It's a hard question because NG has stayed alive for so long (which is rare for sites as you know).
Usually sites like this die because of no change -> boredom. (Which is not the case here as stated above)

VC would definetly bring fresh air (good or bad). But is it necessary?

Take the money, do something "amazing".
If it fails, we, the communit won't disappear from the face of the earth, we'll just build anew.
Worthy risk if I have to say.

At 4/16/12 09:24 AM, NikeTheSword wrote: Take the money, do something "amazing".
If it fails, we, the communit won't disappear from the face of the earth, we'll just build anew.
Worthy risk if I have to say.

Building a new community will be harder than imagined..and would it really be worthwhile for the money?

At 4/16/12 10:00 AM, Gimmick wrote:

At 4/16/12 09:24 AM, NikeTheSword wrote: Take the money, do something "amazing".
If it fails, we, the communit won't disappear from the face of the earth, we'll just build anew.
Worthy risk if I have to say.

Building a new community will be harder than imagined..and would it really be worthwhile for the money?

Not the money, but what it accomplishes.
Would it be worthwhile? If there's a dream of something grand involved I always vouch for taking the leap.

At 4/16/12 10:05 AM, NikeTheSword wrote: Not the money, but what it accomplishes.
Would it be worthwhile? If there's a dream of something grand involved I always vouch for taking the leap.

But it's a question of the risk versus the outcome, I mean, NG already sponsors good games, so why bother sponsoring everything? Not much is going to change imo.

Perhaps find a happy medium?
Form a way for investors to contribute directly to the developers, such as a "sponsorship" system, marrying the project and the API systems.
This would allow Newgrounds to maintain its investing independence, while also giving the developers a bit more of a chance to form a living from their art.

Money.But be careful not to fuck up this site.I like.

I don't know Tom something about this ain't right.... I mean What if we start turning into greedy fucktards like Youtube?

I think money is always a good thing if it goes into your pocket and not into reinvestments that are made to sell out. Like, make money, don't sell out. The point is to prosper not to become the fattest kid in the playground who steals everyone's candy.

Like, what i'm saaayin' is, if you lose your identity then it's a fail. If you let big wigs inside your gates then they will pee on it like it's their show then you're just one of them. You don't want greedy goofs making a profit off of other artist's money. All they want is money, that is the sole thing they care about. You really have to decide who you want to make money with otherwise you're shitting on everyone who has contributed thus far.

Where do your loyalties lie and where is your heart??? If a company expands and gets bigger, hires people, gets more staff, it needs more revenue to operate, w/e.

Promotions are always a big part of a company... Hence the promotions department, usually led by three people, that generate interest and kick things back to the little people with giveaways and specials. Subscriptions to things like the playboy cyber club could also generate revenue with a capacity to place ads. Put ads people don't want and then you lose your core subscribers. How are you going to make money without utilizing naked women? That's a good question.

You can only make more money if you do more work, soooo, you do that.

Money FTW! Go NG!

I don't really want to risk losing this site to some company so they can change everything in the worse; I feel like it would turn it into something no one likes. Don't take the money!

I want this site to be awesome and survive for a long time. Which option will give me that?

Also, how would more money help you make more money? I've read that sometimes growing a business too fast can wreck it. I mean, getting VC is like strapping on a warp drive. If you feel the NG can't grow much further to where you want it to be without some extra capitol, then I'd say take it. But if you're still plodding along, and you're happy with what you've got then don't take it.

Also taking VC so you can pay talented artists and programmers just so you can give them some love is probably a bad idea. Although, I can see NG help fund more ambitious projects with VC and the returns could be huge.

Personally, I'm thinking no, if you take VC, NG would probably be a shadow of it's former self.

At 4/13/12 03:56 PM, TomFulp wrote: 1) Keep being NG no matter what the cost.

Tom, keep changing Newgrounds and it will bite you in the ass.

trying to keep newgrounds stay newgrounds and going venture capital at the sounds too risky and hard. I'd suggest that you don't go venture capital

Keep it real

Well, it's a pretty complicated issue, here. On the one hand, if you have plans to really ramp up NG and start generating money in some for or another through the site that you simply need capitol for, then VC would be an excellent boost to your site. On the other hand, if it's just guys offering you money and you don't know where it's going to go then it might be best not to take it, just yet.

One day I would love to see this site open up and explode as a media force to be reckoned with on par to Youtube and Facebook, and I just don't see that happening without some outside help, so you should accept VC one day (This day, if you're ready for it). I don't want to see this site go into disarray, though, because the money couldn't be put to productive use and you had to sell - I have too many memories attached to this site. Seeing it fall because of how another putz handled it would really crush my spirit.

tl;dr, take the money only if you have a plan to make it work in your favor.

itt: quite a few people don't know that tom made up his mind and decided not to take the money, saying so in another news thread

Im surprised that after so many years, youve finally decided to upgrade your website. You know ng wont be ng if its changed too much.

