1 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Get in text with technology with tech Stuff from stuff 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: works dot com. Hey there, and welcome to tex Stuff. 3 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Jonathan Strickland. I'm a senior writer with 4 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 1: how stuff works dot com. I like to talk about 5 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: things that go buzz in the night, you know, like 6 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: robots and stuff. And today I thought we explore the 7 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 1: world of alien Ware. This is a company that's been 8 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: making specialized gaming rig computers since the mid nineteen nineties, 9 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: and I thought it might be cool to see where 10 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,839 Speaker 1: it got its start and where is it going now. 11 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 1: A little bit later in this episode, I'll be talking 12 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: with Frank Azor, general manager of alien Ware, one of 13 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: the co founders when the early early employees of the company, 14 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: and he's going to give us some background on that company, 15 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: a little bit more about the philosophy and the design 16 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: uh decisions, and and just kind of what makes the 17 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,039 Speaker 1: company tick. But let's stay set the stage a little 18 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: bit so that we understand why alien Wear even has 19 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: a space in the PC world. Well, games have been 20 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:14,679 Speaker 1: part of computer history for a really long time, which 21 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:17,040 Speaker 1: really shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Gaming has 22 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: always been a big part of the human experience. We 23 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: hone skills. Through games, we bond socially with others, We 24 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: explore ideas, we test philosophies, or sometimes we just want 25 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 1: to beat up on some sort of I don't know, 26 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:37,839 Speaker 1: Martian Robo Overlord or something. Now, back in nineteen fifty eight, 27 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: before personal computers were even a thing, there was a 28 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: physicist named William Higginbotham who used an analog computer and 29 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: in oscilloscope to create a game similar to what would 30 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 1: later become Pong. And a few years later and sixty two, 31 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: Stephen Russell at m I T created Space War, which 32 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: was a predecessor to the Arcade miss Genes that would 33 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 1: follow more than a decade later. These games were built 34 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: on specialized hardware. We're talking like mainframe computers. You have 35 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 1: to go ten years into the future to look about 36 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: the first PC games because personal computers weren't really a 37 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: thing till the mid to late seventies. For example, in 38 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy six, will Crowther, who actually was one of 39 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: the people who worked on the arpa net that was 40 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:29,079 Speaker 1: a predecessor to the Internet. It was a network that 41 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:33,639 Speaker 1: that ended up pioneering the technologies that would power the Internet. Well, 42 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: he wasn't just busy helping make computers talk to each other. 43 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 1: He was also developing a text based game in four 44 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: tran called Colossal Cave Adventure for the PDP ten main frame, 45 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: which is not exactly a PC I grant you, but 46 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: other programmers began to work on the project in order 47 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 1: to pour it over to different computer systems, including personal 48 00:02:56,680 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: computer systems, and these text based games were kind of 49 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: like a role playing game. It would spell out what 50 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: is going on in any given room. You would get 51 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: a paragraph of text and it would describe your surroundings 52 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 1: and things that are in the area, and you would 53 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 1: have to type in whatever it was you wanted to do. So, 54 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: for example, you might say, there's the description says you 55 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: are in a room, there is an old chair in 56 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: the corner, and a door leads out to the north, 57 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: and you might say sit in chair. And if the 58 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: programmers had thought about that, then you would get a response. 59 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: Perhaps it would be something such as you sit in 60 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: the chair, that's a load off, or the chair collapses 61 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: under your weight. You're now sitting on a pile of lumber, 62 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: or whatever the result maybe and you would just go 63 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: turn through turn. Not exactly the cutting edge in technology 64 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: by today's standards, but it was an early attempt at 65 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: creating games for computers. And there are a lot of 66 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: these text based games in the day. I remember things 67 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: like the Zork series or Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 68 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:10,119 Speaker 1: and of course the Leather Goddesses of Phobos and yes, 69 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 1: that's a real game, you can look it up. Before long, 70 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: a host of programmers began to build graphics based games. 71 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: They began to create things that weren't just text related. 72 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 1: You could control little characters or perhaps control a vehicle 73 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: of some sort. It was all very primitive at the time. 74 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: The graphics were very basic, and so were the sounds. 75 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:36,359 Speaker 1: Display resolution and processor power and sound ability was replacing 76 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: really hefty limitations on what a game developer could do. 77 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 1: Not that it stopped people from pushing the envelope. There 78 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 1: have always been game developers who have been creating games 79 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,919 Speaker 1: that push hardware to its limits, and so it was 80 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 1: even in the early days. But those limits were much 81 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:56,359 Speaker 1: lower back then. And then Moore's law just kept on 82 00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:00,600 Speaker 1: plugging away. You know that observation that generally speaking today 83 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 1: we interpret it as computers get about twice as powerful 84 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: every twenty four months, as they were before. So in 85 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: two years the computers that you buy are twice as 86 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 1: powerful as the ones from two years previous, and two 87 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 1: years in the future they will be twice as powerful 88 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 1: as the ones that are here today. Well, that was 89 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 1: still going along, and so you were getting increasing amounts 90 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: of processing power. But if you start off small, then 91 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 1: doubling doesn't mean you get a huge amount, right, not 92 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: at the beginning. It over time, yes, But let's say 93 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:38,839 Speaker 1: that you know you can lift twenty pounds, and then 94 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: you train and train and train and train, and now 95 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: you can lift twice that you can lift forty pounds. 96 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: Forty pounds in the grand scheme of things, still isn't 97 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:47,880 Speaker 1: that much. But then you train and train, and then 98 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:49,840 Speaker 1: it's eighty pounds, and then a hundred sixty, and then 99 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: pretty soon you're talking about really, really big numbers. Well, 100 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 1: in those early days of personal computers, we weren't talking 101 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: big numbers so well, developers were creating games that could 102 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:03,840 Speaker 1: wish hardware to its limits. It was still pretty modest. 103 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: Then something big happened, and it happened in the mid nineties, 104 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 1: and that big something was three D graphics. Now that 105 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 1: was not three D in the you need special glasses 106 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 1: in order to play this game sense, but rather that 107 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: the rendered objects on screen appeared to have three dimensions 108 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: to them. They appeared to have depth, and that was 109 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 1: a lot different from what had been there. It used 110 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: to be that games all like just two dimensional characters, 111 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,919 Speaker 1: there was no third dimension to them. Games like Doom 112 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: and Quake started to support these three dimensional graphics, and 113 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: you needed hardware to support that capability. In the early days, 114 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 1: it was the CPUs job to do all of that 115 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 1: three D rendering. Now, obviously the CPU has to do 116 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 1: a lot, so pushing three D rendering onto the CPU 117 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,080 Speaker 1: as well made it work even harder. So if you 118 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 1: companies began to explore options with expansion cards that would 119 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: take on some of the work that the CPU would 120 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: have to do. Video cards had been around since the 121 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,280 Speaker 1: nineteen eighties, but none of them were really true three 122 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 1: D graphics cards. Those would come in the mid nineties, 123 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: and one of the earliest of those was the Verge 124 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: pc I expansion card from S three. Verge spelled v 125 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: I r g E stood for Virtual Reality Graphics Engine, 126 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 1: so they had pretty high aspirations back in those mid nineties. 127 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: We're talking like right here, so this would be during 128 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 1: the first attempt to bring virtual reality out into the 129 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 1: public consciousness. This was the one that ultimately crashed in 130 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: on itself and and ultimately had it set virtual reality 131 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: back by about a decade because people were so disenchanted 132 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 1: by it that no one was really willing to pour 133 00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 1: any money into it for quite some time. Well. The 134 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 1: first card, this verge pc I expansion card, had four 135 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 1: whole megabytes of memory and a clock speed of sixty 136 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 1: six mega hurts. Now at the time that was impressive, 137 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 1: but by today's standards, it wouldn't even measure up to 138 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: a bargain ben graphics card. What it did do, however, 139 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 1: was created a new era, the era of the hardcore gamer, 140 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 1: because now you could actually get a supplemental card on 141 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: your computer that would allow you to play these advanced 142 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: games um and there had never been anything like that 143 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 1: really before. And tons of other graphics cards followed, both 144 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 1: from S three that was the company that made the 145 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: verge pc i'm a card, and lots of other manufacturers 146 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: as well, So there are some pretty big names that 147 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 1: got serious traction in those days. You had a t 148 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:49,439 Speaker 1: I was way before the radion days, and they introduced 149 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 1: the Rage three D card. I remember when that came out. 150 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:54,839 Speaker 1: Three D f X launched the Voodoo one, which was 151 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: incredibly influential. I'll have to do a full episode about 152 00:08:57,840 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 1: three D f X sometime in the future. That that 153 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: wholes stories a little weird. The Voodoo one also did 154 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: something the other early three D cards did not do. 155 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: It focused solely on rendering three D graphics. Other early 156 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 1: cards would fuse three D graphics rendering with two D 157 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 1: graphics rendering, so you'd have both of them handled by 158 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 1: the same graphics card. But with the Voodoo one, you 159 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: actually had to have a second graphics card just to 160 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 1: handle the two D graphics. It would work alongside the 161 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 1: Voodoo one in order for you to get the full functionality. 