(Credit: didi.doo_. Check out her illustrations!)
As the media landscape gradually collapses, a friend has recommended that I start a newsletter—perhaps as a way to fill the time and space when I don’t have that many commissions to work on.
So, hi! If you’ve somehow stumbled upon this newsletter (and myself) for the very first time, thank you so much for dropping by! I’m Khee Hoon Chan (call me “Khee Hoon”, please!), a one-time award-winning freelance journalist from Singapore, and a member of The Game Awards’ Future Class in 2021.1 I would like to think of myself as an investigative journalist and critic, having written about the difficulties of indie games development in China and India, and delved deep into some of my favourite games, to name a few. These few clips should give you a rough idea of what I like to write about.
(Outside of journalism, I’m a copywriter and editor for various tech brands and agencies. These two worlds don’t really intersect, fortunately.)
What I will write about on Changelog
Yes, I’m calling this little corner of the internet “Changelog”. I did have another name for this newsletter, but that has been taken up by some other writer (what’s the original name? Here’s a clue: it’s a phrase like changelog, but more frequently used in games)2. Here’s hoping that this name sticks!
But back to the topic—what will I write about here? I believe they will fall within (but not limited to) these broad categories:
#1: Additional reporting/behind the scenes
This came to me when I was working on a story that required me to interview at least 20 people or so, but for an article that only required 2000 words (or, realistically, an article that only gets me paid $200 or so for an investigative piece. Now you know how unsustainable the games media landscape is for most freelancers). I can’t possibly include everything in the articles I publish for sites, so think of this as “behind the scenes” stuff where I share more details, within legal and ethical boundaries obviously, on the stuff that don’t fit the main story.
#2: Article roundups/announcements
Not my favourite type to write because I don’t foresee myself writing that frequently for publications to have enough content for frequent roundup post, but who knows? Maybe I’ll have a full-time journalism job one day! Maybe I’ll be laid off in five minutes! Maybe I’ll be writing a book! The point is, you’ll get first dibs on these exciting announcements.
#3: Opinions
Some general opinions and thoughts about certain affairs within the sphere of games, tech and culture. This, I would imagine, would be akin to articles like Hogwarts Legacy’s stained legacy, or Sifu being a soulless caricature, or just things that just get me yelled at by the bastions of capital-g Gaming.
Subs you should definitely read
I do believe that as journalists, especially freelance journalists, supporting one another’s works is vital to keeping our little community/industry alive. That’s why I’m recommending a couple of writers you should be following:
Shannon Liao: Shannon is one of the best investigative journalists in the biz having been published in high-profile places, from The Washington Post to CNN. Her Substack regularly publishes insights and scoops you can’t find elsewhere (such as why Sega employees are forming a union), and even if you’re not a gggggamer, her articles are always an invigorating read.
Mikhail Klimentov: Mikhail has exceedingly great insights into the workings of the games industry, like how the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has now referred to himself as a massive ggggggamer, and Saudi Arabia’s esports/gaming ambitions.
(To piggyback this particular conversation, I have also investigated the huge backlash towards a Rainbow Six Siege tournament being held in the UAE for TheGamer, speaking to players from the region about how they feel. There are accusations of sports-washing and a general sense of unease around the whole affair. Honestly, I would love to do more of such reporting again one day.)
Carli Velocci - Paid in Exposure: Carli writes about the feeling of impending doom that persists in games media and, more broadly, journalism. Her articles are fascinating, and often punctuated with a dry wit that makes her writing deeply poignant. If you’re keen to learn more about the dire state of journalism, you can definitely start here.
Henry Stockdale: Henry is a friend and brilliant writer who should be read more. He just started his Substack recently (we are on the same boat!), and is a Staff Writer at UploadVR (not so much on the same boat for this one).
Great! How can I start supporting you?
You can subscribe! I’m not monetizing these posts for now, but if you really want to help me out, a small tip (and a paid subscription, perhaps?) can really go a long way in helping me pay my bills. If not, don’t worry about it, but sharing the word on this will really help.
Talk to you soon!
Khee Hoon
A distinction that honestly does very little for me in terms of my career, given that TGA (and the games media and industry) is ultimately pretty American- and anglo-centric.
Answer: I did want to name this newsletter “Patch Notes”, but turns out it wasn’t a good idea. Check out patchnotesdotsubstackdotcom to know why.