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I won the Games Media Legend award at the Games Media Awards in London last night, as well as Specialist Writer (Web). VG247 won the Games Blog award. By the end of it, I got up on stage and genuinely had no words. I’m better at writing than speaking (clearly), so here’s what I would have said given the benefit of hindsight and not having 400 people cheering at me.
I am, as my wife keeps pointing out this morning, a “legend”. I have an award that proves it. I am also, apparently, the best specialist online games writer in Britain. The website I launched with Eurogamer’s Rupert Loman last February is the best games blog in the UK. It’s all too much. I didn’t sleep a lot last night.
There are so many people I want to thank. I’ve been involved in British games editorial since 1998, and I’ve met a great many people on the way who’ve inspired me, pushed me and moulded my career for a variety of reasons.
Some of them: Fiona, Johnny Minkley, Rupert Loman, Ellie Gibson, Tom Bramwell, Colin Campbell, Mike Bowden, Greg Ingham, Nick Loman, Gavin Ogden, Nick Grange, Tina Hicks, Kristan Reed, Jon Fargher, Alex Simmons, Paul Davies, Paul Loman, Barbara Loman, Oliver Menne, Tanja Menne, Rob Purchese, Martin Taylor, Matt Styles, Tim Ponting, Jerry the Crobar, Stephany Nunneley, Rob Fahey, Matt Martin, Oli Welsh, Gareth Ramsay, Simon Byron, Richard Leadbetter, Gary Harrod, Gary Cutlack, Tony Horgan, James Ashton, Cat Channon, Jonnie Bryant, Hugo Bustillos, Simon Smith-Wright, Shaun White, Jodie Van Hibb, Amy Wright, Stefan Walters, Hamish Brown, Alex Ward, Nathan Grayson, Johnny Cullen, Steve Fulljames, Dave Woods, Rhianna Pratchett and many, many others. I’m sorry if I missed you out. I could go on all day.
I remember sitting next to a river in Glossop near Manchester over ten years ago getting drunk with Colin Campbell, telling him I had no respect for anyone in the games media. It didn’t mean anything, and it wasn’t “real”. I was glad to be writing for a living, but all I wanted to do was be better than games. I wanted to be a novelist – and still do – and the whole thing seemed so Mickey Mouse to me then. It wasn’t the Guardian or the Times; it was chancers grinding out random horseshit about polygons, something I knew very little about.
I was right and wrong, arrogance aside. A decade on, I love this industry. Despite still being in its infancy, games editorial is maturing, as are the products we write about, the journalists that write about them and the people that play them. The enthusiasm and passion involved in the games media is incredible, but we’ve got so far to go. I stopped wishing I was “better” than games many years ago. I’m very proud to be a part of this and to watch it evolve. It’s an honour, in fact.
Last night was a stand-out life moment. I’ll never forget it. I’m still buzzing. Thank you so much for voting for my team and our site, and for me personally, and thank you to everyone that hugged me or shook my hand. I’m completely overwhelmed.
I love you all.
x
Viewing 77 responses
_Sikamikanico_ said:
Awesome Pat. You the man.
ChrisPilote said:
Congratulations, Pat! You deserve it
mart said:
/stands up and claps
xx
G1GAHURTZ said:
BIG UP YOU CHEST!
Spiral said:
Hugz.
Well done.
/Hugz.
Dralen said:
I wish I had a trophy that said I was a Legend.
slayernl said:
We all love you two just keep on doing what you are doing and again congrats on the awards again
spikeymike said:
Yeah, yeah, whatever. When’s GT5 coming out, eh?
Just kidding – well done, it’s quite an achievement!!
Tonka said:
Congratulations!Well deserved. I know I mock your “reporting” here on VG247 from time to time but I keep coming back.
gorman said:
Congrats!
Be happy to live in a country where good work in this field is properly recognized.
satsugai said:
Congratulations Pat. :3
JonFE said:
Pat, get a blog, will ya???
Mike said:
It’s all you, mate. It’s all you. Well done.
Johnny Cullen said:
I nearly shed a tear reading that.
The keyword though folks is “nearly”.
Anyways, I can honestly stand here and say thanks for coming and reading all the hard work all of us like Steph, Mike, Nathan and myself have done over the past year and a half. I could, but I wont.
