Comments on: Electronic Arts redefines ‘Indie’ for marketing purposes, or do they?

By: spinks

spinks — Fri, 04 May 2012 11:44:25 +0000

Nah, I’m not sure it’s had a sudden rise in popularity over here. Maybe it’s an anglicism that is catching on in the US?

By: jalindrine

jalindrine — Fri, 04 May 2012 11:42:59 +0000

Right right. But no indication from your side of the pond that it’s been used more generally and popularly recently? Here, you’ve got it as a consumer/someone who gives cash to a company. And the guy interviewed in the video seems to use it as “schmoe”, which is about as broad as it gets.

Maybe I’m just more sensitive to seeing it now that I realize what it means. /shrug (Sorry that there’s no “low priority” marker for WP posts.)

By: spinks

spinks — Fri, 04 May 2012 04:44:17 +0000

It’s been general usage in the UK for ages, it means someone who has a ‘punt’ or a bet on a race.

By: jalindrine

jalindrine — Fri, 04 May 2012 01:43:38 +0000

OT: When did “punter” reach such general usage? Probably saw it on YouTube first in this hilarious video (WARNING: slightly blue language), which may have tuned me in to hearing the term, but it seems increasingly popular over the last few years.

I’m going to embed again, this time on purpose. If that’s cruddy, let me know and I’ll stop.

By: spinks

spinks — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:45:23 +0000

That’s the case, which is why I say they are technically all indie games. EA aren’t lying with this phrasing. It’s just a wtf moment because EA are pretty much the antithesis of indie games, even though they do distribute some.

By: ulvheart

ulvheart — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:26:54 +0000

Maybe the studios that wrote the games are not affiliated to any specific publisher?

By: thade

thade — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:18:00 +0000

Google and other companies have effectively done the same thing with the word “beta”…taking it from literally meaning “pre-release testing phase” to a marketing buzz word that really means “free demo loaded with disclaimers”.