162 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: And it doesn't stop with the Voodoo one either. Nvidio 163 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: got into the game, literally in this case, with a 164 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 1: launch of the n V three in nine. Later, still 165 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:42,680 Speaker 1: in nine, a Canadian company called Matrox decided to wade 166 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 1: into the fray and they had their own three D 167 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 1: acceleration cards, and Intel tried to compete in this new 168 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 1: space with the I seven forty graphics cards, though the 169 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: product failed to get much traction in the marketplace, and 170 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 1: it didn't get very many positive reviews either. For the 171 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: most part, the graphics card market dominated by a T 172 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: I in Vidio three D f X, and S three 173 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 1: in those early years, So this creates some level of 174 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:13,200 Speaker 1: confusion for people who want to pursue PC gaming. Let's 175 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: take myself as an example. I was playing PC games 176 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 1: back then. I wasn't a console gamer at this time, 177 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 1: in the mid to late nineties. I was a PC gamer, 178 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:27,560 Speaker 1: but my PC was just a basic PC. I didn't 179 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 1: have like a dedicated graphics card. And once these games 180 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 1: started to get this advanced and there was really more 181 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 1: or less a requirement for you to get a three 182 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 1: D graphics card, it was hard for me to figure 183 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 1: out what I should do next. There were so many 184 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: different cards on the market, and they all had different abilities, 185 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:45,560 Speaker 1: and I wasn't really sure what any of them were. 186 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 1: And and they also many of them had proprietary approaches, 187 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 1: which meant that you could buy a game that requires 188 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: the three D graphics accelerator card and you have one 189 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 1: of those cards in your computer, but you have one 190 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 1: from a different manufacturer, and because it's not compatible, you 191 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: can't play the game even though from a raw power standpoint, 192 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 1: you'd be fine. It's your card is completely capable of 193 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: churning out the the output that you would need. But 194 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 1: because of that proprietary approach and the incompatibility issue, the 195 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:24,560 Speaker 1: game still won't run on your machine. This was really frustrating. Um, 196 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: you know, before that, before the graphics cards and sound 197 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 1: cards really became a big deal, you just had to 198 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 1: really worry about the motherboard and the CPU, plus any 199 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 1: expansion cards you might want in order to hook up 200 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 1: gear to your computer. But now you suddenly had to 201 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 1: take those three D graphics cards into account, and this 202 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 1: was a non trivial task. You had all these competing 203 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: products on the market, and you didn't necessarily know which firmware, 204 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: which which proprietary approach rather would be the best one. 205 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,320 Speaker 1: You might go out and buy a card that today 206 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 1: had support for most of the games that are on 207 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 1: the market, and then a year from then it might 208 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 1: turn out that all the games that are coming out 209 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: don't support that format anymore. They go to one of 210 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: the competitors. So it's a very confusing and frustrating time. 211 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 1: It meant that game developers also we're going through this, 212 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:18,319 Speaker 1: They had to decide which graphics cards were they going 213 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:22,200 Speaker 1: to support with their their games, Because every time you 214 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 1: add on another graphics card to support, you add on 215 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 1: time that it takes, and money and and other resources 216 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:31,439 Speaker 1: that it takes to develop the game so that will 217 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 1: run on that platform. So from a game developer standpoint, 218 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 1: having lots of different incompatible formats out there, it's frustrating 219 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 1: because you have to make those decisions. If you try 220 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 1: to support everything, it's going to take you longer to 221 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 1: get your game out, which means it's going to be 222 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 1: more expensive to you. It means you're gonna have to 223 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 1: sell more copies of it in order to get a 224 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 1: return on your investment. And if you choose to not 225 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 1: support everyone, then you have to figure out which card 226 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 1: makes the most sense to support, which one is going 227 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: to get you the most potential sales. It was not 228 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:11,480 Speaker 1: a great time to have to make these decisions. It 229 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 1: was really kind of uh difficult. So it was a 230 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 1: total bummer if you were a gamer and you felt 231 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: like you had made bad decisions, or just that you 232 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 1: had made a decision that turned out later on to 233 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: become bad. Like at the time it wasn't bad, but 234 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: later down the road it did. Building a PC got 235 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 1: more complicated and the games kept coming out, and so 236 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: that opened up an opportunity for a company to come 237 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: along and serve that market. So instead of building identical, 238 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 1: identical beige boxes with like standard specs to them, this 239 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: company would design gaming rigs with gamers in mind. So 240 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: the company would offer up various options for gamers to 241 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:53,199 Speaker 1: choose from. So it wasn't even just like here are 242 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:57,080 Speaker 1: three different computer models. There were a lot of options 243 00:13:57,120 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: for gamers to choose which come opponents they wanted included, 244 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:04,440 Speaker 1: and that would obviously affect everything from the performance of 245 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 1: the PC to its ultimate price. Now, all of the 246 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: actual work and building the rig would be done by 247 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: the company. The gamer wouldn't have to do it, so 248 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: that takes that responsibility off the gamers shoulders. That company 249 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: was alien Ware. But here's a little bit of trivia. 250 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:24,720 Speaker 1: It wasn't originally called alien Ware. In fact, it wasn't 251 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: originally meant to be a PC gaming rig company. The 252 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: original name of the company back in nineteen was Psychi, 253 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 1: and it was based in Miami, Florida still is. In fact, 254 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 1: to this day, alien Ware is still in Miami. The 255 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 1: founder was Nelson Gonzalez, and he started the company with 256 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: a ten thousand dollar personal credit loan. He didn't set 257 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 1: out to make gaming rigs right away either. He was 258 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 1: just going to build personal computers. But then he noticed 259 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: that many of the people he knew, like his friends 260 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: and family, were coming to him for advice on how 261 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: to make a personal computer run certain games that either 262 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: were are performing on their current machine or not even 263 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 1: working at all. And Gonzalez understood the complexities of the 264 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:10,119 Speaker 1: PC space at the time and helped get those computers 265 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 1: in shape. You know, his friends and family. He helped 266 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,080 Speaker 1: them out and he made sure that they could run 267 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 1: the latest games and they didn't have these compatibility issues. 268 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 1: So he then developed a business plan, and that business 269 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:27,280 Speaker 1: plan was direct selling to customers. It was a a 270 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 1: very transparent sort of approach where customers could come straight 271 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 1: through to purchase these PCs, which increasingly became gaming rigs. 272 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 1: He was still making regular PC computers at the time, 273 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 1: but he was finding more and more of his time 274 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: dedicated to building out these gaming rigs for a gamers 275 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 1: in He convinced his friend Alex Aguila to join him 276 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:54,680 Speaker 1: at his company, and by the end of ninety seven, 277 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 1: the two decided it was time to pivot the business 278 00:15:57,240 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 1: and focus solely on building PC gaming rigs. They said 279 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 1: farewell to the standard PC business and went all in 280 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 1: on gaming now. As I said at the top of 281 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: the show, I had the opportunity to talk to the 282 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 1: general manager of alien Ware, Frank Hazor, and we had 283 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:17,520 Speaker 1: a nice conversation. So we'll listen in on that interview 284 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 1: right after we take this break to thank our sponsor. 285 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: First of all, thank you so much for joining me today. 286 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 1: I very much appreciate your time. Yeah, thanks for having me. 287 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 1: Appreciate it. And I would like to to start at 288 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:42,880 Speaker 1: the beginning. I find that's always a good place and 289 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:47,880 Speaker 1: talk about the earliest days. We're talking about alien Ware, 290 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 1: a brand that has really established itself as the forefront 291 00:16:55,880 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 1: for especially for high performing gaming rigs. But how did 292 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:05,360 Speaker 1: it all get started? Well, it starts with an idea, 293 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:10,400 Speaker 1: UM pretty simply. UM. We were very passionate gamers at 294 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 1: the time and UM mostly playing on PC, some on console, 295 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:18,440 Speaker 1: and a lot of really great games were coming out 296 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:21,920 Speaker 1: on the PC. UM around that time, we were working 297 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:26,280 Speaker 1: with Doom, Doom too, UM Quake, UH, and these games 298 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 1: were really pushing the performance boundaries of what PCs were 299 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 1: able to do then, and there was also really hard 300 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:36,800 Speaker 1: to get to work correctly on PCs. Back then, we 301 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: had a sixteen bit Doss operating system, thirty two bit 302 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 1: Windows operating system. Graphics cards were just starting to emerge 303 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,119 Speaker 1: on the market for consumers, and there was two D 304 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:49,399 Speaker 1: cards and three D cards, so it was really hard 305 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,680 Speaker 1: to get these games to work correctly. So are our 306 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:56,399 Speaker 1: CEO UM had started a PC company and I was 307 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 1: just trying to build like regular PCs at the time, 308 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:00,679 Speaker 1: and a lot of friends kept