Read the piece that won Games Writer of the Year at last night’s GMAs

Want to read Dan Douglas’ award winning article that definitely isn’t called video games saved my life”?

You’re in luck.

The piece was published on Midnight Resistance in July and last night claimed the second ever Games Writer of the Year prize at the Games Media Awards.

All games journalists (specialist, non-specialist, print and online) were invited to enter submission for consideration. Once again, the nominations were judged – totally anonymously – by award-winning journalist and Guardian columnist Tim Lott.

The fascinating piece explains how Douglas, suffering from a period of deep depression, found some small enthusiasm for life again through rediscovering video games.

I restarted playing on a small-scale – stumbling upon a charming, simplistic game called Airport Mania (aptly titled, perhaps, considering the mental state which would consequently prompt its acquisition), which caught my eye cropping up advertised in a sidebar,” it reads.

Hurtling through the demo at a rate of knots prompted purchase of the full version, which I completed in one sitting. The sheer act of clicking icons, engaging with an interface, dealing with tasks thrown at me unrelentingly, and undertaking a sliver of responsibility for decisions was immensely therapeutic: the sensation of control over anything, no matter how trivial, had been temporarily absent in my life. I squeezed every drop of play out of the damn thing.

That’s enough spoilers – we urge you to read the full piece.

Well done, Dan.