Blogger bio: Kyle Orland

by Kyle Orland { Sep 18th 2006 at 10:07AM }

Freelance video game journalist, chronic arguer and general roustabout. Got my start writing about games with fansite Super Mario Bros. HQ back in 1997. Since then, my work has appeared in Electronic Gaming Monthly, Paste Magazine, Gamespot, Next Generation, and many other publications. I also write snarky criticism of the gaming journalism beast at my personal site, Video Game Media Watch.

I graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park (Go Terps!) in 2004 with degrees in journalism and computer science.

First game experience: When I was six, a kid on my block that I absolutely hated got an NES with Super Mario Bros. I went to his house practically every day that summer and tolerated his company just to play. On my seventh birthday, I got my own NES and the rest is history.
Games that changed me: Super Mario Bros. 3 and River City Ransom dominated my early childhood. Tekken 3, Magic: The Gathering and Subspace helped me maintain friendships. Metal Gear Solid, Ico and Space Channel 5 moved me (don't laugh). Dance Dance Revolution helped keep me from my destiny as a fat slob (though I'm still a slob). Super Mario 64 is the best game ever made.
Potential sources of bias and conflicts of interests: As stated above, I write for many other video game publications, and consider others as potential employers, so I may not be totally unbiased when writing about game journalism. I've fought long and hard to fight tendencies towards Nintendo fanboyism over the last 17 years, and I think I've largely succeeded. Just don't go badmouthing Mario in front of me.
Why I'm blogging about games: It's a good way to get paid just to keep up with the news. It fills in the holes in my day as a work-at-home freelancer. I enjoy the relaxed writing style and the ability to work with minimal editing. That's why I'm blogging. As for games, I think they're destined to be the dominant new media of our generation, and I very much want to be along for the ride in some capacity.