coming him and saying, Hey, 309 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 1: I want to play these games and I want to 310 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 1: play with you. Guys, can you help me tweak my 311 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: machine to do it or build me one to do it? 312 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: And he would help them out, and little by little 313 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 1: it just started forming into a business, and he reached 314 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 1: out to one of his friends, Alex, and Alex joined him, 315 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 1: and then they reached out to another friend. That friend 316 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:22,640 Speaker 1: introduced me to them, and uh and an alien work 317 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 1: was born. So this is a great point that you make, 318 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 1: this idea of of how in those early days when 319 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:33,120 Speaker 1: PC games were really starting to enter in a new 320 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:36,120 Speaker 1: level of sophistication, I mean PC gaming obviously had been 321 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 1: an element since the birth of the personal computer, but 322 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 1: around the mid nineties is when we really started to 323 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 1: see it blossom and and push the boundaries of what 324 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:51,160 Speaker 1: computers were capable of doing. It really was a complicated 325 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:55,400 Speaker 1: system to to try and keep up with the demands 326 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:59,200 Speaker 1: of the latest games. You had all these different cards, 327 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 1: some of which might not be compatible with certain motherboards, 328 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:06,160 Speaker 1: which to the to the uninitiated, to people who don't 329 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 1: build computers, that creates a real barrier, right. It creates 330 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:13,880 Speaker 1: that level of intimidation of getting into PC gaming, something 331 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 1: that still really exists today, and there may be people 332 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:19,440 Speaker 1: out there who do not realize that not all processors 333 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:22,879 Speaker 1: are compatible with all motherboards, and you may have issues 334 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:26,640 Speaker 1: with certain graphics cards, and so to create a business 335 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 1: around solving those issues so that the consumer doesn't have 336 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 1: to think about it obviously has a great deal of appeal. 337 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 1: What sort of um what are some of the things 338 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:41,399 Speaker 1: that gamers need to think about when they are talking 339 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 1: about gaming rigs. You know, we're talking about you know, 340 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:47,199 Speaker 1: graphics processing. What what are the sort of metrics you 341 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 1: guys look at when you're building out your machines. Yeah, 342 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:56,560 Speaker 1: piece of gaming was absolutely very complicated initially. Fortunately it's 343 00:19:56,600 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: gotten a lot simpler over time on the software we'd have. 344 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:06,119 Speaker 1: We've had solutions like Steam and UM and origins Solution 345 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:09,680 Speaker 1: e A uses Origin for their games, and what they've 346 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,000 Speaker 1: done with these digital distribution solutions is that they've made 347 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,800 Speaker 1: them a lot easier for us to maintain our games, 348 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 1: to download our games, to patch them up, to deal 349 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:22,359 Speaker 1: with DRM UM and c D keys. In the old days, 350 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:25,200 Speaker 1: used to have discs, multiple discs to install a game, 351 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 1: used to have to keep your c D key somewhere 352 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:29,879 Speaker 1: around or your game key somewhere around, and if you 353 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: lost it, you were kind of s O l um 354 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 1: and And not only was it difficult to do that, 355 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 1: but then there was always patches that you had to 356 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:39,120 Speaker 1: go out to these obscure websites to try and download, 357 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:41,600 Speaker 1: and sometimes they were viruses built into those patches because 358 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 1: they were malicious code that other people would bundle into 359 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:47,680 Speaker 1: the executables, And it was always hard to maintain and 360 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: keep up with all the patches that are out there. 361 00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:52,440 Speaker 1: It was just very difficult. So we got really really 362 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:56,080 Speaker 1: lucky with these UH innovations that companies like Steam and 363 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 1: and the others built, UM to help simplify this whole experience. 364 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:03,119 Speaker 1: And then on the hardware side, companies like Alien where 365 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 1: we've been in providing turnkey gaming systems for folks so 366 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 1: that they don't have to worry about the PC itself, 367 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:14,920 Speaker 1: the technology that goes into it, maintaining the technology, servicing 368 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 1: it if and when it fails, um when someone comes 369 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:20,400 Speaker 1: any and where they're coming to us because they want 370 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 1: to focus on playing the games. They don't want to 371 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:24,439 Speaker 1: have to worry about the tech and then the potential 372 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:26,680 Speaker 1: headaches that come associated with it. And and that's really 373 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 1: been what we've built our business on is selling folks. Look, 374 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 1: if you have the time, the knowledge, and the expertise 375 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 1: to build your own system, by all means you're always 376 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:39,360 Speaker 1: gonna build better than what anybody else. But when your 377 00:21:39,359 --> 00:21:41,399 Speaker 1: time becomes a little bit more limited and your patients 378 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:43,360 Speaker 1: may be a little bit more limited, and you want 379 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 1: to just focus on your game and not have to 380 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:50,119 Speaker 1: worry about the hardware, by that experience, that's what before. 381 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:52,679 Speaker 1: So what we've done over the years is we've done 382 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:56,159 Speaker 1: a lot of work to try and simplify making those decisions. 383 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:58,920 Speaker 1: If you look at how we sell our systems today 384 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:02,919 Speaker 1: and how we offer them customers are different kind of 385 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:06,520 Speaker 1: prefigurations for them to kind of see, okay, well this 386 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 1: is like a mid range system, this is a really 387 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: high end system. We give them the right communication that 388 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 1: they need to know about what their systems capabilities are 389 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:17,520 Speaker 1: going to be. We tell them if this is going 390 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:19,680 Speaker 1: to be a ten A d P gaming system or 391 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 1: if this is a four K capable rig um, and 392 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: then of course if they want to customize, if we 393 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 1: offer them the options to be able to do it. 394 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: But the whole thing that what we've tried to do 395 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:31,919 Speaker 1: is we tried to simplify the gaming experience for us, 396 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 1: to make it less intimidating, and to and to help 397 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:38,360 Speaker 1: grow that's quite frankly, which we've been very successful in doing. 398 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,200 Speaker 1: PC gaming is gonna or gaming in general, I should say, 399 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:42,920 Speaker 1: not just PC, but gaming is gonna grow to be 400 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:46,399 Speaker 1: a thirty billion dollar business this year um, which is 401 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:51,119 Speaker 1: pretty amazing, something that exceeded war Wildnest expectations and the 402 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 1: approach of alien ware. Again, not to harp on it 403 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:56,879 Speaker 1: too much, but this idea of creating the solutions for 404 00:22:56,920 --> 00:23:00,200 Speaker 1: the gamer, for people who haven't built a machine that's 405 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:03,120 Speaker 1: a non trivial issue. I mean we I know gamers 406 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:07,919 Speaker 1: who consider themselves console gamers, largely because they find the 407 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 1: the idea of trying to build a gaming rig to 408 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:15,880 Speaker 1: be intimidating. They are worried that if they build one 409 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:20,200 Speaker 1: that the specs will become obsolete so quickly that it 410 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 1: will not have justified the amount of time they put 411 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:26,440 Speaker 1: into it. They've heard horror stories about people building rigs 412 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:28,439 Speaker 1: and then you get to that magic moment where you 413 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 1: flip the power switch and nothing happens, and you aren't 414 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 1: really sure what it was that went wrong, and then 415 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 1: you have to work it all out. So something like this, 416 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:41,639 Speaker 1: where you have the the gaming rigs built uh and 417 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:44,960 Speaker 1: you can even customize it in the ordering process, makes 418 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,400 Speaker 1: life a lot easier to get into that PC gaming 419 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 1: world where you know you can finally find out if 420 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:52,439 Speaker 1: all those PC gamers who have been boasting for years 421 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:55,919 Speaker 1: that the gameplay and graphics are far superior to any console, 422 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: you can finally find out for yourself and for anyone 423 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 1: who has has not gone through even just as just 424 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 1: as a a this is my dream rig experience, I 425 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 1: do recommend actually building out a gaming rig using the 426 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,639 Speaker 1: the alien ware approach, because I've done that on multiple 427 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:16,920 Speaker 1: occasions and I'm just it's always my alright, if I 428 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:20,480 Speaker 1: sell a book, this is the rig I'm buying like this, 429 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: that next book deal, that next whatever, that big bonuses. 430 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 1: This is the rig because it is you could build 431 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: a real beast with those those tools. So tell me 432 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:34,159 Speaker 1: a little bit more about what's the story behind the 433 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 1: name alien ware. Did that that come from anything in 434 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 1: particular or was it just something like a cool idea 435 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,159 Speaker 1: or was there an inspiration drawn from elsewhere? Because I 436 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:48,399 Speaker 1: can tell you what Wikipedia says. Be careful with what 437 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:51,400 Speaker 1: Wikipedia says, because you'd be amazed at how many founders 438 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:53,120 Speaker 1: of Adien where there are up there that we've never 439 00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:57,400 Speaker 1: heard of um on Wikipedia puppy number right. But yeah, 440 00:24:57,400 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 1: it's a really interesting story. You know, back in in 441 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 1: the late nine these The X Files is a really 442 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 1: popular show at the time. And um Nelson are our 443 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 1: CEO and then the original founder to the company who 444 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:12,200 Speaker 1: came up with the concept of amy and ware and 445 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,439 Speaker 1: already the concept of sending PC gaming systems. He's a 446 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:19,360 Speaker 1: very creative individual. Um he actually created pretty much all 447 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:22,960 Speaker 1: of the art that um Anya where ever put out 448 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 1: all of our graphics and art and industrial design with 449 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 1: the help of Astro Studios in the for the majority 450 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: of of Any Wars early years. And um, you know, 451 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:35,920 Speaker 1: he was thinking to himself once he had the idea 452 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,960 Speaker 1: for building this gaming company, He's thinking to himself, but 453 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 1: we're going to kind of be building the best computers 454 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 1: in the world. We're gonna be using some of the 455 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 1: latest and greatest hardware to run the latest and greatest 456 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:49,879 Speaker 1: software