I wrote the news today, oh boy

In case you missed it on 1UP, or on Twitter, or with various message forums where people are complaining about how I need to die in a fire because I once criticized a game they liked, I began working as 1UP’s editor-in-chief this week. It’s a pretty big change for me, and obviously it’s going to eat a lot of my time, because I want to make 1UP a site people speak of in reverent tones. But like I said the other day, you kids are still the bee’s knees, and I don’t intend to stop writing here after 15 years just because I have a fancy new title. GameSpite will still be a thing, and I’d still like to produce books here as well. That being said, GameSpite Quarterly 9 (which by the way is very nearly finished now) will be published as GameSpite Journal 9, because I don’t want to commit to a schedule I know I won’t be able to maintain. The books will come out… whenever.

But it’s OK, because I’m pretty sure that the sort of writing you associate with the books will be showing up on 1UP, too. I’m already working on a 20,000-word essay on Etrian Odyssey II to match the one I wrote for the original game! Well, OK, maybe I won’t take things quite that far. But still. You get what I’m saying.

I have a goal of reestablishing the trust and interest of disenfranchised former 1UP readers. Starting with some of you guys. Hit that link above and leave some suggestions and feedback in the comments area at the bottom, won’t you?

53 thoughts on “I wrote the news today, oh boy

  1. Congrats. Been following you since your geocities(?) days. Sorry I gave you so much grief over liking Mario Kart 64 more than Super Mario Kart. I have learned that instead of playing each new Mario Kart game which de-emphasizes actual racing, I can play Burnout 2. Now I need to figure out what to play instead of the new Burnout games.

  2. Congrats!

    The talk about not just trying to emulate ign has me pretty stoked. 1up has always had a unique flavour and you’ve been a big part of that!

  3. When you read a blog long enough, the author starts to feel like a personal friend. One that you unflinchingly root for. In that sense, your promotion feels just as good to me and us as it probably does for you. Congratulations, well deserved.

    On the flip side, I’m sorry to see GameSpite (sort of) sidelined. Though it’s obvious where your priorities should lie. You got the keys now, and it’s exciting to see where this careening vehicle called journalism will go. Good luck.

  4. A piece like that long EO one… on 1UP? This has me even more stoked!

    Hearty, sincere congrats! Well deserved, I very much look forward to seeing what’s in store.

    • Well, not really like the EO one, but still… I’d like to see more GameSpite-esque criticism on 1UP. And I can make it happen! With the tacit approval of my corporate masters! Oh boy.

  5. Good man, congratulations! I too have been following since forever, and I honestly don’t think there’s a person on the planet that does better writing on video games.
    Shockingly, it appears that sometimes good and proper things do happen.

  6. Congrats, man. Awesome news. Looking forward to more great content with you at the helm. :)

  7. Congratulations!

    As for what I’d like to see for you in your new role, just keep being Jeremy Parrish. I suspect that’s what helped you get the position in the first place.

  8. I’ve said congrats through twitter, but I feel I should put it on Gamespite as well, so again, congrats!

    I’m curious to see how your way of thinking about game related content and editorial will balance with what your high ups expect to see from the site.

    You’ve said it yourself many times in the past, like your recent Tomb Raider impressions for example, that there is work you’re proud of but not something you think people will click through to the end. So I’m very curious, and excited, to see how you’ll now propose people DO get through that great content. I say this because I’m assuming that now your job is to get people clicking in addition to putting out great work.

    Exciting stuff man, good luck. 1up appears to be in good hands!

  9. I was really bummed when I saw 1up got purchased by IGN, as I assumed it meant you guys would be drained of personality and forced to run “Videogames’ hot objectified babe of the week” on a regular basis–this gives me a lot of hope. Congratulations!

  10. Pretty much the only things I consistently read on 1up are the features; I tend not to read the news (that usually comes from twitter) and I’ll only occasionally read a review of a game.

    Also, congrats! Does this mean you’re now too cool to hang out with us at PAX?

  11. Congratulations!

    In terms of what I’d like to see, I’d love to see a more concerted attempt to give PC gaming some real attention. Mainly, I just miss Tom vs. Bruce.

    • I believe GameSpy will be focusing on PC content for the network, rather than us trying to fumble around in an area we don’t know as much about.

  12. Good work Jeremy! Very happy to hear this news. I’m sure your deeper appreciation of all things nerdy will give 1UP the editorial slant it rightly needs. Can’t wait!

