It feels strange writing one of these. God knows I did read enough from them above The last 17 Years. But finally it’s my turn: Today is my last day at my city.
It was a journey. I started this website in 2006, in the last days of the PS2/GameCube generation. I was a kid in my twenties who had been put off by some burned out friends in the business manufacturing Video games (crunch didn’t seem fun!) but still wanted to do something around her, even if all the talk on the internet was shit about her. igamesnewss At the time, EiC had advertised a vacancy and was looking for someone for the (American) night shift, which would be daytime for me in Australia and seemed perfect. I sent a one-line email expecting never to hear back, and… got a job talking crap about video games on the internet. I was a part-time employee and was paid $10 a post, and like so many other (and better) bloggers at Gawker, I spent my time ruthlessly combining facts with sordid/horrific views. A few months later, I got a full-time job. It all seemed so new, so chaotic, that I figured the job would only last a few months before it all fell apart. Oops.
It is now the year 2023. I am 43 years old. Shit, that’s a long Time. I’ve spent most of my professional life putting my heart and soul into a website about video games, and now I just don’t do it. feels weird I have many emotions! I’ve made friends, I’ve made enemies, I’ve spread news, I’ve made mistakes. I ran an excellent cosplay site until our current owners broke it. I has written a book
And yet. Work at my city because that’s how long one body blow after another had to take, sometimes from outside the building, sometimes from inside. I could have left as often as I wanted during those 17 years, and maybe I should have. If Gamergate did what it did. When Peter Thiel used Hulk Hogan to sIlence GawkerIf We were bought by a TV station that had no idea what they were doingwhen the finances of this TV station went up in flames and we went from the frying pan into the fire. When my favorite website was told to stick with sportsand when most of my friends left not long after and I didn’t even get a chance to say a proper goodbye.
What has kept me here through all of this has been the work and the talented, dedicated people I have worked with. Yes, this site screwed up at times, but for the most part we also said and did things that no one else in the field could, honestly and fearlessly, and I was proud to have my name on the masthead – and it was because of that To be honest, I didn’t count many job title changes – all the time.
I’ve never been the most insightful critic, the busiest reporter, or the fiercest writer. I have never hosted a podcast and have rarely appeared in front of the camera. Heck, I’ve only visited the New York office five times in my entire career, and one of them was on my honeymoon (long story). But I like to think I’ve still made a difference here, if not under my own name then in the bones of the site, behind the scenes in a way You
I’ve read enough of these posts to know that this is the part where I’m slowly losing you and need to start thanking people quickly, but man 17 years old, that’s just too many to list individually . Still, I have to try (and if we’ve ever worked together, sorry if you don’t get credit; I remember everyone and you were the best). First and foremost: Brian Ashcraft. My wingman, my friend, we blogged together, we wrote a book together, we traveled together, I ate at your table, thank you for always being there, every day. Thanks to Brian Crecente for giving me a chance and hiring me based on that rude one line email. Many thanks to Mike McWhertor for his great influence, not on my writing but on everything else that goes with it around
Thanks to Joel Johnson for starting a fire under my butt. Kirk Hamilton for being the best thing ever, Evan Narcisse for being too damn talented for the subject (and will keep showing), Riley MacLeod for being the most wonderful person I have ever met. Stephen Totilo for the patience of a saint. Gita, Nathan, Chris P, Cecilia, Harper, Jason, you were all part of the website’s golden age and when each of you left my city In quick succession, a little piece of me stayed with you. To the current workforce: I’m sorry we never had the chance to meet in person (Ethan, mate, we’re ships in the night!), but despite all the challenges you’re currently facing, it’s inspiring that you continue the work . Stick with it for as long as possible.
Many thanks to Mark Serrels, a great man with the worst views who never actually worked Here but maybe also. Thanks Mineral blu for all photosand to Hopefully everyone who has shared their amazing cosplay stories with me over the past decade and contributed to coverage has shown the scene the respect it deserves. Thanks also to the countless artists who have submitted their work to Fine Art (or at least sent in the work of their colleagues who were too shy to do it themselves) which gave me the pleasure of presenting your stuff. Mostly it was the highlight of my week.
And that’s it! Thanks for reading (this post and everything else), and thank you for putting up with me for so damn long. I don’t have anything else to do, so I take a little break and decompress; Next Monday I’m going to wake up, go downstairs and see what it’s like to be a grown adult who doesn’t have to play a video game and still have work to think about. It might be weird, it might be fun, who knows. I’m excited to find out!