that's out there. Games in particular, these games are 457 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:52,119 Speaker 1: the ones that are like pushing the limits as to 458 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,720 Speaker 1: what's possible in computing at the time and still are 459 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 1: in a lot of ways. So he was he was 460 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:00,280 Speaker 1: thinking about what he's going to call this comp aye, 461 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:03,120 Speaker 1: and he was kind of putting together hardware and software 462 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:05,360 Speaker 1: and thinking, well, we're going to be, you know, kind 463 00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:08,520 Speaker 1: of state of the art advanced technologies, and he just 464 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:12,000 Speaker 1: figured Aliens, we tend to think have superior technology to 465 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 1: what we have here. So they kind of put it 466 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:17,399 Speaker 1: all together, hardware, software, Aliens and that's pretty where the 467 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:21,919 Speaker 1: name emerged from. And the aesthetic really developed pretty early 468 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:25,119 Speaker 1: on too. I mean, obviously the very first Alien where 469 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:30,919 Speaker 1: rigs that came out, they some of them included early 470 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:34,800 Speaker 1: early desktops included colors that you just didn't see out there, 471 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 1: things that really set them apart. But shortly after that 472 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 1: you got away from the the standard sort of box 473 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:45,199 Speaker 1: tower design of desktops and he started getting into some 474 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: really interesting um curved lines and and vents, the machines 475 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:53,200 Speaker 1: that looked like they went fast even while they were 476 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:56,960 Speaker 1: sitting still. I mean, I think the Predator desktop is 477 00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:59,080 Speaker 1: still one of those that I look at and I 478 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: just love that design. Was that something that came from 479 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 1: the same group. Yeah, Um, it's an interesting history. You know, 480 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:10,159 Speaker 1: when you're a really small company, and we were a 481 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:13,479 Speaker 1: small company and we grew organically. We never took an 482 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 1: investment in the early days. Um we we we really 483 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 1: grew everything based on the sales that were coming in 484 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:22,680 Speaker 1: and just reinvesting little by little into the company. So 485 00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:25,480 Speaker 1: we knew that we wanted we had a vision for 486 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 1: the kind of products that we wanted to develop, and 487 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:31,280 Speaker 1: little by little we started realizing that vision. We wanted 488 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: to bring this type of design that Apple at the 489 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:37,359 Speaker 1: time and still even today had brought to consumer electronics. 490 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,920 Speaker 1: We wanted to bring that to PCs, in particular PC 491 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:44,119 Speaker 1: games or PC gaming systems. Back then, you may recall 492 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:46,879 Speaker 1: pretty much every computer was like a beige, boring box 493 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:49,520 Speaker 1: and the only company that was actually doing any hint 494 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:53,359 Speaker 1: of industrial design was IBM because they had black that 495 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 1: they were using UM and that was about as far 496 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: as they had gone. An Apple had come out with 497 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:02,200 Speaker 1: the Imax and these really cool designs and colors, and 498 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 1: they were adding life into these these devices, and Nelson 499 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:09,720 Speaker 1: was like, looking, we eventually want to go and build 500 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:12,679 Speaker 1: our own product from the ground up, UM, but we 501 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 1: can't afford to do it yet. I mean these to 502 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:17,240 Speaker 1: build something like that, it's millions of dollars and we 503 00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:20,120 Speaker 1: just couldn't afford it. We're such a small company. So 504 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:22,679 Speaker 1: we said to ourselves, what's the what's kind of like, 505 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:25,600 Speaker 1: what's the most we could do within what we afford 506 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:28,240 Speaker 1: at that time, And that's where we went out. We 507 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 1: started looking for some really cool cases that existed on 508 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:33,639 Speaker 1: the market out there, out in Taiwan and in China, 509 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:38,280 Speaker 1: and then we started working on painting them so that 510 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: we can give customers the ability to know personalize their 511 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 1: experience with the really really cool paint job and color 512 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 1: motif and everything that would just stand out in a 513 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:52,960 Speaker 1: crowd of beige computers and boring old designs, and that's 514 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 1: really what started and we experimented with that. We thought 515 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: that that would succeed. It took off massively, and thank 516 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: to that, we were able to go off and create 517 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 1: the Predator project, and that project, the Predator chassis, that 518 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 1: case has defined the look of Amian work computers ever 519 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 1: since that we came out with it. Our notebooks UM 520 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:13,800 Speaker 1: had a very similar design when we came out our 521 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 1: first gaming notebook and the industry's first gaming notebook, and 522 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:19,240 Speaker 1: then even then, if you look at our products today, 523 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 1: you'll see that there's several characteristics about them that are 524 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 1: much more evolved and and more current and futuristic as 525 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:29,720 Speaker 1: compared to what we built with the Predator back then, 526 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 1: and in the notebook we called the skull cap UM, 527 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 1: but they still pay homage to that original industrial design 528 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: and that and uh that legacy of identity that we 529 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 1: established with that Predator chassis back then, I mean nowadays. 530 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 1: To bring a product to market, for example, like one 531 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 1: of our desktop, like the Area fifty one desktop, we 532 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:53,600 Speaker 1: spent over ten million dollars in research and development bringing 533 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 1: that product to market, and every single element of that 534 00:29:58,240 --> 00:30:00,720 Speaker 1: of that design is completely If you look at it, 535 00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 1: that's a really cool triangular design that we offer today. 536 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 1: We just updated it to A A and D throughout 537 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: River sixteen core process or. It's like the fastest desktop 538 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 1: ever ever built before. And every element of it, you know, 539 00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:16,480 Speaker 1: down to the fans that we're using, the liquid cooling system, 540 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:21,040 Speaker 1: the paint that we're using, the material composition, the architecture 541 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:23,320 Speaker 1: of the chassis and the construction of it, the shape 542 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 1: of its unique. It's never been done before, So you know, 543 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:28,800 Speaker 1: we're we're pushing the limit even more and more and 544 00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:31,960 Speaker 1: more and innovating more than we've ever done. And thankful 545 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:35,160 Speaker 1: it's it's it's all thanks to our customers for believing 546 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 1: in us, trusting us, and investing in us that we've 547 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:40,640 Speaker 1: been able to continue to push these limits. And with 548 00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:43,640 Speaker 1: that particular design, that triangular one. I got a chance 549 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 1: to see that at E three and it is an 550 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:49,880 Speaker 1: amazing piece of technology. It's very clever. I like the 551 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:52,960 Speaker 1: design where it allows for more efficient cooling of the 552 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 1: various elements. Obviously, now that we're in a time where 553 00:30:56,240 --> 00:31:00,120 Speaker 1: overclocking is becoming more and more of a stand or 554 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 1: approach from a lot of power gamers out there. You've 555 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 1: got multiple high powered graphics processing units in there, you've 556 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:10,280 Speaker 1: got to have a good heat management system or else. 557 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:12,840 Speaker 1: I mean, we all know heat and electronics are not 558 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:17,239 Speaker 1: best buddies. They do things break down quickly if they 559 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:20,360 Speaker 1: get too hot. So seeing that design and seeing that approach, 560 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:23,280 Speaker 1: I thought was very interesting, very clever, And for those 561 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: out there who aren't familiar with the process for building 562 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 1: out these sort of things you're talking about, uh, you know, 563 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:35,200 Speaker 1: early designs, going into prototype models, going into production models, 564 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:39,280 Speaker 1: going into manufacturing models, and and this is a very 565 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:42,600 Speaker 1: long process for any piece of of any kind of 566 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:45,880 Speaker 1: product that comes out on mass production. So it's one 567 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:49,280 Speaker 1: of those, uh processes that I think behind the scenes 568 00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:51,720 Speaker 1: that a lot of people just don't think about when 569 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 1: they see something brand new on the shelf. They don't 570 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 1: realize the number of hours that go into any given 571 00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: product for that to be out there. So I appreciate 572 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 1: you kind of enlightening us on that. And I also 573 00:32:05,040 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 1: want to point out that early reviews of Alien where 574 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 1: really gave it a big boost as well. In fact, 575 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:16,959 Speaker 1: there was a magazine article that that ended up getting uh, 576 00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:21,160 Speaker 1: a really great push for Alien where when the reviewer 577 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:24,520 Speaker 1: said that if there were any way he could hold 578 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:28,360 Speaker 1: on to the Alien where desktop he was given to 579 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 1: review and not return it, he would very much appreciate that. 580 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 1: So I think that's probably the best review any computer 581 00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:39,080 Speaker 1: manufacturer can hope for, when the person giving the review 582 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:45,240 Speaker 1: admits outright, they just want to hold onto that machine. Yeah, 583 00:32:45,280 --> 00:32:51,040 Speaker 1: that was That was a defining moment in our history, 584 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:53,480 Speaker 1: UM for a couple of reasons. One because getting a 585 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:57,000 Speaker 1: great review is always awesome, and we're very sensitive to 586 00:32:57,120 --> 00:33:00,640 Speaker 1: what the press and especially our customers say about us 587 00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:04,959 Speaker 1: in our products and UM you know, pretty much any comment, 588 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:10,280 Speaker 1: any any question, any complaint about anything that reaches us 589 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 1: at at Alien were headquarters. Those answered because if we 590 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:17,600 Speaker 1: mess up, we want our customers to acknowledge. We want 591 00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:19,520 Speaker 1: to acknowledge to our customers that we did so we 592 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 1: want to learn from it and we want to improve. 593 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:24,160 Speaker 1: And if we didn't necessarily mess up, we want to 594 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:28,600 Speaker 1: defend ourselves and explain why. But listening to customers feedback, 595 00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:31,960 Speaker 1: listening to what are the experts in the industry, like 596 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:35,480 Speaker 1: pressing journalists have to say about our products UM and 597 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 1: acting upon that is has been a key contributor not 598 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:41,880 Speaker 1: only to our initial success but also to all of 599 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:44,560 Speaker 1: our success up to now. It's because of our ability 600 00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:47,200 Speaker 1: to listen and be so sensitive to that information, because 601 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:49,360 Speaker 1: we we've never forgotten where we came from. We really 602 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 1: came from, of course, that idea, the original idea that 603 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:56,960 Speaker 1: Nelson had, but we also came from that review, which 604 00:33:57,160 --> 00:33:58,840 Speaker 1: told us what we did well and what we needed 605 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:00,760 Speaker 1: and what we needed to do improve of on. But 606 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:04,480 Speaker 1: it also gave us confidence that we were really onto somethings. 