINext
Image:PSINext.gif

PlayStation Insider Next-Generation
URL http://www.psinext.com/
Commercial? Yes
Type of site Gaming
Registration Free
Owner E-mpire Ltd. Co.
Created by Several
Launched 1998
Revenue Tower and leaderboard

PSINext.com, or PlayStation Insider Next-Generation, is a multimedia videogame news Web site currently owned and operated by E-mpire Ltd. Co. Covering the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Portable videogaming platforms, it is a part of a network of sites under E-mpire, Nintendo Now and the latterly-founded Xbox Raw amongst them.

Contents

[edit] History

The Web site was founded by Scott R. Mraz and partner Andrew in 1998 as PlayStation 2 Insider, in eager wait of the PlayStation 2 Computer Entertainment System. As October 2000 saw the PS2 launched, the Web site dropped the name and donned the PlayStation 3 Insider appellative in its stead.

[edit] PSP Insider

Things would remain relatively quiet until 2002, when a new name would be appended onto the Insider umbrella, PlayStation Portable Insider. The project began as a fan site on Tripod.com, in response to the pictures that had been circumambulating the Internet, speculative of a PSP, created by future staff member Josh. Andrew spoke to Josh about the two sites merging, and after offering the project a domain and a private account of its own, it became a reality, in September of 2003, when the two formed PSINext.

[edit] Downtime

In mid-2004, the main page on the domain led to a screen that informed viewers the site was closed. Forum-goers dismissed it as bigger plans for the site, or legal issues, or some sort of a hacking attempt that had been foiled. However, days afterward, Andrew posted the following message on the forums, explaining the site's being closed:

Hi Sony fans. Sorry for shutting down the site without any warning. We should explain.

Firstly, I must put some things to rest. No, we didn’t run out of funds. No, we didn’t get sued. No, this is not some game to hide big new plans for the site. Our decision to close the site was purely made on the best interest of the site itself and our own personal lives.

We’re getting older my friends, and as we grow older some things take priority over other things. Believe it or not, but there once was a time were I worked on our sites every single day. Whether it be posting news or messing around with some sort of cosmetic improvement, I was always working on something that would feed my urge to provide the best web site to our readers. Today, I simply no longer have that urge. I now seek newer things that I can actually reach without sitting in front of my computer. I want to be outside having fun in the sun instead of locked away in my room typing for hours on end.

Now that we’ve put the site to rest, all of a sudden I feel lighter. I feel more relaxed. I know I can wake up in the morning and not have to worry about how much I have to do on the site or whether or not it will even be up. I’ve even started going to bed before 10:30pm. You don’t realize how much you worry about something until one day you don’t have to worry about it at all.

But, you know what; the truth is you really don’t need our site as a medium for getting your daily news and information. There are many other sources you can refer to for Sony news.

I’m sorry we had to close the site in such a way, but it was the only way it would work. I’m sure you’ll all eventually get over it and I’m sure you’ll all find other methods for getting the information you require. Hey, perhaps later this year we’ll be back with a brand new site and a refreshed outlook. When I’m involved, it’s never out of the question.

On a last note, there is one thing I ask of you all. Please do not use the PSINext and Insider names. I’ve noticed a few people wanting to pick up where we left off, and that’s fine. However, we would appreciate it if you do not use what’s ours. Any project you take on will be in no way affiliated with us and therefore we ask you to leave our name out of it. These names and trademarks are my “children” of sorts, and like any parent I’m concerned about where they go at night without telling me. And seeing them at someone's web site is like getting the call at 2:00 a.m. that goes, “Uh, Dad, you're not going to like this much, but guess where I am.” I hope my explanation helps you to understand the importance this has for me personally, and why I'm making this request. I'll be eternally grateful.

We all wish you a nice life; as for us, we'll be around.

[edit] Purchase by E-mpire

Later that year, the Web site was purchased by E-mpire and became a part of its videogame news network.

[edit] Message boards

PSINext is known for its active message boards, and is one of the more respected centers for PlayStation-related discussion. Founded in 2001, the message boards were first powered by the phpBB engine, and consisted originally of six distinctive categories treating of different topical paths, and various subcategories subjective to the topic set forth by each:

  • Welcome To The Insider Message Boards
    • Rules and Announcements
      • Message Board Rules and other Announcements.
  • PlayStation 3
    • PS3 Discussion
      • Discuss all things related to the PlayStation 3.
    • PS3 Games
      • Discussion of upcoming PlayStation 3 games.
  • PlayStation Portable
    • PSP Discussion
      • Discussion of all things related to the PlayStation Portable.
    • PSP Games'
      • Discussion of upcoming PSP titles and related information.
  • PlayStation 2
    • PS2 Discussion
      • Topics related to the PlayStation 2.
    • PS2 Games
      • Discuss PlayStation 2 games and releated topics.
  • Other Systems (Xbox, GameCube, PC etc.)
    • News and Discussions
      • Discuss everything related to other gaming systems.
  • Insider Community
    • Everything Else
      • General Discussion.
    • Help, Suggestions and Bug Tracking
      • Help us improve! Everyone is encouraged to share their ideas regarding PSINext. Site, forum, and any other issues may be posted here.

[edit] General Mood

The forums are acknowledged for their members' quick response to pressing issues in the gaming world, and its lackadaisical, easygoing ways. They are such an interactive venue, that some viewers admittedly go directly to the forums, ignoring the main site completely.

[edit] Purchase in 2004

The new PSINext forums
Enlarge
The new PSINext forums

With E-mpire's acquiring of the main site, the message boards continued as they were awhile, to be ultimately changed into what they are today, sitting alongside E-mpire's array of forums, including the Nintendow Now, Xbox Raw, and Rap Arena forums, which together make up one of the 1,000 largest online communities[1], with over 1.2 million posts. Currently, the forums have roughly 21,000 members.

[edit] Member Opposition

With the message boards' being changed, the idea had been discussed many times within the forums, and came up, albeit off-topic on occasion, with striking regularity. Longstanding forum-goers worried that the forums would lose their traditionalistic and offhand, homey charm, whilst others pushed for the move eagerly. Near the end of 2004, it was resolved that they would merge with E-mpire's other properties; and PSINext's 3,000 members joined E-mpire's 10,000.

[edit] Site editors

  • Notes:
    • (E) betokens the editor-in-chief
    • (F) betokens PSINext founders
    • (D) betokens departed editors
  • Jeremy LaMont (E)
  • Zohair Talmis
  • Jonas Engdahl
  • Carl Bender
  • K. Parashar
  • Chris Vavra
  • Daniel M. Mitchell
  • Bob Chance
  • William Kirk
  • Jon Blake (D)
  • Jim Webb
  • Daniel Regnitz
  • Daniel Cauble (F) (D)
  • Brandon Carlson
  • Andrew Thornton
  • Dustin Rudzinski
  • Phillip Tucker (D)
  • Brian Kennedy (D)
  • Trevor Tabaka (D)

[edit] Trivia

  • The original PSP Insider Web site began as a free hosting account on Tripod.com, and later came to be cognised as a part of PSINext in moving to a domain.
  • Neither of the original founders maintain the site concurrently.
  • The PSINext message boards, before the site's having been acquired by E-mpire, were stand-alone, and later became a part of the Forums.E-mpire.com domain.

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ Forum Rankings. Big-Boards.com.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../p/s/i/PSINext_672c.html"