About

So what is Front Towards Gamer?

Front Towards Gamer is brain child of site founder Steve “Shanghai Six” Machuga, with the intent of carving out a small place on the internet to call home. Front Towards Gamer provides reviews, editorials, and even some random stuff for gamers of all ages and types. Our motto here “Never Fight Alone” and we try to embody that with everything we do.

What can I except from FTG?

Only the most cutting edge news, helpful reviews and game guides, and a group of very entertaining writers who come up with some great articles. Oh, and don’t forget about The Claymore Podcasting Network, a collection of podcasts put together by our talented staff.

What’s With The Claymores?

The site “mascot” is an M18 Claymore Mine. Yes, it’s a strange thing to have an anti-personnel mine as a mascot, but there you go. A claymore mine is a directional command detonated mine that is the equivalent of a giant shotgun shell that shoots out about 100+ steel balls 100 meters in front of wherever it’s placed at a 60 degree angle at waist height.

This nasty little toy was used in Vietnam to help secure the perimeter of patrol bases, but Vietnamese troops would find them, turn them around in the middle of the night and point them towards the US encampment. Eventually, the mine makers stamped “Front Towards Enemy” on the front of the mine so troops wouldn’t accidentally set the mine up backwards, also making it easier to tell which direction the mine was facing in the dark.

What’s the Claymore Podcasting Network?

The Claymore Podcasting Network is a One-Stop-Shop for video game and Nerd related podcasts. The number of shows fluctuates over time, but currently consists of three programs: the flagship podcast for the site, Front Towards Gamer Radio, the bastard child, Gametwerp podcast, and the creepy uncle, 20 Sides of Nerd.

What is Front Towards Gamer Radio all about?

C-list internet gaming celebrities, look out! Founder of Front Towards Gamer Stephen “Shanghai Six” Machuga stalks video game personalities from across the internet and tries to get them for interviews!

Sandwiching the interviews for their “Intro/Outro” segments, Shanghai, Craig “Batman5273″ Kandiko, Gigi “GamerGirlTalk” and a variety of FTG staff members talk about the latest in gaming news and site happenings every week.

What is Gametwerp Podcast?

Four guys, four mics, and thousands of games to talk about. Everything from the NES to the PS3, plus original segments like Flashback, Bullet List, The Rant, and Gag Reel. Join ChaingunPope, TheBrain, Heyfling, and Iyield2no1 for a hilarious trek across video game news, reviews, and everything in between. Need some entertainment during your morning commute, work break, or just a new spin on video games? The Gametwerp Podcast has got you covered.

20 Sides of Nerd?
Can a Mac and Console gamer get along with a PC gamer without driving each other crazy? In 20 Sides of Nerd, we aim to find out. We, Emdee and Draeno, join forces to tackle the tough issues in the nerdy world. Be it games, tech, comics, film, or just talking about the things that annoy us, we’ll give you a hour worth listening to.

What is Operation Supply Drop?

Operation Supply Drop is Front Towards Gamer’s charity wing, focusing on raising money to build video game care packages for troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. OSD raised $30000 in 2011 and Shanghai Six was overwhelmingly nominated as one of IGN’s “Top 30 Persons of the Year” by fans.

Founder Shanghai Six spent a total of two calendar years deployed overseas with the 82nd Airborne Division and 2nd Infantry Division to 13 straight months in Iraq. While deployed, he got a care package full of used Harlequin romance novels from a library. It was at that moment he realized that while people had their hearts in the right place and were trying to do the right thing by sending care packages, they just didn’t know what soldiers wanted. And that’s video games. Duh.

I’m a video game journalist who’s like really good at typing and words and typing words, how do I like, do that for Front Towards Gamer?

The front page of a news site like Front Towards Gamer is an ever hungry beast, ravenously devouring articles and always needing more. There will always a need for talented writers and editors, so why not step up and join us? Write a current article that you think would be interesting for gamers, keep it between 500-750 words, send it to ShanghaiSix@fronttowardsgamer.com. The current full time writing standard is one article a week, while contributors only need to write once a month to stay on the books.

If you’ve got other skillz/talents you’d like to lend us like podcast editing, creating gameplay videos, writing walkthroughs or any number of things, write to that email address and we’ll see about working with you!

I’m a business person who’s interested in advertising and/or sponsoring Front Towards Gamer and/or Operation Supply Drop, Who do I give my money to?

We would love to take….uh I mean put your money to good use. Send an email to Steve at ShanghaiSix AT fronttowardsgamer DOT com and he will provide you with the off shore account numbers you will need to send all your money to…I meant to say he will be more than happy to help you spend your money. I guess that isn’t much better.

Oh well you get the idea.