607 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:06,400 Speaker 1: Ye at that time, what we were doing was had 608 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:10,920 Speaker 1: never been done before. Nobody was building computers optimized to 609 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:13,600 Speaker 1: play games. There was no market data as to how 610 00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:16,680 Speaker 1: big this market is. There was nobody to follow and 611 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:21,759 Speaker 1: draft from. UM. We modeled ourselves after Apple from an 612 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:26,640 Speaker 1: industrial design and identity perspective and iconic nature UM, and 613 00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:29,000 Speaker 1: then we modeled ourselves after Dell from a go to 614 00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:32,320 Speaker 1: market UM business model type of perspective. We knew we 615 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:35,000 Speaker 1: wanted to offer customization and personalization and we wanted to 616 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:38,840 Speaker 1: focus on being a primarity direct type of business. But 617 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 1: we you know, we could model ourselves in the business 618 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:43,719 Speaker 1: that way and the way in which we wanted to 619 00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:47,360 Speaker 1: approach our products, but no idea like what these gaming 620 00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:50,160 Speaker 1: computers were and if the people wanted to buy them, 621 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:52,799 Speaker 1: and if people saw value in them, and if they 622 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:56,480 Speaker 1: cared about them. And those initial reviews gave us that confidence, 623 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:59,719 Speaker 1: and of course gave us the awareness and the exposure 624 00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:01,440 Speaker 1: to them parcus so that people knew what we were 625 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:04,400 Speaker 1: doing and that phone started ringing off the hook, and 626 00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:08,080 Speaker 1: that confidence was it was critical. Really, I don't know 627 00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:10,080 Speaker 1: that if we wouldn't have gotten that confidence at that 628 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:12,960 Speaker 1: time that we have any and we're here today because 629 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:14,959 Speaker 1: we would have maybe thought we had a done owner 630 00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:17,880 Speaker 1: had if that reviewer would have said, this is really cool, 631 00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:20,520 Speaker 1: but it's five thousand dollars. I don't know why anybody 632 00:35:20,520 --> 00:35:23,120 Speaker 1: in the right mind would buy this thing. Um, it's 633 00:35:23,120 --> 00:35:25,760 Speaker 1: not worth it, and we would have been like, maybe 634 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:27,680 Speaker 1: you shouldn't have done this. I mean, I don't know 635 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:31,040 Speaker 1: for sure that wasn't necessarily a do or die moment um, 636 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:33,239 Speaker 1: but it was certainly a moment I remember having the 637 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:37,160 Speaker 1: confidence to say, yeah, we're onto something here, let's keep 638 00:35:37,200 --> 00:35:41,160 Speaker 1: moving forward at this thing, right And then in had 639 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:44,919 Speaker 1: PC World named the original Area fifty one desktop one 640 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:47,520 Speaker 1: of its best PCs of all time, they listed twenty 641 00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:50,480 Speaker 1: five different machines, and Area fifty one was one of 642 00:35:50,520 --> 00:35:54,320 Speaker 1: the ones listed, so clearly things were on the right track. 643 00:35:54,480 --> 00:35:57,480 Speaker 1: You already mentioned the fact that you that the company 644 00:35:57,520 --> 00:36:02,360 Speaker 1: was the first to offer a laptop specifically for gaming. 645 00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:05,120 Speaker 1: There are other firsts that came out to You had 646 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:08,120 Speaker 1: the first liquid cool desktop in two thousand four with 647 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:10,960 Speaker 1: the a l X. So there's been a lot of 648 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:15,200 Speaker 1: innovation on going on with the Alien where the brand 649 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:19,040 Speaker 1: has been associated with that both in the components that 650 00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:23,600 Speaker 1: you include inside your your rigs, but also obviously that 651 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:27,040 Speaker 1: that aesthetic, that thing that really sets the Alien ware 652 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:31,400 Speaker 1: apart from just a first glance, whether it's the triangular 653 00:36:31,440 --> 00:36:34,399 Speaker 1: shape of the new Area fifty one machine, or it's 654 00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:39,520 Speaker 1: custom lights and and and cool vents and uh, really 655 00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:43,440 Speaker 1: nice paint jobs. What do you see as the future 656 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:45,680 Speaker 1: for Alien where we've we've got a lot of stuff 657 00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:49,400 Speaker 1: that's battling it out to try and really emerge as 658 00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:53,160 Speaker 1: a new era in gaming, whether it's augmented reality or 659 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:56,959 Speaker 1: virtual reality. But from your perspective, what do you see 660 00:36:56,960 --> 00:37:02,239 Speaker 1: as the future for the Alien were brand? Um? I mean, 661 00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 1: there's an incredible amount of opportunity for us ahead. You know, 662 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:10,160 Speaker 1: gaming has more momentum today than it's ever had. The 663 00:37:10,160 --> 00:37:12,480 Speaker 1: amount of innovation that's going on, the amount of new 664 00:37:12,520 --> 00:37:15,000 Speaker 1: products that are coming into this space, some even from 665 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:19,759 Speaker 1: our competitors. UM, the innovation that's coming in here, it's phenomenal. 666 00:37:20,120 --> 00:37:24,440 Speaker 1: And you know, we're no longer a niche for like 667 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:28,319 Speaker 1: the first fifteen years of our company's history. I no 668 00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:31,000 Speaker 1: longer go out there and with my Indian work shirt 669 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:33,920 Speaker 1: and people don't ask me what is that? Like, people 670 00:37:33,960 --> 00:37:36,760 Speaker 1: know already what Alien war is. When I tell people, 671 00:37:36,920 --> 00:37:38,879 Speaker 1: you know, we do PC gaming, They're like, oh, yeah, 672 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:43,440 Speaker 1: my son is a huge PC's Minecraft, or he's playing Overwatch, 673 00:37:43,520 --> 00:37:46,560 Speaker 1: or he's playing this or that. So it's an incredible 674 00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:49,879 Speaker 1: time right now. It's really exciting because not only are 675 00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:53,560 Speaker 1: we benefiting from this incredible momentum, but we helped build it. 676 00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:55,719 Speaker 1: And that's an incredible thing to be a part of. 677 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:58,640 Speaker 1: UM and you know, work an essential piece of the 678 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:01,400 Speaker 1: history of PC gaming and UH and I think an 679 00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:04,040 Speaker 1: essential contributor to helping to get to where it is 680 00:38:04,080 --> 00:38:06,799 Speaker 1: today in many ways, at least from a hardware perspective. 681 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:10,479 Speaker 1: So it's the amount of momentum, the amount of energy, 682 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:12,880 Speaker 1: the amount of investment and everything that the entire industry 683 00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:15,680 Speaker 1: is putting into piece of gaming is It's unprecedented and 684 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:19,440 Speaker 1: way beyond anything we ever anticipated in terms of opportunities 685 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:22,520 Speaker 1: that I see ahead. I think the sports is massive. 686 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:25,840 Speaker 1: I genuinely believe that the sports is going to become 687 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:28,400 Speaker 1: the most popular sport in the world in our lifetime. 688 00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:32,080 Speaker 1: We are already seeing the sports move into the Asian 689 00:38:32,120 --> 00:38:36,680 Speaker 1: Games in two and that's just another step in the 690 00:38:36,719 --> 00:38:40,200 Speaker 1: path to becoming potentially an Olympic sport. We're seeing the 691 00:38:40,280 --> 00:38:42,920 Speaker 1: sports being broadcast through the type of channels that you 692 00:38:42,920 --> 00:38:46,640 Speaker 1: would expect, like online streaming platforms like Twitch dot tv 693 00:38:46,920 --> 00:38:50,799 Speaker 1: or Caffeine dot tv. But we're also seeing our partnership 694 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:54,680 Speaker 1: with Elague bring E sports to mainstream television as well, 695 00:38:55,040 --> 00:38:58,239 Speaker 1: to start kind of bridging those audiences and introducing it 696 00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:01,440 Speaker 1: to television and giving access stability to folks that enjoy 697 00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:04,360 Speaker 1: watching TV in that type of a setting to this 698 00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:09,200 Speaker 1: incredible um culture and this incredible sport that's emerged here, 699 00:39:09,280 --> 00:39:12,160 Speaker 1: and I've seen people get engaged from all types of 700 00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:17,040 Speaker 1: ages and groups and demographics into the League E sports broadcast. 701 00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:19,640 Speaker 1: They see it as a as a sport like any other. 702 00:39:19,800 --> 00:39:23,799 Speaker 1: There's competition in it, there's skill, there's passion, their stories 703 00:39:23,840 --> 00:39:26,759 Speaker 1: behind each of the athletes, and um, it's got all 704 00:39:26,760 --> 00:39:29,920 Speaker 1: the right elements for it to be an extremely popular sport, 705 00:39:29,920 --> 00:39:32,680 Speaker 1: which it already is. But ultimately that is why I 706 00:39:32,719 --> 00:39:36,120 Speaker 1: think it will become females popular sport. And within that, 707 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:39,840 Speaker 1: the opportunity we see for the entire gaming industry and 708 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:42,239 Speaker 1: the one that work capital lasting on with alien ware 709 00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:47,759 Speaker 1: is the hardware element of the sports is massive. I mean, 710 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:51,200 Speaker 1: from my perspective, I don't think there's any other sport 711 00:39:51,239 --> 00:39:54,920 Speaker 1: out there where the athlete depends on their equipment outside 712 00:39:54,920 --> 00:39:58,799 Speaker 1: of vehicle racing, where then there is any sports. I 713 00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:01,799 Speaker 1: mean that your hardware can literally mean the difference no 714 00:40:01,840 --> 00:40:04,560 Speaker 1: matter how good of a player you are between walking 715 00:40:04,640 --> 00:40:08,040 Speaker 1: home with millions of dollars are walking home a loser 716 00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:11,200 Speaker 1: with nothing. If that machine overheats, it locks up, it 717 00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:15,279 Speaker 1: blue screens, it starts to lag, any issues occur, it's 718 00:40:15,280 --> 00:40:18,800 Speaker 1: a very expensive mistake or it's a very expensive issue. 719 00:40:19,280 --> 00:40:22,840 Speaker 1: So our commitment to gamers, especially supports gamers, is that 720 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:25,480 Speaker 1: quality will always be number one and everything that we do, 721 00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:27,800 Speaker 1: and if we don't get it right for any reason, 722 00:40:27,840 --> 00:40:29,600 Speaker 1: then there have been instances in the past where we 723 00:40:29,680 --> 00:40:32,319 Speaker 1: haven't like any company, the difference in what we're gonna 724 00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:37,640 Speaker 1: do is that we're going to immediately listen, respond, acknowledge 725 00:40:37,640 --> 00:40:41,680 Speaker 1: if and when we failed, and fix it immediately. And 726 00:40:41,760 --> 00:40:44,640 Speaker 1: that's been the commitment that we've delivered upon for years now. 727 00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:49,240 Speaker 1: Quality is above everything else that we do. Performance is important, 728 00:40:49,280 --> 00:40:52,680 Speaker 1: industrial design is important, Our service and support are extremely important. 729 00:40:52,840 --> 00:40:55,799 Speaker 1: But a lot of other companies will sacrifice those things, 730 00:40:55,920 --> 00:40:58,919 Speaker 1: will sacrifice quality in the sake of those things. They'll 731 00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:01,279 Speaker 1: give you more performance, but they'll stress the system a 732 00:41:01,320 --> 00:41:04,080 Speaker 1: little bit too much. They'll give you great performance and 733 00:41:04,120 --> 00:41:07,160 Speaker 1: a great configuration and a really sexy thin form factor 734 00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:10,000 Speaker 1: of six months after you own it, it starts to overheat, 735 00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:12,040 Speaker 1: as dust builds up in the fans, and as it 736 00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:14,560 Speaker 1: starts to lose it thermal efficiency because they pushed the 737 00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:17,480 Speaker 1: limits so much without any thermal headroom and old head 738 00:41:17,520 --> 00:41:20,640 Speaker 1: room at all, to give you that sexy look, because 739 00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:23,120 Speaker 1: they know it's going to sell well. That they pushed 740 00:41:23,120 --> 00:41:26,400 Speaker 1: it too far, and it fails our commitment because we 741 00:41:26,440 --> 00:41:29,960 Speaker 1: know how gaming is more than just for fun. Nowadays, 742 00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:33,879 Speaker 1: gaming is becoming It has become a profession for many 743 00:41:33,920 --> 00:41:36,160 Speaker 1: people out there. Our commitment is that we're going to 744 00:41:36,239 --> 00:41:39,520 Speaker 1: give you the tools you need to enjoy yourself. Enjoy 745 00:41:39,560 --> 00:41:42,960 Speaker 1: yourself with these systems for extended periods of time. We 746 00:41:43,080 --> 00:41:47,280 Speaker 1: design our systems with at least a four year warranty option, 747 00:41:47,400 --> 00:41:49,319 Speaker 1: So every computer you get from US has a four 748 00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:53,439 Speaker 1: year warranty option. That's an incredible responsibility for us, because 749 00:41:53,440 --> 00:41:55,319 Speaker 1: we self warranty the machine. We don't give it to 750 00:41:55,320 --> 00:41:57,759 Speaker 1: a third party. We don't, you know, sell you an 751 00:41:57,800 --> 00:42:01,319 Speaker 1: extended warranty contract from a reseller anything like that. If 752 00:42:01,320 --> 00:42:03,680 Speaker 1: you call us three and a half years after you 753 00:42:03,760 --> 00:42:06,400 Speaker 1: purchased the machine with an issue, we are going to 754 00:42:06,440 --> 00:42:09,080 Speaker 1: repair that issue. You're going to get a replacement on 755 00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:11,600 Speaker 1: on site service technician in your house to repair it, 756 00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:13,360 Speaker 1: or whatever the case needs to be to get you 757 00:42:13,360 --> 00:42:16,640 Speaker 1: back up and running at our expense. And that's important 758 00:42:16,680 --> 00:42:18,960 Speaker 1: because we get to design the product up front to 759 00:42:19,120 --> 00:42:21,080 Speaker 1: ensure that it's going to have the quality in their 760 00:42:21,120 --> 00:42:23,960 Speaker 1: necessary so that you don't have those issues three and 761 00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:26,319 Speaker 1: a half years down the road. So I can go 762 00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:28,440 Speaker 1: on to a whole rant about quality and the importance 763 00:42:28,480 --> 00:42:30,080 Speaker 1: of it. I hope it gives you an idea, but 764 00:42:30,160 --> 00:42:35,319 Speaker 1: e sports there's a critical area in the future of growth. UM, 765 00:42:35,400 --> 00:42:38,719 Speaker 1: we're doing a lot to help UH accelerate that our 766 00:42:38,719 --> 00:42:41,000 Speaker 1: partnership with the league. Check that out if you haven't 767 00:42:41,000 --> 00:42:45,720 Speaker 1: seen it at broadcasts on different turner networks around the country. UM. 768 00:42:45,800 --> 00:42:48,880 Speaker 1: We also have in China. We just actually announced our 769 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:52,400 Speaker 1: championship last weekend at China. Joy I was in Invijing. 