Once again, both Anna and I venture into the World Wide Web. Some of us have been there spending more than half our paychecks on games, gamer gears, etc… Well, news flash to the gaming world. We are getting really poor! As you grow older, it’s hard to keep up with all the good games, gaming hardware and gaming gear that comes with the territory tends to get a bit pricey. We won’t cry no more, because Cheap Ass Gamer has our back!
Let us tell you a little bit about Cheapassgamer.com:
Browsing through the site, a good motto stands out posted by CheapyD:
Welcome to CheapAssGamer.com!
$50 is a lot of money. That being said, most new games simply aren’t worth that much. We all hate feeling ripped off after dropping half a bill on a game, which soon becomes clear, was not worth it. If we avoided paying full price, we probably wouldn’t feel as bad and, that’s the whole idea behind this site, feeling better about ourselves.
Well, that’s part of it; it’s really about stretching your gaming dollar further so you can play more games for less money. Myself and the rest of the CAG community search the web and try to find quality games at cheap ass prices.
Sounds good? It gets better, there is a forum on this site that is tailored towards running an at home small business selling and trading games. The site was created May 2003 with intend to bring out the business man that haggled within you! THE GAMER! As the business keeps bumping up prices, some people are dedicated to let those who cannot afford retail prices to still enjoy the wonderful world of various gaming experiences.
Which it’s why we decided to shine some light to our listeners and readers about CheapAssGamer.com! As both Anna and I enjoy giving recognition to those who are truly there to help others. So here’s what CheapyD had to say about his helpful site:
Q: That is a very controversial name and you don’t see many sites with the word ass in it, amusing none the less. Tell us, how did you come with that name?
CheapyD: When I was creating the site back in early 2003, I found that so many domain names were already taken. It was difficult to come up with a name that had personality and wasn’t generic sounding. I also wanted a name that was easy to remember. I decided “Cheap Ass Gamer” met my criteria and really wasn’t concerned about the “Ass”. A few years later, I spent a few hundred bucks to get the domain “CheapGamer.com”, just in case I needed a more family-friendly name.
Q: So where is CAG based on? And who is the noble crew behind this useful site?
CheapyD: Since CAG is an online community, I don’t think the location really matters. The majority of our audience (and our server) is in North America, however, I moved to Tokyo in November 2005. Technically, I am the sole owner/employee of CAG, but our Moderators do a ton of work keeping our forums organized. Also, our regular users (CAGs) do an incredible job of sharing shopping information and, without them, there is no CAG.
Q: What type of support do you get from retail sites and businesses, in the manner of the good deals you guys are posting on your site?
CheapyD: As the major retailers expand (through acquisitions and mergers), it seems like their support shrinks. I would guess this stems from the bureaucratic nature of most large companies. Recently, mostly smaller retailers are providing our community with special promotions. Although it’s nice to have help, we don’t necessarily need it as we have such a large community who is always on the lookout for the best deals.
Q: How do you find the time to cover all consoles and gaming deals? Do you have a staff looking for cheap things all through the Internet?
CheapyD: In the beginning, I spent a lot of time visiting the major retail websites, searching for deals. These days, we have so many active community members, It is not possible for me to keep up with them. We have over 100,000 registered forum users, 28,000 who have either posted or visited the forums in the last month. Once in a while, I will find a fresh deal, but usually, they beat me to it.
Q: Do you have any other information such as expert the prices, for instant : gaming news in general? Do you cover events news from the gaming world?
CheapyD: We really only focus on video game deals and shopping news. I hope to expand the amount of shopping news/articles available when I launch a new version of CAG in the near future. While I do attend the major gaming events like E3, Tokyo Game Show and hopefully next year, PAX, I’ll leave the general gaming news to the other sites.
Q: What was the most hard to believe deal you found?
CheapyD: CircuitCity.com sold the Star Wars Clone Wars/Tetris World (Xbox) combo pack for $0.01 with free shipping. I was pretty surprised when it actually showed up at my door.
Q: I noticed just like the rest of us out there that you got a podcast, what are some of the common discussions that are covered on the show?
CheapyD: The CAGcast is actually one of the most popular video game podcasts with approximately 7,000 listeners per episode. In fact, we just won the 2007 Podcast Award for Best Gaming Podcast. Wombat (my co-host in NYC) and I don’t take ourselves too seriously as we talk about the latest games and industry news, answer our listener’s questions, and discuss what it’s like for a big white guy to live in Tokyo and run a video game website. We also report on video game deals and other topics that should appeal to any video game fan.
Q: What’s the best and worst thing about running an online community site for you?
CheapyD: I’m happy to say that it’s difficult to think of a “worst thing” about running CAG. If I had to pick something, reading people’s negative comments towards me requires a thick skin, but it really hasn’t been a problem. The best part is that I am extremely fortunate to be able to make a nice living running a great community like CAG. Not many people love their job and I am so lucky to be in that exclusive club. The CAGs are just awesome and I really owe them more than just thanks.
Q: Well enough of the site, we are curious to know about your gaming background and favorite game of all time? And if you got an Xbox Live tag, you are more than welcome to share away…
CheapyD: My family’s first console was a Telstar Ranger, which is basically a home version of Pong. Ever since then, I was hooked. Growing up, I spent a lot of time in arcades, which were always my favorite places to visit. My Gamertag is CheapyD, however, my friends list is almost always full. Come on, Microsoft, let’s expand those things!
Q: Typical Xbox Live question, how long have you been playing Xbox and Xbox Live?
CheapyD: Back in July 2004, a local NYC retailer owed me some money, and, even though I protested, insisted on paying me with a Halo Xbox and an Xbox Live subscription. I was pretty satisfied with my PS2 at the time and didn’t think I needed another console. However, once I registered for Xbox Live I was very impressed. I’ve been a big fan ever since.
Q: What do you guys see in the future of the Cheap Ass Gamer?
CheapyD: Currently, our forums are the most heavily trafficked areas of CAG. Many of our users don’t even bother with the front page and head right to the forums. Once we go live with our re-launch, I’m hoping to add more compelling content to the front page area in the form of more deals, more shopping news, and more user contributions. No matter what game console or genres we like the best, all gamers have one thing in common. We all buy games. I’m hoping to turn CAG into the ultimate resource for video game shoppers. We already have a large, active (and great) community, now it’s up to me to build them a better website.
On behalf of the pocket pincher gamers out there that can take advantage of your great finds, we thank you for all the information that can be found on www.cheapassgamer.com. Also, would like to congratulate them for winning “Best Gaming Podcast†at the Podcast Awards. We will be back next Saturday with another victim that we spot around the web to harrass..
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