  13. been a fan since you wrote thr chrono cross faq (it’s been a decade now right??). good luck as EIC. maybe now that 1up is part of ign it can go back to being the thinking gamers website and leave the short pandering articles to it’s dumber older brother.Remember that article on music and games? I want that! every week!! also hire sharkey! can you tell I’m excited!!??

  14. Congratulations! The true era of the ToastyFrog begins only now. Even if you decide to wait to change 1UP’s name to something like ToastFrogLandia, you can go ahead and deck it out in ToastyFrog and Telebunny regalia.

  15. This is great news! It sounds like the goal is to develop 1UP with a distinctive editorial voice, similar to what has developed organically with the GameSpite writing. However things go, I’m really excited to see where the site is headed.

  16. So how much are you paying for photos of Spiderman?

    Seriously though, congrats!

  17. Congratulations! I wish you a lot of luck with the position and changing the site.

    Unfortunately I’ve entered a parrallel universe where the site has become perpetually ‘in maintanance’ since the server move a few weeks ago, which seems to have only affected me and some friends (some region thing?), so I won’t be able to see the new changes : (.

    Still, best of luck!

  18. Congrats! I guess 1up will be reviewing the next console MG game. In all (some) seriousness though, can you get rid of the comments section on 1up. I swear, reading comments on all major video game websites is like looking at a horrible car accident….. that lowers your IQ. Then you sometimes feel like you have to add your $0.02 and it gets worse from there.

  19. You, Mr. Parish, have always been my favorite part of the 1up team and I know without a doubt that the site is in good hands. The only suggestion/feedback I have is don’t stop Retronauts and bring back Sharkey. Other than that, go nuts. I have a feeling that whatever you have planned with be fine with me.

  20. Congratulations, Jeremy!

    I’m sure everybody in the big cacophany of the Internet has ideas of what could be added/changed/burnt on a big bonfire on 1UP. I fully expect any changes to be for the better! Looking forward to seeing what the future brings for the site.

  21. Congrats, Parish!

    If every gaming news site could be more like Gamespite, I would read them more often.

  22. Congratulations! I’ve followed your websites on and off for longer than I care to admit, and I hope you get the time and resources to do something special at 1up.

  23. Congrats, Parish! I havent been much of a regular at 1UP for the last couple of years, but I’ll be stopping by now to see in what direction you take it.

    And don’t tease the idea of a 20,000 word essay on Etrian Odyssey II if you’re not gonna follow through with it — man that is cruel!

  24. Get great writers back at 1Up. When the CGW/GFW crew were contributing articles, along with their freelancers like Tom Chick, Robery Ashley, and Bruce Geryk, 1Up had the strongest lineup of writing talent amongst the “big” video gaming news sites.

  25. Congratulations again! I’m very eager now to see the direction you’ll take it.

  26. So Jeremy, what do you do for a living?
    “I’m the editor-in-chief of a website.”
    Wow that sounds like a lot of work. What do you do to relax?
    “I editor-in-chief n print publication.”

    You are a veritable maelstrom of content sir, and I salute you for it.

  27. Congrats. I look forward to some excellent features on the site. Find a way to steal Kat back, and let’s see some RPG love.

  28. Read the news last night, and, well, awesome. I know you get this a lot, but you’re probably my favorite video game journalist out there. I’m not even saying that because of your affinity for handheld games, RPG’s, and the classics (Since those are what I’m into), but your writing is so damn good. I can’t wait to see more GameSpite quality writing on 1up (Not that it hasn’t had that kind of thing in the past).

    Also, bring back The Grind, lol.

  29. Seriously, congrats. As far as I’m concerned, you were always my favorite editor on 1up so this can only bring good things to the site :D

    P.S. – Bring back Frank and Sharky for more Shame Nights :D

  30. Nearly every morning, I still type in http://www.toastyfrog.com. Ten years ago, I cited you in a paper I wrote for my high school music project I wrote on Kansas. In short, I’m a fan of your work. Yours was my first introduction to game writing that didn’t make me feel like simply a consumer.

    Keep up the great work. Glad to see you’re moving up in the world. God bless you man.

  31. Well my congratulations will be lost in the sea of congratulations, but I offer it anyway.

    Game criticism is a mostly frustratingly vapid field. I read your work here and at 1up, not only because you’re a fantastic writer, but because you’re one of the few who truly “gets it” (much better than I do, which a game critic should!). That alone makes me excited to see how you shape 1up going forward. Knowing also your seemingly inexhaustible work ethic, they couldn’t have picked a better person.

    Good work, and congratulations again.

  32. Those Cosby impersonations on Retronauts Live totally paid off! j/k

    Congratulations, Parish.

Comments are closed.