770 00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:55,640 Speaker 1: I'm sorry in Shanghai announcing this. But we have a 771 00:42:55,800 --> 00:42:58,719 Speaker 1: something called the Indian Ware Game Arena where we hold 772 00:42:58,719 --> 00:43:02,480 Speaker 1: a thousand East Worts matches. This year alone, we've held 773 00:43:02,480 --> 00:43:04,200 Speaker 1: the thousands, will hold about two thousand before the end 774 00:43:04,239 --> 00:43:07,480 Speaker 1: of the year. And this sports platform is intended to 775 00:43:07,640 --> 00:43:11,279 Speaker 1: raisit the gap between the average gamer and the professional gamers. Today, 776 00:43:11,320 --> 00:43:14,080 Speaker 1: there's a lot of professional e sports leagues like the 777 00:43:14,239 --> 00:43:17,680 Speaker 1: League and es L and others and the into Extreme Masters. 778 00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:19,600 Speaker 1: But to get into that league, you have to kind 779 00:43:19,600 --> 00:43:21,399 Speaker 1: of be part of a professional team. To get into 780 00:43:21,400 --> 00:43:24,200 Speaker 1: that professional team, you kind of have to go through 781 00:43:24,640 --> 00:43:27,279 Speaker 1: an introduction somehow. If you can reach out to them, 782 00:43:27,360 --> 00:43:30,000 Speaker 1: hope that they respond to you, show them the skills 783 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:32,040 Speaker 1: you've got, and you kind of have to be really 784 00:43:32,520 --> 00:43:35,840 Speaker 1: really damn it's almost like the NFL to get into 785 00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:38,960 Speaker 1: a professional e sports league. But we're doing with the 786 00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:41,920 Speaker 1: A G A D Anywhere Game Arena because we've created 787 00:43:41,920 --> 00:43:45,560 Speaker 1: a platform where it's open basically any gamers to come in. 788 00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:48,279 Speaker 1: They can form a team, they can compete, they can 789 00:43:48,280 --> 00:43:51,720 Speaker 1: start thanks a little by little, getting to know other players, 790 00:43:51,760 --> 00:43:55,920 Speaker 1: getting to build teams together and eventually grow with us 791 00:43:56,040 --> 00:43:59,480 Speaker 1: into becoming that e sports athlete. At the same time, 792 00:43:59,600 --> 00:44:03,719 Speaker 1: we were with professional sports teams in the region in 793 00:44:03,840 --> 00:44:07,920 Speaker 1: China that take on certain members that are aspiring to 794 00:44:08,040 --> 00:44:10,960 Speaker 1: become professional e sports athletes and they take them under 795 00:44:10,960 --> 00:44:14,759 Speaker 1: their wing and they teach them how to improve their game. 796 00:44:14,800 --> 00:44:17,560 Speaker 1: They coach them basically, and they compete against them to 797 00:44:17,719 --> 00:44:20,640 Speaker 1: improve their game. So it's this platform that creates a 798 00:44:20,719 --> 00:44:24,359 Speaker 1: funnel to help create more E sports athletes and get 799 00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:28,480 Speaker 1: them into the league and get them into um that 800 00:44:28,640 --> 00:44:31,360 Speaker 1: the professional sport. Eventually, it's almost like a minor league, 801 00:44:31,719 --> 00:44:34,600 Speaker 1: if you will, like what baseball does. So we're doing 802 00:44:34,600 --> 00:44:36,920 Speaker 1: a We're doing a lot of things around these sports. 803 00:44:37,080 --> 00:44:39,880 Speaker 1: UM the other areas of virtual reality and augmented reality, 804 00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:44,080 Speaker 1: we believe big in those categories. We think that virtual 805 00:44:44,120 --> 00:44:46,919 Speaker 1: and augmented reality are going to be as disruptive over 806 00:44:47,040 --> 00:44:49,600 Speaker 1: in our lives over the next twenty years as the 807 00:44:49,640 --> 00:44:52,440 Speaker 1: Internet has been over the past twenty years. If you 808 00:44:52,480 --> 00:44:54,600 Speaker 1: think about how the Internet has changed the way in 809 00:44:54,640 --> 00:44:59,080 Speaker 1: which we learn, form education question that we typed into 810 00:44:59,080 --> 00:45:02,440 Speaker 1: Google or as theory or a SCALEXA, the way in 811 00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:05,560 Speaker 1: which we learn, the one which can we communicate, whether 812 00:45:05,600 --> 00:45:09,399 Speaker 1: it be through social media, networks, through email, through voice 813 00:45:09,440 --> 00:45:12,359 Speaker 1: over IP connections while we're playing a game. The way 814 00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:15,880 Speaker 1: we communicate is has changed completely thanks to the Internet. 815 00:45:16,080 --> 00:45:19,279 Speaker 1: The way in which we entertain has completely changed over 816 00:45:19,320 --> 00:45:22,680 Speaker 1: the Internet as well. So you think about solutions like, yeah, 817 00:45:22,760 --> 00:45:26,360 Speaker 1: we have Netflix and Hulu and these online streaming platforms, 818 00:45:26,400 --> 00:45:30,279 Speaker 1: but most of our entertainment today comes in through some 819 00:45:30,360 --> 00:45:33,480 Speaker 1: type of Internet solution, even social media. You laugh at 820 00:45:33,480 --> 00:45:37,359 Speaker 1: a at a gift, or you see a funny online video. Um, 821 00:45:37,880 --> 00:45:40,359 Speaker 1: I get an email that makes you laugh, You play 822 00:45:40,400 --> 00:45:43,520 Speaker 1: an online game, you watch a movie. You do these things. 823 00:45:43,840 --> 00:45:50,080 Speaker 1: Those three things learning, um, communication, and education completely disrupted 824 00:45:50,080 --> 00:45:51,799 Speaker 1: by the Internet over the past twenty years. And we 825 00:45:51,800 --> 00:45:53,400 Speaker 1: take all these things with us now in our pocket 826 00:45:53,440 --> 00:45:55,279 Speaker 1: in the smartphone right, which is kind of crazy to 827 00:45:55,320 --> 00:45:56,840 Speaker 1: think about it. We've only been a really doing that 828 00:45:56,880 --> 00:45:59,120 Speaker 1: for about ten years or so since the launch at 829 00:45:59,120 --> 00:46:00,839 Speaker 1: the iPhone. It was done be for that, but much 830 00:46:00,880 --> 00:46:04,000 Speaker 1: smaller numbers. Virtual reality and a mentor reality. We believe 831 00:46:04,040 --> 00:46:07,160 Speaker 1: we're gonna do the same thing. We believe that are 832 00:46:07,200 --> 00:46:10,080 Speaker 1: the way in which we communicate will be done, will 833 00:46:10,080 --> 00:46:12,680 Speaker 1: be done less in a blind fashion like we do 834 00:46:12,719 --> 00:46:15,600 Speaker 1: it today, where we're only really depending on audio for 835 00:46:15,640 --> 00:46:19,080 Speaker 1: the most part. Um and a camera webcam solution. There's 836 00:46:19,080 --> 00:46:23,960 Speaker 1: always been like this disconnected personalization um or with a webcam, 837 00:46:24,040 --> 00:46:26,440 Speaker 1: it's like it just doesn't feel really natural, and that's 838 00:46:26,480 --> 00:46:29,120 Speaker 1: why I don't think webcams have really taken off as 839 00:46:29,200 --> 00:46:33,200 Speaker 1: much as a phone conversation has. But when you do 840 00:46:33,239 --> 00:46:38,120 Speaker 1: a in room type of virtual reality, multiple people are 841 00:46:38,160 --> 00:46:41,640 Speaker 1: in one instance of a room burntual reality interaction, it's 842 00:46:41,640 --> 00:46:45,239 Speaker 1: a really cool and fascinating experience. And today it's very 843 00:46:45,480 --> 00:46:50,000 Speaker 1: cartoonish and animated. But in the future, you'll imagine it's 844 00:46:50,000 --> 00:46:52,480 Speaker 1: gonna look as good as real time video looks today. 845 00:46:52,840 --> 00:46:55,000 Speaker 1: You'll you'll actually be able to will actually be able 846 00:46:55,000 --> 00:46:56,759 Speaker 1: to see each other like you've seen in sci fi 847 00:46:56,840 --> 00:47:00,640 Speaker 1: movies through augmented reality solutions and virtual reality solutions. So 848 00:47:01,280 --> 00:47:06,080 Speaker 1: I joke with people that it's the true human teleportation technology. 849 00:47:06,120 --> 00:47:09,359 Speaker 1: But instead of teleporting our bodies like we've always thought 850 00:47:09,400 --> 00:47:12,040 Speaker 1: about from sci fi movies and everything, v R and 851 00:47:12,120 --> 00:47:14,680 Speaker 1: a R will allow us to teleport our minds anywhere 852 00:47:14,680 --> 00:47:17,359 Speaker 1: around the room, anywhere around the world, and we can 853 00:47:17,560 --> 00:47:21,239 Speaker 1: be with anyone anywhere, and basically at any time, you'll 854 00:47:21,280 --> 00:47:23,839 Speaker 1: be able to transport yourself into the future, and you'll 855 00:47:23,840 --> 00:47:26,160 Speaker 1: be able to transport yourself into the past. Not real 856 00:47:26,280 --> 00:47:28,759 Speaker 1: of course, not time machine. But if you think about 857 00:47:28,760 --> 00:47:31,000 Speaker 1: a movie and it's setting, and a setting of a 858 00:47:31,000 --> 00:47:34,000 Speaker 1: movie being an old Western, you'll be able to teleport 859 00:47:34,040 --> 00:47:38,200 Speaker 1: yourself into that fictional setting that whatever, whoever, whatever that company, 860 00:47:38,280 --> 00:47:41,320 Speaker 1: or whoever produced that content decided to create for this, 861 00:47:41,480 --> 00:47:44,239 Speaker 1: so you can, joking jokingly, we can all be We 862 00:47:44,280 --> 00:47:46,600 Speaker 1: can be having this interview in a you know, in 863 00:47:46,640 --> 00:47:50,239 Speaker 1: a in a in a restaurant in if we wanted to, 864 00:47:50,719 --> 00:47:53,719 Speaker 1: in New York, for example, and and that environment can 865 00:47:53,760 --> 00:47:55,480 Speaker 1: be all around us, and I would be looking at 866 00:47:55,480 --> 00:47:57,880 Speaker 1: you and we will be at a table actually having 867 00:47:57,920 --> 00:48:01,080 Speaker 1: that conversation from the comfort of our homes. Now that 868 00:48:01,160 --> 00:48:03,719 Speaker 1: sounds really crazy and far fetched, and people talking to 869 00:48:03,800 --> 00:48:06,360 Speaker 1: listen to me, and they say, this guy is a dreamer. 870 00:48:06,800 --> 00:48:10,160 Speaker 1: But when I remind them that, you know, a smartphone 871 00:48:10,200 --> 00:48:12,279 Speaker 1: is only ten years old. And if I told you 872 00:48:12,320 --> 00:48:15,040 Speaker 1: twenty years ago that you'd be carrying a computer which 873 00:48:15,120 --> 00:48:18,080 Speaker 1: imagine what computers look like back then, in your pocket, 874 00:48:18,320 --> 00:48:20,360 Speaker 1: and it would be a thousand times faster and be 875 00:48:20,400 --> 00:48:23,399 Speaker 1: able to communicate with anybody you want to, and you'd 876 00:48:23,440 --> 00:48:25,759 Speaker 1: be able to do all the amazing things that we 877 00:48:25,840 --> 00:48:28,239 Speaker 1: do with our smartphones today, they would have said, your 878 00:48:28,360 --> 00:48:34,080 Speaker 1: dreamer crazy. M hmm. Yeah, it's about this category. It 879 00:48:34,200 --> 00:48:37,399 Speaker 1: is when I appreciate that. It's great to hear from 880 00:48:37,440 --> 00:48:40,160 Speaker 1: someone who has that sort of vision and passion because 881 00:48:40,160 --> 00:48:42,560 Speaker 1: it's the sort of thing I've been talking about for 882 00:48:42,600 --> 00:48:47,000 Speaker 1: a while as well. This, uh, this very disruptive technology. 883 00:48:47,040 --> 00:48:51,200 Speaker 1: That disruptive does not necessarily means something bad. Obviously, it 884 00:48:51,239 --> 00:48:54,360 Speaker 1: can mean something amazing. I mean, the Internet has truly 885 00:48:54,440 --> 00:48:59,520 Speaker 1: been a disruptive technology. The world is totally different from 886 00:48:59,760 --> 00:49:03,600 Speaker 1: the pre Internet days. You know, I while the Internet 887 00:49:03,640 --> 00:49:05,560 Speaker 1: was a thing when I was a kid, there was 888 00:49:05,640 --> 00:49:08,279 Speaker 1: no web when I was a kid. That was that 889 00:49:08,320 --> 00:49:11,000 Speaker 1: came when I was in college. Uh, And so really, 890 00:49:11,040 --> 00:49:14,000 Speaker 1: most people's awareness of the Internet really didn't arise till later, 891 00:49:14,040 --> 00:49:16,520 Speaker 1: and then just to actually have lived through that, have 892 00:49:16,680 --> 00:49:21,480 Speaker 1: seen the birth of the web, the evolution of it, 893 00:49:21,480 --> 00:49:25,680 Speaker 1: it's coming into play as a marketplace. It's the you know, 894 00:49:25,719 --> 00:49:28,800 Speaker 1: the the Internet bubble bursting and then it reforming stronger 895 00:49:28,840 --> 00:49:31,640 Speaker 1: than ever before. The argument over whether or not Web 896 00:49:31,640 --> 00:49:34,719 Speaker 1: two point oh even means anything, all of that was 897 00:49:35,400 --> 00:49:37,680 Speaker 1: really fascinating to watch. And I agree with you and 898 00:49:37,719 --> 00:49:39,600 Speaker 1: that I think we're seeing the same sort of thing 899 00:49:40,040 --> 00:49:43,960 Speaker 1: the very earliest days for virtual reality and augmented reality. 900 00:49:44,000 --> 00:49:45,760 Speaker 1: You know, virtual reality has had a couple of false 901 00:49:45,760 --> 00:49:51,840 Speaker 1: starts in the past, largely limited by the the hardware 902 00:49:51,880 --> 00:49:55,600 Speaker 1: at the time, the hardware and the software which wasn't 903 00:49:55,680 --> 00:49:58,400 Speaker 1: quite up to the task to meet the expectations people 904 00:49:58,480 --> 00:50:04,240 Speaker 1: had for it. After the various science fiction media versions 905 00:50:04,280 --> 00:50:06,719 Speaker 1: of what virtual reality was going to be versus what 906 00:50:06,800 --> 00:50:09,200 Speaker 1: it really was when you put on that thirty pound 907 00:50:09,280 --> 00:50:12,880 Speaker 1: helmet and you saw, you know, pterodactyl made out of 908 00:50:12,880 --> 00:50:16,960 Speaker 1: four polygons. Uh, it's a much different world today and 909 00:50:17,200 --> 00:50:20,400 Speaker 1: to see where it's going. I really do hope to 910 00:50:20,480 --> 00:50:23,239 Speaker 1: see VR and a R take off in a big, 911 00:50:23,280 --> 00:50:26,440 Speaker 1: big way over the next few years. It's it's uh 912 00:50:26,680 --> 00:50:30,600 Speaker 1: still got some barriers in front of it, including the 913 00:50:30,680 --> 00:50:35,920 Speaker 1: various competing platforms as well as the the price to 914 00:50:36,239 --> 00:50:38,799 Speaker 1: entry right now is still fairly high. But I think 915 00:50:38,840 --> 00:50:43,319 Speaker 1: that those, just like other technologies, those issues will work 916 00:50:43,320 --> 00:50:47,640 Speaker 1: themselves out over time as the best approaches and the 917 00:50:47,680 --> 00:50:51,080 Speaker 1: technology itself becomes less expensive. So I really have high 918 00:50:51,120 --> 00:50:54,120 Speaker 1: hopes for that as well. And to touch also on 919 00:50:54,200 --> 00:50:57,840 Speaker 1: your point about e sports and how that has become 920 00:50:58,040 --> 00:51:01,560 Speaker 1: a big component or and it's growing in importance, I 921 00:51:01,560 --> 00:51:06,040 Speaker 1: would also add that the the culture of live streaming 922 00:51:06,080 --> 00:51:09,160 Speaker 1: games UH and let's plays and things of that nature 923 00:51:09,360 --> 00:51:13,000 Speaker 1: has exploded over the last few years where it might 924 00:51:13,000 --> 00:51:14,960 Speaker 1: have been a few years ago. I might mention this 925 00:51:15,040 --> 00:51:16,879 Speaker 1: to some people and they say, you watch other people 926 00:51:16,920 --> 00:51:20,440 Speaker 1: play video games? What what's that about. Well, now, I've 927 00:51:20,480 --> 00:51:23,120 Speaker 1: got a friend, she's the mom of a couple of kids, 928 00:51:23,200 --> 00:51:25,160 Speaker 1: and she was telling me just the other day about 929 00:51:25,160 --> 00:51:27,160 Speaker 1: how much she likes to watch these let's plays that 930 00:51:27,800 --> 00:51:30,520 Speaker 1: UH have these guys playing games and making jokes the 931 00:51:30,520 --> 00:51:33,279 Speaker 1: whole time. And I'm thinking, well, this is this is 932 00:51:33,320 --> 00:51:37,080 Speaker 1: a mom of of young kids. She's not she's not 933 00:51:37,160 --> 00:51:40,600 Speaker 1: in the game air culture, but she's already aware of 934 00:51:40,640 --> 00:51:44,440 Speaker 1: this element of gaming, so we're seeing that continue to 935 00:51:44,480 --> 00:51:46,600 Speaker 1: grow as well. I think that you are right on 936 00:51:46,640 --> 00:51:49,920 Speaker 1: target about gamer culture. You know, it's just getting stronger 937 00:51:50,320 --> 00:51:55,080 Speaker 1: year over year. And you could even argue that the 938 00:51:55,080 --> 00:52:00,160 Speaker 1: the long time between console generations means that gamers who 939 00:52:00,200 --> 00:52:05,760 Speaker 1: follow console games often are feeling like they're being left behind. 