TechSmart 121, October 2013 TechSmart 132, September 2014 | Page 48

GAMES

Pippa Tshabalala
on Other Interests
CONTRARY
TO WHAT YOU MIGHT

By Pippa Tshabalala.
Photographer: Tim Hulme.
Makeup artist: Natasha Carstens.

THINK, PIPPA HAS

OTHER INTERESTS TOO.

B

en Kuchera is a videogames journalist
who writes for a variety of gaming
publications, amongst others the
popular gaming website Polygon. Although he is
sometimes considered somewhat controversial,
he recently wrote an article that really struck a
chord with me and one to which I can definitely
relate. It was titled “Gaming is not the most
important thing in my life”.
I agree wholeheartedly. Gaming is not
the most important thing in my life. It’s an
important part of it, anyone who knows me
will attest, but it’s simply not at the top of my
priority list. How can I say this? Well, because
quite honestly I have other interests. The one
question that many people ask me, either via
social media or when they meet me in person
for the first time is, “What’s your favourite
game?” I really can’t answer that. I have many
games that I love, and a few games that were
incredibly influential in my life, that I kept on
coming back to over and over again. I have a
game that made me realise that this is what
I wanted to do as a career. But a favourite? I
have a favourite right now – does that count?
It’s the same reason that although I’m
considered by most standards to be heavily
tattooed, that I don’t have any gaming tattoos.
There’s no one game that I love enough to
get etched on to my skin for the rest of my life
– and I certainly don’t love a hardware brand
enough to get their symbol inked on me!

46

I love videogames, and don’t get me wrong,
I play A LOT of games, but like many people
who play games for anything other than the
enjoyment of it (i.e. reviewing), I have other
interests. For example I spend a good amount
of my time reading, and I have a degree in
Fine Arts so when I have time I still paint and
draw. I like spending time with my friends.
Some of whom are also gamers. In the real
world as well as online. I know – weird right?

“I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY. GAMING IS
NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN MY
LIFE.”
More importantly, I also have a family.
That I like spending time with! *Gasp*
I have a three year old son who likes
nothing better than to ride his bike
madly down our rather steep driveway
shouting, “Faaaaaster!” Would I rather
be playing games than madly taking
action shots of the look of glee on his
face? Not. A. Chance.
I would rather get up early and spend an
hour playing games uninterrupted before
my son wakes up than take time away
from him. To be fair, kids don’t really allow
you to indulge in things like “me time”
either, but still. The games will always be
there. My son’s childhood won’t.

September 2014 | TechSmart