Hello there! It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I mean, it’s not like I haven’t been posting sporadically here for roughly the past three years. I would never do something like that. Nope, not me!
All jokes aside, I do want to apologize for this long absence to those who may have actually read this blog and enjoyed what I talked about. I never wanted, or intended, to essentially leave it out to dry for as long as I did. It’s just that life happened, taking my energy and focus to other places. Between getting a new job, writing for a small gaming site for a year, and hosting a podcast for two and a half years, things have been very busy and draining, both physically and mentally. And that’s not even getting into the other stressors and curveballs that life’s thrown my way (the less said about 2022 the better).
Throughout all that time, as I worked hard at LoadingXP and Play To Win to build up skills and experience to potentially make my way into games media (while still having fun along the way) I always thought about the things I wanted to make here at TheComfySpot. I just couldn’t find the time or energy to make it happen. Now though, things are different. I’m no longer writing for LoadingXP. The Play To Win Podcast came to a close yesterday. And I’m no longer actively pursuing a job in games media, but I am looking for a new one.
In recent months, as I wrestled with the decision of when to end the podcast, I kept thinking about TheComfySpot and what I wanted to do with regard to content creation. I’ve always enjoyed talking about gaming, and being able to do it in the new forms that I have these past few years has been great. Whether I was talking on a podcast, making a discussion video, or putting together a video review/preview, it’s been a blast and is something that I want to keep on doing.
At the same time, it started to become a bit of a grind and chipped away at the enjoyment I get from gaming. I miss the days when I was able to play games and just enjoy them without feeling like I’m doing it to check a box for something to talk about each week or to stay as relevant as possible. I miss being able to talk about the news that I cared about the most and ignore the stuff that’s still important, but doesn’t really speak to me. And above all else, I miss being able to do these things when I want to and how I want to.
So that brings me back to TheComfySpot. At its core TheComfySpot was always meant to be a cozy place to come and talk about the things that interested and excited me on my own terms. That’s something I want to get back to, and I plan to do so in both old and new ways.
First off, the types of articles I write won’t be changing. I would like to try and write at least one article per week, but that’ll come down to time and energy (and in the case of news, the stories that are out there). That may seem like a small task, but with how variable life can be on any given day, I’d rather not guarantee anything and start small instead of overpromising and either overworking myself to the point that it’s a grind again, or underdelivering. Remember, everything is being done on my own terms, even more so now than before.
I may talk about a TV show or movie here and there, but it’s not something I intend to do consistently. It was something I did a lot when I first started TheComfySpot, but gradually I did less and less of it. It’s not because I’m not interested in those mediums, but rather that my main passion is gaming and I would rather talk about that. I have considered talking about anime since I’ve watched A LOT in just the past few years, but again, that’s just an idea right now.
Now let’s dive into some of the more radical changes I’m thinking about, starting with game reviews. I think the way I’ve done them so far has been great, and my reviews have definitely improved over the years. But recently as I’ve thought about reviving TheComfySpot, I’ve also tried to think of other ways I could revamp things for a “fresh start” so to speak. That said, I’ve toyed with the idea of doing away with scores altogether, which is something I never would’ve considered before. But, for some reason, the idea has appealed to me recently as it would allow me to focus on just explaining my thoughts on a game without having to worry about putting a number label on it. I’m not completely sold on it, but I’m considering it right now. I don’t want to change things just for the sake of change though, which is why I’m taking my time thinking about this.
The biggest new change I’m planning to make is also potentially the most contradictory to what brought me back to TheComfySpot. As I said before, I’ve enjoyed the content creation I’ve been doing the past few years, especially on YouTube for Play To Win. Making YouTube videos is fun (even if it’s a lot of work), and I want to keep doing that here. So I’m going to be making a YouTube channel for TheComfySpot.
Yes, doing YouTube for Play To Win started to feel like a grind and began sucking away my passion for gaming, but that was because there was a specific dynamic and goal in mind with it. With Play To Win, we wanted to grow it into something big, and as such, we had a set schedule for when we put videos out and were hyper-focused on what we talked about. That’s not going to be the case here. The pressure that came with Play To Win is removed because TheComfySpot is a creative outlet of mine where I operate on my own terms, and that mentality also applies to the YouTube channel since it will be an extension of the blog. Yes, I would love it if the new channel grew and became a big thing, but at the end of the day, it’ll just be another place for me to freely talk about gaming.
So for example, let’s say that Sony announces the PlayStation 6 is announced and gets a 2025 release window (stick with me here), but I don’t feel like writing up a post about it and just want to verbally talk about it. I’ll instead record a video of myself talking about it and giving my thoughts on the matter. That way I can still talk about it while not having to expend the energy to write something up. If I have the energy to do both for any one topic, then I’ll do both. And this applies to more than just news stories. I’ll be taking this same approach with features and random opinions that I have as well.
When it comes to previews/impressions, there may be instances where I only do a video component that’s unscripted. It’ll depend on the game, the complexity of my thoughts, and the time I have on hand. I intend to always at least have a written component for previews/impressions, but if something has to give, it’ll be that. The one time that I’ll always do a video and written piece combo is with reviews, barring any technical issues. Making video reviews/previews is something that I greatly enjoy doing, so I’m going to continue that as long as I can.
Once again, I want to emphasize that although I have these goals/plans in mind, the frequency with which I’ll post and make things is subject to change at any given point in time. I can’t stress enough that I want to retain my passion for a medium that I love, and in order to do that, I have to go about things at my own pace. Balancing content creation with life and work is not an easy thing to do, and it can easily burn me out. In order to avoid that, I’ll be doing things at my leisure. I’m sorry I can’t guarantee a strict content schedule right now, but this is honestly what’s for the best.
That was a lot to go over, so here’s the TL;DR version of my plans for TheComfySpot:
- I’ll be focusing almost exclusively on games. I might talk about movies, TV, and anime, but don’t expect much of it.
- The plan is for at least one post per week, but in the interest of my own sanity and enjoyment of making content, that’s not a guarantee.
- Reviews may change to have no score, but it’s not set in stone yet.
- A YouTube channel will be made as an extension of the blog.
When I think of TheComfySpot, I envision myself and others sitting around a living room having passionate discussions about our shared interests, similar to the conversations we’d have with our friends at school or during a sleepover. They may not always be pleasant, lighthearted discussions, but they’re ones that come from a place of love for those interests. With this new direction for the blog, I hope that I’m able to help you all see what I see whenever you come here. Take a seat on the couch and let’s have some fun.
TheComfySpot 