Every year in October, I usually can be found sitting at my desk ripping my hair out over Fall TV premieres and preparing for the upcoming new year. But when it comes to today, I like to sit back and think about how truly blessed I am. You see four years ago this website didn’t exist, and I was on my way to becoming the Queen of Hell (literally). I was 65lbs, sicker than a dog, and doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me at all. With my mom and husband (then boyfriend) both working all day, the only thing I had was TV and the fandom life. I remember starting Supernatural that month in the hospital because the nurse said it was AMAZING. Thank you Nurse Nadia for spawning an obsession. Along with Supernatural, I was trying to keep up with the long list of shows I was already watching and find new ones I may enjoy. But at the end of the day, I had not a single soul to talk to about any of it. I already was frustrated beyond belief being stuck in a hospital room alone, but anyone who walked into my room was bombarded with the question, “What shows are you watching?” A couple of friends had come to visit to talk TV and soon began arguing so much the nurse kicked them all out. That is when my mom said, “Go online and see who else agrees with you. If it’s not there, create it.” The Game of Nerds started as a singular Tumblr account on October 3rd, 2013 with me and a close friend. It was just meant to be an escape from the world and to find people with common ground. I never once thought it would ever become this big. I never dreamed it would be the reason I wake up every morning and work my ass off all day, but this site has definitely been my baby.
To say, I got here by myself is an understatement. My staff will tell you this site doesn’t run without me but it does and has before. The real reason The Game of Nerds is amazing is because of the unique and unbelievable staff it possesses. Sixty plus people from all over the world come together each week to create the content you see on this site. They aren’t paid. They aren’t super writers. They are normal people with 9-5 jobs like the rest of you. They just happen to take time out of their busy schedules each week to write about the things they love – whether that be movies, tv, books, games, or anything else they’ve pitched to me. Segments like “The Game of Nerds Show”, “TGON Bakes”, and “TGON Plays” have all been created and pitched by the staff. They take pride in their work and I’m extremely proud of every single one of them. Our fans though are what keep us going. Your constant questions, comments, and requests have us going a mile a minute to keep up. I have to say we have the best fans ever. We love when you find us at conventions and tell us we are one of your favorite websites. We get excited when we get to interview actors/directors and ask YOUR questions. You are the reason we keep doing this day after day.
2017 has been a year of monumental growth for us. We switched from Tumblr to WordPress in March which was a huge financial move for us. Little did I know the roughest 3 months of this year transferring into WordPress would give us more freedom to grow The Game of Nerds. Because of this transfer, we’ve grown from twenty staff members to over sixty members this year alone. This Fall we are covering the most shows we have ever covered in The Game of Nerds’ history. Since day one, we’ve been living the fandom life right along with you. So what’s in store for Year 4? Knowing my staff, anything is possible. “No” isn’t an answer and the sky is the limit. We hope to cover more shows and get more interviews with your favorite people. We are working on creating a way for all of you to chat and get together. We will be attending more conventions than ever in 2018. Most importantly, we will continue to hold a safe place for everyone to come together and escape, because that’s what The Game of Nerds is all about! It’s about getting together and chatting about our favorite things. Yes, things occasionally can get heated and feelings can be hurt. BUT at the end of the day, we all sit down in front of the tv and watch the same series/movies, read the same books, or play the same games. Remember that there is no shame in having an obsession about a fandom!
Happy Birthday The Game of Nerds!
XO, Shannon
