This is an appeal, my language will be as polite and concise as possible, please respect my right to an opinion even if you don't share it and I promise to respect yours in turn, trolls and fan boys can go fuck themselves in advance.

So, as many of you have no doubt discovered by now if the forums are anything to go by, our fair website of Giantbomb has switched over to youtube and has decided to set the bar at 360p for all the non-subscribers. And you know what? As the title would suggest, I see this as just plain mean. Whilst I understand that Giantbomb is largely a subscription based website and relies on this to help it survive and remain honest, this latest decision just seems groundless (and a little spiteful to free users at that) why?

1. it costs nothing to actual upload videos in 480p/HD- there are 12 year olds up in Northern Estonia who do it constantly from their mothers basement etc

2. The interns post videos at 720p in the community section all the time- it seems a bit strange that their content should be of a better quality visually than what is actual posted on the front page of the website of itself for the average passer-by.

3. By choosing to upload content at 360p, Giantbomb actually do a huge disservice to themselves in the long run- anybody new coming in from youtube/the site itself will be instantly put off by the shoddiness of the video, as 720P is readily available for free on both youtube and other gaming websites. I myself can't actually sit through a single video anymore. Thus, for those who say I should pay for it, I say why should I? When so many other

websites, industry bull aside, at least provide HD videos for free. The term Premium content should be reserved for just that, 'premium'- not something that's already readily available on most other websites.

The creators of Giantbomb pride themsleves on their integrity and fairness. Now would be a perfect chance to show it- uploading videos at 360p in 2011 just isn't acceptable by anyone’s standards anymore, let alone a reputable gaming website. Whilst Giantbomb don't actually owe non-subscribers anything, common decency demands free users deserve to be treated with more respect than this. I understand premium users might not like this idea, but I just want things to return to the way they were before i.e. - I'd be happy with 720p and premium users get 1080p along with the usual benefits all for themselves.

For those who agree with me, I propose we post this heartfelt message of protest under each quicklook/trailer etc (just once though, no spamming):

"Dear Jeff,

please start posting videos at 480p/720p again for non-subscribers. Nobody

should be forced to watch 360p in 2011. Don't leave us out in the cold man,

many of us have been with Giantbomb for years now. We're poor but loyal, so

that ain't cool. Remember what drove you to create this site in the first place

and help make a good website truly great again. Yay Vinny"

Thanks to all those who took the time to read this blog post.

Uh....Well you're wrong! Beeeeeeeecause pizza.

480p would be good enough for me, but 360p is just sad....

Yup, 480p should at least be the minimum. Hell, it probably should be 720p because watching HD in the whiskey media video player is >>>> than youtube's. That's just what I think.

Oh and *alternatively*.

Don't subscribers get HD videos? Hasn't it always been like this?

@Jack268: The quality of the 360p youtube videos is noticeably lower than what non-subs used to get.

@BlinkyTM said:

Uh....Well you're wrong! Beeeeeeeecause pizza.

To be fair, pizza is fucking awesome. Also, I'd comment on the issue, but I feel like doing so may be a bit controversial, especially in light of recent events.

I hope it changes. I checked it out a few times and I currently don't have to deal with it, but might go off subscription for a little bit in the near future because GB isn't an important expense, but 360p...is crazy. I don't know what the videos were at before, but the additional encoding means even if they were 360p, they apparently look far worse on youtube at that res now. If it were atleast a relatively clean video just being blown up to full size, that wouldn't be too bad, but the compression and the fact that the game was actually recorded at like 720 makes it look like you smeared vaseline all over your monitor/tv before hitting play. Maybe there will be another wave of uploading, though that would seem a little odd.

@Moreau_MD said:

"Dear Jeff,

please start posting videos at 480p/720p again for non-subscribers. Nobody

should be forced to watch 360p in 2011...

No one is forcing you to watch the videos at all. and the videos where always in 360p.

@Video_Game_King said:

@BlinkyTM said:

Uh....Well you're wrong! Beeeeeeeecause pizza.

To be fair, pizza is fucking awesome. Also, I'd comment on the issue, but I feel like doing so may be a bit controversial, especially in light of recent events.

Exactly, that is why he is most definitely wrong on the issue of making the pizza larger. All we really need is just a medium sized pizza with better toppings. Of course, we need to call from a remote shack so we get it for free.

@BlinkyTM:

Now that you say it like that, I just want a larger pizza with no toppings. And I'm keeping that pizza, because I'm a goddamn pizza hog.

Ugh we have like 500 theads and blog posts for this. Just pick one and talk about it there, tired of seeing this spam in the recent topics area.

@Video_Game_King said:

@BlinkyTM:

Now that you say it like that, I just want a larger pizza with no toppings. And I'm keeping that pizza, because I'm a goddamn pizza hog.

Shame on you! Pizza with no toppings is an affront to the very essence of pizza and should be condemned. As I type this I am contacting officials over the matter and mark my words, you will be subject to the full extent of the law if I am not compensated for that large pizza with no toppings. You should have at last added some pepperoni...AT THE LEAST! Give me pizza.

@Video_Game_King said:

@BlinkyTM:

I do not sully the good name of pizza with such toppings! What slut pizza have you been shoving into your mouth? MY PIZZA IS PURE!

(Although on subject, I started watching this video in full screen, and now I can see why 360p is a problem.)

I am speechless. You sir, are an abomination. That is all I have to say to that!

Now pass me some of that large no topping pizza that you have there.

Oh yeah, 360p looks terrible full screen. That's why I keep it normal screen.

I agree, 360p looks pretty terrible fullscreen.

@rebgav: all it would require is clicking the 480p button as opposed to the 360p button on the uploads page...not all that time consuming. The 'Christmas is a busy time of year line' is a bit silly to be honest. You don't see other websites suddenly changing to 360p at this time of year do you?

Such luxury.
I'm still so happy with my CTF screen, 1024x768 resolution and 240p.
Damn kids.

@rebgav said:

As to how they choose present their own content, isn't that their prerogative? If HD video isn't worth $5 a month to you, why do you assume that it's worth the time and effort on their end?

Exactly!!

Also, there is about 5000 other threads about this topic.