Much to my surprise, long-time video game analyst and industry personality, Adam Sessler, recently took to Tumblr (Really? Tumblr?) to announce his departure from the position of Editor-in-Chief and Executive Producer of games content at Rev3 Games and Discovery Digital Networks.
As a long-time follower and fan of Sessler’s entertaining and insightful work, I find myself notably saddened by his sudden resignation. I mean, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen him relocate his soapbox, but the controversy regarding his departure from X-Play back in 2012 was a bit more heated than the relationship he currently seems to have with his ”wonderful and talented co-workers” and the past year and a half he’s spent at Rev3 Games.
Nevertheless, I am sad to see him go. When the entire collective of the internet decided that Xbox One was the product to hate, Sessler was one of the few people who many – such as myself – could always count on to keep a level head when examples of the now infamous resolutiongate scandal first began to break.
Sessler’s passive and objective approach to these scandals were all the reason that Xbox detractors needed to label him as a Microsoft fanboy; a commentary that he has received several times over the years. And his review of Forza Motorsport 5 – and more recently Titanfall – didn’t exactly help distance him from these accusations either.
But you know what? I’m okay with that! If the internet’s unified hate of everything Xbox wants to bundle Sessler into the same category as those of us who are excited about Microsoft’s newest gaming console, despite his many criticisms of the system, then I’ll gladly stand along side one of the most experienced and respected critics the gaming industry has to offer.
That being said, personally I don’t see Sessler as an Xbox fanboy. I recognize that he, just like the rest of us, has preferences, but it’s impossible for someone who has been reviewing games and conducting interviews since 1998 to lend, and maintain, a bias towards any individual company or platform. Were he to subscribe to a fanboy mentality, Sessler would have lost his reputation, not to mention his job, a long time ago.
He was, and is, the individual who’s opinion I respect most amongst game critics, and is largely responsible for the fact that I’m writing for this site today. He’s one of my chief inspirations within the gaming industry, and is someone whom I hope to see much more of in the years to come.
Going forward, Sessler will be exploring ”new avenues inside of gaming that help further the medium.” At the moment, he isn’t discussing his next move, but his Twitter page now has him labeled as “the President of TheoryHead, Inc. A consultancy for entertainment and media.”
I don’t always agree with everything he has to say, but he’s a brilliant critic with quite a colorful history amongst the gaming industry. Best of luck to him in all his future endeavors. Let’s just hope that his previous employer will be able to maintain their edge, despite the loss of his exquisite video-editing skills.
