Ready for a New Chapter

Playtime has ended. . .

It’s amazing how much things can change in the blink of an eye. Several months ago, we vowed to usher in a tighter, consistent direction for PTB. Indie sites like this tend to come and go, but for me, having a piece of the web to call my own means more than you know. As highlighted back in December, some setbacks were encountered along the way that forced me to take a step back, recollect my thoughts and analyze how to get things moving once more.

This might be a good time to buckle up. . .

For those of you who’ve been with us from the very beginning, it’s no surprise that yes, our site still actively covers video games. Games that for the most part, we have a personal interest in rather than featuring tons of pointless content that may as well be considered filler. It’s going to take some time to get there, but ultimately we want to primarily specialize in the type of personalized content that presents a unique opinion that current and future readers can come to depend on. I mean, who really wants to sift through articles where an author comes across like they have no soul?

I certainly don’t.

Everyone on board was personally hand-picked because they each bring something unique and meaningful to the site. . .some more than others, but that’s simply because {surprise), we all have lives outside of this virtual domain. You may have noticed that we recently began featuring video content – this was something that to be honest, I’ve wanted to do wayyyy back since the early days when I first launched The Next Level and GotNext, but we could never seem to get things properly rolling.

, , and are by far some of the most passionate, dedicated individuals I’ve had the pleasure of working with, so when the proposal to bring them on board presented itself, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Day got his first industry experience last month in Boston as we both attended PAX East, and now he’s not only psyched to go to more events – but I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up in some type of position with marketing, game development or media. The man’s got talent – they all do. Same goes for our writers: Will, John, Lance, and Duk.

Meanwhile, I’ve recently shifted gears to join the ranks of fellow shutterbugs and it’s by far one of the most enjoyable hobbies I’ve taken up. Well, it’s no longer just a hobby anymore – event shots are now considered an essential staple in covering competitive events, trade shows, and more.

More as in, things outside of gaming. I’ve dropped a few hints on Facebook and it’s piqued a great deal of interest as my thirst for knowledge and expanding the skillset grows each day. I promise that you should see the site materialize within the next 30 days or less. I still need to work out some final details before I pull back the curtain, but I am confident that all of you – fans, friends and fellow supporters will be pleased with what’s to come.

Oh, and then there’s the other layer that got put on the backburner. Yeah, the competitive part that has missed going to tournaments. The chatter about my eventual return has been getting louder and it’s time that I answer that call. Although my primary obligation when attending FGC-based events is centered around capturing candid shots and video, I also want to engage my fellow brethren on the arcade sticks as well.

I jumped back into the action (although on a casual level with Alpha 2 and Alpha 3 – shoutouts to James Paige, Jeff Hill, Afrocole, Art, Jeron, Filthie Rich, TKK, Kyle, and many others who I played that weekend. I can’t begin to tell you how much fun that was and just how much I know some of you miss seeing me in the mix. Since that time, I’ve been making a more active effort to participate in not only the old-school hosted events (i.e. 2Old2Furious in which I took 9th out of 64 players in Alpha 2), but the newer titles as well (5th at Salty Sunday).

Truth be told, I am definitely not in my prime. I am out of shape and it’s time to level up again. It will take some time and dedication to get the traction, but I determined to become a well-oiled player once more.

As for the site, keep dropping by, leave feedback either in our comments section (we’re working on ways to try to make things more engaging), or hit us up via Facebook. This site isn’t just a labor of love, to us it’s a place we want to see flourish into a viable destination created by fellow passionate gamers. Competitors. Artists. You know, folks with creativity. . .

Expect another article to drop very soon as CEO 2014 is coming up (along with E3, which I can’t guarantee 100% that I’ll be in attendance just yet). Those are subjects that really demand their own entry rather than dedicate a paragraph or two. The bottom line is: we’re back, pumped and determined to make this place grow even more.

We in there.

*Featured image photographed by . 

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