Man, don’t you hate it when you settle in for an evening of multiplayer gaming and then, suddenly, the guy who was hosting quits out unexpectedly: “Sorry guys, uh… the wife’s home and… she wants to watch TV.”
It’s a pitiful excuse.
You’ve got to restart the game, decide on who’s now going to host and reconfigure everything. Sure, it takes all of a minute to do that, but it’s annoying nonetheless.
Actually, I don’t really care about such matchmaking woes. It was merely a weakly constructed and vaguely analogous lead-in to announce that I’m leaving Kotaku.
Yep, I’m stepping down as editor of Kotaku Australia. Why? Well, I’ve been doing this for 21 months now, so I feel like I’ve had a good run. Working as an online editor, you’re constantly caught up in the daily news cycle. Which, while exciting, especially when you break a story, can equally be draining.
Events transpired in my personal life earlier this year that gave me pause to re-evaluate my goals and ambitions, bringing with it a desire to reconnect with the pursuit I’m most passionate about: writing.
Mostly, it comes down to wanting to do other things. I’m not entirely sure what those other things are, but I suspect they might involve writing about the games industry and gaming culture in ways that aren’t quite so tied up in the day-to-day news. I want to be concentrating on longer form stories, features and interviews that are more investigative and reflective, as well as – wait for it – writing about things that aren’t videogames. Also, a holiday would be nice. But that’s the future.
I’m not leaving just yet!
We need to find a new editor before I can vacate my ergonomic chair and escape the teetering piles of swag adorning my desk. So, yes, we’re hiring. If you think you’ve got what it takes to run one of Australia’s top three gaming websites, hit us up with your CV attentioned to Seamus Byrne at this address. We’ve also got the official job application details over here.
Oh, and since I’m leaving I can illustrate this post with a screenshot of Far Cry 2. Just try and stop me.
Aaron Clement
August 23, 2010 at 5:12 PM
All the best Dave – It’s been a blast. Hope the new editor gets how big the shoes they have to fill are!
Report PermalinkReece Offer
August 23, 2010 at 5:24 PM
Thanks for running, in my opinion, the best Australian gaming site, period. Best of luck to you, and hope you find happiness in your future endeavours.
Report PermalinkMatt Roe
August 23, 2010 at 5:13 PM
Awww. Very sad to see you go, but thanks for all you’ve done.
Report PermalinkTom
August 23, 2010 at 5:17 PM
Best of luck with your future endeavours Dave! No doubt we’ll track you down and stalk all your future writings. :D
Report PermalinkGuybrush
August 23, 2010 at 5:20 PM
Every good gamer knows you can’t put all your experience into one skill on the tech tree. Best of luck in your next endeavor.
Report PermalinkGino Rodrigo
August 23, 2010 at 5:22 PM
Dude, sad to hear you go, but the best of luck with your future endeavours.
Oh, and thanks for being crazy enough to stick by Kotaku’s side for the last 20-odd months. :3
Report PermalinkBish
August 23, 2010 at 5:24 PM
Man, I hate those guys who leave mid-game! What’s up with that!? What a bunch of jerks!
Also, I only read the first paragraph so I don’t know what this post is about.
Seriously though, so long, and thanks for all the fish! Although I guess you haven’t left yet. Remind me to say that again once you actually leave.
Report PermalinkEzyLee
August 23, 2010 at 5:28 PM
Nice one David… It takes balls to leave a secure job to follow something more desirable and fulfilling. Good luck with all the plans and for the future when you eventually step out of the role.
It has been a good 21 months having you run the Australian side of Kotaku.
I am still suss as far as Far Cry 2 goes, I bought the game because of you, and I have to be honest… it got old pretty quick for me, and ever since then I have taken your recommendations with a grain of salt ;)
Report PermalinkJoshy206
August 23, 2010 at 5:34 PM
Dave, it was you who got me into Kotaku. I never really kept up to date on game sites until I saw one of your articles (unfortunately, I can’t actually remember which) and since then I’ve continued to read Kotaku avidly. It’ll be a sad day to see you go, but I wish you all the best in future endeavors, and I hope we’ll hear about this new Wildgoose fellow writing an all-encompassing Encyclopedia of videogaming before too long.
I hope my annoying comments haven’t added to the draining, and thanks again for all the goodies you’ve given out to me and to everyone. You’re an awesome guy, and it’ll be sad to see you go.
(of course, you may still have several of my annoying comments to read before you go :P )
Regards,
Joshy206
Report PermalinkAwww
August 23, 2010 at 5:38 PM
But Wildgoose, you’re the reason I gave Kotaku another try! You added professionalism that was sorely missing before.
Report PermalinkJordan
August 23, 2010 at 5:42 PM
Sad news David, I really enjoyed reading your work here on Kotaku.
