Happy Anniversary - Six Years of GWJ

Six years seems, simultaneously, small and huge. Small in the sense that I still get energized about the site on a regular basis and it seems like we’ve only just scratched the surface of what we want to do. Huge in the sense that there is a lot of history here, and personalities that shine brightly while populating a world I enjoy living in. Though imperfect, I am proud of the community that congregates under Stan’s daydreaming thought-bubble, and it has provided me far more rich entertainment than I deserve.

As always, I am reminded that this, our sixth anniversary, is not so much about us as it is about you.

It has been a significant year for GWJ. We completely revamped the look and feel of the site. We had some amazing guests and conversations on the podcast. We hosted absolutely amazing content from writers that I look forward to working with every day. We were shown overwhelming support by a fantastic community. As I look back over 2008 I find much to be encouraged about moving forward into our seventh year.

Every year, I ask you to bear with me for a day as I become maudlin and over-serious about what has been a long and rewarding project for me. This year is no different, and as I think back on an eventful year, I find a few highlights distinguish 2008.

The Conference Call -

I’m not certain when the podcast became a cornerstone of the site, but it has. I recall well when GWJ Radio, a show of which I was a sincere fan, recorded its final broadcast, I thought quite clearly, “well, it was nice while it lasted.” We floated the idea to resurrect some kind of broadcast for a good year, always certain that the exercise would likely be short-lived, before Rob finally goaded us into action. The results have been surprising.

As I suspect many of you know from listening, it’s not about the guests or the games. Really, the Conference Call is just an opportunity for me to sit back and talk about games with friends every week. Even when I go into the show feeling overwhelmed and uninspired, it becomes a highlight of my week.

Yes, I know many of you would like to listen to those oldest shows, and we are still trying to find a solution that will allow us to work that programming back into the official canon. There are complications that have to do with libraries, feeds and words that mean nothing to me. It’s on our list.

User Supported Content -

Perhaps the most significant highlight of the year, for me, was being able to take down much of the advertising. I was never comfortable with our solutions for advertising partnerships, and it won’t surprise anyone involved in online publication to know that finding good advertisers is a full time task to which I was not adequately equipped. Then, you guys stepped up in a donation drive that allowed us to reach our financial goals without having to rely on ads for smiley faces or pirates that solve puzzles.

I know the user-supported model isn’t an option for every site, or even all that many sites, but I feel like it organizes priorities in the right place. We are beholden to you. Our support of the community and ability to deliver the content you want decides our fate. It’s not about writing articles that generate the right kind of viewership or advertising options, it’s about staying current with what’s important to you.

That was a good change for us, and it means that when you see an advertisement on GWJ now, it’s not just an attempt to cash in on traffic but an actual endorsement. There’s a valuable distinction there.

The Community –

As I read over Rabbit’s most recent article on Braid, and find a discussion on gaming that seems unparalleled, I can’t help but continue to marvel at the folks who make up our community. I say it every year, and I mean it as sincerely now as ever before, you guys are what makes GWJ worth visiting. I love the articles and content produced by our talented pool of writers, and I take great pride in the work we do, but the community is what makes the site worth visiting throughout the day.

This site is yours in some very real ways. So, whether you’ve been here for a few weeks or since January 15, 2003, happy anniversary!

Comments

Pages

So, whether you’ve been here for a few weeks or since January 15, 2003, happy anniversary!

Thanks, darling, er i mean.....er.. *looks for the pillow*

Nooooo!

Is it bad that i didn't get you anything? I'm not usually one for dates

I had heard of you guys before I listened to the podcast, but it was the well-thought-out discussion there that brought me over here. I'm glad I've gotten to participate.

Heya, long time lurker, first time poster.

Just thought I'd commend you for your spectacular site. I’ve slowly cut down on my gaming journalism intake, and this is one of the few sites that made the cut.

My only suggestion is that you all adopt accents on your podcasts, preferably ones that reflect your writing style. You may want to think about hiring voice actors.

Thanks for the site and the forum. The past six weeks have been the best I've ever spent on the Internet. Here's to six more years and beyond. *Raises glass*

Again, thank you.

What the hell do you mean 6 years!?

Hard to believe that i've stuck around for a little over half that time now. And I still manage to feel like a GWJ newbie at times.

Happy anniversary baby! Lets make this one to remember!

Also, you forgot an R there, Elysium.

Mex wrote:

What the hell do you mean 6 years!?

Yeah, time flies when you're passed out drunk for half of it.

Also, you forgot an R there, Elysium.

That's just embarassing!

I haven't been here all that long, but I can't see my everyday life without GWJ now.
Kannon had been trying to get me to check out the site for a while, but since I'm su ch a huge procrastinator, I never got around to it.
After reading a few threads on my own as well as reading over Kannon's shoulder, I couldn't help myself but to sign up.
One of the best choices I've ever made.

Happy anniversary!

Let's see here, six year anniversary ...

