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GoNintendo will be back in action sometime this year

by rawmeatcowboy
23 July 2021
GN Version 5.0

I've never been one to bury the lead or tease things out, and I'm continuing that tradition today. Just like the title says, GoNintendo is going to make a return to daily updates sometime in 2021.

When in 2021 will we be back to usual? That's a question I can't answer yet, as there's a ton of stuff I have to do before we're ready to go. This isn't going to be a straightforward return to the old ways. My goal is to give GoNintendo the "Version 2.0" update that it has desperately needed for years now. Don't worry, as everything you love about old GN will very much be a part of the revamp. That said, if things go as I'm planning, there will be major changes to delivered content and the people putting it together.

One of my main goals for the revamp is a greatly expanded team. I'm going to be 40 in just over a year, and I can't keep cranking out content like I did for the last 18+ years. I need to give myself a regular schedule where I can walk away from the computer at a certain time of the day, while at the same time knowing someone more than capable is stepping in to take the next shift. I'm going to be casting a very wide net to see who wants to try things out going forward, and I'm hoping that includes some of the familiar faces that have worked on the site before. I haven't even reached out to those people yet, but if all goes well, we'll have a great mix of names your recognize alongside fresh-face newcomers.

Along with that comes a greater focus on Features. That won't be at the expense of news, mind you. Anyone on staff will be able to put together opinion pieces, reviews, previews, interviews, and more. That includes myself, as this new approach to work will give me more free time to create expanded content. The hope is that our team will have a reliable schedule of all this content going forward, and it will be showcased in a way that will be easy to find, while also being spotlighted. If people are going to work their butts off on these features, I want to make sure they get time to shine.

Obviously, the site itself will have to be reworked as well. I've always been hesitant to do a complete overhaul, but if there were ever a time to do that, it's certainly now. Again, I haven't reached out to the people behind-the-scenes to make this happen, but I'll certainly be turning to them first. If they're on-board with all the work ahead and minutiae, then we'll make it happen. Perhaps we'll even bring in some others to help out with that side of the site work. One way or another, we'll make sure that retooling happens. GoNintendo has long since needed a fresh coat of paint, and the only excuse for it not happening was me dragging my feet and getting caught up in the day-to-day news postings.

Lots and lots to do, and an end-goal of launching things before 2021 closes out. I wish I could give you a better answer as to when, but I really don't know. Truth be told, I've spent every day since my last post thinking about what my future looks like. There was a long time there where I thought I was officially done with GN, and I only just came to an final decision a couple days ago. I've been mulling over a ton of stuff, thinking about what life looks like from here on out, all while going to therapy and trying to find my new normal. While doing all that, there was one thing that kept bouncing around my brain. I couldn't stop thinking about you guys.

I can't express how much I've missed all of you. This community has meant so much to me over the years, and you've helped me reach heights and achieve things I never thought possible. So many amazing moments in my life are directly tied to your support. Memories I'll never, ever forget, people I've become close with, connections to my idols, and so much more. The last 5+ months ripped me from all of you, and the site in general. Having that connection severed impacted my life so much, and in ways I never would have considered. I honestly lost part of who I am, and I'm still feeling that now. Working on GN and creating content for you guys bled into so many other areas of my life. You're the connective tissue that holds everything together for me. Again, that connection was torn apart with an unforeseen event, but after a lot of soul searching and uncomfortable convos, I feel like it's time for me to repair that connection.

What's the site going to look like while I work towards the relaunch? My itch to write has been almost unbearable, so I might drop in from time to time with some features. Please don't expect any schedule for that content. It'll be when I have something to write about, and when the motivation hits me. My complete focus is on getting GN ready for its relaunch, so all the other stuff is superfluous right now. That said, you can expect posts on site progress, ideas for the relaunch, general status updates, requests for new staffers, and more. Long story short, the site's not going to be what it used to be during this rebuilding process, but it won't be completely dead either.

With all that said, the long road to getting GoNintendo in tip-top shape begins. There's sure to be bumps, struggles, and issues along the way, but I promise you it's happening. I'll give everything I have to make that a reality.

Thank you for your support through this entire mess, as it's the reason why I've arrived at this path forward. Your emails, texts, social media posts, and so much more...they all matter more than you could ever know. I understand there's frustration in not knowing what I've gone through, but you've also shown great respect and restraint in letting me heal. I don't know that I'll ever feel like I used to, but I definitely have a great passion inside to revive GoNintendo. It's taken a long time to figure out what I need to do, and now that I've arrived at that realization, I'm incredibly driven to tackle the work ahead.

2021 has been the worst year of my life, and has forever changed me as a person. It challenged me in ways I could have never predicted. I don't want that to be my story for this year. I want to make sure 2021 will end on a personal high point. To those who are still here and reading this, thank you for giving me the strength to push on. Here's to GN 2.0, gang!

P.S. ...and yes, the podcast is coming back!