I am a gamer.
Always have been, and in some way, shape or form probably always will be. Some of my fondest memories have been playing video games with friends and I continue to regularly play video games to this day. Gaming has always meant a lot to me, but that meaning has evolved over the years.
When I was young gaming was a refuge I turned to. Growing up I really struggled with social anxiety. Playing video games offered me a healthy escape from that anxiety. It was an outlet that allowed me to be social in a medium that was more comfortable for me. Gaming was never anti-social for me, quite the opposite in fact. All of my favorite gaming memories involved playing with other people. My best friend and I playing Morrowind for hours at a time on two separate TVs set up next to each other in my basement. All-night Halo LAN parties for my birthday every year. My brothers, friend, and I staying up all night to beat Marvel Ultimate Alliance. The first time my brother and I beat the final boss of the Dragon Soul raid in World of Warcraft. Gaming allowed me to be social on my terms and it helped me to build confidence and grow into the man I am today.
The social side of gaming only increased in importance as I got older. FIFA was what brought my freshman hall together and helped form some of the strongest friendships I have ever had. We would all cram into the “hang out” room on our hall and play FIFA for endless hours. In between classes, you could always just swing by and expect someone would be playing. It even made good pre-game material. We created a drinking game (aptly named “FIFA drinking game”. I know, very creative) where everyone would place a bet on who they thought would win a game, and whenever the other player scored you would have to drink. Junior and Senior year, we would get big groups of friends together at our lodge to play Jackbox games and laugh the night away at our hilariously immature pokes at one another in our answers. Gaming also helped me to stay in touch with people I cared about while at school. My brothers and I barely ever would pick up the phone and call each other, but we regularly hopped on Heroes of the Storm and caught up over voice chat.
As my life has continued to evolve, so has my love of gaming. Now gaming is something I do to relax and unwind. My wife isn’t a big gamer, so gone are the 10-hour gaming marathons of yesteryear. Instead, I grab gaming time where I can find it. Early on the weekends. On my Switch while we watch TV. I may only play for 5 or 10 minutes at a time most days, but it’s still something I continue to enjoy.
I have always loved gaming and I really believe in the medium’s power. The power to bring people together. The power to create the jobs of the future and to connect people from all across the world. My love of gaming has evolved over time and I am sure it will continue to evolve in the future. However it does, I am excited to watch gaming’s progress and I hope that in the future I can be part of shaping that direction and development.