Traditional: Candy/Iron
Modern: Woodenware

Elysium, the liver-wrapped tootsie roll in a replica of Sway's box is in the mail!

I can't believe another year has already gone by now. For all the work we pour into the site every day, I mostly just feel incredibly lucky to share it with the people we do. Thanks guys.

Member of the communal wackiness for little over a year and a lurker for about 4 months before that.

I share the same feeling, once you post your first words, you can't really stay away!

Congrats for these first 6 years and many more to come!

Man, I've been here for 6 years and still have yet to obtain a custom tag... I'm slacking on my internets. Must post more.

I can't tell you how highly I feel about the podcast. I'm seeing GWJ Radio mentioned in other video game communities as a "must listen" podcast frequently now, and they are right. The production quality of the podcast rivals that of any podcast out there right now, and the content is second to none as well. You guys really have created something of consistent high quality. You deserve all the good attention that is coming your way.

Thanks, and congrats on a great run.

It's so difficult to come up with a praise that hasn't been said before. How about this: if I would lose a job, the worst part would not be uneployment, but that I would not truly be a gamer with job anymore. And that would be... *shriek of horror*

Anyway, happy birthday to you, my net home.

Congrats guys! You should be very proud of what you have helped build here. The community is at the core but you don't get community without strong leadership.

It has been a blast hanging out here. I can not believe it has been six years. I still remember when you kicked it off.

You know what would be cool would be some kind of family tree of gaming websites. The orginals like Evilavatar, Bluesnews, GoneGold, etc and the current sites that came from them like GWJ.

Anniversary? Party? Should we dress with commemorative Avatars like we did in Xmas?

Certis mentioned woodenware,

IMAGE(http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/2613/hobbeswndds0.png)

Every day I give thanks and praise to Jeff Green for mentioning you folks during a Brodeo podcast. I followed his sagely guidance to come here and have noted a viable uptick in my happiness index ever since. Hooray!

At this time in 2003, when you guys started up, Trogdor was introduced in the Homestar Runner comic. Another hooray!

6 years on the internet and yet GWJ is not a publicly traded company? Somebody isn't trying hard enough. Besides that, great job and I love this site.

Certis wrote:

Modern: Woodenware

If you need it, I've got wood.

Quintin_Stone wrote:
Certis wrote:

Modern: Woodenware

If you need it, I've got wood.

That's the next Warioware title, isn't it?

And Puzzle Pirates is a fantastic game that you should not be ashamed of advertising for!

Honestly without this site my love of gaming would be almost completely drained by the big budget releases and I would've missed out on alot of great friends over the years.

Cheers GWJ!

I've only been here for 2 and a half years, but they have been great. Thanks for keeping me sane on many a boring support call day. Also, thanks to the great community as you have helped me answer many questions, some that were even important way beyond gaming.

GWJ has truly developed a unique voice during it's first 6 years and I'm actually excited to see what the future holds for the site. Even though I've never actually met another fellow Goodjer, I get the feeling that if you put a bunch of us in a room, we'd all get along great and have a good time. This site, and everything that surrounds it, actually brings me joy, and I'm glad I've been here for 3 and a half years of it.

I'll hit my 3 year anniversary in 3 weeks. I can honestly say that this is not only the best gaming community on the web, but the best community that I have found full stop. Believe it or not, I found this place due to a link on gamefaqs.com! GWJ is a daily visit for me. Thanks Certis and Elysium, you have brightened the interwebs for me.

Sparhawk wrote:

so does that mean you guys are going to renew your vows to each other?
Sounds like the decent thing to do lol

(doesn't that term 'you guys' actually make you crinch ?)

No, but it might make some people cringe.

Urban Dictionary wrote:

Crinch
The Crystal that stole Christmas. The darling dictator whose farts smell like lillies. This comes from the word "crinch-a-saurous".
Oh look! There goes the Crinch!

I don't get it, but there you have it.

Quintin_Stone wrote:
Certis wrote:

Modern: Woodenware

If you need it, I've got wood.

I'm old fashioned: I brought some ribbon candy made from delicious pig iron. Pig iron - the sweetest part of the iron.

Whens the next big tradeshow I will come out and take all you guys out to dinner again.. that was a good time back in LA at E3...

I can't believe its been 6 years this site has been running.. not that I'm surprised in the least.. I always knew this would be a huge success and last a good long time.

Whens the next big tradeshow I will come out and take all you guys out to dinner again.. that was a good time back in LA at E3...

We're planning to make it to PAX this year. Dinner is a must!

The traditional PAX S&T is in the works, though I'm definately going to find a better bar. The Guinness at that last place was too cold and they couldn't pull a head to save their life. Not to mention the infested-with-hipsters part.

Well I think this is about my first year now. I can't recall when exactly I started coming on a daily basis on here but I'm addicted to all you people. You make gaming that much more interesting.

*Raises glass (of pepsi, i'm at work, have some decency)*

To the first 6 years, and 60 moar! ... though we might be dead by then

Here's to 6 more and plenty to follow - Cheers!

Pages