At the heart of High Ground Gaming lies a desire to create a cozy inn, a place of warmth to dwell amongst the countless destinations on the web. It is my hope fellow gamers such as yourself find what you are looking for — whether that be refuge, solace, or simply enjoyment.
Here’s a more detailed look at our quest and what makes the clock tick around here.
Our Quest
In the realm where art meets science, video games have emerged as a special medium that sits at the crossroads of art and science. Whether you’re a veteran or new to the scene, we believe in video games as a universal language that speaks to the hearts of individuals from all backgrounds. No matter where you are or what device you wield, the world of gaming is just a click or tap away, ready to bring us all closer in play and shared adventure.
Your reading experience is our priority. Our dedicated team of writers pours over details to ensure our content is not just accurate, but also enriching and actionable. Our content evolves in tandem with the games we cover, ensuring you’re always at the forefront of the latest developments. From in-depth reviews to comprehensive guides, we lay out all the facts coupled with our personal insights. The power of choice is yours — we’re just here to act as counsel. Hopefully, you depart with some knowledge to make decisions that resonate with your gaming spirit. For more about our content creation process, see our editorial policy here.
Your user experience on our platform is another cornerstone of High Ground Gaming. The site’s minimalist design isn’t just an aesthetic choice — it’s a performance-driven decision. By chipping away excess and honing the essentials, we ensure swift load times across all devices. We’re committed to a clutter-free environment where content reigns supreme, with non-intrusive, distinguishable ads and streamlined page elements that keep the focus squarely on what matters most: the written word and related content.
Our Party
Meet the band of adventures who make HGG possible!
Writer
My name is Adam Watkins. I am an English Literature and Media major who absolutely loves video games. Some of my favorites are Super Mario Bros. 3, Sonic 3 and Knuckles, Skyrim, Minecraft, Skyrim, and Kingdom Hearts 2.
I generally love games that provide a decent amount of challenge and player freedom. I’ve been playing video games since I was around 6 years old, with the Nintendo 64 being my first console. I’m not the biggest fan of turn based RPGs or Puzzle games, but there are some that I really enjoy, like Persona 5 and Poyo-Poyo.
Writer
Aliya Hall is a writer and occasional freelance journalist who lives in Portland, Oregon with her fiancée and their three cats: Jane Austen, Hannibal, and Benji. She’s an avid Twitch viewer who equally loves cozy and spooky games. She’s currently drafting her first romance novel and has published a gothic horror short story called “The Forest’s Call” with Quill & Crow Publishing House.
Writer
Just a gamer that graduated from California State University of San Marcos with a BA degree who majored in Literature & Writing. I wanted to see if I would be able to mesh these hobbies together and this is the path I ended up on.
I would consider myself mainly an MMO gamer and anyone who plays MMOs will tell you that they will probably require time commitment in some form. Because of this, I try to limit myself to only playing one main MMO at a time to ensure I don’t bite off more than I can chew but sometimes multiple games all have big updates at the same time so I want to try them all out!
Writer
April M. Reid is a freelance content writer specializing in gaming and tech. Aside from HGG, her words have popped up in PCGamesN, Gfinity, FandomSpot, EsportsHeadlines, CG Director, among other publications. She has also produced content for one of the top esports organizations in the world, Dignitas.
Her favorite games are League of Legends, Guild Wars 2, Town of Salem, and To the Moon.
Writer
Ariana is a huge fan of anything related to Star Wars, Elder Scrolls, and history. Ariana enjoys virtual photography, reading, and hiking.
Her passion for games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and the Assassin’s Creed franchise inspired her to start writing and sharing her love for games.
Writer and editor
Having spent all her life in the rainy PNW, Ashley knows the value of spending time inside with a good game. She developed a passion for the unique storytelling styles of video games and TTRPGs, and does her best to bring that passion into her writing.
Ashley works as a content editor for HGG, spending most of her time behind the scenes until a new game captures her attention. She also works as a fiction editor specializing in science fiction and fantasy.
To learn more about Ashley, check out her website and social accounts, or drop a comment on one of her articles! She’s always happy to talk about her favorite games.
Writer and developer
Austin Carroll is a writer and web designer from Eugene, Oregon. He’s been at HGG for five years and maintains an active role designing and developing for the site.
In terms of gaming, Austin enjoys online RPGs like RuneScape and action games like Fortnite. Recently, he’s begun dabbling in auto battlers, including Super Auto Pets and Hearthstone: Battlegrounds.
If you’d like to learn more about Austin, check out his profiles on Twitter and Facebook or visit his website to see his latest work. You can also comment on one of his articles, as he loves discussing all things gaming.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Founder and editor-in-chief
Ben founded High Ground Gaming in 2014. But long before that, he started playing games during the dawning age of Command & Conquer and Doom. It was a magical time of print magazines and computer game boxes. He read through the likes of many an issue of PCGamer and Computer Gaming World. Ben grew up on a healthy diet of Nintendo, Xbox, PC Games, and sighs with nostalgia at memories of the glory days of Halo parties.
Nowadays, he is often found with Switch in hand whittling away his spare time on a variety of games while his daughter taps the screen incessantly. He’s also taken a liking to the turn based nature of Super Auto Pets. An Oregon native, he is fond of hikes, skiing, and hiding away from the rainy weather with a cup of coffee and a good book.
