Now that players have been released from their contracts, it would be interesting for people like Wong, Marn and Sanford to come out and let people know what it was really like for EMP. Though I doubt they will because it would make them look bad to their current brands.
And who does he think he’s impressing by wearing that power glove? that thing was garbage back then and its even more pathetic now.
I have heard some of the Triforce stories over the year, and while I can agree with the business sense statements, I have trouble with people bitching about the power glove.
In a community with Pringles, curlie mustaches, dr b, vests, tranny traps, and so much more and so much worse, bitching about a guy who wears a power glove is Dan tier. Find legitimate arguments rather than showing your lack of knowledge and jumping on the glove train
Guess what… He can wear it. Yet he is a ‘leader’ and a supposed business man. Now if your trying to get sponsors how can we trust you are not going to ruin our brand and make people think we are affiliate with Nintendo?
Pringles can only go so far and generate a income of under the table status due to the moniker and what you want to use with it [the mustache]. Dr. B simple rode the Neptunes whole formula and idea… nothing of his own path. Vest… viscant been doin that for years yet when he is serious and time for business you should see him then… other things are simple part of this community but those that do it are not trying to generate income on a higher legal level. Look at how cleaned up justin, marn, and ricky had to become. outside of that they can be wild as they want… yet when it comes down to ‘rep’ and generate you have to blend or go by the rules.
so thats where i had my issue cause im business first. an thats not handling business when your at a capcom convention rockin a power glove trying to generate a sponsor or some sort of alliance/income. Tournaments an outings… have a blast. Oh wait he doesnt play in the tournaments he just comes but still rock it if u want.
The glove matters though…
This guy is the founder/CEO of a company trying to broker business deals on the players’ behalf. He walks into real meetings, with people, discussing real money… wearing a video game accessory. That matters.
One could argue that bitching about people bitching about people is even worse,
I have to disagree with you on that. If your known to do that ok it will be noted. Coming to meeting in your ‘get up’ is not serious regardless of who your representing.
While I agree that wearing a power-glove doesn’t come across as particularly business-class in my eyes, I would postulate that the kinds of people he was walking in to buisness meetings with wouldn’t have cared much. It’s one thing walking in to a massive corporate like Fujitsu [edit from Microsoft for clarity], and something else to walk in to a Video Games firm - I’ve walked in to both, and the attitudes and expectations in each are very different.
In the video games world - every company I visited expected people to be a little bit strange, and the uniform wasn’t shirt and ties - (that was reserved for the meetings with the corporate money men) it was jeans and geek inspired t-shirts.
From what others have written, it does sound like he had a plan that was never realistically going to come to fruition - the nascent scene doesn’t have enough financial backing to sustain that business model - yet.
True and I can see that. Especially the Empire Tshirts. Thats fine. Now back to the powerglove and your walking into a meeting with Xbox affiliated company that is making controllers for that system exclusively. Do you not see them second guessing? Or am I wrong?? Tshirt, jeans… cool, even at hat. But your walking in with the powerglove that is nintendo brand. I just know how dealing with money that first impression is everything. Especially when u try to explain the whole powerglove thing.
Even if the business your walking into is more casual, your still basically an outsider and will be judged on how you look. You cant go wrong looking business casual at the very least. Especially if you are going to talk about money/contracts ect.
Exactly. When you’re talking money with people, money is the focus. If I’m the money man for a video game organization, your hardcore gamer status means jack shit to me. Fuck a power glove. If I’m signing over money, I want to know you’re serious about the money part… especially if you’re the manager, not the talent.
I want to shake your hand… not some 20 year old NES peripheral.
Ok. So ya’ll see my point apparently.
@HAV also you have to note a lot of his words were ‘for the empire’ ‘for the company’. I honestly think (and I may be wrong) that justin was the only one to get a real outside sponsor for HIMSELF. Everything else was for the company as a whole hence my reasoning behind his business approach and style. I don’t think he really understood that term of manager, talent scout, or whatever. His action was for empire as a whole. Its almost like music industry (which i know) and he was trying to get distribution more for the label not the specific artist. Yet he had no understanding of how the money/rep part worked.
