Hey Everyone, Jon Here!
In our last interview with Jon Cartwright, we focused on his voice acting career in video games. This time around, we are going to learn more about Jon Cartwright the gamer, husband, father, YouTube personality, and more.
Jon Cartwright | Gamer, Father, Husband, YouTube Personality
Miketendo64: Like with our last interview, let’s start at the beginning. Where did your love of video games come from and what was your first game and console?
Jon: My oldest sister is 6 years ahead of me and I must have been around 4 years old when she got her Game Boy. I remember leering over at her playing Super Mario Land in awe but was always told I couldn’t have a turn. I managed to sneak some time in when she wasn’t paying attention and I’m pretty sure the first game I ever played was Game Boy Gallery; the precursor to Game & Watch Gallery. It never really stopped from there – my sister eventually grew out of video games and I’d inherit both her Game Boy and Dreamcast. From a very young age I was obsessed with Super Mario Land, Pokémon, Sonic Adventure and Rayman 2.
Miketendo64: What has been your favourite game to play to date and on what platform?
Jon: I’d probably give a different answer to this question every time you asked
me but right now I’m feeling like it’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. It’s one of those games that’s so good that it kinda gets taken for granted. Most of its components could carry a game in themselves and they shouldn’t all work together in a world of this scale but they somehow do. I don’t think any game out there comes close to matching its grandeur.
Miketendo64: what has been your favourite gaming memory? And equally, what has been your saddest?
Jon: My favourite gaming memory was probably finding the last Korok Seed in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. I took that game everywhere with me for around 3 years and slowly picked away at its world doing absolutely everything. I had 899 seeds and decided to stream a hunt for the final one – a rather shortlived stream lasting around 20 minutes before the Korok Mask started shaking. It was some really obvious one near Tarrey Town that I must have walked by a 100 times.
As for saddest when I was around 13 years old my family home was broken into and my games were the biggest target. I brought my PSP to school with me but everything else had been taken. The Dreamcast, PS2, GBA and all my games gone in an instant. I’ve tried to replace most of it in my adult years but there’s a couple of Dreamcast games in particular that are far too expensive now.
Miketendo64: Have you always aspired to get into the video games industry or did it just kind of happen for you?
Jon: Oh no it barely even crossed my mind. I always knew I loved games and I always admired those who covered them but I didn’t think for a second I could turn it into a career. Before committing to this full time I was in University earning a degree in Public Relations, all videos I was doing were essentially hobby work. It eventually clicked with me that everyone in this industry is just “some guy talking about games” and that hey, I can be some guy too! Wasted a few years studying for a degree I don’t use but every day I get to talk about my passions.
Miketendo64: Where and when did you start getting into the video game content creation scene? What would you say was the start of it all?
Jon: I made a bunch of poorly made Zelda glitch videos when YouTube first began by pointing a camera at a TV but I think it truly started in 2011 where my friends and I formed a channel called NomComms. It’s actually quite similar to what I do now, we just reviewed whatever legacy game we felt like talking about. It never really gained much of a following but we did catch the attention of Nintendo who back then were far more eager to work with smaller creators. I believe my first review copy was Bravely Default in 2012.
Miketendo64: You made quite a name for yourself, as well as a reputation when you worked at GameXplain which was then taken to new heights upon working at Nintendo Life. What do you value most from working at two of the biggest known media outlets in the world?
Jon: Both outlets only had a small number of front facing people and it’s always difficult for the audience to accept a new addition. I felt like I was the Gumbly meme for The Simpsons. I would have been around 19 when I first started speaking to a larger audience and I think I appreciate how fast they came to accept me. I’m a strange talking British guy among a largely American crew, it’s a jarring change but people were open to hearing me out.
Miketendo64: After finishing up at Nintendo Life, you went back to Good Vibes Gaming which you started years before. Has your time at GX and NL affected the way you work on your own videos for GVG? Did you pick up any new skills or techniques that you have since put to use for your own content?
