Your Top 50 Games: 2013 Discussion Thread (The Final Day!)

[Smeags]

As the old year ends and the new year begins, let me start by saying that it's been a blast to be a part of this event with you all. It's funny, as reading all of your top games has actually helped me know you guys a little better. After all, these games have helped to shape us through the years as a gamer, and some of these games have had the capacity to shape us as people as well. And to know you guys a little bit better, all while sharing our favorite games out there and how they make us tick as a gamer... well that's just a great thing all around.

I've been here for almost six years now, and to be quite honest, there's a lot on this site that I don't like. The petty arguments, the transparent agendas, the soulless cheer-leading, the mean spirited trolling... to say that it hasn't taken its toll on me and my enjoyment of this site would be a lie. As this year came to a close, the thought of leaving was an idea I had to seriously consider. Some of you already knew this, some of you didn't. But I decided to do the Top 50 Event one more time, finish the way I wanted to finish, and see where the new year would send me.

Obviously one event isn't going to have the final say in whether I would stay or not, but I can honestly say that this event reminded me that there's still a lot of folks out there who are here to share their love of video games with others. Not to push a multi-billion faceless company down other people's throats, but to celebrate why we're all here in the first place: because this amazing medium of ours has impacted us in some way, shape, or form.

So here's to you all. All of you that took your time to participate in some way or another. Thank you for reminding me of why I'm here in the first place. Thank you for the great conversations, the big laughs, and the camaraderie that can exist between us gamers, regardless of which console we own. I tip my hat to you all, and I'll always appreciate those who understand that in the end, it's all about the games.

Happy New Year. *raises goblet*

-Smeags