Forever Young at Heart: A Year Older, Still Gaming and Writing About It

This week marks my birthday, and while it might not seem like a fitting topic for an article about pressing a button, bear with me.

At 54, I find myself officially in my mid-50s, yet I’m still pursuing video game journalism as my career. I indulge in gaming every single day. My workspace is a home office filled with games, and when I’m not playing, I’m usually contemplating them. During moments like these, I wonder: Should I ever consider stopping? Is there an expiration date on someone’s journey in game journalism? I can think of only a handful of peers my age who are still writing about games full-time. While some of my friends outside the industry still play, it’s usually limited to just a couple of titles each year, perhaps EA Sports FC or the latest Nintendo hit with kids. Life has a funny way of pulling you away from your passions if you’re not careful.

Right now, keeping pace with certain parts of the industry feels overwhelming. The realm of esports is almost unrecognizable to me, filled with numerous leagues, emerging stars, controversies, and more. It requires a full-time dedication that seems more suited for sports journalists. Then there are influencers and content creators—I’m not familiar with KaiCenat, Lazarbeam, or QuarterJade, though I have a vague awareness of their immense importance as tastemakers. During press trips to preview new games, I often find that I’m old enough to be the parent of many younger writers and creators I meet.

Despite this, I remain captivated by the mechanics of games and the craft behind them. I grew up in a time when games were perceived as exclusively for kids, but that’s certainly no longer the case. From nostalgic adventures like Lost Records: Bloom and Anger that reflect on middle age’s regrets to the God of War series examining parental and heritage themes (part of the “Game Dad” trends emerging as a new generation of developers embrace parenthood), video games encapsulate a lifelong narrative. This is why journalists of all ages should be engaged in writing about them. Consider film journalism: Roger Ebert wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times until his passing in 2013. The late Philip French, a noted critic for The Observer, officially retired at 80, yet continued writing about film for two more years before his death. They never ceased enjoying and engaging with cinema, so why should they stop writing about it?

I now have more history with gaming than most young writers I admire. I was there for the arrival of Pac-Man, owned a Commodore 64 and a Mega Drive, and reviewed Virtual Boy games for a living. It raises the possibility of self-satisfaction similar to Roy Batty’s closing monologue, “I’ve seen things you wouldn’t believe,” but I truly value that experience. If history teaches us anything, it’s that firsthand experience enriches our understanding of sociocultural impact. Nowadays, anyone can load up Space Invaders on an emulator, but the emotional context of that game during the era of the Home Computing Revolution and Star Wars Mania is challenging to convey in 2025.

I frequently emphasize the importance of continuing to play—whether it’s video games, chess, soccer, or reenacting historical events. Equally crucial is the continued questioning of our world and our preferences. After spending enough time engaged in something, you’ll often discern how the story unfolds. Currently, I have reservations about gaming censorship prompted by payment processing companies. However, I’ve navigated similar moral panics before, from Mary Whitehouse to Jack Thompson and multiple tabloids. It’s reassuring to know, like before, this too shall pass.

You remain the positive aspect of your passions—the books you read, the teams you support, the concerts you attend. Life is a tapestry of experiences from which we extract our own insights and form our personal maps of the vast cultural terrain we inhabit. This holds true whether you’re 95, 16, or in my case, 54.

In short, you’re stuck with me. I hope the game isn’t over.

What to do

Feeling nostalgic, I recommend the retro collection Gradius Origins from Konami and Developer M2, an undeniable master at bringing classic titles to modern consoles. Origins collates all six entries in this esteemed arcade shoot-’em-up series, encompassing Gradius 1-3 and various spinoff Salamanders, featuring Japanese, North American, and often prototype versions with impressive new features.

These provide exhilarating side-scrolling experiences with striking spaceships, superb weapon upgrade systems, surreal biomechanical landscapes, and challenging bosses. The intricately choreographed enemy attack patterns are intense, but fair, and this time you can save your progress—unlike in the original. Alongside the game, there’s a delightful digital gallery, showcasing arcade flyers, concept art, and guides for all enemy ships. It’s a fantastic trip down memory lane.

Available on: PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox
Estimated playtime: Over 20 hours

What to read

• I found this article about the fourth-wall-breaking moments in Death Stranding 2 by Maddie Myers to be quite enjoyable. I spent 100 hours in Hideo Kojima’s unique masterpiece, and the game’s awareness of its artificiality was a refreshing reminder of the hyper-realistic nature of contemporary games and the roles players have to play to sustain their illusions.

• Check out this diverse range of interviews with Laura Miele, president of Electronic Arts Entertainment. It seems plans are in motion for an Apex Legends Movie, alongside Sims-related films by the publisher. Personally, I’d love to see adaptations of Mirror’s Edge or Titanfall instead, or perhaps new games in those franchises.

• This past weekend, the video game retail site GOG offered 13 mature games for free, including Postal 2 and House Party, with a million players taking advantage of the deal. The intent was to raise awareness of censorship in gaming following disputes over payment processing terms affecting NSFW titles. You can find more details here on Eurogamer.

What to click

Question block

Here’s a thought from Bluesky’s Kohigh Mathy:

“Why do certain genres seem to fade away, like music, real-time tactics, or point-and-click adventures? Will they only resurface years later? Is it market fatigue, changes in technology, or something else?”

I see multiple factors at play. Similar to how certain movie genres come and go, there’s a generational cycle of influence. Game developers who grew fond of a genre as children often attempt to recreate it as adults. The prevalence of low-poly survival horror games can be attributed to creators who fondly remember Resident Evil from the original PlayStation.

There’s also a cultural and sociopolitical dimension— developers are inspired by their environment, and prevailing global themes may be best expressed through specific game genres. Consequently, during times of global unrest and conflict, military real-time strategy games may see a resurgence. Additionally, technological advancements play a role. The arrival of new consoles or graphics cards leads to a rush to recreate beloved genres on those platforms. Veterans who enjoy revamping these genres contribute to this wave.

Last but not least, there’s the interaction of nostalgia and innovation. Rediscovering outdated genres can yield fresh perspectives. In a market flooded with souls-likes, hero shooters, and deck-builders, there’s merit in creating new takes on 1990s-style interactive movies, graphic adventures, or multi-sport simulators. This situation is advantageous for all parties involved.

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