SCROLL is a video game magazine made by me, Ray Barnholt. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time, but it was only recently that the Web made it seem doable. (Also, getting laid off helped.)

It's what I call a journal of video game appreciation. That comes from the fact that I like games -- and very little else. But I look at what other video game-likers talk about, and it's like they see the world in two shades. Not classy photo monochrome, but straight-up chess board. Games are either awesome or they're shitty; manly or offensive; striking or pretentious; art or not. Elsewhere, people are peering deep into their navels as if we reached a point where we've said all we have about games as games.

We haven't. And even if you think the pros do nothing but follow the same preview/review cycle, the alternatives haven't done much better in breaking the mold. Instead of talking about the nature of play, why not the nature of just playing something? That's why I like video games, and particularly writing about video games: to have fun with them, and tell you about the cool stuff from the past and present.

Divorced of everything else, video games are still cool. So let's appreciate them.

Potentially Frequent Questions

How frequently is SCROLL published?

"When it's done," though usually every three months, and in the middle of those months.

Can I get SCROLL outside the US?

Yes. You can buy print issues on MagCloud using PayPal, and they will ship worldwide. (PDF sales are done through PayPal as well.) The downside with print option is that they only have one shipping option from the US Postal Service, which can be too rich for some people's blood. I have no control over this pricing, but it is a flat price that supports orders of up to 300 pages, so either buy several copies of SCROLL or something else on MagCloud. The former is preferred.

Is it true you make the magazine yourself?

Basically, yes. Occasionally I'll get an outside artist to do an illustration or two, and I may ask some friends of mine (mostly Alex Fraioli, my longtime partner in crime) to write something to help fill a page. But other than that, I do every bit of writing, layout and art myself. So, let's say 98%. Anybody who contributes gets a byline on an article and credited at the back of the book, so if you read something without a byline, you can assume I wrote it. (For an example of an issue that was 100% me from beginning to end, see issue 04.)

How can I contribute to SCROLL?

Despite the contributions mentioned above, SCROLL is still a pretty personal project for me, and there's no intention to grow it into a big, "normal" magazine. Besides, I'm bad enough keeping myself in check. That said, it kind of depends. I did send out a public call for arists for issue 02, and something like that is still on the table, both writing- and artwise. If nothing else, just keep your eyes on this blog or the Twitter feed.

What's different about the SCROLL blog?

I probably don't need to tell you that the web is a great place to get bits of cool stuff delivered on a regular basis, and... this won't be much different. Anything too tiny for print will be put here -- not to mention videos and audio, since those often make for terrible experiences on paper. I can't promise this will be worth your time as much as the magazine, but adding the feed to your reader can't hurt, eh?

Didn't you call it a "midzine?"

Uh, yeah. But it was kind of tongue-in-cheek, and more people ran with it than expected. I just thought it was a cute word to describe the kind of one-man show/minimal page count/semipro-design joint I wanted to strive for.

About Ray

I've been writing about games since 2001, when I joined the Gaming Intelligence Agency. When that ended, GIA cohort Alex Fraioli and I started the sophormoric Crunk Games, which was technically abandoned in 2005, but it's where I continue to host the Game Center CX Episode Guide, the only place in my life a fan page about a Japanese video game show could conceivably exist. I joined 1UP.com full-time in 2006 and was there for four years. During that time, I had a job. I continue to write about games freelance and am always receptive of new opportunities, so if you like what you see, get in touch.