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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
ybfelix said:
Congratulations!
El_MUERkO said:
much woo!
congrats pat, as a reader from day 0 i had good vibes about this place, glad to see i was right
pracer said:
Well done, I have been enjoying your site for a long while now. Its part of my every day. And because I didn’t get a chance to ring in on yesterdays question/answer piece of IW, wanted to say thanks you asnwered a couple of questions I had and got a couple of thoughts to chew on out there for them. Good deal.
Scyrenn said:
Congratulations, well deserved, you’ve got a great site going here…
Cort said:
Just make sure you don’t get all Gwyneth fucking Paltrow on us, Garratt…..
Hunam said:
Another congratulations from me pat, well deserved awards all round. I’ve been a one site man for quite a few years over at EG and yet you managed to wrangle daily visits out of me a day after I was aware of this sites existence. Keep up the good work pat and team!
Centipede said:
Congratulations…. you clearly deserved this in my opinion.
Syrok said:
Well done, Pat.
One last photoshop: http://img203.yfrog.com/img203/9756/jwx.jpg
JonFE said:
Syrok, great work there as well, although IMHO the Halle Berry one cannot be topped
blackdreamhunk said:
dear vg247 always give factual news and have high creadability. Always be fair with news and you will go places. I agree with the award.
Insodp said:
congratulations
No_PUDding said:
Very good speech. I kind of wish I’d been there to experience the epic.
reask said:
Just to say congratulations Pat.
Well deserved.
doctorstrange said:
Congrats, definitely well earned
Roybott said:
LOL, Syrok have to give you credit for some great photoshop works!
freedoms_stain said:
I used to be subscribed to RSS for a whole bunch of games news sites, now it’s pretty much just vg247, there’s a reason for that and it’s cool that you guys are getting some industry recognition for what you’ve done here.
Bravo and keep it up.
notpill said:
Here is a nice quote that perfectly describe the moment
(straight from the vg247 live blog during the event):
Pat wrote:
Oh fuck.
I’ve won it.
Holy shit.
I’ve got to log off. Later.
Zarckan said:
Well done you Khunt!
Suikoden Fan said:
good on you pat
Lutz said:
Cor, missed this! Well done Pat. You are teh w1nnar!
campbellofsantacruz said:
I have only a hazy recollection of multiple drinking sessions with you in Glossop ten years ago, and none of the particular conversation you mention. But since it’s being reported on Britain’s number one games blog, it must be true
. Congrats again.
ShiroGamer said:
gratz ,pat
nice 1
innit
Edward Cullen said:
shit pat, i cried.
Edward Cullen said:
anyway gratz. to you pat and the team!!
Gekidami said:
With a user name ‘like Edward Cullen’ i bet you did cry to. :p
lovemoose said:
We love you too, Pat
tfot1 said:
lovely