940 00:52:05,920 --> 00:52:09,000 Speaker 1: Over time. They might get you, they might get a 941 00:52:09,080 --> 00:52:11,960 Speaker 1: half hearted update right or what could be viewed as 942 00:52:12,000 --> 00:52:13,839 Speaker 1: a half hearted update, because it's not a full jump 943 00:52:13,880 --> 00:52:18,640 Speaker 1: in generation. It's technically the same generation but slightly better specs. Meanwhile, 944 00:52:18,680 --> 00:52:22,040 Speaker 1: you have the PC gamers who are customizing their rigs 945 00:52:22,120 --> 00:52:25,799 Speaker 1: to to their design where you know, it's playing the 946 00:52:25,800 --> 00:52:30,040 Speaker 1: games they want to play. UH. And you know, it's 947 00:52:30,120 --> 00:52:34,000 Speaker 1: interesting because I've seen PC games Ride and arc where 948 00:52:34,040 --> 00:52:36,040 Speaker 1: for a while they were on top and then the 949 00:52:36,080 --> 00:52:40,200 Speaker 1: consoles started to come into the foreground, and then you 950 00:52:40,239 --> 00:52:42,680 Speaker 1: see that switch back and forth. I feel like the 951 00:52:42,719 --> 00:52:46,319 Speaker 1: PC games are firmly grabbing the spotlight right now, and 952 00:52:46,400 --> 00:52:50,560 Speaker 1: you're seeing the consoles being pushed a little further back. UH. 953 00:52:50,719 --> 00:52:54,239 Speaker 1: Probably will see that cycle continue over and over again 954 00:52:54,320 --> 00:52:56,640 Speaker 1: until the end of time. But it is interesting to 955 00:52:57,360 --> 00:52:59,359 Speaker 1: have seen it happen a few times at this point 956 00:52:59,400 --> 00:53:04,799 Speaker 1: because there was a time where post video game crash, 957 00:53:04,840 --> 00:53:07,840 Speaker 1: I just became a PC gamer. For many years, I 958 00:53:07,880 --> 00:53:11,759 Speaker 1: skipped the Nintendo years, I skipped Super Nintendo. It wasn't 959 00:53:11,800 --> 00:53:15,879 Speaker 1: until uh PS two, I think, before I came back 960 00:53:15,880 --> 00:53:20,080 Speaker 1: over to consoles. So PC gaming, I think is bigger 961 00:53:20,120 --> 00:53:22,000 Speaker 1: than ever. I mean, it's it's clear if you go 962 00:53:22,080 --> 00:53:25,160 Speaker 1: to any of these uh, whether it's a trade show 963 00:53:25,200 --> 00:53:28,799 Speaker 1: event or something like the Penny Arcade expo which is 964 00:53:28,840 --> 00:53:31,759 Speaker 1: all about all sorts of different games, PC gaming is 965 00:53:31,800 --> 00:53:34,560 Speaker 1: huge there. Uh. I think we're just going to continue 966 00:53:34,560 --> 00:53:36,920 Speaker 1: to see that. And I can't wait to see the 967 00:53:36,960 --> 00:53:40,640 Speaker 1: next Alien wear rigs. I can't wait to to finally 968 00:53:40,680 --> 00:53:42,880 Speaker 1: pull the trigger and buy one because I keep, I 969 00:53:42,960 --> 00:53:48,480 Speaker 1: keep very gently suggesting it to my wife, uh and 970 00:53:48,520 --> 00:53:51,759 Speaker 1: that hasn't hasn't yet paid off yet, But I feel 971 00:53:51,800 --> 00:53:54,799 Speaker 1: like I'm close. I'm real close. So maybe I'll have 972 00:53:54,840 --> 00:53:56,640 Speaker 1: one of those monster rigs on my own before too 973 00:53:56,680 --> 00:54:00,440 Speaker 1: much longer. Thank you so much for joining me and 974 00:54:00,520 --> 00:54:03,520 Speaker 1: telling me more about the back story of Alien where 975 00:54:03,600 --> 00:54:06,080 Speaker 1: kind of the philosophy of the company. Where you guys 976 00:54:06,080 --> 00:54:10,319 Speaker 1: are going, I really very much appreciate it. Yeah, I 977 00:54:10,400 --> 00:54:13,919 Speaker 1: really appreciate the opportunity. Um, it's a it's a really 978 00:54:13,920 --> 00:54:16,160 Speaker 1: exciting time for us and a really exciting time to 979 00:54:16,200 --> 00:54:20,000 Speaker 1: be a gamer. And first and foremost, we're gamers at anywhere. 980 00:54:20,040 --> 00:54:23,480 Speaker 1: This is our our lifeblood. We love this. Um. You know, 981 00:54:24,600 --> 00:54:27,000 Speaker 1: our jobs are hard, but in a lot of ways 982 00:54:27,040 --> 00:54:31,360 Speaker 1: they're easy too, because we're making the biggest, baddest, amazing 983 00:54:31,440 --> 00:54:34,879 Speaker 1: toys for ourselves first and foremost, and that we were 984 00:54:34,920 --> 00:54:36,319 Speaker 1: just very lucky that there's a lot of people out 985 00:54:36,360 --> 00:54:38,440 Speaker 1: there that are like us, that appreciate what we're building. 986 00:54:38,960 --> 00:54:40,319 Speaker 1: So this is a lot of fun and I really 987 00:54:40,360 --> 00:54:42,840 Speaker 1: appreciate you giving us an opportunity to tell the story 988 00:54:42,920 --> 00:54:45,680 Speaker 1: and share it with everybody. Well, I do have one 989 00:54:45,760 --> 00:54:49,439 Speaker 1: last question for you. Do you have a particular game 990 00:54:49,520 --> 00:54:52,120 Speaker 1: that you consider to be your favorite? It can be 991 00:54:52,160 --> 00:54:55,960 Speaker 1: from any era. Yeah, well right now, not my all 992 00:54:56,000 --> 00:54:59,000 Speaker 1: time favorite, But right now I'm playing a Player Unknown Battlegrounds. 993 00:54:59,040 --> 00:55:03,400 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, a lot of on. Yeah, we're having a 994 00:55:03,400 --> 00:55:06,800 Speaker 1: lot of fun with that. Um, we're doing squad matches 995 00:55:06,840 --> 00:55:09,960 Speaker 1: every night. Now. Unfortunately, I was up till I'm less 996 00:55:10,000 --> 00:55:12,839 Speaker 1: like um doing that, and it's been a rough week. 997 00:55:12,880 --> 00:55:15,280 Speaker 1: Because I've been up so late with the guys hanging 998 00:55:15,280 --> 00:55:18,480 Speaker 1: out and playing. Before that, I was playing Overwatch. But 999 00:55:18,600 --> 00:55:22,120 Speaker 1: my favorite all time game is was Half Life. What 1000 00:55:22,200 --> 00:55:24,319 Speaker 1: Half Life did is that I've always been predominantly a 1001 00:55:24,360 --> 00:55:27,200 Speaker 1: first person shooter or an RTS road time strategy gamer, 1002 00:55:28,000 --> 00:55:30,520 Speaker 1: and um, what Half Life did for me for the 1003 00:55:30,560 --> 00:55:34,200 Speaker 1: first time is as a first person genre game, it 1004 00:55:34,320 --> 00:55:40,720 Speaker 1: brought in a storyline that was really engaging and fascinating. 1005 00:55:40,920 --> 00:55:43,040 Speaker 1: And you didn't want to just play the game because 1006 00:55:43,080 --> 00:55:45,520 Speaker 1: the graphics were awesome, or the bosses were big and 1007 00:55:45,600 --> 00:55:49,640 Speaker 1: bad an amazing, and the game was challenging and the 1008 00:55:49,719 --> 00:55:53,320 Speaker 1: weapons were awesome. You played it because you really wanted 1009 00:55:53,360 --> 00:55:56,200 Speaker 1: to see how this story ended, and you were You 1010 00:55:56,239 --> 00:56:00,439 Speaker 1: were captured by the storyline. And I think that that 1011 00:56:00,600 --> 00:56:06,000 Speaker 1: changed games, especially the first person genre moving forward, where 1012 00:56:06,000 --> 00:56:08,799 Speaker 1: all those traditional elements that I spoke about the game, 1013 00:56:08,960 --> 00:56:12,200 Speaker 1: the graphics, the guns, the weapons, the bosses, all these things, 1014 00:56:12,360 --> 00:56:18,000 Speaker 1: they weren't what defined a great game anymore. And everybody 1015 00:56:18,000 --> 00:56:21,600 Speaker 1: who's tried to use that recipe since and and solely 1016 00:56:21,600 --> 00:56:25,160 Speaker 1: rely on it has for the most part, not had 1017 00:56:25,160 --> 00:56:29,800 Speaker 1: a huge success. It's the storyline that has really helped 1018 00:56:29,880 --> 00:56:33,000 Speaker 1: define the success of games, whether it's in the game 1019 00:56:33,040 --> 00:56:35,839 Speaker 1: itself or it's a peripheral storyline like in the case 1020 00:56:35,880 --> 00:56:39,560 Speaker 1: of Overwatched, it's a story about the characters that exists 1021 00:56:39,560 --> 00:56:42,279 Speaker 1: outside the game itself, and the game is like one 1022 00:56:42,320 --> 00:56:45,560 Speaker 1: element of their lives. Um. It's really it adds a 1023 00:56:45,600 --> 00:56:49,080 Speaker 1: more personal connection to the game, UM, and it creates 1024 00:56:49,120 --> 00:56:51,640 Speaker 1: retention of the game. And I just feel and at 1025 00:56:51,680 --> 00:56:53,719 Speaker 1: least maybe it wasn't the first one to do it, 1026 00:56:53,800 --> 00:56:57,480 Speaker 1: but in my recollection of kind of my gaming career, 1027 00:56:57,600 --> 00:57:00,720 Speaker 1: my gaming life, half life was the one that stood 1028 00:57:00,719 --> 00:57:02,439 Speaker 1: out to me at that moment where I was like, wait, 1029 00:57:02,480 --> 00:57:05,480 Speaker 1: this is more than a game. This is like a movie. 1030 00:57:05,520 --> 00:57:07,840 Speaker 1: This is a story, and I want to keep playing 1031 00:57:07,840 --> 00:57:10,560 Speaker 1: to learn more about it. Well as as a fellow 1032 00:57:10,640 --> 00:57:13,960 Speaker 1: Gordon Freeman fan, I say, that's a great answer. I 1033 00:57:14,000 --> 00:57:17,280 Speaker 1: hope you win many Chicken dinners in the future, and 1034 00:57:17,320 --> 00:57:22,560 Speaker 1: thanks once in second place. A few times i've I've 1035 00:57:23,280 --> 00:57:25,560 Speaker 1: one of the reasons I need won a new gaming 1036 00:57:25,600 --> 00:57:28,720 Speaker 1: rig so I can play pub G properly because my 1037 00:57:28,840 --> 00:57:32,040 Speaker 1: current one is just not yet. It's just not up 1038 00:57:32,080 --> 00:57:35,200 Speaker 1: to the task. I just when it when you're dropping 1039 00:57:35,240 --> 00:57:37,400 Speaker 1: frames that much in a game where you need to 1040 00:57:37,480 --> 00:57:41,320 Speaker 1: see where everybody is. It is not it's not ideal. 1041 00:57:41,440 --> 00:57:43,960 Speaker 1: So that's that's one of the driving factors for me. 1042 00:57:44,000 --> 00:57:47,960 Speaker 1: I've been I've been really chopping at the bit to 1043 00:57:48,000 --> 00:57:51,120 Speaker 1: play some pub g So, well, thank you again. It 1044 00:57:51,160 --> 00:57:53,440 Speaker 1: makes better if it makes you any better, John, to 1045 00:57:53,520 --> 00:57:55,840 Speaker 1: imagine what I'm playing on, I have access to whatever 1046 00:57:55,920 --> 00:57:59,520 Speaker 1: I want. I still drop the game is up there 1047 00:57:59,720 --> 00:58:03,160 Speaker 1: to optimize that thing it is. It is an early access. 1048 00:58:03,360 --> 00:58:06,960 Speaker 1: So yeah, that's true. In their defense, and yesterday or 1049 00:58:07,000 --> 00:58:09,400 Speaker 1: the day before, they came out with a patch that's 1050 00:58:09,400 --> 00:58:11,560 Speaker 1: a little rough. It introduced a bunch of lag and 1051 00:58:11,560 --> 00:58:13,680 Speaker 1: they acknowledged it, which is cool if the same thing 1052 00:58:13,680 --> 00:58:15,680 Speaker 1: that we do when something wrong happens. You know, they 1053 00:58:15,720 --> 00:58:18,320 Speaker 1: acknowledged it, they apologized for it, and they they guaranteed 1054 00:58:18,360 --> 00:58:20,680 Speaker 1: us that they're going to fix it. But it made 1055 00:58:20,720 --> 00:58:22,440 Speaker 1: it even more challenging. But you know what I found 1056 00:58:22,440 --> 00:58:25,560 Speaker 1: fascinating is all this lag was introduced into this game 1057 00:58:25,800 --> 00:58:29,120 Speaker 1: and we were all still playing it. Yeah, that's that's 1058 00:58:29,120 --> 00:58:33,080 Speaker 1: the sign of a very captivating game when you can't 1059 00:58:33,280 --> 00:58:36,560 Speaker 1: when you can spend time pointing out the problems and 1060 00:58:36,600 --> 00:58:39,919 Speaker 1: complain about them while you're still playing the game that's 1061 00:58:39,920 --> 00:58:43,880 Speaker 1: an addictive game. Yeah, that's that's one that's got you. 1062 00:58:43,880 --> 00:58:46,160 Speaker 1: You know, they built something special, that's for sure. So 1063 00:58:46,200 --> 00:58:47,920 Speaker 1: I'm ready happy for that team. You know, they're a 1064 00:58:47,960 --> 00:58:51,840 Speaker 1: small team, a smaller type of developer. Um and I 1065 00:58:51,880 --> 00:58:54,760 Speaker 1: love those stories. I love to see um when small 1066 00:58:54,800 --> 00:58:58,040 Speaker 1: indie developers and and many medium sized publishers and developers 1067 00:58:58,360 --> 00:59:01,320 Speaker 1: have these breakout games. Because it's so hard, markets so 1068 00:59:01,480 --> 00:59:04,360 Speaker 1: saturated right now, there's so many games out there. When 1069 00:59:04,480 --> 00:59:06,040 Speaker 1: when when the company can come out and kind of 1070 00:59:06,200 --> 00:59:08,680 Speaker 1: figure out the recipe and have that hit, you know, 1071 00:59:08,720 --> 00:59:11,640 Speaker 1: it really changes the company and it's it's an exciting time. 1072 00:59:11,680 --> 00:59:13,560 Speaker 1: So I'm really excited for the whole team at Blue 1073 00:59:13,560 --> 00:59:15,520 Speaker 1: Hole and and all the guys that are making this game. 1074 00:59:15,560 --> 00:59:17,520 Speaker 1: We don't have a partnership with them or anything. This 1075 00:59:17,560 --> 00:59:19,800 Speaker 1: is not an endorsement. It's just me being the gamer 1076 00:59:19,840 --> 00:59:22,040 Speaker 1: nerd that I am. I just love this stuff. I 1077 00:59:22,080 --> 00:59:25,360 Speaker 1: can appreciate that. Thank you again so much. It's been 1078 00:59:25,560 --> 00:59:30,080 Speaker 1: a fantastic conversation. Thank you, Jonathan, appreciate it. Have a 1079 00:59:30,080 --> 00:59:33,480 Speaker 1: great weekend. Again. I have to thank Frank for taking 1080 00:59:33,480 --> 00:59:35,560 Speaker 1: the time to speak with me. He also met with 1081 00:59:35,600 --> 00:59:38,520 Speaker 1: me during E three and his passion for gaming was 1082 00:59:38,600 --> 00:59:41,160 Speaker 1: clear in both cases. And in a moment we're going 1083 00:59:41,240 --> 00:59:43,919 Speaker 1: to cover a few more odds and ends about alien Ware, 1084 00:59:43,960 --> 00:59:47,600 Speaker 1: but first let's take another quick break to thank our sponsor. 1085 00:59:54,680 --> 00:59:57,760 Speaker 1: All Right, we're back now. I didn't talk about this 1086 00:59:57,880 --> 01:00:01,760 Speaker 1: with Mr Azor, but alien Where experienced a really big 1087 01:00:01,880 --> 01:00:08,000 Speaker 1: change in two thousand six. That's when the PC company Dell. Dude, 1088 01:00:08,000 --> 01:00:11,640 Speaker 1: you got a Dell. That Dell acquired alien Ware as 1089 01:00:11,680 --> 01:00:16,840 Speaker 1: a wholly owned subsidiary of Dell Computers. Nelson Gonzalez issued 1090 01:00:16,880 --> 01:00:20,600 Speaker 1: an open letter explaining the move from alien Ware's perspective, 1091 01:00:20,960 --> 01:00:23,600 Speaker 1: and in that he said that Dell and alien Ware 1092 01:00:23,680 --> 01:00:27,080 Speaker 1: shared similar philosophies in the personal computer space, including the 1093 01:00:27,080 --> 01:00:30,720 Speaker 1: strategy to use direct, the direct business model with consumers, 1094 01:00:31,200 --> 01:00:33,760 Speaker 1: and he said that Dell would give alien Ware the 1095 01:00:33,840 --> 01:00:36,440 Speaker 1: assets to step up to the next level in gaming, 1096 01:00:36,480 --> 01:00:39,200 Speaker 1: rig production, and shipping. You see, there were these huge 1097 01:00:39,280 --> 01:00:43,080 Speaker 1: markets of opportunity for the company, especially in areas like 1098 01:00:43,160 --> 01:00:48,120 Speaker 1: in Asia, but as a boutique PC manufacturing operation, they 1099 01:00:48,200 --> 01:00:51,000 Speaker 1: just didn't have the assets that would allow them to 1100 01:00:51,080 --> 01:00:53,840 Speaker 1: reach those markets. They didn't have the manpower, they didn't 1101 01:00:53,840 --> 01:00:57,800 Speaker 1: have the the hookups in the supply chain to be 1102 01:00:57,880 --> 01:01:01,280 Speaker 1: able to step up manufacturing to the next level. For that, 1103 01:01:01,320 --> 01:01:05,360 Speaker 1: they needed something they needed to either grow exponentially, which 1104 01:01:05,400 --> 01:01:10,040 Speaker 1: was difficult considering their boutique PC status, or they needed 1105 01:01:10,040 --> 01:01:13,720 Speaker 1: a partner with an established, big company in the space, 1106 01:01:13,880 --> 01:01:19,000 Speaker 1: and that ended up being Dell, so uh. Gonzalez was 1107 01:01:19,080 --> 01:01:22,760 Speaker 1: quick also to point out that alien Ware wasn't going anywhere. 