Brandon Boyer

Brandon Boyer (born 1977) is a contributing editor to collaborative weblog Boing Boing. Boyer resides in Austin, Texas.

Career

Boyer was born in 1977 in Sioux City, Iowa. From 1993 to 1996, Boyer wrote and performed songs on a Casio keyboard under the name Boy Genius. Tracks were featured on various CDs, including Bottlecap Records' "Green Light Go!" compilation.

Boyer began a record label, KittyBoo Records, out of Denton, Texas in 1995.^[1] KittyBoo released 3 records: the debut 7-inch from Poopiehead, a Bunnygrunt / Tullycraft split 7-inch, and the 7-inch soundtrack to J. Otto Seibold's Free Lunch children's book, with narration and instruments by singer, songwriter, Blue Man Group and They Might Be Giants collaborator and film-strip artist Brian Dewan.

Boyer was a contributor to both the print magazine and website of multi-format computer and video game magazine Edge from 2004 to 2006, and served as news editor for Gamasutra, an internationally recognized and Webby Award winning online community for video game developers which is owned and operated by Think Services (formerly CMP Media). In November 2008 he helped found Offworld,^[2] a video game blog owned by Boing Boing, where he served as editor through October 2009.^[3] In May 2010, Boyer was named Chairman of the Independent Games Festival.^[4]^[5] He stepped down in 2015, being replaced by Kelly Wallick.^[6]

In 2011, Brandon Boyer successfully ran a Kickstarter-campaign for an Offworld-successor called Venus Patrol.^[7] In the Kickstarter, exclusive rewards of amongst others Keita Takahashi, Adam Saltsman, Vlambeer and Superbrothers were offered to prospective subscribers.^[8] Venus Patrol launched on September 10, 2012.^[9] Boyer was diagnosed with cancer.^[10]^[11]^[12]

The board of directors of Juegos Rancheros (Fantastic Arcade) voted unanimously to dismiss Brandon Boyer on April 5, 2018, after accusations of abuse of women.^[13]^[14]^[15]^[16]

References

^ Crain, Zac (1998-08-27). "Free KittyBoo". Dallas Observer. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012.
^ Boing Boing launches game blog Offworld. CNET (Nov 17, 2008)
^ Boing Boing: The World's Greatest Neurozine! Boing Boing (Oct 06, 2009)
^ "Brandon Boyer named IGF Chairman". MCV. 2010-05-13. ISSN 1469-4832. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
^ May 12, 2010, Independent Games Festival Names Boyer As Chairman. IGF (May 12, 2010)
^ Sinclair, Brendan (July 31, 2015). "Kelly Wallick appointed IGF Chair". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
^ Tach, Dave (2013-05-15). "Venus Patrol and MOCAtv to hold Horizon, an 'alternative E3 press conference' on June 13". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
^ "Kickstart Boyer's 'Venus Patrol,' get new games from Superbrothers, Vlambeer, Adam Atomic, and more". Engadget. 2011-09-07. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
^ Venus Patrol
^ Pitcher, Jenna (2014-03-13). "Colossal Humble Bundle of Love for Brandon Boyer supports cancer treatment relief fund". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
^ Strom, Steven (Mar 13, 2014). "Help stop Brandon Boyer's cancer by buying great games". GameZebo. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
^ Walker, John (2014-03-07). "Let's Keep Brandon Boyer Alive For Lots Longer". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
^ Sinclair, Brendan (2018-04-05). "Brandon Boyer dismissed from Juegos Rancheros". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
^ "A Message From the Board of Directors". Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ @brandonnn (April 5, 2018). "As you might have already heard, effective yesterday I am no longer a board member of JUEGOS RANCHEROS, the Austin event organization.

As investigations continue, I am fully cooperating with the remaining board members and helping to ensure a smooth transition of my duties as a co-organizer of both the monthly events and Fantastic Arcade.

While details of the events that have precipitated this change of leadership are rightly being kept scant and anonymous, I understand that at its heart it pertains to feelings of mistrust and intimidation held by the wider community.

