My love for video games has never wavered, I have no intention of growing up and moving on
It is my birthday this week. And while that may not sound like a worthy subject for Pushing Buttons, bear with me.
I am now 54 – and so officially in my mid-50s – and I still write about video games for a living. I play video games every day; I work in a home office where I’m surrounded by video games. When I’m not playing them, I’m probably thinking about them. But at times like this, I think: maybe should I stop someday? Is there an upper limit on how long someone can do games journalism? Certainly I only know of a handful of people my age who are still writing about games on a full-time basis. Some of my friends outside the industry still play games, but usually only one or two a year – EA Sports FC, maybe, the latest blockbusting narrative adventure, Nintendo with the kids. If you’re not careful, life has a way of shepherding you away from your interests.
I now find it difficult to keep up with some areas of the industry. The world of esports feels utterly alien – the multitude of leagues and competitions, the emerging superstars, the controversies. Following it all is a full-time job, one that is more suited to a sports writer. I’m also way behind on influencers and content creators – I don’t watch Kai Cenat, LazarBeam or QuarterJade, though I have a vague sense of who they are and how important they have become as arbiters of taste. When I go on press trips to see new games, I’m old enough to be a parent to most of the young writers and creators I meet.
