What is your earliest memory of video games and at what point did you know it was something you would love for life?
My earliest memory of playing video games started off playing the game Cars for the Playstation 2. I was a big fan of the movie when I was a kid and when they released that game I remember playing it for hours on end and absolutely loving every moment of it. Around the time when the Wii came out was when I really started to love playing video games. From wii sports to Super Mario Galaxy I had a huge love for Nintendo and everything that system had to offer. From there I started playing everything from retro systems like the Sega genesis to the playstation 3 and xbox 360 and so forth.
Could you tell us a little about Well Played Games?
Well Played Games Started Off as a small online video game store In November of 2015. It was founded out of a passion for video games and quickly became much more than just that. In march of 2015 The Well Played Games youtube channel was born which turned the online gaming store into a gaming network. The goal of Well Played Games is to be the ultimate gaming destination for content and entertainment in addition to offering access to retro games via the store. The youtube channel was a big part in that, offering everything from gameplay series, to tutorials and reviews. Well played games now has an instagram presence as well in which it shares the coolest gaming content in the community.
When did first get the idea for starting an online store?
When I was exploring different options and career paths I was always interested in building something that I was passionate about but also something that I would have control of and would be able to work on on my own schedule. The idea of an online store was perfect as it allowed me to have the freedom and control that I was looking for.
How did the journey begin?
The journey began when I purchased a lot of gamecube and wii games off of a friend for $30. The lot consisted of around 20 games including Super Smash Bros Melee, Super Mario Galaxy, Pikmin 2 and a few others. After listing these games for sale it wasn’t until January, 2 months later until I made my first sale which was super Mario Galaxy 2 for the Wii.
How long were you doing this before it really took off?
Well Played Games really took off about a year in when I started purchasing large wholesale lots of video games as apposed to just purchasing games from friends and local stores. At this point I was getting hundreds of Retro video games in at a time which really accelerated the process of building the store and growing Well Played Games
What is the dream for your team?
My goal is to have the store and the channel working in tandem at a high volume of traffic and sales on a global basis
What is the rarest retro item you have come across in your line of work?
I think full sets of sealed Pokemon titles or I also found a complete Intellivision collection would be among the rarest I can think of.
How big is your team now?
It’s basically still me and a few part time contract staff when needed.
How does it feel looking back and seeing how far you have come?
I look back and realize that I have come along way from where I started but at the same time I feel like I’m just getting started
What is your bestselling product?
Our current top selling products are Nintendo Wii and gamecube Games specifically in the Mario franchise and other triple a titles
Have your say (Say anything)
I appreciate the continuous support from the community for the online store and channels that make up the Well Played Games brand.