Watch PC Gamers first annual PC Gaming Press Conference

The sun was beaming in Seattle last Friday as streams of beautiful, smiling faces poured into the convention center to kick off PAX Prime 2011. But hidden away in a dark, echoing service corridor, a quieter energy buzzed. Editors paced and gestured and gave hushed speeches to walls. Filmmakers crouched beneath stacks of chairs. A wizard adjusted his robe. In one hour, PC Gamer’s first ever PC Gaming Press Conference would be underway. Yes, a press conference for gamers… put on by the press. Fantastic!

Why throw a PC press conference at PAX? Like PAX, collaboration and community are at the core of PC gaming, and unlike the consoles, no one gets on a big stage at E3 with smoke machines and lasers and jumps around telling us why we should be excited about it. So what about fans of that vibrant, unique, outlandishly creative thing called PC gaming? Who speaks directly to them? Well, PC Gamer does. And did. And we’ll do it again, so watch the video, because it’s the start of something big. (And if you don’t think it’s relevant to you, mister “I’m not much of a PC gamer,” just wait until you see Hawken. Holy crap.)

But PC Gamer’s conference isn’t the only reason my words are snuggled up with you under GamesRadar’s lovely orange glow, because um yeah, hi! I’m Tyler, and you may remember that I used to write stuff here. A few months ago, I packed up my toys and strolled twenty feet down the hall to join PC Gamer as associate editor. When asked why, all I could say was that I was given a very exciting opportunity. Now I can finally tell you: that opportunity was PC Gamer Digital.

Above: New media just got newer

Digital is fearlessly new - a downloadable application with unique, interactive features that completely transform the way we cover games. The magazine and website aren’t going away, but their new sibling is due on Steam soon, and there’s nothing else like it.

Logan Decker, PC Gamer’s electrifying editor-in-chief, announced Digital about half-way through our conference. To paraphrase Logan (read: steal even more stuff he’s said), I could talk all day about Digital, but I’d rather just show it to you, so watch the conference, and stay tuned to www.pcgamer.com for further announcements.

So now you know: I’m working with an immensely talented team to help create the future of media. Exciting enough for you? Oh, not that websites are the past or anything. Websites are awesome. Especially this one. Soo… gotta go!

(I am honored to have contributed to the radiant, unstoppable electromagnetic force that is GamesRadar, and privileged to continue working in the vicinity of its super-human staff. Except for Brett Elston. What a jerk!)

(Have fun at Capcom, Brett.)

Aug 30, 2011