From the virtual pet haven of Neopets to the competitive arenas of “League of Legends,” my gaming history is a tapestry woven with the threads of MMORPGs, strategic battles, and everything in between. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and revisit the virtual worlds that shaped my gaming journey. These days I don’t play games nearly as regularly or intensely, but much of my childhood and teen years are summarized below.

Neopets: My First Foray (2003-2004)

It all began in the early 2000s with Neopets. This charming world, brimming with quirky creatures and endless mini-games, was more than a game—it was a community. It taught me the basics of virtual economies and the joys of digital companionship. I had dial-up internet at the time which made some of the money-making activities like “restocking” pretty difficult. You pretty much had to wait until the shop restocked items and then be the first one to buy up the stock so you could flip it. As you can imagine I did pretty poorly. I still remember my account 20 years later!

Runescape: The Quest Begins (2004-2007)

Leaving Neopia behind, I plunged into the medieval realm of Runescape. With every quest and skill leveled up, I delved deeper into a land of endless possibilities. Runescape was an alternate reality where I learned the essence of grinding and the rewards of hard work. I played far too much but learned some valuable life lessons and skills here. I actually find it hard to believe that this was only a three year time frame because it feels like I spent my whole childhood immersed in this game. I credit my ability to grind through monotonous tasks to this game and I think it trained me to be able to delay gratification immensely. I also got scammed and lost a bunch of in-game money, effectively losing months of work. This was supremely upsetting at the time but in hindsight it was actually a great lesson and has probably saved my hide multiple times as an adult where the consequences are obviously higher.

Maplestory & GunZ: The Duel – A Diverse Detour (2007-2009)

My journey took a turn into the colorful vistas of Maplestory and the adrenaline-fueled battles of GunZ: The Duel. These games were starkly different but equally immersive, offering a blend of side-scrolling action and fast-paced combat. Maplestory was fun because a lot of people at school played, along with my sister. I wasn’t particularly good or high leveled. GunZ: The Duel was a completely different type of game, and to this day I think it has the highest APM requirement of any game I’ve ever seen. I was pretty trash at this game too but I had a good time dying.

World of Warcraft: Sleep Deprivation (2009-2011)

Then came World of Warcraft (WoW), a behemoth that redefined my gaming standards. WoW wasn’t just a game to me; it was a second life. I joined legions of players in this epic saga, forging alliances and conquering foes in a guild alongside hundreds of other people. I played this game with my friend Daniel from school, and most of our friendship was forged online. I made some deep friendships playing WoW and I still talk to people that I played with over 10 years later. We were the youngest people in our guild since it was 18+ and we snuck in at 16. I’m sure everyone knew because we were annoying kids but we were decent enough at the game where they let it slide. This is another game where I find it hard to believe I only played for a couple of years, as it was incredibly immersive.

League of Legends: The Competitive Spirit (2011-2013)

As WoW’s grip loosened, League of Legends seized the moment. I honed my skills as a support main, orchestrating the battlefield from the sidelines. I played in a few local competitions which was nerve-racking but a ton of fun. I wasn’t the best mechanical player but my strengths were in strategy and getting our team positioned in the right spot at the right time. Many of the benefits of team sports came through here, which is nice in a hobby like video games that tends to be pretty solitary.

Old School Runescape: Nostalgia Overload (2013)

Nostalgia beckoned with the revival of Old School Runescape. The grind was real, and so was the addiction. I played from about February to June, so pretty much just the second semester of my freshman year. I played so much that I started to realize college wouldn’t go so well for me if I kept it up. I quit at the top, ranked around 100 globally. It was a full-circle moment, but the intensity of my grind signaled it was time to pause and disconnect. I didn’t play video games for several years after this, quitting entirely to focus on college and my career.

Rocket League: The Comeback (2018-2021)

The hiatus ended with Rocket League. We would play in the lunchroom at work and I wound up taking it a bit more seriously than my coworkers. About 1000 hours later, I climbed the ranks to Champion 3, just short of the top rank of Grand Champion, putting me around top 5% of players at the time if I remember correctly. The nice thing about Rocket League is that the games are about 5 minutes long so I always felt like I could turn it off at any time.

Epilogue

My gaming history is more than a list of titles; it’s a narrative of personal growth, evolving tastes, and the communal experience that gaming so uniquely provides. From the fantastical lands of Neopets to the cosmic arenas of Rocket League, each game has left an indelible mark on my gamer’s soul. I’ve played dozens of other games in addition to these, but these are the ones that really impacted me and stood out as a distinct “era” in my gaming history. For better or for worse I played so much of these games during my formative years that they have impacted me a lot so I have them to thank (or blame) for a good part of the person I am today. I also wrote my first lines of code while modding some of the above games so I also have them to thank for sparking my interest in programming and leading to my career that I love.