07.19.08

further reading

Posted in Uncategorized at 3:19 pm by Rob Fahey

Assuming you’re reading this on the blog site itself - rather than on LiveJournal, Facebook, or anywhere else exotic that it’s exported to via RSS - you may have noticed a new link on the right hand side of the page. Rather than updating the main blog every time I write a feature of interest, I’ve started popping a link to the ones that appear online onto a separate page. Thus, if you’re desperately keen to keep up with everything I’m writing (look, I’m not judging, but there are probably better hobbies), you can do so from that page.

07.06.08

quick work update

Posted in games, work, writing at 4:47 pm by Rob Fahey

Unsurprisingly, I produced a couple of Blizzard-related features this week along with the usual batch of reviews and whatnot. I previously alluded to my piece for The Times, which was my first published work with the paper - if you fancy having a read but didn’t pick up the paper, you can see it online here: The WoW Factor.

I’ve got another piece appearing in tomorrow’s Times, so they must have liked the first one.

Also on the topic of Blizzard, I wrote an editorial this week for Eurogamer and GamesIndustry.biz which explored how the company’s unique “confessional” approach to talking to its audience has played a major role in making them into such a successful developer. Pop over and have a read if you like: Blizzard’s Perfect Storm.

(Sorry, this blog has gone all work-related again. I’m sure I’ll have another political opinion to hold forth upon soon enough - especially as the by-election in Howden & Haltemprice approaches…)

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07.02.08

keeping up with the times

Posted in games, work at 12:23 am by Rob Fahey

A quick work-related note - I’ve started writing for The Times, and the first of what will hopefully be many features is appearing in tommorow’s (Wednesday’s) times2 section in the paper. It’s a report from last weekend’s Blizzard Worldwide Invitational event in Paris, and is designed as a gentle and fairly positive introduction to the unique society and culture that has grown up around World of Warcraft.

It’s also, of course, an excuse for The Times to run lots of pictures of cosplayers, but the article text at least presents them in a positive way rather than “christ, look at the freaks”.

I don’t know how regularly The Times will be commissioning work from me - after all, if they hate this piece they might never commission anything again! - but if all goes well I’d hope to get pieces in there every month or so, if not more often. There’s a real enthusiasm at the paper for getting their coverage of videogames up to scratch with the rest of their (excellent) arts and culture coverage, which will mark a welcome departure from the lazy “what are these evil modern things doing to our kids!” scare stories which much of the British press falls back on for games coverage.