I am a “fidgeter.” I cannot help it. I’ve Gaming. “Fidget no more!” they cry and and paper DC Heroes, about how his tried to mend my squirmy ways, but to hand over their wares. An entire world of past experiences have equipped him for no avail. In school, I doodled. In gaming made to fit into, and enhance, his latest effort, Elder Scrolls: meetings, I play with the top of my red our lives was born. Shadowkey for the N-Gage. Sharing his pen. Even now, as I sit at my computer particular take on the current mobile To the editor - I stumbled on your on- to write, I tap my fingers on the desk This new world of gaming goodness platform wars, Max Steele ponders the line magazine today. The title lured me between bursts of typing. started with the tip of a toe in the water, strategies of the various hardware in because I thought of the fictional with oldies such as Parker Brothers’ developers. Find these articles, and character “The Escapist” created by I know I am not alone. Merlin and Mattel’s Football. We have more, in the next pages of The Escapist. Michael Chabon in “Kavalier and Clay.” since plunged, head first, into a wide First, be sure to take a look at what Nevertheless, I read on, as my 7 year There are others who are distraught at array of platforms and games to keep us other readers are saying about us in the old son enjoys playing various games on the idea of sitting still for five hours on a entertained while we are on the go. In Letters to the Editor. the Game Cube (e.g. Sonic, Mario cross-country flight. I am not the only fact, some of you may be reading this on Sunshine), and I am curious about the one who cringes at the thought of a road your handheld – we hear The Escapist Cheers, industry. While I, a 43 year old, do not trip over three hours. The waiting room reads quite well on the PSP. have the patience to sit and learn how to at the doctor’s/dentist’s/mechanic’s play the more complicated games elicits a feeling akin to panic in many, for Wherever and however you may be properly (like Madden Football), I more reasons than the visit itself. What reading this, we are glad you have joined recognize the allure of the games and is a fidgeter like me to do in today’s us for another week as we talk about the pure fun they can provide. “hurry up and wait” society? Gaming on the Go. Tom Chick has weighed in on the PSP and the Nintendo The quality of the writing for your first Luckily, our dear friends in the hardware DS, speaking about their respective issue was excellent so I will revisit The and game development community functionalities and the games that best Escapist magazine in the future. stepped up to the plate and alleviated display them. Allen Varney has spoken our collective anxiety by creating Mobile with Greg Gorden, designer of the pen Michael Rosenthal Philadelphia, PA To the editor - In response to Mr. Tynes To the editor - Just a note to that I can actually view full pages on Contrarian article, I think he misses the congatulate you on the first Escapist. without scrolling. point of mainstream gaming. Learned about it in Kotaku (or wherever, there are so many news sites around Keep up the great work! “When gamers celebrate the fact that these days). gaming has gone mainstream, that it’s Atul Varma everywhere, they’re dancing on Anyway, a very nice format. I chose the Nintendo’s grave.” HTML version. Beautiful layout there, easy to read, nice paragraphs... The To the editor - First of all, let me He then argues that mainstream gaming articles were somewhat old stuff, but congratulate everyone involved with The is equivalent to the path of least reasonably well-written, and sort of Escapist on producing a fantastic piece of resistance for developers. I couldn’t updated the hardcore on these age-old editorial journalism. To my mind, the disagree more. The videogame crash of issues of mainstream, art and the label magazine encapsulates the tone and the early 80’s was a direct result of an of a gamer. thought-provoking subject matter that avalanche of poor quality games. This the best (and generally now defunct or coincides with the “seven platform” Keep it coming. mutated) print magazines produced in development methodology. A single the last few years. The only thing I can game, seven platforms, crappy on each. Joonas Laakso imagine might add to the experience This is not the new direction of gaming. Finland would be a forum of some sort, to His argument sounds more like a discuss each article (with appropriate warning of a second videogame crash moderation to avoid discussions than anything else. Nintendo is now creating another market To the editor - Just wanted to let you degenerating too far). However, as you for games and gamers that Mr. Tynes know that I think the first issue is great. seem to be styling the magazine as an So what rescued the American game does not understand. That’s OK. The Aside from the stories, which are internet-distributed print magazine, industry in the late 80’s? Nintendo. They games are not for him. But while he is excellent, I’m particularly impressed by perhaps this is inappropriate. Finally, the pushed their 8-bit system into a shaking his head at Nintendogs, Trauma the widescreen-format page layout... It’s notion of having a single game or market... rather, they *created* a Center, and Electroplankton, Nintendo gorgeous, especially when I full-screen it product advertised in each issue is a market for a product no toy store buyer and their customers will happily support on my laptop’s cinematic display. good one, and I wish you the best of thought would sell. The rest, as they each other into the next age of gaming. Normally I hate PDF’s because their page luck in securing some top-quality say, is history. dimensions are horrible for viewing on sponsors. Fuji8bit my computer screen, but thanks to your foresight this is possibly the only PDF I have only one (minor) criticism, related probably the best essay I’ve ever read to the “Gamer Like Me” article by dealing with gaming as a new medium. Jennifer Buckendorff. As a major article in the high-profile first release of a I was quite pleased to discover the high flagship magazine, I can’t help but feel quality of content throughout the issue it’s a little unwise to mention “the kid and that the editorial direction of the who only plays GTA after school – and publication will fill a void in gaming loves it.” In the current climate of publications since the days of Nintendo gaming coming under heavy fire (in Magazine: that of the adult, educated many cases for adult games being sold individual seeking more from their to minors), this could be misinterpreted. reading than the latest press release/ Perhaps I’m being over-sensitive – I play new game info. Fortunately now that a GTA and enjoy it greatly, and haven’t yet whole generation of gamers has grown felt the need to release my latent up, you have an audience large enough gaming-borne rage onto society… Still, if to support the more esoteric essays that you plan to be held up as a publication lead to more thoughtful conversation that celebrates the greatness of gaming, around the watercooler than the “holy perhaps extreme sensitivity to these crap, you shoulda seen the move I pulled sorts of public issues (however wide of last night” variety. the truth they may be) is in order. Thank you for a great read. I wish you Anyway, congratulations again on a much success with the new publication. fantastic first issue; I look forward to a long series of interesting articles to read. Rob Kansas City, MO Simon “Rolphus” Rolfe To the editor - I just learned of your online publication via a post on slashdot regarding the article, “Culture Wargames,” by Kieron Gillen. It is It’s a typical Friday morning at LAX - which means a line that runs laps around the terminal, doing my best striptease for security, and indulging in an $8 breakfast burrito that strives to meet the strict nutritional guidelines of Purina dog food. After all that, my flight will be an hour late. With nary a crinkling of my brow, I sit at the gate and wait it out. This means I can put in another 18 in Hot Shots: Open Tee for the PSP, so it ain’t all bad. Mobile gaming has become huge, and the reasons why are plentiful. It suits our on-the-go lifestyles, allowing you to play anywhere the feeling hits you. Both hardware and software are cheaper, while offering competitive entertainment values. It appeals to an audience that is more vast and broad than console gaming - catering especially to casual players and kiddies. The list goes on and on. You Always Got Game read books, give yourselves five points. To start with, we all have cell phones. If I don’t know about you, but there are all Nerd.) you don’t, then I pity you, because you’ll sorts of times when I get the urge to be pretty darn lonely when the rest of us game, and only a fraction happen when The way many portable games are die of brain cancer.