Strengths:
There are many reasons why Penny Arcade is as successful as it is today. The creators might say a big reason is behind the scenes business manager Robert Khoo who came on board and revolutionized the way they were doing business. But without a strong product, one doubts they could have gotten as far as they have.Throughout their many years, Penny Arcade has had no fear in whom they point their gaze of satire upon, ripping apart many games, companies, and people in and among the game industry. This no holds barred approach has given them a large amount of respect amongst their fans who see other review sites as sellouts and Penny Arcade as a place to get true and honest opinions. This was something Mike and Jerry were concerned with when their own game was put into the hands of reviewers, but the pushed forward nonetheless.
Another strength of the comic is in their approach to the humor in the strips. Again, nothing is sacred, and they have often pushed the boundaries of what is appropriate or even decent on occasion. You never know what is going to be in a Penny Arcade comic, with one time you might find a story about the zombie apocalypse, and others you might find pointed jabs about Pokemon.
The fans themselves are also a strength of the strip as many sites have been shut down when they are linked from the main page of the site. The amount of traffic that can come from Penny Arcade readers is tremendous, and scribe Mike Krahulik is often wary of linking to others because of this. Their fans can often be rabid to the point of anger, but have also showed great giving when Penny Arcade started their charity Child's Play, giving games to sick kids. Millions of dollars have been donated through the fans of Penny Arcade and this shows their dedication.
Weaknesses:
Penny Arcade is definitely not for everyone. With such a focused topic, many comic readers might pass this one by. Unless you like video games, you will probably miss a lot of the jokes in this strip, and be lost in their jargon.The adult nature of the strip will also turn many readers away. Vulgar language is often used throughout the strip, and the creators don't make any excuses for it. Parents will need to beware of their kids reading this strip as many concepts are ones that they will most likely not want them to see.
