2005 is about to come to an end, and Metagame.com will be closing up shop as our writers and editors get some well-deserved rest and recharge for 2006. Not to worry, loyal readers—we have some great “Best of 2005” content lined up over the holidays! You’ll be able to revisit each writer’s favorite articles over the past year along with some commentary on each. I will pitch in my own two cents as well, highlighting my Editor’s Picks for articles and writers in 2005.

As we wind down 2005, I’d like to thank our extremely talented and dedicated team of editors: Cate Muscat, Kate Sullivan, Mary Van Tyne, Rachel Haimowitz, and Anand Khare. They edit articles on a daily basis, and because they work behind the scenes, they don’t get nearly enough credit for all the great work they do. When an event such as a Pro Circuit, Shonen Jump Championship, or $10K tournament happens over a weekend, these editors are parked at their computers, editing and posting content live as it comes in. No easy task, and if you’re in California posting an article on Kuala Lumpur time, it takes a lot of focus (and caffeine!) to get the job done.

It’s an often thankless job; when coverage goes well, it’s easy to take it for granted and not notice all the work that goes into it. So, I hope I speak for the Vs. System and the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG communities when I offer my thanks and appreciation. I’d send some holiday cookies or gingerbread, but I think free Red Bull or some extremely strong coffee would be more appropriate.

I’d also like to thank Jason Grabher-Meyer and Anand Khare for their work as Contributing Editors and for their contributions to their respective communities. These writers are our source of information from within the community, as they do coverage of most $10K and Shonen Jump Championship tournaments. They come back to us with the scoop from down in the trenches and help us keep a pulse on what’s going on. They are experts at their respective games, making their feedback extremely valuable to the overall direction of the website.

Of course, I also need to thank our incredible writing staff. These guys turn in quality articles every day like clockwork, covering every aspect of the games and giving us something new to look forward to every day. Coming up with a new topic every week and keeping it interesting is far more difficult than it seems. If there’s a particular writer you appreciate, be sure to send him or her some positivity and appreciation. It warms a writer’s heart to know that the audience cares.

When I talk about our writing staff, I’m obliged to acknowledge the hard work that goes into covering major events. Writers who participate in live Metagame.com coverage sacrifice their weekends (and sometimes vacation days), spend more time in airplanes and hotels than most of us will ever know, and work twelve to sixteen hour days to bring us all the stories. It’s a great job that can be a lot of fun, but it’s also nonstop work and extremely stressful. If you’re at a major event and you see a Metagame writer, try to thank them when they’re not busy. Better yet, toss them a caffeinated beverage—they’ll probably give you a big hug. These guys spend days traveling and frantically pounding away at keyboards with very little rest so that we can enjoy an event from the comfort of our homes. It helps to remember that.

Finally, I’d like to thank all of you, the readers. We have an excellent staff of editors and writers, but it doesn’t mean anything without the support of readers like you. We’ve aimed to elevate Vs. System and Yu-Gi-Oh! by approaching each game with the professionalism they deserve, and I think we’ve succeeded in meeting those expectations. I hope that you continue to read and enjoy our work and help us to make these communities even bigger. As always, I encourage you to email me at toby@metagame.com with your feedback so that I can know what we’re doing right and what you’d like to see from us in the future.

I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday season, and we’ll see you back here in 2006. Until then, enjoy Metagame.com’s Best of 2005, starting next week!

Toby Wachter

Managing Editor, Metagame.com