the gaming masses. Providing this type editorial calendar. Planned topics range To celebrate our new validation as a of information is not what we seek to do from player created content to social distinct culture, we have created the first with The Escapist. politics in and around games to one-hit issue of The Escapist, centered around wonders and the people behind them. the impact gaming has had, and “Well, why don’t we do it? We have The Escapist is an ambitious magazine, continues to have, on our society. In his years of experience in communicating written, edited and styled with a fresh In order to achieve this level of coverage piece, Kieron Gillen examines games as with gamers, connections all over the approach to communicating with on a weekly basis, we have amassed an both art and simulation, showing how world and, between us all, more gaming gamers. We are the complement to the amazing group of writers, editors and gaming is poised to be the most exciting paraphernalia than your average game current gaming journalistic efforts. While thinkers with decades of collective entertainment medium of the 21st store.” the others give you up-to-the-second experience in journalism and gaming. century. Tycho Brahe treats us to a few news coverage, we give you broad looks We’ve tapped everyone from game snapshots into his past, highlighting The Bar Napkin Moment came at the end at news over time, discussing trends and designers to prolific gaming journalists moments of realization that games are of yet another lively office discussion proffering glimpses into the future. While and well-known digerati to jump on not just the small, secret pastime we about gamers and gamer culture. You the others provide previews and reviews board with us. I have been proud to shared in yesteryear. A word of caution know, that conversation that inevitably of the next big thing, we give you a taste work with this cast of players over the for plunging headlong into the offends one person, sends another two of the Cinderella game that might just last several months, from the inception mainstream is offered by John Tynes in into tirades about the simultaneous steal the spotlight, plus a look at why. of The Escapist, and look forward to his monthly column “The Contrarian.” injustice and importance of it all, and And while others ask developers about continued camaraderie over time. These features and more are the ends with “well, I know them when I see their latest projects, we delve into the substance of the next few pages of The them.” This particular exchange was the masterminds’ thoughts and histories to Seeing The Escapist come to fruition has Escapist, Issue 1: Gaming Uber Alles. “Who are gamers? Why is this culture find out what makes them tick. been rewarding, not just professionally, not represented by media?” one. but personally, as a gamer. Gamers’ Welcome to The Escapist! Enjoy! The content covered in The Escapist is numbers have been quietly growing over Now, please allow me to answer the centered on a weekly theme. Both the last few decades. As our ranks have question that just popped into your Tuesday’s main publish and the weekend grown, our relevance as a population heads. What about all the other gaming extra, Casual Friday, will revolve around segment has grown. Our culture has magazines and websites out there? Yes, an issue or event important to gamers. become a recognizable force in shaping there is a veritable smorgasbord of Through a lot of questions and research, our society. And yet, there is no medium gaming news and game information and we’ve determined topics in the forefront through which our matured culture is developer diaries out there. Some sites of gamers’ minds. You will find these represented… until now. and magazines even do an absolutely topics, and others you never knew you fantastic job of providing these bits to were interested in, somewhere on our meaningful, digital lives that we all take for granted. Games, though, until the last few years, weren’t ready to be the default pastime of sentient creatures. If you’re the sort of person who would read a magazine to stumble upon your Music Television solely distributed in Adobe’s PDF format, and see something that struck me as chances are you know what I’m talking odd. I guess I should say that it strikes about. Graphics have been at a level me as odd now. In 1997, when it attractive to people in general for a actually occurred, I think I just thought couple generations. But what the it was neat to see a commercial for a hardcore is willing to tolerate (and in a game on television. I didn’t pick up at sick way, appreciate) in terms of punitive the time that they weren’t talking to me. gameplay mechanisms and technological They already had me, see, since I was hiccoughs is well above the threshold the three and discerned that the device I majority of living creatures are willing to was holding held some undefinable put up with from their amusement power over the television. No, they medium. Outside of the sports titles were after the sort of people who which have always enjoyed mainstream watched MTV because watching MTV was Normal people are leaping over the refine the intellect. Well, we don’tknow attention, there is a vast geography of actually what they wanted to do. barrier and swarming over the precious know it, but that is our desperate hope, game experiences that rarely break the electronic games which were once our and there is a kind of purity in that. surface of the wider culture. That isn’t Nestled between commercials for sole domain. It may be that they are a Outside of these beneficial (and quite to say there haven’t been moves to push products I would be ashamed to friendly, benevolent force, but it would probably, imaginary) properties, we are it to the forefront, perhaps even before it purchase, let alone use, I saw Final be foolish to assume it. In fact, I think aware that playing these games is was entirely ripe for the purpose. Fantasy VII’s Cloud Strife engaged in it’s best that you wait here with me in completely awesome. That’s pretty various acts of pre-rendered, post- this impervious, well-stocked bunker much incontrovertible; I don’t have to Let me tell you what I saw on MTV. I apocalyptic heroism. Of course, I knew while we try to figure out how things make up a study to prove it. It was won’t admit to watching that channel on who he was, Cloud Strife as an entity went so terribly wrong. really only a matter of time before the purpose. Let me instead suggest that was only slightly less anticipated than vast majority of human beings realized while switching between two other We already know that videogames make this fact and began living the channels - each one dedicated to the a person healthier physically while they higher pursuits of the mind - I happened our Lord Jesus H. Christ. The ability of You’ll forgive me if I assume that the player altogether. Somewhere in my bothered with narrative you won’t find the Compact Disc medium to store data, reader has some knowledge of gaming mind, this has always been the point of your progression hampered. Halo coupled with Squaresoft’s unrivaled genres, and won’t skitter away if I demarcation after which playing included cooperative play - something artistry and intimidating financial power, suggest that Final Fantasy VII videogames was no longer the sole we’re already starting to see the next had created something that looked - at constitutes an epic RPG - but suffice it domain of pariahs. generation of consoles take very times - like a blockbuster film. to say that the user “plays” this kind of seriously - and it’s a feature which no game by navigating a series of blue And so, the way was paved for the doubt projected the game to a wider If the numbers I’ve read are correct, menus for up to a hundred hours. For breakthrough megagame - something audience by infusing what was Square sold one copy of the game for me, hey, I can’t get enough of that kind that would really and truly puncture the essentially a single-player experience every man, woman, and child on Earth - of thing. I crave a good menu. I’ll mainstream and induct them into our with camaraderie. PC gamers had living or dead. sometimes go into a Denny’s and not dark brotherhood. It would have to be a already tasted it, and tasted it at even order anything. But a person could little more interactive, a little more exorbitant expense. What Halo did was That may be an exaggeration. be forgiven for harboring misconceptions accessible. It would have to contain less bring the excitement and social about the experience. All of that aside, blue menus, and it did. It starts with the experience of a LAN party to virtually What a person snared by that it moved a tremendous amount of letter H, and rhymes with halo. Because advertisement thought of the game once dedicated entertainment hardware into a it is Halo. they got it home is anybody’s guess. truly staggering number of living rooms, and gave Console War I to Sony’s There is a lot of meat in Halo story-wise Playstation. The fact that we as if you want it, but if you can’t be dedicated gamers were already sold on the series was only part of the success.