Jon: The Nintendo Life experience was priceless. The directors behind that website have a lot of care for their staff and it taught me how to have a health work/life balance. I’d never work more than a standard 9-5 and working weekends was off limits – it can become hard to remember that when you’re essentially our own boss.
I think the healthier style shows through in the content. I’m not looking to drain as much out of a release as I can, I’m just wanting to share my passions with others and you can’t feel passionate when all you know is work.
Miketendo64: How has content creation affected your personal life? How do
you balance between the two?Jon: I’d be lying if I said I switch off as soon as I wrap up for the day – I’m always thinking about what I want to cover and sometimes that answer comes from just living life in the moment. With that said I try and divide the actual creation aspect as much as I can. My workspace isn’t even in the house, I have a shed outside where I put everything together so it’s almost like a tiny commute to work.
Miketendo64: We should also congratulate you on finally tying the knot recently. How long have you and your partner Roxy been together and how did you both decide now was the time to get married?
Jon: It’s been a longtime coming! We’ve been together since we were in school at around 12/13 years old and have been engaged since we turned adults. The engagement lasted around 11 years and we planned to finally get married once we saved up enough that we felt would justify our time together.
That opportunity never quite came up so once we had our son Freddie we came to the realisation that there probably doesn’t exist a ‘perfect time’. I see the wedding day as completing our family rather than a celebration of
ourselves. Roxy went through a lot with the kids and it means the world for her to have the same last name as them.
Miketendo64: You also had quite the turnout of guests at your wedding with plenty of incredible people from both the gaming industry and the gaming community. That must have been quite the experience to have so many amazing and influential people all under one roof to watch you get married?
Jon: It meant so much that people flew all the way around the world just to see me get married. Everyone there was a genuine friend and I’m forever thankful for everything they’ve done for me.
Miketendo64: Not only are you a husband but you are also a father to two wonderful children. We can only surmise that you already have them well versed in the likes of Panel de Pon among other classic video games?
Jon: Of course. I actually find classic games are a lot more accessible for younger children with their more readable visuals and generally easier controls. A lot of my gameplay happens when they’re in bed but they’ve absolutely seen Panel de Pon whether they wanted to or not.
Miketendo64: What are their favourite games to play and do you all play video games as a family?
Jon: We recently put the Super Nintendo MIni (Classic) in the living room and took turns playing Super Mario World. Amelia loves it, the European controller being colour coordinated helps her remember which button is spin and which one is jump. They’re a little young to fully grasp everything but it’s very sweet seeing her understand the fundamentals. My wife and I have a number of games we’ll often turn to, usually stuff she grew up with too. Stuff like Super Monkey Ball, Pokémon Stadium, Pokémon Snap 1 & 2, and Nintendo Land.
Miketendo64: As we are now coming to the end of this interview, is there anything you would like to say to you fans and our readers?
Jon: Thank you for supporting everything I do! I don’t see myself as different to anyone who posts about games on the internet and I’m always astonished that people listen to what I have to say. My outlook on games has always been to acknowledge all aspects of time rather than just looking to the future, most games aren’t disposable popcorn flicks and I hope that mindset has influenced others in some way. Much of my gaming history was discovered through the Wii virtual console, you’re never born too early to play a classic.
Miketendo64: Thank you very much for your time, Jon. It has been a pleasure to have this interview with you. We have been following each other for a while now and we deeply appreciate your support. We wish well on your new career and look forward to seeing what projects you work on next.
Jon: I appreciate you hearing me out! Keep being incredible!
Thank you for joining us for part two our interview with Jon Cartwright. If you missed out on part one where we talked about Jon’s break into voice acting, you can find it here. If you would like to learn about some interesting tidbits about Jon, then be sure to check out our M64 Focus Interview on him.
[…] #2: Jon Cartwright | Gamer, Father, Husband, YouTube Personality (June 13th, […]