So I’ve started a YouTube channel – among other things – and called it Professor Hartman. What is it? It’s a platform for me to share my ~40 years (or more) experience in topics such as:
- Game Design
- Game Development
- Game Theory
- Video Game Industry
- Community Management
- Fun
- Monetization
- Business Models
- Design
- UI/UX
- Technology
- Entrepreneurism
- Startups
- Business
- Politics
- Art & Culture
- Esports
I will also have a sub-platform called “Papa Hartman” where I share life advice for people under 30 years old who may not have had someone in their family to be a role model or provide useful life advice to help them get a head start on life.
Where do I get off considering myself an expert on these topics? Well…
- I have 35 years of experience as a professional video game developer.
- I founded two studios and published 10 games.
- I was the pioneer/creator/inventor of the Free-to-Play (F2P) business model (my first F2P game launched in 1991; my first internet F2P game began development in 1993 and launched in 1996). F2P now fuels about 80% of the video game market. F2P can be ethical and amazing if used respectfully and intelligently.
- When I self-taught myself how to program, build video games, craft narratives, design worlds, write stories, put games online, and make them multiplayer, there was: no YouTube, no Reddit, no Stack Overflow, no ChatGPT or other AI/LLMs. You just had to figure it out.
- I have spoken at more game conferences and conventions than I can count and volunteered at 50+ schools K-college to spread an understanding of education and entertainment in video game related areas.
- Throughout my career, I have obsessed over good design principles, quality UI/UX, and most importantly: understanding and delivering FUN.
- My studios and games have led the industry in monetization systems with high customer engagement, participation, and appreciation.
- Our online games have the most positive, inclusive, diverse, and enjoyable communities in the gaming world.
- Understanding technology, entrepreneurism, startups, and business have been natural and obvious areas of mastery I obtained along the way.
- Video games, as both art form and entertainment, are now a primary medium impacting, reflecting, affecting, and driving culture. Similarly, due to their size and scope, video games continually touch on current events and politics.
- Before my video game career, I briefly worked as an attorney, and I have a Juris Doctor (JD) from the University of Georgia School of Law.
- Before that, I was a page, intern, and full-time staff member for a US Senator, topping out as a speechwriter and researcher. I thought politics and diplomacy would be my path, and I graduated from Georgetown University with a BSFS in International Law, Politics, and Organization.
- I have founded and run two non-profits to promote and grow esports. One has been handed over to others to continue, and the other – Bluegrass Esports – is still one of my pet projects. I have also taught a college course on the History of Video Games and Esports for a few years. I am very passionate about esports and the potential that has barely been tapped.
- For the last 6 years, I’ve been a college professor passing on my knowledge and experience about video games, design, and many of the other topics here to my students at multiple universities.
- I am happily married to an immigrant and naturalized citizen of the United States. Her support has been fundamental to everything I have done or succeeded at in the last 25 years. Together, we have two daughters who are the most spectacular people evolution has yet to create. They are both brilliant, creative, fascinating, hard-working, dedicated, loyal, devoted, empathetic, caring, good human beings. It would be impossible to be more proud and amazed by them.
So that’s why I think I’m qualified to talk about these topics, but ultimately that determination will be up to you: readers and watchers.
Enjoy and have fun!