- Dan Amrich
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Dan Amrich 
Promotional image for Activision's One Of Swords podcast, featuring Dan Amrich.Born Daniel Edward Amrich
Ewing, New JerseyResidence Los Angeles, California Nationality American Other names Dan Elektro, One of Swords Occupation Social Media Manager Spouse Katrin Auch Website http://www.oneofswords.com Dan Amrich (born 5 February 1971) is an American writer, author, actor, musician, and social media expert. He graduated from Ithaca College with a major in Audio Production and minor in Writing and became a professional journalist and critic with numerous video game and music magazines and websites. He currently works for Activision as Social Media Manager, and resides in Los Angeles, California.
Contents
Career
Journalism
During the mid-1990s, Amrich wrote for Harris Publications’ Country Guitar Magazine, Guitar World, and SLAM Magazine. He also worked as an editor for Flux Magazine, ran the video games section of America Online’s Critics’ Choice, and was the Editor in Chief of GameSport Magazine. He also wrote freelance articles for Wired, Time Out New York, and NBA Inside Stuff, among others.
In 1996, Andy Eddy offered him the position of Executive Editor on Digital Diner, an internet lifestyle magazine startup from Metropolis Publications. Only two issues were released before the magazine folded.
In 1997, Amrich began working at GamePro under the editorial aliases Dan Elektro and Bad Hare. He eventually became the features editor, wrote the responses in the reader letters column, and was the main editorial moderator at GamePro.com's user forums. He also created the GamePro Enigma metapuzzle for the March 2003 issue,[1] and the GamePro Enigma II for the March 2004 issue. Before ending his tenure with the magazine, he authored the book PlayStation 2 For Dummies.[2]
From 2003 to 2009, Amrich worked at numerous Future plc publications. As Senior Editor, he helped launch the US version of GamesRadar in 2005.
Amrich worked as Senior Editor at Official Xbox Magazine from 2006 to 2009, where he wrote features, reviews, the letter column, and various other articles for the magazine and its website, OXM Online.[3] He was also the moderator of the OXM discussion forum on Xbox.com. Perhaps most notable during his tenure here is his controversy with game developer Jeff Minter, a game developer who vocally opposed Amrich’s 2/10 score for Space Giraffe.[4]
Amrich left Official Xbox Magazine to take on the Editor-in-Chief role for the duration of World of Warcraft: The Official Magazine’s first quarterly issue. He announced in December 2009 that he would leave journalism to pursue an alternative career path in the video games industry. Before joining Activision you could hear from Dan weekly on the Official Xbox Magazine podcast alongside Ryan McCaffrey, there is still a dedicated segment of this podcast named "Stick it to the Dan".
Social Media
In 2010, Amrich accepted a position to join Activision as Social Media Manager.[5] He publishes interviews with video game developers, discusses Activision with its community, and hosts weekly the One of Swords Podcast. He has just posted his 50th podcast. He usually alternates between two cohosts Katrin Auch[6] and Hugh Sterbakov.[7] For episode 13 his co-host was ATVI_Bernard, music heard in the One of Swords Podcast podcast is taken from Yameen. He usually has one interview an episode from someone working on a current Activision game.
NBA Hangtime squad selection screen, with Scotty Pippen and a bunny-eared Dan Amrich
Trivia
Amrich is included as an Easter egg character in the arcade basketball game, NBA Hangtime, released in 1996. Dan interviewed the game's programmers, Mark Turmell and Sal Divita in 1995 and was invited by the pair to appear as a secret character in the game. Amrich describes the series of events leading to his inclusion into the game, as well as the rationale behind the bizarre bunny rabbit ears he is wearing, on his own website.[8]
Dan's secret character can be unlocked in the arcade, PlayStation, and Nintendo 64 versions by using the code "AMRICH" and PIN "2020".[9]
Music
Amrich is a vocalist with two years spent in private opera singing training and several years of experience in musical theater.[10] He performed for five years with the San Francisco Bay Area 80s cover band, Fast Times, before leaving to pursue personal musical interests.
The result of his departure is the parody band Palette-Swap Ninja, a musical duo featuring Jude Kelley alongside Amrich. Their music comprises modified and humorous covers of popular artists, including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bowling For Soup, Paul McCartney and more. In addition to vocals, Amrich plays guitar, bass, and on one song, kazoo.[11]
Personal life
Amrich is a self-confessed[12] "fanatic" of the 80s film franchise, Ghostbusters, and a "puzzle nerd".[13] Dan maintains one of the only sites devoted to Kit Williams and his elaborate, illustrated puzzle book, Masquerade.[14]
Acting
Amrich’s work as an actor includes commercials and voice-over performance. He has appeared in numerous commercials,[15] and his voice work appears in The Sims: Bustin' Out.[16] Amrich is also a life member of the International Jugglers' Association.
References
- ^ Minter, Jeff (2003-02-03). "GamePro Magazine Announces Its Exclusive GamePro Enigma Contest In Its March 2003 Issue". IDG Games Media Group. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/GamePro+Magazine+Announces+Its+Exclusive+GamePro+Enigma+Contest+In...-a097180164. Retrieved 2010-12-26.
- ^ "Books authored and/or co-authored by Dan Amrich". OpenLibrary.org. http://openlibrary.org/search?q=Dan+Amrich. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
- ^ Dyer, Mitchell (2007-11-08). "Insider Interview: Dan Amrich, Official Xbox Magazine". Nukoda.com. http://nukoda.com/featured/insider-interview-dan-amrich-official-xbox-magazine/. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
- ^ Minter, Jeff (2007-08-19). "The definitive Space Giraffe thread". YakYak. http://www.yakyak.org/viewtopic.php?p=1179137#p1179137. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
- ^ McElroy, Justin (2010-01-22). "Interview: Dan Amrich of Activision Community Site One of Swords". Joystiq.com. http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/22/interview-dan-amrich-of-activision-community-site-one-of-swords/. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
- ^ http://katrinauch.com/about/
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1837501/
- ^ "Why on Earth do you have bunny ears on your head?". bunnyears.net. http://bunnyears.net/why/index.html. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
- ^ "NBA Hang Time Cheats". cheatscodesguides.com. http://www.cheatscodesguides.com/genesis-cheats/nba-hang-time/. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
- ^ "Amrich at PlayRecordPaws". PlayRecordPaws.com. http://www.playrecordpaws.com/. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
- ^ "New Track "Halo ((All I Play-Oh))"". paletteswapninja.com. http://paletteswapninja.com/2009/03/18/new-track-halo-all-i-play-oh/. Retrieved 2010-12-26.
- ^ "Bustin' DOES make me feel good". oxmonline.com. http://www.oxmonline.com/article/xbox-soapbox/bustin-does-make-me-feel-good. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
- ^ "Gamer Euphoria interviews Activision's Dan Amrich". gamereuphoria.com. http://gamereuphoria.com/2010/08/20/gamer-euphoria-interviews-activisions-dan-amrich/. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
- ^ "Masquerade And The Mysteries of Kit Williams". bunnyears.net. http://www.bunnyears.net/kitwilliams/index.html. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
- ^ "Daniel E. Amrich - Other works". IMDb.com. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0025396/otherworks. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
- ^ "The Sims: Bustin’ Out on IMDb". IMDb.com. 2003-12-19. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395268/. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
External links
- Official website
- Dan Amrich on Twitter
- Dan Amrich at the Internet Movie Database
- Dan Amrich Rap sheet at MobyGames
Categories:- People in the video game industry
- Video game critics
- Ithaca College alumni
- Living people
- American critics
- 1971 births
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