I consider myself a gamer. I enjoy playing games. Ever since my uncle Michael gifted us his Atari way back in the 80s, I have enjoyed playing games. I cannot tell you the number of hours we spent after school playing Mario or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Mike Tyson Knockout. As the technology has advanced, I’ve managed to stay connected to various forms of gaming through Nintendo, Sega, Playstation and Xbox gaming consoles. I like the immersion in fantasy and play that gaming affords.
I will be honest and say that my dexterity didn’t really advance as the gaming controls advanced. I can’t play a first person shooter to save my life. As much as I wish I could be a Halo girl, it ain’t happening. I’m still all about Mario and Zelda, and I enjoy playing around in Sea of Thieves and Red Dead Redemption. But my real jam at the moment is PuzzleQuest. I LOVE this game. It’s so basic but puzzle games and patterns and simple strategy are fun for me. I don’t apologize for that. And I no longer argue with internet dingdongs about what makes a gamer. Side note, my mom is a gamer. She plays casual games, but the hours she invests in her game playing and competing with her team is hardcore. I love that gaming creates space for all of us to be included in whatever ways match our tastes and ideas of fun.
Even though I’m not a FPS girlie, or even a person who likes to game online with others, I enjoy watching game play. The advance graphics, immersive stories and fast pace of gaming reels me in every time. So, when my friend invited me to join her for the Halo Infinite world championships, I was like yes!
Walking into the tournament room as an entire experience. There were people in cosplay, game props on display, and high pulsing energy that was palpable. I felt an instant connection to the energy and excitement even though I didn’t truly know what was going on. Thankfully, my friends gave me the run down so I could follow along. It was truly an experience! Esports is one of those things people don’t fully understand until they see it. As a lifelong gamer, I am really excited for how gaming has evolved over the decades. Decades. Wow!
My team didn’t win, but it was so much fun to be part of this moment in history and take an inside look into competitive gaming.
