So a week or so ago the news went out that Kevin Bachus has joined Infinium labs (dreamers of the vaperware console, The Phantom). To track back, Bachus started as a PR flak for some game company (which is when I met him in my previous life as a gaming journalist; frankly I no longer remember what company it was. Acolade or Empire or something equally insignificant, I think.) and ended up at Microsoft as “one of the fathers of the XBox.” Good show so far; I have to admit I’m quite a fan of the XBox.

But then he and a few other X-Dads left to start a company, CEG. That flopped, and now Bachus is at Infinium. And damn, is the man blowing smoke!! Read this article and prepare to be amazed. The boy spins like a top. He calls CEG ‘wildely successful’ in some ways, and he mentions that the system specs for The Phantom still haven’t been nailed down (wasn’t it supposed to ship in March?) yet he says the company is in ‘a state of transition.’ Oh yes? Transiting from what to what? Vaperware to…more vaperware?

Sorry, but I see a guy like this laying down his slick spew and I just want to give up hope in the world. It isn’t what you know. It isn’t how good your work is. It isn’t your integrity. It’s all about the pitch and the spin.

I didn’t trust Bachus the first time I met him, and I don’t trust him any more now. Not saying he wasn’t a nice guy, but he was just one of those salesman types that’ll do or say anything to get you to buy his line. And from what I’m reading, that hasn’t changed a bit.