GoozexRetail is not an easy industry to be in. Retail during the holiday season is a crazy time. I would imagine that most gamers, like me, were drawn to the allure of working in a store that deals in all the things that gamers consider to be awesome. Long hours wouldn’t be a problem. We’re talkin long hours of talking about games. People would come in and not know what was awesome, and you would get to have this amazingly deep conversation about your passion for a certain game and why you feel that others should experience the sensation you felt when you first played this masterpiece. The customer would then counter with an opposite yet respectful retort that may make you rethink your position, or at least modify it, allowing yourself the chance to open up to experiences you would not have considered had it not been for this chance conversation with a stranger. After about 4 minutes of working at a retail store that sells games, the hard truth sinks in: No one cares about what you think or have to say about video games, the new graphics card, or the latest indie game that is amazing, but no one has heard of.
I worked at Babbage’s years ago before it became Gamestop and it was ok work for a teenager who loved games and needed a little extra money, but it is surprising how rare it is to find a job in video games outside of retail. It is a dream of mine, and of countless other bloggers, podcasters, enthusiasts, and retail employees to be able to make a living celebrating the love we all have for not just videogames, but the gaming lifestyle. Part of the reason we all love going to events like PAX and Blizzcon is to find those awesome people who you thought you would get to talk to every day when you are trying to sell a pre-owned copy of a 60 dollar game for 55 dollars (Bullshit, by the way, with a capital B). One of the major reasons that I am attending PAX East in Boston this March is to be able to see products in my area of interest that are new or not yet released, play some games, sit in on some panels with some extremely smart and entertaining people, and to have a fun evening with my best friends. The other reason I’m going is to meet Gamers Like Me. I hope to see you there.