I have always endeavored to create safe and welcoming spaces for all of the events I have been involved in over the years, and I am incredibly disappointed to learn I have failed in that regard here.

I believe that I let my handling of certain events become a deep wound that inaction would not allow to heal. it has become very clear that conflict avoidance is a personal weakness and failing, and clearly no trait of the head of an organization. I fully trust that new and more diverse leadership can help foster an even better future for the local community of artists and creators.

To anyone hurt by any of my actions or lack thereof, for now I can only offer deep apologies and a commitment to better understand where I have failed and how to be better in the future" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 April 2018 – via Twitter.
^ @animalphase (April 5, 2018). "Brandon Boyer has been a danger to women and dfab folks in the industry for years. everyone was too afraid to come forward because he has used his connections to retaliate against the careers of his victims. *finally* this is public:" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 2019-12-13. Retrieved 8 April 2018 – via Twitter.

External links

Official website

[Dallas_Observer-1] Crain, Zac (1998-08-27). "Free KittyBoo". Dallas Observer. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012.

[CNET-2] Boing Boing launches game blog Offworld. CNET (Nov 17, 2008)

[Boing_Boing-3] Boing Boing: The World's Greatest Neurozine! Boing Boing (Oct 06, 2009)

[4] "Brandon Boyer named IGF Chairman". MCV. 2010-05-13. ISSN 1469-4832. Retrieved 2023-12-31.

[IGF-5] May 12, 2010, Independent Games Festival Names Boyer As Chairman. IGF (May 12, 2010)

[6] Sinclair, Brendan (July 31, 2015). "Kelly Wallick appointed IGF Chair". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved September 12, 2015.

[7] Tach, Dave (2013-05-15). "Venus Patrol and MOCAtv to hold Horizon, an 'alternative E3 press conference' on June 13". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-12-31.

[8] "Kickstart Boyer's 'Venus Patrol,' get new games from Superbrothers, Vlambeer, Adam Atomic, and more". Engadget. 2011-09-07. Retrieved 2023-12-31.

[Venus_Patrol-9] Venus Patrol

[10] Pitcher, Jenna (2014-03-13). "Colossal Humble Bundle of Love for Brandon Boyer supports cancer treatment relief fund". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-12-31.

[11] Strom, Steven (Mar 13, 2014). "Help stop Brandon Boyer's cancer by buying great games". GameZebo. Retrieved September 12, 2015.

[12] Walker, John (2014-03-07). "Let's Keep Brandon Boyer Alive For Lots Longer". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 2023-12-31.

[13] Sinclair, Brendan (2018-04-05). "Brandon Boyer dismissed from Juegos Rancheros". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2023-12-31.

[14] "A Message From the Board of Directors". Retrieved 8 April 2018.

[15] @brandonnn (April 5, 2018). "As you might have already heard, effective yesterday I am no longer a board member of JUEGOS RANCHEROS, the Austin event organization.

As investigations continue, I am fully cooperating with the remaining board members and helping to ensure a smooth transition of my duties as a co-organizer of both the monthly events and Fantastic Arcade.

While details of the events that have precipitated this change of leadership are rightly being kept scant and anonymous, I understand that at its heart it pertains to feelings of mistrust and intimidation held by the wider community.

I have always endeavored to create safe and welcoming spaces for all of the events I have been involved in over the years, and I am incredibly disappointed to learn I have failed in that regard here.

I believe that I let my handling of certain events become a deep wound that inaction would not allow to heal. it has become very clear that conflict avoidance is a personal weakness and failing, and clearly no trait of the head of an organization. I fully trust that new and more diverse leadership can help foster an even better future for the local community of artists and creators.

To anyone hurt by any of my actions or lack thereof, for now I can only offer deep apologies and a commitment to better understand where I have failed and how to be better in the future" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 April 2018 – via Twitter.

[16] @animalphase (April 5, 2018). "Brandon Boyer has been a danger to women and dfab folks in the industry for years. everyone was too afraid to come forward because he has used his connections to retaliate against the careers of his victims. *finally* this is public:" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 2019-12-13. Retrieved 8 April 2018 – via Twitter.

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