Nearly two years ago exactly, Hamish Black took the plunge and began making critical YouTube videos. He began by tying the academic work he learned at university to video games. However, he soon found his formula a little restricting and began stretching beyond his original conception. At the time, he was ignorant of the larger community of in-depth critics and so was alone in building his channel. But as he continued plugging away, he did become aware of many other critics, both YouTube and otherwise, which helped him branch out his own work. In the interview, Hamish Black and I discuss his start and growth along with his search for the balance between academic theory and approachability, the evolving context of games, and resisting the call of Dark Souls as a YouTube hit maker.
SHOW NOTES
Writing on Games YouTube Channel
‘Her Story‘ and the Birth of the Reader
Revisiting Killer 7 or: Art as Technique
Dark Souls Helped Me Cope With Suicidal Depression
Why Blighttown Really Matters (Dark Souls) – Writing on Games
How the Meaning of Vanquish (and Spec Ops: The Line) Changed
Music Games and the Joy of Making Mistakes
Opening Theme: ‘Close’ by The Alpha Conspiracy
Closing Theme: ‘Wishing Never’ by The Alpha Conspiracy