“Wentos” 4Chan Leaker Revealed as Non-Insider

In the early “modern” era of TSSZ, a large chunk of our original reporting centered on one mysterious figure — Wentos the Travelling Salesman from 4chan.

Wentos professed to the public to be a Sega insider, imploring for patience among fans in an era where community tensions boiled in the wake of the 2006 Sonic the Hedgehog and subsequent side releases. Many speculated much of his predictions, including a refocus on non-sporting events in the Mario and Sonic series and what became the reveal of Sonic Colors, was based on easy guesswork.

Today, those speculators have been proven right. This afternoon on Twitter, Skye Meredith, known in the community under the music of Rocket Ship Resort, claimed to be the 4chan member.

https://twitter.com/rsrskye/status/736258071039639552

https://twitter.com/rsrskye/status/736258355191119873

https://twitter.com/rsrskye/status/736258671693291520

https://twitter.com/rsrskye/status/736259148430475264

https://twitter.com/rsrskye/status/736259376592211969

https://twitter.com/rsrskye/status/736260364736692224

https://twitter.com/rsrskye/status/736260691812749312

https://twitter.com/rsrskye/status/736260872213925888

https://twitter.com/rsrskye/status/736261213684793344

https://twitter.com/rsrskye/status/736261605801889794

https://twitter.com/rsrskye/status/736262231948562432

We should disclose that Meredith has bought ad space on TSSZ in recent years for Rocket Ship Resort. Skye has also been the subject of several TSSZ Fan Friday features and a longform interview. But none of us on staff at TSSZ knew of the Wentos connection until today.

In light of this disclosure, in accordance with our policies to retract stories that are based in factual error, TSSZ has retracted seven stories from our 2009 and 2010 archives.  They are:

First @ TSSZ: Latest Wentos 4chan Log Surfaces – October 25, 2010
RUMOR: Wentos Returns to 4chan, Speaks of Next Mario & Sonic – October 22, 2010
Poll: 56% Still Believe Wentos’s Words – October 5, 2009
As Wentos Resurfaces, SoA Employee Refutes His Claims – September 14, 2009
Project Needlemouse: Was Wentos Right? – September 10, 2009
Poll: 60% Believe Wentos’s Words – February 2, 2009
Another Sega Employee Speaks Out on Sonic? – January 14, 2009

We regret the publication and spread of this inaccurate information.