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OK, I’ll give this Meet the Mob thing a shot.
You may have seen my name around here before, mainly because I co-founded this joint with Demian Linn. And therefore, we made sure our names are at the top of the staff list
because we’re full of ourselves like that. Plus, my last name is also my nickname (at least in pronunciation), which makes it easier for me to stand out over more boring names (like Demian Linn).
Take this job
I got my start in games writing in 1996 at Electronic Gaming Monthly, a magazine I used to read in college long before I knew working in this biz was even a possibility for me…a magazine I started reading because a cover line fooled me into thinking they were going to show me how to play as the bosses in Street Fighter 2 on the SNES (lying bastards — you needed to buy the Game Genie, and I might as well been controlling a pile of genie poo). I started off as an associate editor and eventually made my way up to previews editor.
In 2000, I decided to chase the dot-com dream — this was back when there was actually money in America. I went to Gamers.com as an executive editor then finished off as the editor-in-chief of video games. That whole thing didn’t last very long, though — dream to bust in just one year.
Luckily, EGM wanted me back as editor-in-chief in 2001. I ended my career at Ziff-Davis Media as the editorial director for the 1UP Network, then left on my own accord (stupid me, I should’ve waited for severance!) to recharge and co-found Bitmob with Demian.
Obsessive behavior
I don’t think I have any light hobbies — if I like something, I really like it. Video games are obvious. That’s my nightly activity of choice, sucking up countless years of my life. I’ve been through several phases: console games when I was younger, PC games during the Doom/Civilization/Masters of Orion/Warcraft 2 era, back to console games when I went to EGM…. Recently, I picked up PC games again, thanks primarily to being exposed to them through Bitmob.
I have other obsessions, too. I love snowboarding, to the point where I push myself to ride beyond my skill level. My many injuries over the years are proof of that (reminder to self: I’m not 18 years old…I’m not 18 years old…). I used to read Burton catalogs for fun, too.
Pictured: me. Not pictured: skills.
I really enjoy “unplugged” gaming as well. Not so much D&D (which I used to play a ton of when I was younger), but more German-style board games. Some of us get together on weekends to save the kingdom in Shadows Over Camelot, trade spices in Goa, or stab each other in the back in Illuminati (look them up on BoardGameGeek).
My favorite “nerd game” (as our group calls ’em). Why would you ever
jump online to play Modern Warfare when you have this waiting for you?
My worst obsession outside of video gaming, however, is University of Michigan football. Would you believe I subscribe to two different recruiting websites (michigan.rivals.com and michigan.scout.com) at $100 a year each just to read about the tiniest of details relevant to my team? (Such as: what 16-year-old kid today is thinking about signing with the Wolverines? I gotta know!)
If we can figure out how to monetize Bitmob in the same way, we’d be all set as a business. And you’d all hate us, too.
Oh, I also collect Mighty Muggs. I have every one ever made except for the new, special-edition metallic Optimus Prime that just came out at San Diego Comic Con 2009. Anyone out there want to sell it to me? For cheap? Remember…we’re not charging you $100 a year at Bitmob, so someone somewhere owes me one metallic Optimus Prime Mighty Mugg, at-cost (plus shipping).
Well, that’s pretty much it for me — all the stuff you didn’t really ask for and still wouldn’t ask for now that you’ve seen what it is.
Me: http://twitter.com/BitmobShoe
Me again: http://facebook.com/BitmobShoe
Us again: http://facebook.com/Bitmob
You: Awesome