Chris Kohler

From Teenage Fanzines to Digital Frontiers

Chris Kohler’s career began at 13 when he launched Video Zone, a fanzine that caught the eye of industry veterans like Arnie Katz. This early passion project laid the groundwork for a career defined by curiosity and rigor. By 2002, after graduating summa cum laude from Tufts University and earning a Fulbright scholarship, he published his first book, Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life, establishing himself as a bridge between Japanese gaming culture and global audiences[1].

Pioneering Games Journalism at WIRED

In 2005, Kohler founded WIRED’s Game|Life, one of the first dedicated gaming verticals in mainstream tech media. His tenure there included creating a weekly video series that dissected industry trends, earning a Webby nomination in 2008. Notable scoops during this era included:

• Exclusive interviews with Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto
• Deep dives into the cultural impact of Final Fantasy
• Early critiques of microtransactions in AAA games

“Games aren’t just products—they’re time capsules of technological and artistic evolution.”

Interactive Storytelling at Digital Eclipse

Since 2020, Kohler has redefined game preservation as Editorial Director at Digital Eclipse, spearheading projects like Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration. These “interactive documentaries” blend playable classics with archival materials, setting a new standard for historical preservation in gaming[4].

Key Articles and Impact

• Chris Kohler's two-minute guide to the 2025 Federal Budget (9 News Australia, March 2025) In this concise breakdown, Kohler demystifies Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ pre-election budget, highlighting winners (renewable energy sectors) and losers (traditional manufacturing). His ability to distill complex fiscal policies into accessible takeaways reflects his pivot into financial journalism while maintaining his signature clarity.
• Final Fantasy V (Boss Fight Books, 2017) This deep dive into Square’s cult-classic RPG explores how its job system influenced modern game design. Kohler combines developer interviews with cultural analysis, arguing for the game’s role in popularizing Japanese RPG mechanics globally.
• Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration (Digital Eclipse, 2022) As project lead, Kohler curated 90+ playable games alongside never-before-seen documents, creating what Polygon called “the new gold standard for retro compilations.” The project’s success lies in its contextualization of gaming history as lived experience.

Pitching Recommendations

1. Budget Analysis with Gaming Industry Parallels

Kohler excels at drawing connections between economic policies and tech/gaming sectors. A successful pitch might explore how AI regulation impacts indie game development, mirroring his 2025 budget analysis that linked tax incentives to esports growth[5].

2. Historical Tech Preservation Case Studies

With Digital Eclipse’s Tetris Forever upcoming, Kohler seeks stories about preserving digital artifacts. Pitch examples like the recent discovery of lost Sega Genesis prototypes or interviews with video game archivists.

3. Cross-Cultural Design Innovations

Leverage his expertise in Japanese gaming culture. A piece comparing Pokémon’s global localization strategies to current AI-driven translation tools would align with his book research methodologies[1].

Awards and Achievements

• Webby Award Nomination (2008): For Game|Life’s video series, recognized among early innovators in digital games journalism.
• Stitcher Award Winner (2016, 2018): As co-host of Good Job, Brain!, Kohler helped create one of the most beloved trivia podcasts, showcasing his versatility beyond traditional journalism.
• BAFTA Nomination (2024): For Tetris Forever, cementing his status in interactive media preservation.