Because the truth is if it wasn’t for Pat, all of us wouldn’t be here at all, as writers or posting comments. You couldn’t ask for a harder working journo then him. Although you already knew that.
So heres to Patrick Garratt – the biggest grammar nazi you’ll ever meet. But also the best person you could ever have as your boss.
Here’s to you, Mr. Bossman.
rrod360lol said:
“I love you all”
Bender
SplatteredHouse said:
Congratulations Pat.
Robo_1 said:
Awww, I’m really thrilled for you – but where do you go from legend… gamings chief overlord perhaps.
sonny said:
Congratulations m8!
This page rocks,
you rock!
Roybott said:
/Raises a glass as a salute to Pat
/Realises its 10am and hides glass
Incredibly well done and well deserved Pat, keep up the legendary work!
Blerk said:
Well here’s a lovely surprise for my first day back. Congrats Pat, you really do deserve it all! And congrats to your associates and minions, too.
wz said:
Wtf I was expecting a gaming article here so many words wtf I quit bai.
Aerschtuner said:
Congrats Patrick! A well deserved portion of recognition! Well done and good luck in the future.
SticKboy said:
Get a badge made up and plaster it across the site!
Freek said:
Achievment unlocked: “Legendary Status”
Comes with Legendary Armour:
+5 charm, +50 atack bonus
Unfortunatly of no use in the games journalist business but it looks nice.
Herlock said:
Nice Job, Pat
ShakaCarnage said:
Good job I saw you before you starting winning EVERYTING. Well done, sir. I’m jealous.
SniperWolf said:
well-deserved
Congrats Pat
evilashchris said:
Can we have a video of your eyepet in your trophy please?
Congratulations Pat
Quiiick said:
Congrats Patrick!
Nowadays it’s … “legends grinding out random horseshit about polygons”.
Detale said:
Well done chap.
Sid said:
Congratulations for Pat and all the team. Great work accomplished for one year, and VG247 has become one of the most reliable games blog of the Internet. Thanks! (a professional from France)
Michael O'Connor said:
Last night was pretty surreal, even for us outsiders. But its a success that’s well deserved, and you deserve to be eternally proud of it.
Back in the infancy of this place, you were willing to let me help out here, writing news. I might not have been able to stick around long, and I do hope it’s not the last time I’ll ever get to help here… but still, it was a big deal (and it looks nice on the CV) to have been able to assist a site that was clearly going big places – places which last night more than aptly proved it has finally reached.
If I achieve even *half* your success ten years down the line, I’ll be impressed with myself.
Congrats Pat. It really could noy have gone to a better person.
JonFE said:
Quoted from EuroGamer’s relative article:
“…perhaps the best story about Pat is that he’s the only games journalist ever missing, presumed dead off the coast of a Spanish press trip…”
Pat, you Sir are truly a Legend!
/salutes
Bertie said:
You’re an inspiration, Pat – you always have been.
The Hindle said:
Nice one Pat keep up the good work dude
OrphanageExplosion said:
After reading that I really am genuinely gay for Pat now.
Previously I was just “gay for pay”.
BillyBatts said:
Gratz Pat
Tobinishi said:
Congrats Pat
.
endgame said:
we love u too man!
Brian Taylor said:
Congratulations Pat – well deserved.
David Sarkisjan said:
Legendary journey, Pat. You leveled up, you’re lvl 80 now. Good work! Keep up the good work, because I guess new expansion pack will be coming out soon!
ReeceHeywood said:
Awesome man, well done!
mojo said:
as ive writen in the other news about it, this site (and in a major way u in particular) pretty much nails it all the time.
hence i learned to love this blog so quickly!
Keep up the good work and stay the way u are!
All of u lads and lady
Eregol said:
Insert Wayne’s World Not worthy picture here.
A legend in every sense Pat. We are in the presence of greatness.
David Sarkisjan said:
So happy: http://twitpic.com/lpvuy (via johnnyminkley)
Len said:
Would just like to add my congratulations as well.
Great site written by what seems to be a great geezer who I don’t even know…lol!
More please…
Alan Ng said:
Congrats Pat!
Keep up the hard work
Alan Ng
Product-Reviews
Mugwum said:
GO PAT!
JamieSI said:
Congratulations Pat, well deserved =)
Jadeskye said:
yes yes mah breadbin!