1UP Vault 2.0
A Major Newsletter Update
Welcome to the New(ish) 1UP Vault
Welcome to a new chapter for 1UP Vault. I started this newsletter back in late 2022, though my first full year was 2023. Since then, I’ve seen this small newsletter grow to nearly 200 subscribers, and I’ve met some great people on gaming social media, including other creators who do great work. These people inspire me to get better, expand 1UP Vault, and step back to really understand why I’m even doing this, since I’m not making any money from it. My ultimate goal for 1UP Vault is to use it as a vehicle to be a video game critic, even if I’m seen as an amateur, and to talk about video game history as well. Of course, as some of you may already know, every now and then, I’ll still have non-gaming articles, such as my ongoing project to rank the Disney animation lineup, but wanting to be seen as a video game critic and amateur historian is the number one goal for this newsletter. Would I like to find a way to monetize it in some form? Yes, but that’s a bit of a pipe dream at the moment, and I just want to focus on getting content out and getting to know more creators and writers.
As you can see, the 1UP Vault has a new logo! I was going back and forth on creating a new logo, but I wanted a fresh start and a logo I could mess around with for special occasions, as well as one that would be recognizable and serve as an immediate symbol of 1UP Vault. I also incorporated a gaming controller icon and a smile. If it isn’t obvious, the smiley face is meant to be almost like a newsletter mascot. I’m planning to play around with the face's colors and eyes for special occasions like Halloween or the Holidays, so I’m excited to give that a try. I’m really happy with the reception on social media after I changed my profile picture, because I didn’t know how people would react. Fun fact, it was my wife who picked this logo when I showed her a couple of options, so I guess she did a pretty good job guiding me.
Upcoming Projects and a New Monthly Series
While there will be new changes, many of my ongoing series of articles will continue. My History of Video Games project is going to pick back up, and of course, you can expect reviews and opinion pieces. I have plans to release several lists based on 1980s video games, including my favorite games, heroes, villains, and important people of the decade. My Pop Vault Series is going to become more common, especially after I finish up the Disney project. I got some cool plans in my head, including my top fifteen favorite movies of all time. As for older articles for new subscribers, one thing I’m going to work on behind the scenes is finally getting some new tabs to make it easier to find certain series of articles. I wish I had worked on this during my brief time off, but I’m currently dealing with a lot of things, including doctors’ appointments and family coming over, so I had to delay it. Until I get that done, I suggest using the search feature if you want to catch up on previous entries of History of Video Games, Opinions, Reviews, and Pop Vault.
Then we have a new series I’m debuting at the end of each month. I’m going to look at the month's news and events and compile them, along with any observations and/or comments I have. I’m also going to put together some articles that I found interesting from the same month and promote them. The first of this new series will come at the end of February.
1UP Vault’s Games of Impact and Older Articles
One series that’s near and dear to my heart, and the first idea I had when I started thinking about this newsletter, is what I called Strachey’s List. This project is not gone; it will continue where I left off as we enter the 1990s. However, over the time I’ve had it, many people have reached out to me to say they’re confused by the list’s name, and I feel the series title, Strachey’s List, doesn’t really explain the point of the articles and lists. I named it Strachey’s List as a memorial to the first video game developer, Christopher Strachey, but I acknowledge that the normal person won’t really understand. So, I’ve made the decision to rename the series to 1UP Vault’s Games of Impact instead. I’m also going to republish the older lists I’ve already done in a new format and with this new name, but I’ll do it slowly and when possible, as I want to continue from where I left off. As for Mr. Strachey? I have a couple of plans to honor him properly this year.
That also reminds me, I will republish several older opinion articles when I feel the need to. The past three years have seen a rise in readers and subscribers, and I’m willing to bet many of them missed out on some of my older projects. So, when I feel it's necessary, I’m going to republish an old opinion article in the new format and give it a fresh set of eyes.
A New Review System
One area of 1UP Vault where I’ve been inconsistent is reviews. I’ve used both scoring and grading systems, and last year I developed a recommendation system. Quite frankly, a little look behind the scenes, I sort of started to dislike my review system about halfway through the year, but I decided to stick to it. So, I’m moving on from it. I didn’t hate using it; I was trying to focus on how much I would recommend a game, but it did lead to some clashes with my personal score/feelings about a game, which sometimes resulted in two types of recommendations. A great example is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, a game that I loved more than others, but did see why it’s more of a recommend rather than essential. So I’ve decided to do a new (and hopefully settled) review system, which goes with the usual scoring number, ranging from 1 to 5. I’ll make some small changes to the format of my reviews, but you’ll still see pros and cons at the end. The first review I plan to make with my new system should be Cyberpunk 2077, the game I’m currently playing.
Stay Tuned
So, I’m pretty pumped for 2026. I’m hoping that when the ball strikes midnight and 2027 starts, I’ll look back on 2026 as the best year yet for 1UP Vault. I know it’s not going to be easy, and I have to get better at sticking to my output, but I’m genuinely excited for the year and to talk/write about video games. I also hope it ends up a great year for you guys too. I know things in the world are pretty bad right now, but we will get through this, and I hope I can provide some escapism and hope as the year goes on. Thank you for all the support.
Congrats! Can't wait to see where you take this publication over the next year :)
Appreciate the deep dive into your thought process and changes headed this way in 2026. Good luck with those and all the things going on in your life, too.