Eric Van Allen

Writer

Austin, TX

I'm a writer and reporter who excels at finding stories and talking to the people behind them. Over five years in the industry, I've covered the most dominant players in esports, complex investigations into potential wrongdoing, and the minds behind beloved games.I've managed a team of writers, hosted major charity streams, and taken big panels from conception to execution.(art by Sam Woolley, GMG)

Eric Van Allen

Writer

Austin, TX

Review: Unicorn Overlord
Few studios manage to hook my attention quite like Vanillaware does. Each of Vanillaware’s games is singular and unique in its own way, but still carries the identifiable hallmarks of its developers’ art, thinking, and approach. So with Vanillaware return
Destructoid
Alan Wake 2 forges a full-circle moment with Poe on ‘This Road’
You could say that Alan Wake 2 was decades in the making. Last year’s blockbuster from Remedy saw the studio return to its roots and the horrors therein, dredging up the past to loop into something new, now. But it wasn’t just the main character or gamepl
Destructoid
Frieren is a gorgeous, melancholic anime set after the RPG adventure ends
Many stories portray brave adventurers in their quest across the land to retrieve an artifact or stop a great evil. It’s less common to see a story look at what happens after the quest ends. When, after the celebration and ushering in of a new era, the ad
Destructoid
Larian founder Swen Vincke on dice, druids, and Baldur’s Gate 3
Putting a game out early to the public can be tricky, but Early Access is not new to Larian Studios anymore. The RPG studio utilized a staggered launch with Divinity: Original Sin and its sequel to their success, and now with Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s looking for a third win. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been growing pains, though.
Destructoid
How a Trash-Talking Furry Became Esports' Dominant Player
Wired Magazine
Artifact’s monetization structure is making Valve money and some gamers very angry
A new digital card game that encourages players to spend money to build their collections has been categorized as an outrage by detractors. The outrage stems from the fact that many users believe players need to spend a significant amount of money, beyond the game’s $20 purchase price, to be properly competitive.
The Washington Post
Hitman 2 gives one of 2016’s best games a second shot at success
Polygon
Big Data Is The Future Of Esports
“Game developers don’t like me,” said Sabina Hemmi. “Before I came around, there was no insight into how balanced a game was.”. Hemmi is joking. Partially. As the co-founder of DotaBuff, a site that provides statistics about Dota 2 gameplay, she can show with hard data if certain characters are stronger or weaker, and in what areas.
Compete
15 Years Later, Here's Why A Gamer Was Duct-Taped To A Ceiling
Few photos from the forum ages of online gaming live in greater infamy than one of what appears to be a human duct taped to the ceiling of a dimly lit basement, his arms reaching out to lightly graze the keys of a Dell mechanical keyboard. Many have laid claim to this image. “I was there,” they say.
Compete
How Will Esports Solve Their Broadcast Problem?
On the latest episode of Achievement Oriented, Ben Lindbergh and Jason Concepcion talked to Compete’s Eric Van Allen about the challenges of broadcasting esports.
The Ringer

About

Eric Van Allen

Adobe Premiere

Final Cut Pro

Avid Media Composer

Audacity

GarageBand

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe AfterEffects

OBS

Fraps

XSplit

Adobe Media Encoder

Adobe Creative Suite

HTML

CSS

DSLR cameras

Studio camera equipment

Elgato HD

Hauppauge

Video capture devices

Studio lighting

Audio engineering

Live streaming

Writing

Editing

Non-linear editing

Confident on-camera

Gaming knowledge

Project management

Team coordination

Fast learner

Strong work ethic

Creative eye

writer, video producer, podcaster

bylines at:
Destructoid
USgamer
GIbiz
Wired
Fanbyte
Polygon
PC Gamer
Waypoint / Vice
Washington Post
Compete
Kotaku
Deadspin
Fanbyte
ESPN Esports
IGN
Paste Magazine
Playboy
The Meta / Kill Screen