Writer
Devin has always been a fan of good writing and compelling visuals. She learned from an early age that video games are the best and most satisfying way to be fully immersed in both. As a writer herself, she enjoys nothing more than a good plot-driven game.
Putting her love of writing too good use, you’ll find Devin contributing articles to HGG by day and to a local non-profit by night. In between all that writing she also works as a Digital Media and Social Media Specialist.
In her few spare moments from writing she enjoys winding down and hopping onto Genshin Impact.
Writer
Drew has been a life-long gamer since the first time he played Super Mario World on the SNES. He loves a variety of games, from Souls-likes and Shooters to JRPGS and even indie titles. He’s passionate about game development (Drew holds a certificate in Game Studies and Design) and loves to share his thoughts about the world of video games through his writing.
Messenger
Egbert pops up on many of our game guides. He likes to ride in just before the guide begins, ready to share a summary of the upcoming content.
Writer
My name is Gibson Vasela. I am a freelance writer who has been playing video games for almost 20 years now. I play all kinds of games, but I especially love immersive sims and RPGs.
The angry troll
Grundle is our resident troll. You’ll find him on our games pages, where he’s always happy to tell you everything wrong with your favorite titles.
The jolly troll
Gurg is Grundle’s younger brother. He’s something of a jolly troll, always singing the praises of various games.
Writer and editor
Having learned how to play video games before he could walk or read, Jeffrey is a gaming zealot. With a fixation on efficiency and details, he’ll do his best to make sure you know everything relevant about a topic. Currently, he is working on 100% all the games in his backlog before he dies — the odds are not looking good.
Writer
I have loved video games before I even knew what they were. I also love writing (am working on becoming a successful fantasy author), anime, tabletop roleplaying etc. In college, I was part of a club for all four years named BSFFA (Beloit Science Fiction and Fantasy Association), which should tell you just how much of a nerd I am (if the previous facts didn’t)
Humor has always been a big part of my life. I have been telling jokes since I was single digits and did improv comedy for about eight to ten years (don’t remember the exact number). Because of this, humor almost always finds its way into my writing whether I want it to or not.
In addition to being a comedic nerd, I am anomalously logical, have strange eating habits, and am frankly a weirdo in many respects. But don’t take that to be self-deprecating. It is merely a factual statement.
Writer
Ever since his dad let him play Resident Evil at a way too young age, Justin has been in love with video games. Naturally drawn towards narrative-driven games, Justin’s love of storytelling and passion for game development means he can talk and write about games for hours.
Writer
Nathan Hart is a stand-up comic, writer, and voice actor based in Eugene, Oregon. He’s performed stand-up at various festivals, including the inaugural Alaskab4udie Festival, The Savage Henry Comedy Festival, and “The Fest” a punk rock music festival in Gainesville, Florida. Nathan has been a contributing writer for the popular satire blog, The Hard Times.
Within the last several years Nathan has been added to the staff at High Ground Gaming where he has become one of the leading experts on new Minecraft developments and Baldur’s Gate 3 strategy, as well as more obscure strategy titles like Rimworld and the catalogue of Paradox Games. This follows a lifelong obsession with action and strategy games that lets Nathan become the perfect guide for your adventures.
Office manager
Nothing would be possible without our experienced and talented office manager. She somehow manages to get everything done between her dozens of daily naps.
Writer
Sarah is a writer and mod maker with a deep love for roleplaying games, sims, and sandboxes. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Literature, Writing, and Film with a concentration in creative writing. In addition to writing for High Ground, she’s currently a Lead Content Writer for Warcraft Tavern and EIP Gaming.
Sarah has played World of Warcraft since the early days, usually as a healer or caster and often as a guild leader. She’s also spent hundreds of hours in Bethesda games and even more time modding them. Her other favorite franchises also include Mass Effect, The Sims, and Don’t Starve. She lives in Pennsylvania with her boyfriend, Dan, and their two cats, Teddy and Lucy.
Writer
Summer has been an avid gamer ever since she was a young girl. She graduated from the University of California Davis in 2019, and completed an internship in London where she worked as a journalist. She is also an active blogger and twitch streamer. In addition to Call of Duty and League of Legends, she also writes about Diablo, Valorant, Pokémon, and Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. She is a proud Army spouse, and loves her 2 dogs and cat like they are her children.
Writer
William Kennedy is a full-time freelance content writer and journalist based in Eugene, OR. With over a decade of experience, William covers live music for the Eugene Weekly, where he has also covered arts and culture, food, news, and current events. His writing has appeared on the University of Oregon website and newsletter, in Eugene Magazine, and on Grunge.com, among other publications. When not working, chances are you can find him with his nose in a book or magazine reading about news, pop topics like the video game industry, and the arts. He lives with his wife, daughter, and two cats who all politely accommodate his obsession with Doctor Who and The New Yorker.
Upon completion of my scholarly pursuits, I started working on HGG in 2014 without much direction, much less an end goal in mind. Perhaps through my own wanderings, mistakes, and reflections I have found some semblance of a port of call here within these very pages. Here’s to countless more adventures. – Ben, HGG Founder
Join the High Ground Community
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About Top Shelf Media, LLC
High Ground Gaming is owned by Top Shelf Media LLC. In addition to HGG, Top Shelf Media is home to several web experiences. If you’d like to connect with us there, reach out to contact@topshelfmedia.co.
More About High Ground Gaming
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We’ve been grateful for your company. Farewell, traveler.