Games Media Awards Past Winners: Eurogamer

As we head towards the GMA 2016 Awards on October 10th MCV looks back on some of the key highlights of the event.

Here we speak to Eurogamer editor Oli Welsh. His team has been a regular on the stage at the Games Media Awards over the past 10 year…

How did you first get into the games media?

By posting on the old Edge forums back in the early 2000s. It was a great community of funny, talented, passionate people, and loads of them found their way into the industry. My friend Margaret Robertson got in first, getting a staff job on Edge, and she snuck me in as a freelancer.

And what advice would you give to someone currently looking at a career in games media?

Write lots and read more. Read outside games. Get comfortable with video and social media. Always think of your angle – that’s a big one. And don’t work for free for too long.

What’s been the best advice you’ve ever received?

"Too many adverbs." I still struggle with that one.

What are you most proud of in your career to date?

The strapline for my review of Endless Ocean 2. Also: simply doing games journalism as a sustainable, secure career for an adult human being – and in my current position, helping a dozen or so brilliant people to achieve the same goal and do good work. Obviously I couldn’t manage either without the amazing support and belief in editorial of Rupert Loman and everyone else at Gamer Network.

And what has been your biggest challenge?

Both games and media move so fast that keeping up with both is a huge challenge. This job is unrecognisable from what it was a decade ago.

Which of your competitors do you most admire and why?

Kotaku, for its fearless yet professional reporting, its sense of fun, and its innovative editorial structure. It really is the site to beat and I hope it works out for them under new ownership. Also, PC Gamer for being the only games publication to straddle both print and online with successful, quality offerings in both. And I’ll always love Edge

Who’s your favourite non-games writer/presenter?

I love The New Yorker’s TV and film critics, Emily Nussbaum and Anthony Lane. I’ll always be a critic at heart and these two write effortlessly elegant reviews that tell you about the world as well the subject of the review.

If you weren’t working in games media, what would you be doing?

I always wanted to write about film and I’d love to say that, but it’s even harder to break into. Probably still railing against the tragic bureaucratic waste of the civil service from within.

What are your best memories of the Games Media Awards?

I’m so full of bitter regret that I missed Grainger-gate that I can’t bring myself to answer this question.

Who should win an award this year?

I’m biased, but Christopher Bratt. I mean, just look at his little face.

The Games Media Awards 2016 take place on Tuesday October 11th at the Sway Bar, London. The nominations period is open now, but you have only until the end of play today to nominate yourself, a colleague or peer. Find out more about how to enter by clicking here.

A limited number of sponsorship options are available. Contact Lesley McDiarmid via lmcdiarmid@nbmedia.com to find out more.