Author Topic: In Loving Memory of Mike Hrusecky  (Read 1101 times)

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Offline John Rairdin

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In Loving Memory of Mike Hrusecky
« on: June 10, 2022, 05:56:19 AM »

The NWR community says goodbye to one of our founding members.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/sitenews/60632/in-loving-memory-of-mike-hrusecky

Nintendo World Report has a relatively long history on the internet, but even so, it feels far too early to be saying goodbye to one of our founding staff members. Mike Hrusecky passed away on May 24th at the age of 44. Several of our former staff members reached out to share their grief and a few also wanted to share some memories of Mike in his honor. We would also like to ask that should it fall within your means, you'd consider donating to the expenses face by his family. They are struggling with funeral expenses and have set up a Go Fund Me for donations, so if you’ve ever appreciated Mike’s work, please consider joining us in donating.

Memories of Mike Hrusecky

Max Lake

Back in the day (late 90s) the BEST Nintendo site (or best website period?? I sure thought so!) was the N64HQ. It was constantly updated with news, reviews, and speculation, and while there was a large stable of writers working there, it was primarily run by the dynamic duo of Scott McCall and Mike Hrusecky. They did a phenomenal job and I was addicted! After the HQ closed, HQer Justin Nation opened the 64 Source, and he gave me a shot at working there. I had the opportunity to be a video game journalist—just like Mike and Scott!!! Moreover, I strove to work as hard as I could at the 64 Source, so I could help build a website that others found as addicting as I found N64HQ! Mike and Scott’s influence, and my hard work, paid off and Justin Nation moved me up to a senior editor position. It was awesome and an unbelievable experience!

A few years later, I was out of the game and another former HQer, Billy Berghammer sought me out for a NEW website, what would become Planet GameCube (and eventually Nintendo World Report), but I wasn’t really interested, regardless of how much Billy tried to twist my arm. That is, until he told me that not only was my old boss Justin Nation possibly joining the fold, Mike and Scott, my heroes from the HQ, were involved too. Work with my two website heroes? I couldn’t resist!

Scott did not stick around long, but Mike became a key part of PGC, working with us daily to have some of the best 24-7 Nintendo news, previews, opinions and news online. When I took on the ill fated E3 video project of 2001, Mike was in charge of compiling the bonus features CD-Rom, and while it seemed like the whole world was breathing down my neck to finish it and get it out (with good reason!), Mike was calm and patient with me, even supportive, doing whatever he could to do his part to get the project completed and help me do anything possible to help me finish my end. I have always been grateful for that.

In fact, I was just thinking about that, and Mike, the other day and wondering how he was. Oddly (and tragically) enough, it wasn’t long after that I heard from a whole slew of my old colleagues outta the blue. When I finally figured out why they were getting in touch, it was because they wanted to let all of us who worked with Mike know that he had passed away unexpectedly. Like all of us, I was incredibly surprised and saddened by this news, and want to extend my deepest condolences and sympathies to all of Mike’s fans, friends and family in this extremely difficult time.

While I didn’t know Mike as well as I did some of my other online colleagues I had the opportunity to work with him over my brief “career” as a Nintendo fan journalist, he was always one of my heroes; someone I looked up to, admired, and strove to be like. Even now in death he is inspiring me, to take life by the horns and live it to the fullest, because it is so clearly over before you know it or expect it at any moment. Thanks for everything, Mike Hrusecky! RIP! You will be missed and never forgotten!

Ty Shughart

Mike Hrusecky, along with Scott McCall, set the standard on how to do online game coverage in the 90s with N64 HQ. I'm not overstating this, and if you have fond memories of loading up the best Nintendo coverage online on your slow-as-balls dial-up-connected family PC in the mid-90s, you can still see and feel his influence here on this very website, glowing in liquid crystal, right in front of your face.

To Mike, I am eternally grateful for the opportunity he gave me back then, that in no small way helped set the trajectory for the rest of my life.

Billy Berghammer

Before Mike worked at PlanetN2000, I was a Mike fan! Back well before the N64 launched, I was working the overnight shift at a radio station. It was rather slow in the middle of the night, and as we had internet in the studio (yay Netscape!), I would often find myself searching for video game news online – particularly about the N64. This is where I came across the N64HQ, which Mike was a co-founder of. I loved this website, and looked forward to their daily updates. When the opportunity came for people to apply to write for this website, and although I had never written about videogames before, I sent them an article and luckily was invited to join. While I can’t be totally certain where my career trajectory would have gone if it weren’t for the N64HQ, it’s quite possible that I may have never written about video games, or even started this website you are currently reading. It broke my heart when the N64HQ closed, but it’s what eventually changed my life.

After PlanetN2000 was up and running for a bit, I began looking for people to join the team. Although I thought it would be a lofty goal, I went after previous N64HQ staff and was super excited to get Mike to join the team. While Mike initially was in charge of our Mailbag (yes, that used to be a thing back in the early 2000s), Mike also wrote numerous stuff for the site as well, and his knowledge and his sense of humor fit in well with the site. But what I will credit him the most with is his work on our early video projects. As I was someone who had minimal video experience, he was truly instrumental in editing and putting together the Planet GameCube Japan Experience, which I literally just gave him my stuff, some minimal guidance, and he was off. It turned out incredibly well, and the trailer alone just blew my mind, and the end result is something I still see referenced today. Then he also was part of the team with Adam Kontras for the E3 2002 DVD, which also turned out to be something I could have ever dreamed of our site producing. Mike was super whip smart, and I’m proud to say I got to work alongside him.

While we’ve lost touch through the years, he ultimately was a part of where I am today, and for that, I am eternally grateful. For the time I knew you, we got to do some pretty incredible stuff. Mike, thank you for everything. You will be missed.


Offline Justin Nation

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Re: In Loving Memory of Mike Hrusecky
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2022, 11:59:03 AM »
Since I didn't interact with Mike much directly and didn't want to oversell my connection to him I didn't feel comfortable writing something up for the proper article. That said, I also would be remiss not to acknowledge the tremendous impact his efforts and general guidance for sites I was involved with, from the HQ to PGC obviously, had on my life. If it weren't for the N64HQ and the opportunity it afforded me to participate in that piece of Nintendo history I'm not sure what I'd be doing with my "free time" today or throughout my college years. He was a piece of the roadmap that showed that passionate people could really accomplish something if they were willing to commit the time and effort to reach for excellence. For that, wanted to be sure my thanks was properly counted, even if I wouldn't presume to have considered myself as more than an acquaintance by association.
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