As sophomore Holden Choi adjusts his headset, he stares at the screen where a medieval map shows completed missions, the progress bar loading before he dives into another match. The sounds of his rapid keystrokes and mouse clicks fill the room as he plays “Crusaders Kings 3,” his all-time favorite video game. For Choi, gaming isn’t just a hobby, but a passion that has shaped a possible career path in politics.
Choi’s video game journey began when he was 6 years old. He was first introduced to video games through a LEGO Star Wars game on his Xbox 360, which was gifted to him by his dad. Over the years, video games have remained a constant bond between him and his parents through shared experiences in multiplayer games like “Tekken Tag.”
“At an early age, video games were definitely a bonding experience even though nowadays videogames are something I play by myself,” Choi said.
During the pandemic, Choi switched from mobile and console games to his gaming laptop, which was gifted to him during the holidays. With more downtime after school, he was able to explore new genres like strategy games, broadening his skills and experience across different game mechanics.
“My gaming definitely increased during the pandemic, especially since I could no longer visit many of my friends due to the very nature of the pandemic or because they moved away,” Choi said.
Now, Choi spends most of his time continuing to play strategy games like “Crusaders Kings 3” and “Shogun 2 Total War.” “Crusaders Kings 3” is a medieval-period game where players assume the role of a ruler making political and warfare decisions. His time with video games has pushed his interest in history and politics, as many of the games he plays are centered around these themes.
“Video games definitely have spurred me to learn about time periods and historical figures,” Choi said. “They also encouraged me to take more interest in politics, especially due to the very nature of strategic games.”
Immersing himself in these strategic games has inspired Choi to consider a future career in public service like serving in the school district board, similar to his dad.
