Interview with the Vampire


Actually, it was an Interview with the Gamer. A young, enthusiastic gamer.

Our class discussion prompt regarding young produsers led me to cornering Tucker and asking him about his gaming world and his role as a produser. What I discovered was fascinating.

First, some background. Tucker is a recent graduate of Hawks Rise Elementary. He is 11 and enjoys gaming online with his friends regularly. It has been a source of contention between us when he tries to bring his phone to the dinner table or interrupts beach time because of an "update" he feels he needs engage in (that seem to always happen at our peak family time - mid morning or mid afternoon).

Rather than battle this dynamic, we have tried to negotiate some boundaries to keep us both sane.

So here is what I discovered in my Interview with a Gamer:

Favorite games (his):
  • Roblox
  • Minecraft
  • Brawlstars
  • MarioCart
Favorite games (his friends):
  • Fortnight
  • Roblox
  • Minecraft
  • The Legend of Zelda
He plays about half the time on his own, half the time with online friends.

In Roblox studio, he creates products, skins and animated videos, some of which other people can "buy". In Minecraft, he creates worlds for others to explore. Also, he goes on YouTube to get tips and ideas from other gamers. 

From talking with him, these online platforms are the new "playground" where kids hang out, socialize, cheer each other on and have the occasional skirmish. Just like a physical playground, there is the risk of trouble, but the kids seem pretty good at sorting things out - provided they are at an age-appropriate digital playground.

Tucker is not allowed to play any of the violent games and seems to be respecting that boundary. Most of his friends play Fortnight (rated Teen / 13+) and I have seen kids at the beach ask him for his Fortnight name so I know this is a very popular platform. It is based on eliminating other players with weapons, and has an emphasis on players paying for skins and battle passes.

My biggest current worry is the way the games pull the kids in constantly, using digital events (like concerts or updates) to make sure they log on throughout the weekend. They cannot go back to these events later, so the game makes sure they want to "tune in" regularly. That is not about creating new content ... it is about feeding the machine.

I am, however, supportive of his role as a produser. As he enters the middle school phase, it will be interesting to see how his participation and creativity evolve, hopefully in ways that are productive and welcoming to a wide range of other online produsers.

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