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 Logo featuring the website's mascot, Mr. Destructoid[1] | |
Type of site | Video game-focusedblog |
|---|---|
| Owner | Gamurs Group |
| URL | destructoid |
| Registration | Optional (free) |
| Launched | March 16, 2006; 19 years ago (2006-03-16) |
| Current status | Active |
Destructoid is a website that was founded as avideo game-focusedblog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author.[2]Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017 and sold it toGamurs Group in 2022.
Destructoid was owned by Yanier "Niero" Gonzalez so that he could attend theElectronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in 2006.[3] After being rejected, Gonzalez began writing original editorials and drawing cartoons which were picked up by established gaming blogs likeJoystiq[4] andKotaku.[5] In 2007, the site relaunched with user blogs, forums, and a team of contributors. Yanier's blog was moved off the home page in favor of a staff-edited, multi-author format. Similar toIGN,Destructoid offers free registration and readers can submit off-homepage blogs.
After E3, Gonzalez appeared at the press conference dressed as Mr. Destructoid (Destructoid's robotmascot, shown on logos and promotional material) to hand out promotional flyers. Its original editorial work gained mainstream syndication including the web showHey Ash, Whatcha Playin'?. The Mr. Destructoid costume was redesigned in 2012 by Volpin Props, featuring animatedLED circuitry, and is still active as their mascot at press events.[6]
In 2017 the site was acquired byEnthusiast Gaming, a company based in Toronto.[7] Enthusiast sold the website toGamurs Group in September 2022.[8]
Destructoid is split into six main sections: the Homepage where editors post daily news and reviews, the Community Blogs, the Videos section which consist of original skits and trailers, the Chat Forums, the Buy/Sell area where community members trade games, and the Fight area where members can play games against each other.
From 2010 to 2013,Destructoid produced the twice-weekly, in-studio video game news show, the Destructoid Show on Revision 3,[9] daily live video streams like Kingdom of Foom and MASH TacticS[10] on Twitch, and semi-regular video skits like Hey Ash Whatcha Playin, The Jimquisition, Storm's Adventures, and others on YouTube.[citation needed]
Destructoid reviews editorJames Stephanie Sterling ran a weekly podcast with associate editor Jonathan Holmes and Conrad Zimmerman. When Sterling leftDestructoid, the podcast was taken over by a new host with much less frequent updates.[citation needed]
In 2008, James Stephanie Sterling, aDestructoid editor, took part in a sponsored gaming marathon raising money for youngcancer patients. Raising $3,000 for the charity, Sterling and friend John Kershaw played a selection of games from theSingStar franchise, effectively singing almost non-stop for twelve hours. The event was broadcast live online for the duration of the event.[11]
In 2009, Niero, and otherDestructoid editors continued the gaming marathon tradition on October 17–18 for cancer awareness raising $4,835.60 for Extra Life children's hospital inTexas.[12]
In 2010, theDestructoid office hosted a 24-hour gaming marathon for the charity Extra Life. Community members raised over $6,000 for Children's Miracle hospitals in Texas.[citation needed]Destructoid has also partnered withRevision 3 to build a clean water well inAfrica through theCharity Water organization.[citation needed]
In 2011,Destructoid hosted another marathon for Extra Life, raising $6909.16 for Children's Miracle Hospitals.[13] He also made aMario Kart 7 community called "Destructoid". This community has a Bob-omb icon displayed on it. The slogan of this community is "Dtoid FNF yo".
In 2012,Destructoid hosted a 56-hour livestream on its Dtoid.tv channel, which raised over $7,000 forHabitat for Humanity. The Gonzalez flew toCosta Rica and assisted the build of a 32-house government project for families living in extreme poverty inLiberia.[14]
Destructoid has been nominated for several awards in video game coverage. The site was nominated for the inaugural Games Media Awards in 2007 under the "Non-Commercial Website or Blog" category.[15]Destructoid was also selected as an OfficialWebby Honoree in the Games-Related category of the11th Annual Webby Awards in 2007.[16] They were nominated by theInternational Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences in 2009 in the same category.[17][18]
The site's mascot, Mr. Destructoid, has appeared in various console, mobile, and PC video games, and as an emote onTwitch.[1]
In 2007, it was announced thatHudson Entertainment, the American branch ofHudson Soft had teamed up withDestructoid to develop and introduce a playable character based on Mr. Destructoid, into itsXbox Live Arcade gameBomberman Live.[19][20][21][22] Mr. Destructoid later appeared inBomberman Ultra, the PlayStation 3 port of Bomberman Live. Mr. Destructoid's head is available as an unlockable helmet inPixelJAM's gameDino Run, by entering the password "totinos" in the cheats menu. This was included as an in-joke, because that particular brand of pizza was a favorite of one of the editors, and he in turn was a friend of the game's developers. The code was revealed in one chapter of the Podtoid podcast.
In 2008,Destructoid's mascot was also included in theplatform gameEternity's Child, but was later removed after a scathing review of the game on the web site.[23][24] Mr. Destructoid also appeared in Agent MOO: Maximum Overdeath on Xbox Live Indie Games along with Ron Workman,Destructoid's former community manager.
In 2010, it was announced that Mr. Destructoid would be appearing in the upcomingXBLA release ofRaskulls.[25] Later that year it was discovered that Chapter 2–18 inSuper Meat Boy is called "Destructoid". The game was acclaimed by many of the editors, takingDestructoid's Game Of The Show at thePenny Arcade Expo earlier in July. Mr. Destructoid also appears in the flash game Pirates vs. Ninjas,[26] by Bardo Entertainment.
In 2011, Mr. Destructoid appeared as a non-playable character in BiteJacker, a game created by the Bytejacker show on theiPhone as a VIP Character. Your score increases the longer that he remains on screen. In JulyDestructoid's reviews editor, James Stephanie Sterling, became a playable character in The Blocks Cometh.[27] Later that month Mr. Destructoid appeared in Twisted Pixel's Ms. Splosion Man[28] as a destroyable villain during challenge mode, and again as a ball-swallowing fixture in Zen Studio's Pinball FX as part of the Ms. Splosion Man pinball table.[29] On August 1 Mr. Destructoid became a playable character in Arcade Jumper on iOS.[30] The remake of the classic arcade game Burgertime also features Mr. Destructoid as a playable character.[31]
In 2012, Mr. Destructoid was revealed as a playable character inSpicy Horse'sBig Head Bash, where his rooster gun shoots similar but smaller "cocks".[32] He is also a non-playable monster enemy inMonsterMind (Facebook Game) and a machinegun accessory in PerfectWorld's Blacklight Retribution. In the gameRetro City Rampage, several ofDestructoid's staff appeared in the game as unlockable player skins that are available by going to MJ's Face-R-Us and entering the coupon code DTOID.[citation needed]
In 2014, Microsoft added an official Mr. Destructoid outfit to the Xbox Live Avatar Marketplace.[33]
In 2016, a Mr. Destructoid flag was added as a cosmetic item inRocket League.[34]
