when i started gaming so many years ago, i had no idea how this activity would influence my life.

we all know that it improves our hand/eye coordination, however what no one told me was how it would help me connect with people. people i may never have had the opportunity to meet otherwise.

i’ve always preferred co-op to competitive. i’d rather work with someone than against them. this brings me to how much i love couch co-op (local co-op). i’m always in the market to find something that my partner and i can play together. there are so many memories we have of excellent co-op games in recent years (my favorite being our run through the first borderlands, he as brick, i as mordecai).

of course, online play has broadened these opportunities, and it wasn’t until i found out that my brother had a ps3 that i even played online with anyone.

to say my family was odd when i grew up would be an understatement. and my siblings and i weren’t close, as they are significantly older than me. that all changed when i started playing online with my brother. for the sake of this article, we will call him “batrat,” after his affectionate term for stalkers in borderlands 2. :)

(this is an actual batrat. not my brother. he is a person. not a weird creature.)

when i found out by sheer accident that he had a ps3, i asked if he had ever played borderlands. i told him it seemed like the kind of game he might enjoy, and he picked up a copy. that started what would be the first of many online gaming sessions where, as adults, we finally got to know each other.

yes, that’s right: games brought me a relationship with batrat that i’d never had. and one that i’m entirely grateful for.

this same reason is why, when the ps4 was announced, i practically nagged him to death to get one, too. and when he got it, i happened to be in town. i will never forget hearing and seeing resogun on his insane home theatre system. it was like being back in an arcade where senses are on overload. that music sounded bad ass.

in a word: it was the best.

another surprise was the game informer community. i had no idea when i signed up for the site what i would be getting myself into.

i’ve made so many friends, real friends that i communicate with on a regular basis not only on the site, but through email and phone. friends all over the world (i.e.: the united states, canada, ireland) who i feel privileged to know. people who, when i told them about this site, were genuinely excited for me. people who i’ve shared ridiculous online antics with (destiny alpha dance party…video to follow). college students. artists. business people. musicians. firemen. so many folks i just can’t imagine my gaming life without.

so what i’m trying to say is, while i love games for the solo experiences they provide, i also love them for the opportunities they present to join up with others and share these incredible moments. it’s been magical so far, and i greatly look forward to the future.