The people whose private fixations become a way of seeing, remembering, and caring for the world.
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The Loneliness of the Junior College Esports Coach
“He tried to save his wife through the video game they loved—and nearly lost himself. Then he signed up to lead a fledgling team of gamers in Cheyenne, Wyoming.”
Sid Meier and the Meaning of “Civilization”
“Like many talented programmers at the time, he preferred to disappear into a fugue of coding and return with a gleaming piece of software.”
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, our editors recommend notable features and essays by Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Justin Heckert, Gloria Liu, Sharon Levy, and Mychal Denzel Smith.
Deeper Than Pixels: A Reading List on Video Games
Five longreads on the culture and creativity that games have spawned.
A Car Ride and a Game 7 Loss That Activated Nikola Jokic Into an MVP
“For years, Jokic had been told … that he needed to get in better condition if he wanted to succeed in the NBA. But now it was coming from within.”
Spiraling in San Francisco’s Doom Loop
“What it’s like to live in a city that no longer believes its problems can be fixed.”
Meet the Obsessive Role-Players Who Live Inside the World of Grand Theft Auto
“Renegade developers co-opted this controversial video game’s source code to build a complex alternate universe where breaking character is the cardinal sin. Millions tune in to watch.”
Holding Space, Internet Community, and Our Top 5
In this edition: subsea storytelling, a preservation paradox, achieving serpentine symbiosis, an investigation into infinity, and a marijuana mystery.
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Showcasing stories from Ryu Spaeth, Kit Chellel, Dave Eggers, Holly Haworth, and John Semley.


