So Many Games, So Much Time…

On my days off from interning, I have a lot of spare time to game (We game in my office as well, so who am I kidding.) This is a good thing, because I can’t think of another time where there have many so many new releases worth playing. Usually, I buy one game, and pump 50 or so hours into it without touching anything else (Call of Duty 4 basically remained in my system without being ejected for 6 months). I’ll take the occasional break for a session of Madden or Fifa, but I like to really get into one game at a time.

Not the case recently. I guess starting in the Fall of ’08, I have found it impossible to limit my playing time to 1 game. Perhaps we are in the midst of a renaissance in gaming. Perhaps I need to get a job even faster now so I can afford all this gaming goodness. In any event, here are some games I have been playing and ones I look forward to (but my wallet doesn’t):

Currently in My Systems:

NBA 2K9 – I’ll always have a soft spot for NBA video games (I used to intern at the NBA), but being able to upload a replay of my Kobe buzzer-beater the other day as well as some intense matches in my office make this a great play right now.

Fifa 09 – Every year I am more impressed with the Fifa series. I will be playing a lot more of this now since I got my copy for 360, but more for the fact that Champions League has resumed.. Go Man U!

Call of Duty: World at War – After I held out of this title because I didn’t like the decision to move back to WWII, I’ve caved in and ordered it. There are simply too many friends on Live who are playing and enjoying it to ignore it any longer.

Street Fighter IV – I have yet to receive my copy (thanks Gamefly), but I am eagerly looking forward to taking it back to my childhood with some Ryu vs. Ken action.

What I am Anticipating:

MLB 09: The Show – Loved last year’s edition. I would buy it simply for the roster update, but the trash talk feature has me very excited for this year’s edition.

Halo Wars – Not a RTS fan, but loved the demo. Seems Like the multiplayer could be a lot of fun.

KILLZONE 2 – Oh how I have waited for you… No explanation necessary.

Honorable Mentions:
LittleBigPlanet – I come back to this title here and there just to see how the community levels have improved. Need more incentive to keep playing though.

Socom: Confrontation – Please fix this game. I love playing with my clan, but hate the lag.

Well, that’s all for now. Big thanks to the N4G Community for approving my news story about the site and driving a lot of traffic to it yesterday.

Weekend Update – Fantasy Baseball Edition

Good weekend to all 37 of you you have taken the time to visit the site! Much thanks. Keep coming and spread the word!

Exciting time for me this weekend. My fantasy baseball draft is tomorrow. I’ll probably take the day off from job hunting and concentrate on scouting. I think my addiction to fantasy sports is growing close to that of my addiction to sports video games. I guess the two are very closely linked. Both deal with taking control of professional players and making you feel more immersed in the professional sports world.

EA got the ball rolling with some fantasy integration this year for Madden 09. I’d love to easily take my fantasy rosters online, be able to simulate matches (and play in them), receive scouting feedback based off of these matchups, etc. I think EA’s efforts last year were definitely a step in the right direction, and I’d love to see a deeper connection between fantasy sports and sports video games.

What do you guys think? How can fantasy sports be further integrated into sports video games?

Updates and thanks…

Hey  and thanks to all those who are joining me on my job hunt.  I’ve updated the blog with a section containing some of my creative work from my portfolio.  

I’m also abusing the hell out of my Twitter account (which is scary since I only really started using it yesterday).  It really is a great way to communicate and network with a lot of different people. 

On the gaming front, I played a few games of NBA 2K9 today.  I am finally getting better at it, after actually reading the manual and learning some of the off the ball controls.  Hopefully I can get the Knicks to the championship before Lebron arrives in 2010.  (Shout out to Nate Robinson on winning the Dunk Contest!  Nate, you give all 5 foot-something ballers like myself hope.)

Finally, if you do add me on Xbox Live, you might notice that my Gamerscore is a pathetic “15”.  I had to create a new profile on XBox Live when I bought my new Xbox 360 (old one died- sold it- it’s a long story).  In time, I will get it to a respectable level (probably as soon as Madden 10 comes out, as I have been playing 09 on PS3 before I re-bought 360).  Killzone 2 looks to probably take a good chunk of 360 time away from me as well.

Thanks again for following and as always, look forward to hearing back from you!

-Andy

Hello world! Andy Rosenberg here…

A few months before my graduation from NYU last May of 2008, I remember having a conversation with my Dad last February of 2008.  In short, it went something like this:

Joe Rosenberg (aka Dad):  So anything new on the job front?

Andy Rosenberg (me):  No, I am sending resumes out left and right.  I’m getting kinda nervous.

Joe Rosenberg:  Don’t worry, something will come along.  You have got a strong (and expensive)  degree in marketing and good experience through your internships.

Andy Rosenberg:  Yeah, I mean, if I don’t have something lined up by April, then I am really going to start freaking out.

Joe Rosenberg:  Look, you don’t have a family to support.  You can come back home and live with us until you find something.   The economy does not look like it’s going to be great when you graduate in May.  If you don’t have something by November, then you are going to have to figure something out.

At this point in the conversation, I laughed.  The thought of not having a job by November seemed rediculous.  I thought my Dad was joking.

I thought wrong.  In the immediate months leading up to my graduation in May of 2008, the economy pretty much tanked. My graduation, something that should have been a wonderful, momentous occasion, turned into the start of a long and tough road of “unemployment”.  (Are recent grads even allowed to call it that?)

It is now February of 2009.  I am yet to be fully-employed.  Do I fret?  Do I waive the white flag and surrender?  Do I throw in the…okay, you get the idea.  No.  I do not give up.  I start a blog!

It has not been all negative in my search for full-time employment.  In between interviewing, I have had time to re-connect with family, friends, and even learn how to fish.  Beginning in November of 2008, I was fortunate enough to start an internship (of which I currently am involved with) at a PR company that specializes in the video game industry.  This internship has been perfect for me, as it has brought to my full attention the path that has been chosen for me.  

I’ve been a gamer my whole life.  You name the console, I’ve owned it.  I’ve saved the Princess from Bowser multiple times, led many professional sports teams to numerous championships in franchise modes,  and more recently, went face to face with the R.R.O.D.  While unemployment has been hard, it has helped me realize that my true passion has been and always will be gaming, and I’d like nothing more than to put my degree in marketing and visual communications to work for a company in the video game industry.

You may be wondering why someone who wants to work in marketing (and not journalism), is creating a blog.  The fact is, while I am proud of my resume, which lists my qualifications and skill set, I hate the fact that a single piece of paper is supposed to represent everything I am to potential employers.  I’d like to think I am more dynamic than a .PDF or Word document, so I am bending the rules, and creating this site as a type of “virtual resume”.

That being said, I do plan to update this site with content related to my own personal opinions and views on the current state of gaming.  I’ve got a lot to bring the table, and whether you are a potential employer, a gaming enthusiast, or just someone in a similar position as me, I’d love for you to frequent my site and share in this experiment with me.

So, as I am used to signing off with every cover letter I send out,  “Thanks and hope to hear back from you soon”!

-Andy