I wish I had a chance at your job, I may shoot something off anyway to see if you need some intern kids :D
Report PermalinkEvan McLoughlin
August 23, 2010 at 5:43 PM
:( Sorry to see you go David. Your what got me into reading Kotaku, and staying faithful to reading it every day. Much better than the American Kotaku, or for that matter any other gaming news website. Best of luck with your future endeavors, and please occasionally do a guest article for us to read :D
Report PermalinkMichael
August 23, 2010 at 5:45 PM
Best of luck for the future Dave. It’s refreshing visiting a site where the editors actually take time to talk to the masses.
Report PermalinkMichael
August 23, 2010 at 5:46 PM
Oh yeah, and thanks for the copy of Madworld, and the opportunity to go to the Metroid: Other M event last week! :)
I reckon I still should have won a few of those other comps I entered though ;)
Report Permalinkalinos
August 23, 2010 at 5:56 PM
be sad to see you go dave
hopefully you can find someone to fill your shoes
Report PermalinkMarathon
August 23, 2010 at 6:00 PM
Thanks David for the daily news and your comments regarding the industry. All the best with your next endeavour.
Report PermalinkCJ
August 23, 2010 at 6:02 PM
See ya Dave, have a good one. Just make sure you come back and tell us where we can find your future writings.
-CJ Svenson
Report PermalinkDavid No.1
August 23, 2010 at 6:06 PM
Your leaving us?! Well, that’s sad news. I always enjoyed your Australian posts. Will definitely keep an eye out for your future work whatever they may be.
Hopefully the next guy keeps up the wonderful work here on the site.
Report PermalinkConnor McElligott
August 23, 2010 at 6:15 PM
All the best on your future endeavours David!
You will be sorely missed by everyone in the AU (and probably even the US) Kotaku community.
Thank you for your professional, thoughtful and well written articles that I’ve been reading over the past year, you’re the reason I really started paying attention and keeping up to date with this site.
Thank you again, and all the best with whatever work you get yourself into further down the track.
Report PermalinkBlashca
August 23, 2010 at 6:21 PM
I don’t often comment, but I read almost everything. Wasn’t until roughly the start of 2009 that I became a daily reader thanks to your posting.
Report PermalinkIt has been a pleasure having you here, all the best for the path life takes you.
Matthew Carroll
August 23, 2010 at 7:13 PM
Same here, I think the site just improved immensely during your stay, and i’m sure everyone else in the Kotaku AU community thinks so too! Keep up the good work! (somewhere else though sadly)
Report PermalinkAidan Dullard
August 23, 2010 at 6:25 PM
Sad to see you go, enjoyed the professionalism and interactivity of Kotaku – and the teetering piles of swag (liberally distributed to the readers, obviously). :)
Best of luck with your future endeavours! Always enjoyed the more long-form content on the site, as opposed to daily tidbits of gaming news.
Report PermalinkAlex
August 23, 2010 at 6:27 PM
And suddenly, my interest in Kotaku plummets. Unless Dan Staines takes over the AU portal! Good luck David.
Report PermalinkCorey Lee
August 23, 2010 at 6:30 PM
Dave, all I have to say is that whoever will be your replacement can hopefully stand up to the absolute quality of what you’ve put forth for the last 21 months.
All the best and looking forward to reading your work in the future.
Report PermalinkJames Mac
August 23, 2010 at 6:38 PM
Good luck Dave,
Your work on Kotaku is some of the best games journalism, not just here… but on the net in general. It’s been a pleasure reading your work.
Best wishes in whatever you choose to do.
Report Permalinkgreg d
August 23, 2010 at 6:56 PM
best of luck with whatever you choose to do david.
since discovering kotaku i have enjoyed all your pieces and im sure you will be successful in whatever your next adventure is.
Report PermalinkChuloopa
August 23, 2010 at 7:00 PM
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…=drops to knees dramatically=… OOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Man, talk about a misleading start to an article..
Not to sure what to say. Kotaku has been a daily ritual for me, and a massive part of that has been your fantastic articles.
Not only that, but your sense of community and humor.
At least you haven’t left yet! haha
You will be sorely missed when you do depart, though
Report Permalinkwelbot
August 23, 2010 at 7:20 PM
Totally with you loops.. seriously misleading!! What a shock! Sad news for the community to have such a character depart. Hopefully the whole ‘feel’ of Kotaku au wont differ too much with someone new at the helm. You will be missed David! Thanks for being so welcoming and generous to us all during your reign!
Report PermalinkAaron Clement
August 23, 2010 at 8:46 PM
I think this is what you’re looking for:
http://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/
Report PermalinkDousatsu
August 24, 2010 at 4:51 PM
This. We’ll miss you!
Report PermalinkNotoriousR
August 23, 2010 at 7:12 PM
Like others have said, you were one of the reasons I started reading Kotaku. You host plenty of awesome competitions, not to mention giving away free crap with the Community Service Awards, as well as publishing reader reviews. It’s a shame to see you go, but I’m glad that you’re leaving to go on doing what you love to do. I hope you do well in your new adventures.
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