Press Play to Start: What makes a good esports columnist?

Well, this is it. My last column ever for the Daily Trojan.

This might surprise some of you, but I’ve been preparing for this specific column since I was first accepted as a columnist. This may have to do with my fatalistic outcome or my love of clichés, but I’ve always cared more for endings than beginnings. I feel that being able to say goodbye is a skill every writer should have, if not every person.

But as I sit here in front of my computer, I can’t help but agonize over what to write. 

There are a couple of things I should do, like thanking the ever-patient DT editorial staff. From my first editor to my most current one to even those on the copy team whose interactions with me were only fact-checking my wildest claims, none of this would have been possible without the support and care of every single one of you. While I may have been able to write about esports and gaming, I wouldn’t have done it with such skill and precision without all of your input and care.

I should also thank you, kind readers, for sticking with me through the end. While I always knew that someone somewhere would be reading this, I never expected that my ramblings about gaming would resonate with such a large audience. Thank you to everyone who approached me on campus to tell me your thoughts about my text, and thank you to everyone who occasionally read this column on a whim. Even if this column is the first time you’re reading one of my texts, I want to thank you for even giving me the time of day. You have no idea how much it means to me.

As I look back on my trajectory here and re-read all of my early articles, I notice that, through these mistakes, I’ve slowly developed a sense of my own voice. Little by little, by screwing up and doing all I could to make up for it, I’ve developed the style I’ve come to love. My corny jokes and my forced endings, all of it contributed to me becoming the writer I currently am. 

And so, for my final topic in this column, let’s talk about what makes a good esports columnist. 

You see, in my experience writing, I have always thought about that question, but never really dared to answer. After all, it makes total sense that a good esports columnist should cover esports, right? But if that’s the case, where does that leave me?

Yes, dear readers, this is when the truth comes out. I have always known back in my mind that the topics I covered didn’t always really relate to esports. Still, I had to keep up the ruse, less because of any sort of pressure from my editors or readers, but mainly because of my own criticism of myself. And, truly, there is no right answer to this question other than simply covering esports. 

So, in a weird chicken-or-the-egg situation, I started getting more involved in the world of professional games because I was hired to cover them. I learned about teams, how the industry works and the impact new trends may have only so I could tell you all about it. It felt at times like I was laying down the train tracks while on the moving train myself.

But while this experience has been certainly gratifying, now that I am done, I wouldn’t really say that extensive knowledge is what makes a good columnist. No, the best thing to have as an esports columnist is just one thing: a passion and love for games.

During my research, I’ve read countless articles covering the ins and outs of the esports industry. But most of them, even from big publications, feel dry. Sure, they understand why a team performed poorly or why they bought a certain player, but their text fails to make even knowledgeable readers interested. 

But the columns that really got to me were those written by off-kilter publications or small blogs about the most niche topics possible. While reading, I felt the passion of the author in every single word, and although they may not have been the most technically polished pieces of journalism out there, they got me to try out things I never expected to enjoy. 

That, to me, is the main objective of a columnist, and the thing I’ve been aiming for in every single piece. 

I’m sure I’ve failed more than I’ve succeeded. But, as I tried my best to put my ramblings in some sort of understandable format, I hope some of you managed to sense just how much I cared about the topics I covered, whether it was a specific game format or a random stream I saw. 

So, as I wrap up this column, I’m left with a feeling of overwhelming gratitude. While I didn’t write any award-worthy pieces during my stay, I feel like I at least managed to join the ranks of these bizarre and passionate writers I look up to so much, who spare no expense as they put all of their skills into conveying their love to readers, regardless of how niche or seemingly uninteresting these topics are.

So, if in a couple of years, you remember a stupid joke I made about a game and decide to see what it’s all about, then I’ll know that all of my work here throughout all of these years was worth it.

Guilherme Guerreiro is a senior writing about esports. His column “Press Play to Start” runs every other Wednesday.