GVMERSSeizoen 2024
We are GVMERS, a video game documentary company devoted to investigating and sharing the fascinating stories behind the industry’s most beloved interactive experiences.
Over the past several years, we’ve released a multitude of documentaries on our YouTube channel, GVMERS. The majority of these docs have focused on the history of dormant video game franchises, as well as cancelled games – however, we have also started producing videos on active series with greater frequency, in order to help diversify our output. We also recently launched a new channel, titled GVMERS Plus, to house more opinionated and free-form content, such as commentaries of our earlier videos.
Over the past several years, we’ve released a multitude of documentaries on our YouTube channel, GVMERS. The majority of these docs have focused on the history of dormant video game franchises, as well as cancelled games – however, we have also started producing videos on active series with greater frequency, in order to help diversify our output. We also recently launched a new channel, titled GVMERS Plus, to house more opinionated and free-form content, such as commentaries of our earlier videos.
Where to Watch GVMERS • Seizoen 2024
11 Episodes
- The Rise and Fall of Saints RowA1
The Rise and Fall of Saints RowAfter breaking ground with first-person shooters like Descent and redefining video game destruction with Red Faction, developer Volition, Inc. dipped its toes in a then-up-and-coming genre, the open-world adventure. Saints Row, formerly codenamed Bling Bling, served as the studio’s entry into the space, whose foundations were settled years prior by Rockstar Games’s Grand Theft Auto 3. This is the Rise and Fall of Saints Row. - The Rise and Fall of Syphon FilterA2
The Rise and Fall of Syphon FilterSandwiched between the 1998 and 2002 releases of Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell, respectively, was the oft-forgotten Syphon Filter that hit the original PlayStation in 1999. Each title contributed building blocks to the stealth-action genre. Metal Gear Solid with its innovative storytelling and mechanics set a perfect cadence. This is the rise and fall of Syphon Filter. - The Disaster of RedfallA3
The Disaster of RedfallDeveloped by Arkane’s Austin, Texas branch, the team behind Dishonored and Prey, Redfall promised an open-world, co-op adventure with “capitalistic vampires” as the antagonists. The game tasked players with beating back the supernatural threat by using specialized weapons, stakes, and abilities. But at launch, greedy bloodsuckers hardly seemed the primary cause for concern. This is the tragedy of Redfall. - The Tragedy of OverwatchA4
The Tragedy of OverwatchLaunched to much anticipation in May 2016, the original Overwatch took the world by storm. Its rollout as a premium title surprised even the most insightful of analysts, but Blizzard’s aggressive approach with in-game purchases quickly cleared up any confusion. To the dismay of fans, divisive monetization practices marked only the start of Overwatch’s various controversies. This is the tragedy of Overwatch. - The Rise and Fall of MotorstormA5
The Rise and Fall of MotorstormOften likened to the carnage of Burnout, MotorStorm set a new bar for off-roading by throwing away the rulebook that many racing games had long followed. The pursuit of these ends resulted in a racer that pit vehicles of disparate types against each other, with dirt bikes fighting for control of the road versus big rigs. Evolution made sure every vehicle controlled differently and every lap around a track offered new challenges, a feat it accomplished across multiple games. This is the rise and fall of MotorStorm. - The History of Call of Duty’s Cancelled GamesA6
The History of Call of Duty’s Cancelled GamesSince debuting 2003, the Infinity Ward-created Call of Duty series has immersed players in dozens of military conflicts spread across historically accurate settings and futuristic time periods. 2007’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare proved especially pivotal, steering the brand away from its preceding World War 2 engagements while also redefining first-person action and online multiplayer. This is the history of canceled Call of Duty games. - The Rise and Fall of Unreal TournamentA7
The Rise and Fall of Unreal Tournament In recent years, Unreal has exclusively been associated with the game engine of the same name. As such, its roots are either forgotten or wholly unknown to younger generations of gamers. But long before Epic began showcasing demos of its graphics engines on console hardware, the studio’s original group of staffers dreamt of creating the premier PC gaming engine and FPS experience. The crew achieved this and more upon unleashing Unreal and the Unreal Engine in 1998. This is the rise and fall of Unreal. - “Call of Doom” - Doom’s Bizarre Cancelled GameA8
“Call of Doom” - Doom’s Bizarre Cancelled GameRegarded as the father of first-person shooters, id Software’s Doom had long set the standard for first-person action when the studio entered production on the franchise’s fourth numbered entry. Doom 3 hadn’t exactly hit the mark, though, a sentiment shared among critics and series faithful who begrudged the game for prioritizing its technical prowess at the expense of gameplay. Doom 4 ran the risk of falling into the same trap, its earliest version bearing more in common with Call of Duty than classic id-developed shooters. - The Sad Tragedy of Gotham KnightsA9
The Sad Tragedy of Gotham KnightsAfter years of countless missteps and few success stories, Batman: Arkham Asylum’s 2009 debut reinvigorated licensed video games, its innovative combat and compelling use of Metroidvania elements influencing the next-generation of action games and beyond. The title’s critical acclaim and commercial wins resulted in developer Rocksteady Studios shipping a similarly beloved sequel just two years later. With the industry’s Bat-mania in full effect, publisher WB Games had no intention of slowing the momentum and, as such, tasked a relatively new studio—WB Games Montréal—with building Batman: Arkham Origins. - The $200,000,000 Skull and Bones DisasterA10
The $200,000,000 Skull and Bones DisasterAfter recreating the Crusades, renaissance Italy, and the American Revolution, Assassin’s Creed made the Golden Age of Piracy its playground in 2013. The historical setting enveloped players in a swashbuckling adventure across early 18th Century Caribbean waters. Naval combat mechanics entered the mix as a series first, proving so thrilling that fans wasted no time wishing for an Ubisoft-produced pirate game sans the trappings of Assassin’s Creed. The publisher unveiled such a project at E3 2017. - The Painful Disaster of Payday 3A11
The Painful Disaster of Payday 3Payday: The Heist may have received middling reviews in 2011, yet few could deny it offered anything less than a thrilling cooperative experience. The bank robber fantasy invited PC and PlayStation 3 users to assemble crews of four and take on daring, high-stakes heists. Within a year, over 700,000 players had joined the shooter’s criminal underworld, an impressive feat for developer Overkill Software’s first game. The studio delivered repeat success two years later upon deploying Payday 2, which reviewed marginally better and sold so well that it turned a profit days before launch. Throughout the sequel’s lengthy life-cycle, Overkill established a steady live-service support cadence as well as quality expectations that fans held in high esteem. Such standards would not be met when the third installment landed a decade later.