1Up-manship
Yet another senior editor from 1Up left this week – the stupidly intellgient, and abserdly brilliant Shawn Elliot. He is a freaking living juxtaposition; its rare someone can balance two sides of a coin in journalism and pull it off without looking a complete ass. Not being a native American (but ‘how’ I’d love to be, ahem) or a PC gamer, I never read any of his written work through EGM magazines, or any GFW content. But his contributions to podcasting were impeccable, and it’s not wonder GFW Radio folded like a wall street bank. (The timing is actually quite spooky; were they a front for Lehman Brothers? Or perhaps developing Super Lehman Brothers?) But Christ, I’m talking about the guy as if he was dead. He is only swaning off to 2K Boston. But why is this such a big deal?
What makes 1Up my favourite stop off for games journalism isn’t the array of excellent podcasts, reviews or features, but the people behind them; the folks that string the words together and work their asses off to get the content to your screens every day. Any website can post reviews and features, or construct a half decent podcast, but very few leech off their writers and inject so much of their personality into every asset they produce. And because you know these people, you trust what they say. Sure, Nick Suttner gives every other game an A+, and Garnett Lee is a bit of a drunken fruit loop with occasional nonsensical rambling, but I trust their views on games over anywhere else.
Shawn’s departure is one of many in recent times leaving for greener pastures; Jeff Green, Dan Hsu, Crispin… all big faces around the office. But as the site recieves fresh talent on a regular basis and new ways to express their love for games (1Up FM is a huge success) I can’t see me turning away from the site any time soon. And it’s comforting that everytime I read, listen or watch something, there is someone behind it that knows their stuff and doesn’t pull any punches. And makes it a freaking hoot at the same time.
If you are interested, the 1Up Show starts a new season today, with a new introduction and theme song. ****ing A.
