Gamers United 2009 – Donating Games For a Good Cause
Rock On, Gamers
To get into the perfect holiday season mood, what better way than to donate to a great cause? Last Wednesday, I was invited to go to the Gamers United event in LA at the Custom Hotel. A list of gaming and nerd culture celebs were there which includes Carlos Ferro, who played Dom from the Gears of War franchise. With over 100 games donated to the UCLA Hospital for the youth recreational area, the event was a pure success and I’m looking forward to next year’s event.
The event was all fun and games especially since I had to grab a couple of interviews from different voice artists. I grabbed interviews with Jeff Rector, Jennifer Hale, Greg Berger and Spike Spencer. Let’s jump into the funniest interview that I had: Spike Spencer
Jeff Rector and Spike Spencer
‘I did not f*** that sheep.’ Truly, the weirdest thing anyone has said to me to end an interview. With his latest work being Supa Pirate Booty Hunt, Spike always keep himself busy whether it be VO work for games or animation of different assortments. Spike claims that this new series is better than some of the stuff is on Adult Swim. I suggest that you all check the link to catch on the series. For those who are wondering what Spike is known for, he has VO’d as Hanataro Yamada from the anime: Bleach.
For those who didn’t go to the event, Gamers United was a get-together of the gaming industry to donate for a good cause. While the evening started slow, it kicked into high-gear when everyone was there. There was plenty of drinks and food to go around, with an ‘exclusive’ VIP lounge upstairs. With great hosting by the staff, I am already looking forward to next year’s event. Another person that I know is looking forward to next year’s event is Jeff Rector.
Being a believer in the old classic tellings of vampire stories, Jeff Rector was not afraid to tell me upfront that Twilight was not a vampire movie or even a werewolf movie. With a long list of IMDB Vampire flicks, you can truly call him a ‘Leader for Vampire Storytelling’. In 2008, he put out his own movie that he wrote, directed and acted in called Revamped. In the 1995, he did some voice-over work for a game called Phantasmagoria. That is his only claim to the gaming industry though.
Alexis Cruz, Greg Breger and Jennifer Hale
Voice of Grimlock, Greg Berger has became a famous VO artist for video games. With his most recent roles being tied to Uncharted 2 and Infamous, he definitely is connected to the industry. His most famous roles are Jecht from FF-X and Odie from Garfield. When it comes to actually sitting down and playing games, Greg Berger is more of a classic gamer. Greg has worked on many different Star Wars roles, which he worked alongside Jennifer Hale.
Last but not least is the adorable Jennifer Hale. Known for her Star Wars voice-over work, Jennifer played the nerdtacular character: Bastilia from Knights of the Old Republic. You may also know her for her recent roll in Brütal Legend, when she played Ophelia. She isn’t a gamer herself, but being able to put her in the story with each character she does is enough for her.
Overall, the event was a great success in being able to donate dozens of games to kids that are ill and away from their families or homes this holiday season. Meeting all the different exciting people makes me want to go to another event soon.