1108 01:01:22,920 --> 01:01:25,160 Speaker 1: It was going to continue to exist as its own, 1109 01:01:25,280 --> 01:01:30,680 Speaker 1: separate brand from Dell, with its own dedicated product development, marketing, planning, 1110 01:01:30,760 --> 01:01:35,160 Speaker 1: and customer support departments, so it would effectively operate as 1111 01:01:35,440 --> 01:01:40,160 Speaker 1: a as a as A and a private entity within 1112 01:01:40,320 --> 01:01:43,880 Speaker 1: the confines of Dell. You know, from the outside, that's 1113 01:01:43,920 --> 01:01:46,760 Speaker 1: what it would look like. And he was very careful 1114 01:01:46,800 --> 01:01:48,600 Speaker 1: to say, you're not going to see a whole lot 1115 01:01:48,640 --> 01:01:52,760 Speaker 1: of changes here now. Nelson Gonzalez served as CEO for 1116 01:01:52,840 --> 01:01:56,840 Speaker 1: alien Ware until two thousand seven. Today, Michael Dell is 1117 01:01:56,960 --> 01:01:59,920 Speaker 1: technically the CEO of the company because he's a founder 1118 01:02:00,080 --> 01:02:03,479 Speaker 1: and the CEO of Dell Technologies, and Franka Zora as 1119 01:02:03,520 --> 01:02:07,880 Speaker 1: the general manager. Over the years, the company has experimented 1120 01:02:08,040 --> 01:02:12,120 Speaker 1: a bit, both in case design and in new products. 1121 01:02:12,160 --> 01:02:15,120 Speaker 1: In two thousand and fourteen, alien Ware announced its alpha 1122 01:02:15,240 --> 01:02:18,800 Speaker 1: Steam Machine, which was a small PC box system, one 1123 01:02:18,840 --> 01:02:22,920 Speaker 1: of those self contained PCs, very very compact, and you 1124 01:02:22,960 --> 01:02:26,320 Speaker 1: would just hook that up to your display and your 1125 01:02:26,400 --> 01:02:29,680 Speaker 1: keyboard and your mouse and it would take care of everything. Now, 1126 01:02:29,680 --> 01:02:32,520 Speaker 1: it ended up launching as a Windows eight gaming PC 1127 01:02:32,760 --> 01:02:35,160 Speaker 1: in a box instead of a Steam Machine, but that 1128 01:02:35,240 --> 01:02:38,840 Speaker 1: was due to delays in the Steam OS, the operating 1129 01:02:38,880 --> 01:02:41,320 Speaker 1: system from Valve, and that reminds me I need to 1130 01:02:41,360 --> 01:02:45,920 Speaker 1: do an episode about Valve at some point. These days, 1131 01:02:46,480 --> 01:02:50,400 Speaker 1: alien Ware's also getting into peripherals. They are offering up 1132 01:02:50,480 --> 01:02:56,520 Speaker 1: some uh some accessories to PC games, like keyboards or 1133 01:02:56,560 --> 01:02:59,360 Speaker 1: a computer mouse, like a gaming mouse, that sort of thing, 1134 01:02:59,680 --> 01:03:02,880 Speaker 1: and to plays as well, so they have branched out 1135 01:03:02,920 --> 01:03:06,080 Speaker 1: beyond the gaming rings. This is not the first time 1136 01:03:06,280 --> 01:03:10,439 Speaker 1: that they've worked with various peripherals. But I can tell 1137 01:03:10,480 --> 01:03:14,320 Speaker 1: you they're really pretty. I got a chance to play 1138 01:03:14,360 --> 01:03:16,560 Speaker 1: with some when I was at E three, and uh 1139 01:03:16,640 --> 01:03:19,919 Speaker 1: I liked them. They felt they felt great, and they 1140 01:03:19,960 --> 01:03:22,720 Speaker 1: look really nice, really snazzy. If I were a pro gamer, 1141 01:03:23,120 --> 01:03:26,360 Speaker 1: I'd probably be looking at those um although obviously I 1142 01:03:26,360 --> 01:03:29,160 Speaker 1: would want to make sure that they really stood the 1143 01:03:29,240 --> 01:03:33,600 Speaker 1: test of my leite skills, being the gamer that I am. 1144 01:03:33,640 --> 01:03:37,000 Speaker 1: If you hand me a cutting edge machine and tell 1145 01:03:37,080 --> 01:03:39,960 Speaker 1: me to give you give you my thoughts on it, 1146 01:03:40,480 --> 01:03:42,840 Speaker 1: chances are I'm just gonna say it's real fast and 1147 01:03:42,880 --> 01:03:46,040 Speaker 1: pretty um, largely because my skills are not at a 1148 01:03:46,160 --> 01:03:49,880 Speaker 1: level where I can really push the hardware at a 1149 01:03:49,920 --> 01:03:51,919 Speaker 1: decent amount to to give you an idea of any 1150 01:03:51,960 --> 01:03:54,560 Speaker 1: limitations I might encounter. I doubt that I would ever 1151 01:03:54,680 --> 01:03:58,040 Speaker 1: run into any limitations unless it were something along the 1152 01:03:58,080 --> 01:04:02,400 Speaker 1: lines of trying to run a particular pularly complicated game, 1153 01:04:02,760 --> 01:04:06,240 Speaker 1: like complicated in the sense of graphics intensive and process 1154 01:04:06,320 --> 01:04:09,960 Speaker 1: or intensive on a machine, in which case it's not 1155 01:04:10,000 --> 01:04:13,479 Speaker 1: really me that's testing the machine, it's the software. One 1156 01:04:13,520 --> 01:04:16,440 Speaker 1: thing I need to address before I get out of 1157 01:04:16,520 --> 01:04:21,600 Speaker 1: here is PC prices, because alien Ware rigs aren't and 1158 01:04:21,720 --> 01:04:26,360 Speaker 1: never have been, cheap. They are expensive. It's an expensive, 1159 01:04:26,400 --> 01:04:32,120 Speaker 1: boutique customized gaming rig approach, and so you're you're spending 1160 01:04:32,120 --> 01:04:35,439 Speaker 1: a premium for that. There's a great article on tech 1161 01:04:35,560 --> 01:04:39,520 Speaker 1: Radar about alien Ware's history that includes a specific example 1162 01:04:39,520 --> 01:04:43,120 Speaker 1: that I think is helpful. Back in in the early 1163 01:04:43,200 --> 01:04:46,200 Speaker 1: days of alien Ware, remember the company that became alien 1164 01:04:46,240 --> 01:04:50,800 Speaker 1: where launched in nineties six well, that's when alien Ware 1165 01:04:50,920 --> 01:04:54,720 Speaker 1: launched the first Area fifty one tower desktop PC. The 1166 01:04:54,840 --> 01:04:59,360 Speaker 1: price tag for one particular configuration of this PC was 1167 01:04:59,680 --> 01:05:03,920 Speaker 1: three thousand seven dollars, which if you had just for inflation, 1168 01:05:04,320 --> 01:05:10,080 Speaker 1: would be more than five thousand sixty dollars today, this 1169 01:05:10,120 --> 01:05:13,200 Speaker 1: particular configuration of the Area fifty one desktop. Keeping in mind, 1170 01:05:13,280 --> 01:05:16,040 Speaker 1: these rigs are customizable, so you could build it out 1171 01:05:16,080 --> 01:05:18,280 Speaker 1: with fewer bells and whistles and that would bring the 1172 01:05:18,320 --> 01:05:21,919 Speaker 1: price down. It was an impressive build at the time. 1173 01:05:21,920 --> 01:05:26,080 Speaker 1: It included two Voodoo three D graphics cards and included 1174 01:05:26,120 --> 01:05:28,560 Speaker 1: a two D graphics card because remember the Voodoo three 1175 01:05:28,640 --> 01:05:32,680 Speaker 1: D graphics cards didn't handle two D rendering on their own. 1176 01:05:32,680 --> 01:05:34,400 Speaker 1: You had to pair it with another graphics cards. So 1177 01:05:34,440 --> 01:05:37,760 Speaker 1: I had three graphics cards total and dual sound cards 1178 01:05:37,800 --> 01:05:44,360 Speaker 1: which would allow for two different incompatible sound formats to 1179 01:05:44,560 --> 01:05:46,400 Speaker 1: work on the same machine. So that way, if you 1180 01:05:46,440 --> 01:05:48,640 Speaker 1: had a game that supported one but not the other, 1181 01:05:49,120 --> 01:05:52,320 Speaker 1: you were covered because it had both of those sound 1182 01:05:52,360 --> 01:05:54,480 Speaker 1: cards in there. And it had a lot more to 1183 01:05:54,600 --> 01:05:57,520 Speaker 1: it as well. So it was a premium price to 1184 01:05:57,560 --> 01:06:00,280 Speaker 1: be sure, and it definitely would be less expand to 1185 01:06:00,280 --> 01:06:03,000 Speaker 1: build your own gaming rig from the ground up selecting 1186 01:06:03,040 --> 01:06:05,960 Speaker 1: all the same components. So if you went out and 1187 01:06:06,000 --> 01:06:09,520 Speaker 1: bought the processors and the graphics cards and the sound cards, 1188 01:06:09,560 --> 01:06:11,920 Speaker 1: and the motherboard and the case and the power supply 1189 01:06:11,960 --> 01:06:14,560 Speaker 1: and the cooling system and all of that stuff, if 1190 01:06:14,600 --> 01:06:17,320 Speaker 1: you bought all of that yourself, you would not spend 1191 01:06:17,440 --> 01:06:20,600 Speaker 1: so much money as you would buying the Alien War rig. 1192 01:06:21,400 --> 01:06:24,240 Speaker 1: But you also have to remember part of that price 1193 01:06:24,480 --> 01:06:28,160 Speaker 1: that you're paying for Alien Wear includes the labor of 1194 01:06:28,200 --> 01:06:30,920 Speaker 1: putting all that stuff together for you and making sure 1195 01:06:31,000 --> 01:06:34,160 Speaker 1: that the actual computer works before it is shipped to you, 1196 01:06:34,560 --> 01:06:37,240 Speaker 1: so you don't have that frustration of building out a rig, 1197 01:06:37,520 --> 01:06:40,600 Speaker 1: turning on the power and nothing happens, and then having 1198 01:06:40,640 --> 01:06:42,800 Speaker 1: to track down where is the issue. Is there something 1199 01:06:42,840 --> 01:06:45,440 Speaker 1: that's not plugged in correctly? Is there a bad component? 1200 01:06:46,200 --> 01:06:48,040 Speaker 1: All of that would be taking care for you, so 1201 01:06:48,360 --> 01:06:51,160 Speaker 1: part of the price goes to that. Another big part 1202 01:06:51,200 --> 01:06:56,120 Speaker 1: of the price ends up covering the aesthetic appeal of 1203 01:06:56,200 --> 01:07:00,600 Speaker 1: Alien Wear. These are customized machines with uh with very 1204 01:07:00,600 --> 01:07:05,080 Speaker 1: cool cases, often with lighting effects and other elements that 1205 01:07:05,160 --> 01:07:08,200 Speaker 1: set it apart from other types of gaming rigs. So 1206 01:07:08,720 --> 01:07:11,400 Speaker 1: you then ask, all right, well is that worth that 1207 01:07:11,520 --> 01:07:15,680 Speaker 1: extra amount of money. This this really cool design that 1208 01:07:16,320 --> 01:07:19,840 Speaker 1: sets this apart from say a regular you know, tower 1209 01:07:20,000 --> 01:07:23,920 Speaker 1: desktop style, and if that's important to you, then that 1210 01:07:24,080 --> 01:07:27,400 Speaker 1: extra money might be well warranted. The fact that all 1211 01:07:27,440 --> 01:07:30,200 Speaker 1: those decisions are taking care for you, the build is 1212 01:07:30,240 --> 01:07:34,080 Speaker 1: taking care for you, the the aesthetic is there if 1213 01:07:34,120 --> 01:07:37,160 Speaker 1: that appeals to you. Uh, and the granted today, as 1214 01:07:37,160 --> 01:07:41,240 Speaker 1: we alluded in the interview, the complications of figuring out 1215 01:07:41,240 --> 01:07:44,120 Speaker 1: what components go into your computer, those have been whittled 1216 01:07:44,120 --> 01:07:47,080 Speaker 1: down significantly. You don't have to worry nearly as much 1217 01:07:47,120 --> 01:07:49,320 Speaker 1: today as you did back in the day where you 1218 01:07:49,360 --> 01:07:53,120 Speaker 1: had the different battling sound cards and video cards that 1219 01:07:54,200 --> 01:07:57,320 Speaker 1: that you you know that that we're dominating the space, 1220 01:07:57,480 --> 01:08:00,320 Speaker 1: and most of the games that were coming out would 1221 01:08:00,360 --> 01:08:03,520 Speaker 1: only support some but not all of them, which fractured 1222 01:08:03,560 --> 01:08:05,600 Speaker 1: the market. That's not as big an issue now, so 1223 01:08:05,640 --> 01:08:08,840 Speaker 1: you can take a lot of that confusion out, but 1224 01:08:09,000 --> 01:08:10,960 Speaker 1: still kind of a daunting process for a lot of 1225 01:08:10,960 --> 01:08:15,800 Speaker 1: people to build their own PC. So yeah, alien ware 1226 01:08:15,920 --> 01:08:18,719 Speaker 1: rigs can get expensive, particularly if you want to build 1227 01:08:18,840 --> 01:08:21,840 Speaker 1: a beast of a machine. I do recommend that you 1228 01:08:21,920 --> 01:08:24,080 Speaker 1: go to the alien ware website and just you know, 1229 01:08:24,160 --> 01:08:27,880 Speaker 1: go nuts, just see what you could do if you 1230 01:08:28,320 --> 01:08:32,200 Speaker 1: went premium as far as you possibly could, because I 1231 01:08:32,240 --> 01:08:34,559 Speaker 1: guarantee you you're gonna get a rig that's gonna come 1232 01:08:34,600 --> 01:08:38,280 Speaker 1: in it around like ten grand. It's crazy, but it 1233 01:08:38,320 --> 01:08:40,880 Speaker 1: would also be amazing if you had that kind of 1234 01:08:40,960 --> 01:08:44,599 Speaker 1: cheddar to drop on a on a PC. Personally, unless 1235 01:08:44,680 --> 01:08:48,800 Speaker 1: six certain numbers come up in the near future, I 1236 01:08:49,120 --> 01:08:53,520 Speaker 1: don't think I'll be able to justify buying the premium 1237 01:08:53,600 --> 01:08:56,639 Speaker 1: cream of the crop fastest that there is type of 1238 01:08:56,720 --> 01:09:01,719 Speaker 1: gaming rigs that are out there, but they these alien 1239 01:09:01,720 --> 01:09:05,160 Speaker 1: ware rigs that are built they also tend to perform really, 1240 01:09:05,160 --> 01:09:09,439 Speaker 1: really well against various benchmarks. They're not always at the top. 1241 01:09:10,120 --> 01:09:12,600 Speaker 1: Sometimes they're battling at the top with a couple of 1242 01:09:12,600 --> 01:09:17,040 Speaker 1: other gaming rigs, but they're always in contention so that 1243 01:09:17,160 --> 01:09:20,880 Speaker 1: you get good performance as well. The question are they 1244 01:09:20,920 --> 01:09:23,599 Speaker 1: worth the price? That's the decision that every gamer has 1245 01:09:23,640 --> 01:09:26,600 Speaker 1: to make for him or herself. I can say honestly, 1246 01:09:26,800 --> 01:09:29,680 Speaker 1: I have never owned an alien ware rig, but I 1247 01:09:29,720 --> 01:09:33,880 Speaker 1: have built out a rig online more than once, and 1248 01:09:34,080 --> 01:09:36,240 Speaker 1: one of these days, I'm guessing I'm gonna pull the 1249 01:09:36,240 --> 01:09:38,960 Speaker 1: trigger on this because I really do like the aesthetic 1250 01:09:39,000 --> 01:09:41,640 Speaker 1: and I do like the idea of all of that 1251 01:09:41,720 --> 01:09:43,880 Speaker 1: work being taken care for me, so I don't have 1252 01:09:44,000 --> 01:09:48,120 Speaker 1: to sit down and do it all myself. But that's 1253 01:09:48,160 --> 01:09:52,519 Speaker 1: because I have made that decision. I completely am aware 1254 01:09:52,760 --> 01:09:57,960 Speaker 1: that this is a premium style product, and then at 1255 01:09:58,000 --> 01:10:01,519 Speaker 1: that point I can finally play the latest PC games 1256 01:10:02,520 --> 01:10:05,040 Speaker 1: and then immediately starts soaking up bullets from all the 1257 01:10:05,080 --> 01:10:08,880 Speaker 1: other players, because a gaming Riggs performance depends pretty heavily 1258 01:10:08,920 --> 01:10:11,200 Speaker 1: on the skill of the gamer, and my skill is 1259 01:10:11,280 --> 01:10:14,799 Speaker 1: a I mean, I'm more than I'm older than forty guys. 1260 01:10:15,680 --> 01:10:19,680 Speaker 1: My twitch skills have been on the decline for a decade, 1261 01:10:20,000 --> 01:10:22,519 Speaker 1: and they weren't great to start with, but I still 1262 01:10:22,640 --> 01:10:25,560 Speaker 1: enjoy playing well. I'm very glad that I got a 1263 01:10:25,640 --> 01:10:28,960 Speaker 1: chance to look into this particular company. It's one that 1264 01:10:29,160 --> 01:10:33,559 Speaker 1: I've seen around forever, and I've been a fan of 1265 01:10:33,600 --> 01:10:36,240 Speaker 1: their design for quite some time, but I never really 1266 01:10:36,280 --> 01:10:39,800 Speaker 1: looked into it before. If you guys have any suggestions 1267 01:10:39,840 --> 01:10:42,800 Speaker 1: for types of companies I should do an episode on, 1268 01:10:43,000 --> 01:10:46,240 Speaker 1: or people I should interview, or really any topic in 1269 01:10:46,320 --> 01:10:48,920 Speaker 1: technology that you would like to learn more about, whether 1270 01:10:49,000 --> 01:10:53,880 Speaker 1: it's cutting edge, brand new technology or something from ancient history. 1271 01:10:53,960 --> 01:10:57,040 Speaker 1: And you've always wondered how did it work and and 1272 01:10:57,160 --> 01:10:59,960 Speaker 1: where did it go? Send me a message let me 1273 01:11:00,040 --> 01:11:03,599 Speaker 1: know what you want. My email address is tech stuff 1274 01:11:03,760 --> 01:11:06,639 Speaker 1: at how stuff works dot com, or you can always 1275 01:11:06,720 --> 01:11:10,000 Speaker 1: drop me a line on Twitter or Facebook. The handle 1276 01:11:10,040 --> 01:11:13,320 Speaker 1: at both of those is text stuff hs W. Remember 1277 01:11:13,439 --> 01:11:17,040 Speaker 1: you can watch me record episodes live at twitch dot 1278 01:11:17,080 --> 01:11:20,559 Speaker 1: tv slash tech stuff. I record on Wednesdays and Fridays, 1279 01:11:20,840 --> 01:11:23,440 Speaker 1: so if you want to watch an episode get recorded, 1280 01:11:23,720 --> 01:11:26,640 Speaker 1: including all the bits where I make little mistakes and 1281 01:11:26,680 --> 01:11:28,599 Speaker 1: flubs and I have to go back and fix it, 1282 01:11:29,160 --> 01:11:31,800 Speaker 1: then you should tune in on Wednesdays and Fridays. I 1283 01:11:31,800 --> 01:11:33,920 Speaker 1: also like to chat with the chat room and we 1284 01:11:33,960 --> 01:11:35,720 Speaker 1: have a good old time, so I'll see you then 1285 01:11:35,800 --> 01:11:44,160 Speaker 1: and I'll talk to you again really soon. For more 1286 01:11:44,240 --> 01:11:46,519 Speaker 1: on this and thousands of other topics, is it how 1287 01:11:46,600 --> 01:11:57,160 Speaker 1: stuff works dot com