Billion dollar company?? Excuse me? How can u make ng into a billion dollar company? U can me it into a 7 or 8 fig, but not 12.

And how are you gonna sponsor anyone? That requires money and if you have money, go for it, kids like flash and games, the community here and atmosphere is so chill and laid back, almost like going back to 2005 or something.

Pm me if you need investments. My grandparents are billionaires, I may get them to help you out. I LOVE NG.

Pm me and give me all of your ideas and plans, and lets work it out. How much do i want in?? 5%. Thats all

At 4/17/12 05:00 AM, psychopathy wrote: itt: quite a few people don't know that tom made up his mind and decided not to take the money, saying so in another news thread

Perhaps you could enlighten us and post a link to that thread? This one is stickied, while the decision thread is not.

Considering how well global society is doing based on the merits of venture capital, I'd say no.

Don't fix what's not broken.
That's the biggest rule in the book.

But in the end, it's all up to Tom.
Well Tom, tell us. Does NG need this? Is NG going downhill?

Is it broken?

So there. That's my two cents. Do with it what you want.

Worst case scenario:

http://cdn.instanttrap.com/trap.jpg

My imagination plays with all of the extra money and what it could do for the content and all that jazz.

Scary stuff

At 4/13/12 03:59 PM, Gagsy wrote: Stick or twist?

You have to twist, its only logical if the option is there. NG is great blah blah blah, but if you can turn great into amazing then shouldn't you do everything you can to achieve that goal, for not only the site but for yourself?

This, also on the plus side security look out for stolen flash would be increased, as well as the decrease of seeing NG based games pirated and uploaded on other sites where they aren't meant to be if the real author wishes it.

Money ain't toilet papers, you fuck head and brainless commentards.

Do Newgrounds have their ability to twist? I don't think so. Can Newgrounds play VC game? I don't think so.

At 4/13/12 03:56 PM, TomFulp wrote: 2) Take VC money. Spend the next five years being AMAZING, sponsor every game developer and every artist and rule the entire internet. IT MIGHT WORK, NG might become so successful the investors will get rich and back off, and it will be such a success it can just keep being a success forever.

Let it be your retirement plan.

Newgrounds is not just "a site for artists". It has always been a haven of free artistic expression, with all the offensive, NSFW and nonsensical bullshit I've grown to love. Taking the money will put all those values in jeopardy.

No Money.

dont change it cause if something goes wrong i think i would DIE without NG anymore :(

Newgrounds is the only site I feel like home and part of (I know I didn't submit too much stuff, but i hope it's quality stood up for that a bit). The community is awesome and I feel that the almost everyone is like buddies i've known for years with the same ridiculous humor and cock jokes. I'm here everyday. My adblock is always off for this site. I LOVE Newgrounds. I can't imagine the Internet without it. In 20 years when I have kids and if they're creative, I want to know that there's a place for them and me - NG. The real friends never change. And Tom, MindChamber, JohnnyUtah, Stamper and everyone else from the staff are still running this place as the time never moved on.

So when you ask if you should embrace venture capital - only if Newgrounds stays Newgrounds and you will still be the man in charge. If not, well is it really worth it? For the money, sure everyone's life will be better, but loosing your child?

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!

Hi Tom,

I know I'm late. I've been a user on this website for a very long time. I eventually registered under the user name TheAdventMaster, which had its account locked because I forgot my password. While I'd like my account back, that's not what I'm posting about.

Before you consider taking VC money, tell me how many online communities - real communities of people who love and care for one another - continue to exist today. Not only that, but communities which encourage and support the growth of its members.

I've had trouble finding any. I used to visit Gaia Online back when after it changed from being Go-Gaia. Eventually, they took venture capital and decided to expand their interests and cater to the influx of new users. A lot of websites do this. The staff start debating the site's direction, and their responsibility to cater to and spread their ideas to the broader internet.

But it never works. The broader internet isn't Newgrounds. Newgrounds is a site for determined, kind, caring, funny artists, musicians, video producers, game developers - content creators.

If you took venture capital, you'd probably end up with some CEO who sighs and has to think carefully any time he responds to your suggestions for the site, because profit means appealing in some way to a broader audience, while we know very well that the broader audience won't and isn't interested in creating content for this site. And if they do create content for the site, it will be to make money and turn Newgrounds into a business, not to contribute to the community portals and grow as a person.

My answer can be summarized as "Please don't do it." But I felt like I had to say more. Newgrounds is one of the last fortresses of internet freedom, creativity, prosperity and loving-kindness that remains standing. I'd hate to see it go. I'd hate it even more if it lived on as something it was never meant to be.

- Pritchard

At 4/19/12 08:22 PM, SoapNukeZ wrote: SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!

Also, this. If you really want funding, take it from us. Let us know what you're up to. Let us know your plans. Let us know how we're going to grow because of it, and let us, the users who currently care about the site, fund it.