Playing Super Mario Bros. on a cousin's NES, in the early 1990s, a passion was born. An inspiring writer from the hot deserts of the Southwest, Alan engages in many games of different genres and styles. From writing hundreds of papers on various topics, he is now focused on video games and the gaming industry. He has a keen interest in the interactions between video game communities and video game developers and publishers, from fan content and special events to issues affecting players and creators alike. From playing thousands of hours on games such as Team Fortress 2 and Warframe, this geek is passion about large player communities and interactions with video game companies.