Goodbye, Game Informer

Today is my last day at Game Informer. I've spent 11 years at this amazing place with these incredible people, and will miss them all terribly.

After I graduated college with a journalism degree at the end of 2003, I sent out my resume to almost every editorial outlet in the Twin Cities, hoping to at least score an informational interview and get my name and face out there. I had a few bites and meetings, but I held out on contacting one place: Game Informer. 

The logic there was I wanted to keep it in my back pocket as a ray of hope. Writing about video games seemed like an impossible dream. If I didn't reach out, I couldn't be rejected. The possibility, however small, was still out there.

After most other options dried up, I finally decided to break the emergency glass and go for it. I tracked down editor-in-chief Andy McNamara's phone number and cold called him (I don't recommend doing this in 2015, by the way). I asked if he had time for a lunch where I could bug him all about Game Informer. He was swamped at the time so I asked if he needed a hand with anything – an intern perhaps?

Fortunately, Andy just returned from what would end up being his last cover story, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and he needed several hours of interviews transcribed. "Let me see if I can pull together a computer and a desk and I'll call you back," he said. I sat there at my campus security job anxiously waiting for the phone to ring.    

He called and said everything was in order and asked if I could come by the office as soon as possible. Of course I could! Unfortunately, I didn't have any spare clothes so I had no choice but to show up in my security uniform. Walking into the office of my dreams in a ridiculous outfit wasn't ideal, but everyone was nice and made me feel welcome. After a quick chat with Andy, I was officially an intern and set to come back on Monday morning.

After a couple months, I was hired at the #1 gaming magazine in the world for my first and only grown-up job and it's been unbelievable ever since. I'd like to thank all the editors I've ever worked with for being great friends and co-workers: (in no particular order) Andy McNamara, Andrew Reiner, Paul Anderson, Matt Helgeson, Matthew Kato, Matt Miller, Joe Juba, Adam Biessener, Matt Bertz, Ben Reeves, Jeff Cork, Tim Turi, Jeff Marchiafava, Ben Hanson, Kyle Hilliard, Kim Wallace, Mike Futter, Dan Tack, Wade Wojcik, Brian Shea, Lisa Mason, Jeremy Zoss, Nick Ahrens, Meagan Marie, Annette Gonzalez, Phil Kollar, Jim Reilly, Dan Ryckert, and Jason Oestreicher. Thanks to all the production and office staff as well! 

I'd also like to thank the Game Informer audience for being such a great community. It's been amazing interacting with you all these years, hearing your feedback on everything we do.

Though my new job will take me from Minneapolis to San Francisco, I hope to keep in touch with everyone and will always keep an eye on the exciting happenings at Game Informer.

I sometimes think back to that fateful phone call in 2004 and wonder how different my life would have been if I didn't happen to call at that exact time on that very day (again, don't call Andy!). It makes me shudder to this day.

I've done a lot of content in my career at Game Informer that I'm proud of, but I thought I'd sign off with something silly and fun. Enjoy, and I'll see you down the road!