Alex Boz interview
Alex Boz from Australian Retro Gamer on the evolution of Australian video game websites
Alex Boz is the co-founder and editor-In-chief of AusRetrogamer, which he started in 2012. He’s also a retro gaming curator and PAX Australia classic gaming showrunner.
What are your earliest memories of going online and seeking out video game info? Do you remember the first Australian video game sites or forums you visited?
“My earliest experiences of going online for gaming info were in the early to mid-’90s during my university years. Back then, it was all about bulletin board systems (BBSes), and as a computing gamer—having grown up with the C64—I was particularly drawn to Amiga BBSes and, later, IRC channels, especially those focused on the demo scene and gaming.”
“When it came to Australian-based gaming content, I remember scouring local BBSes like Runway One for anything gaming-related. By the late ’90s, as the internet took off, I shifted to forums like Whirlpool and websites like GameSpot AU, which became my go-to sources for gaming news and discussions.”
How important is it to have websites dedicated to local Australian content? While video games are global, is there value in providing a local perspective?
“Having dedicated Australian gaming websites is incredibly important. Australia has a rich gaming history, and we should be proud of it—but we don’t always promote ourselves well. I don’t know if that’s due to cultural factors, like tall poppy syndrome, but we often downplay our contributions to the global gaming scene.”
“A local perspective is valuable because it highlights Australian developers, events, and gaming culture, offering insights that global sites simply can’t. While games themselves are universal, the way we experience them—through our gaming communities, local industry, and unique challenges—is something worth sharing.”
What about the commercial realities of running a gaming site in Australia? Given our smaller population and industry, is it much harder to sustain a local site compared to the US or UK?
“Absolutely. Our smaller population directly impacts the size of our gaming industry, making it harder to sustain dedicated gaming sites. This isn’t unique to gaming—it affects almost everything in Australia.”
“The internet has democratised access to information, which is great, but it has also made location less relevant. From a commercial perspective, companies will naturally invest where they get the best return, and unfortunately, that often means overlooking smaller markets like ours. That’s why many local gaming sites struggle to survive—they have to compete with larger, global outlets that dominate readership and advertising dollars.”
In the 2000s, Australia had a bunch of local gaming sites, many of which have since shut down. What caused the initial rise, and why did so many disappear?
“The rise of Australian gaming sites in the 2000s can be attributed to a few key factors:
The growing popularity of gaming across generations—video games had moved from a niche hobby to mainstream entertainment.
Better internet connectivity—advancements in broadband, including cable and later the NBN, allowed for richer content and larger online communities.
“However, the decline of these sites came down to globalisation and commercial viability. While gaming itself is a massive, multi-billion-dollar industry, many still perceive it as a niche interest, which affects how local sites are supported. Over time, global corporations consolidated media ownership, making it harder for independent or regional sites to survive.”
“And, of course, capitalism plays a role—if a company can save money or generate more revenue by shifting focus away from local content, it will. Unfortunately, that has often been at the expense of uniquely Australian gaming coverage.”
How has the rise of social media impacted websites like AusRetroGamer?
“Social media has been a double-edged sword for sites like AusRetroGamer. From 2012 to around 2019, it was our primary pipeline for reaching a global audience. Most of our traffic came from social media platforms, which helped spread our content far and wide.”
“However, in recent years, we’ve seen a shift in audience behavior. More people are turning to RSS feeds, direct subscriptions, and niche forums rather than relying on social media algorithms. While social platforms still play a role, they are now just one part of the overall strategy rather than the sole driver of engagement.”
What’s something most people don’t know about the history of Australian video game websites?
“A lot of people don’t realise that many of Australia’s earliest gaming websites started as fan-run forums or BBSes before evolving into fully-fledged media sites. Unlike in the U.S., where large corporations quickly dominated gaming coverage, Australia’s gaming scene was grassroots-driven, with local ISP forums, LAN party groups, and even university networks playing a key role. For example:
• GameArena (2000–2014) was originally part of Telstra’s BigPond gaming services, but it thrived because of its community-run servers and ladders for games like Counter-Strike and Battlefield.
• AusGamers (1999–Present) grew out of Queensland’s LAN gaming scene and became a major hub for game server hosting and online multiplayer communities.
“Many of these sites laid the foundation for Australian online gaming culture, but as the internet evolved and global giants took over, many of them either disappeared or were absorbed into larger networks.”
What’s something I should ask you about?
“You should ask: ‘What did gamers do before the internet, BBSes, or IRC?’ Back in the ’80s, gaming communities thrived through magazines—especially imports from the UK. We relied on print media for news, reviews, and game tips, and if you wanted to buy a game, you often had to cut out a mail-order ad, send cash in the post, and hope for the best—something you wouldn’t dare do today!”
“Modems were expensive and painfully slow, and with only one rotary phone in the house, getting online wasn’t always an option. I remember desperately wanting to connect to overseas BBSes, but there was no way my family would let me take the phone off the hook and attach it to an acoustic coupler modem just to dial into a board halfway across the world.”
“Gaming back then may have been less connected, but it had its own magic—a sense of discovery and excitement that today’s instant access to information can’t quite replicate.”
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