The glove should be overlooked after knowing some1 and talking to them about business plans…
obviously if people are soooo hung up on the glove, then there is a lack of an effective conversation or lack of identity in the person. 
Just another prime example of men refusing to grow up and indulge themselves with ‘pro gaming’ delusions that belong in bedrooms of 13-year-old kids. I don’t feel sorry at all.
I think above all else, Triforce lost because of his ego. Having pride in what you do and not compromising your “vision” is a double-edged sword. You can either succeed greatly or fail greatly; unfortunately, the issues Triforce refused to compromise on cost him everything.
I respect that fact that he at least tried, and I actually liked the idea of a fighting game league in an age where FPS/Starcraft were creating their own and were growing rapidly. In the early 2000s fighters weren’t getting much limelight so I was glad to hear some obscure group with an eccentric leader want to flesh out something and get the community noticed, but over time I realized that he didn’t know when to switch up when something wasn’t working, and that was his downfall.
Never understood the blatant hate, but I definitely understand the fall.
What?
A few things:
a) The Power Glove is not a Nintendo brand.
b) I wouldn’t assume that he would wear the glove to a business deal.
c) Even if he did wear the Power Glove to a business deal with a gaming company, it wouldn’t be seen as a negative. It would be more like “he’s old school, he gets it”. I’ve worked in the same game development studio for 6 years and believe me, I wear worse things to work than a Power Glove. No one even blinks when I have my big Pacman hat on… so no one would care.
Now that that’s out of the way…
I think the real reason that Empire failed and why people hate Triforce is because he’s not actually acting as a manager should. What I mean by that is that his job is to get his players known and over with gamers and with gaming companies. In the movie, you hear people say he’s smart for having a memorable gimmick like the Power Glove. That would be true if he were one of the Empire’s players, NOT if he’s their manager. Stuff like calling himself Emperor of Empire Arcadia, wearing the Power Glove and some of the scenes in the King of Chinatown movie show you what is really going on here:
Empire Arcadia doesn’t exist to bring the top players to fame and fortune. Empire Arcadia doesn’t exist to market players to gaming companies and have controllers licensed and all that. Empire Arcadia only exists to market Triforce and Triforce alone. That’s why he does things like try to be the first in line for the 3DS and why he tells his players, as he told Justin, to thank him and bring him in front of the cameras and so on.
If you are a real manager or agent or what-have-you for your players, much like managers in wrestling, you exist solely to put over the talent of the guy you are managing. Every move, every word, every action needs to be towards making your player/wrestler look as good as he possibly can. You’re supposed to fade into the background and let the player shine, not attempt to hog the spotlight or take attention away from them.
Hope the players will end up with better teams and can put this crap behind them.
A) What is the first thing come to mind when you see it. Don’t act like it doesn’t scream Nintendo or that kid from the Wizard.
B) It has been noted he has worn it. I can’t confirm, only knowledge from those close and know him.
C) I am sorry but you will get look at like ‘seriously’? Your example is you working AT said job. Now think of times where you were present during business meeting preparing to sign off on a venture that will involve money and contract rules. I highly doubt you will walk into that meeting with outside and inside affiliates wearing your big pac man hat. You would even second guess yourself before you walk out the door knowing that situation is preparing to happen.
Everything else I can agree and see your point. I’m done on the powerglove tip cause that was never my main concern it was his whole approach and how defiant he was at recognizing his own mistakes.
You can look at a man’s credentials and see what he’s worth, what he stands for and where he wants to go with his ideals. Triforce had no prior credentials that he earned from within the community so his “empire” was doomed to fall from the start. I’m surprised it took as long as it did. I don’t know about ya’ll but to sign a contract and put my trust in a man with no credentials is all sorts of risky.
I love the Empire, it’s so baaaaaad.
Nah seriously though how did it take this long for them to fold with him doin things the way they did? No snitchin, that’s the only reason I can come up with. Everyone knew what he was doin but they were just like yo, no snitchin.