Over the past seven years, the “The Angry Video Game Nerd” video series has amassed a loyal following of gamers worldwide. James Rolfe’s geeky persona is tormented beyond belief, spewing bitter rants against some of the worst or most bizarre retro games imaginable – of course, there are some hidden and classic gems tucked in there too.
The AVGN is brutally honest, crude and downright hilarious, which is part of the reason why he’s such a charming, lovable character. The other half of the appeal comes from the games themselves, forgotten rejects or classic mainstays that make us just a little more nostalgic. If you’ve never heard of the AVGN, where have you been all this time?
The AVGN has done so well that Rolfe decided to venture into movie territory with the AVGN: The Movie. While Rolfe considers himself to be an independent filmmaker having made several low-budget horror, documentary and comedy flicks in the past this is his biggest project yet. His crowd-funded project on Indiegogo far exceeded anyone’s expectations, raising over $300,000 in the process – the second highest fan-funded film to date. That’s a huge feat that Rolfe humbly accepted. The AVGN movie is still on its way but is in post-production so it won’t be too much longer until we get to see it.
Even though the AVGN is one of the most popular video series Rolfe focuses on, he explores a whole gamut of passions in separate video series like Board James and MONSTER MADNESS on his website Cinemassacre. James’ wide array of interests is part of the reason why each of his video series work so well, and probably why AVGN is so popular. Many people I know who admire James acknowledge how fun and informative each of his other series are.
I’ve been visiting Cinemassacre for the past five or six years now and have laughed and learned so much through that time. There’s no way I would have as much knowledge about video games, board games and horror films if it wasn’t for him. I’ve grown to not only admire him for his personas, but for Rolfe himself who clearly has a breadth of knowledge and passion. It’s been a fun ride so far, and one I hope to continue.
Last weekend, Rolfe visited A&C Games in Toronto for a quick meet and greet with fans of his series. The turnout was enormous with nearly an hour and a half long lineup in the hot, humid A&C World HQ. And you know what? It was totally worth it.
While some might think Rolfe’s material is obnoxious and childish, there’s plenty of unrelenting charm there too. His nostalgic passions run deep and reflect upon our own nostalgic feelings in the process. I never would have thought I’d get the chance to meet someone so akin to my passions as he is, yet there he was as I handed him a tall can of Rolling Rock. Good job, James. You deserve it.