Mario Villalobos

a message on a TV screen reads 'At Electronic Arts, we believe in the power of positive play. We don't tolerate racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, harassment, or any form of abuse. Our commitment is to combat discrimination and promote healthier behavior, by creating positive interactions, positive experiences, and positive environments for all. So we can all focus on what we came here to do, Have fun. If you encounter harmful behavior in our games, please report it. Thank you for being part of the College Football community!' on one side and on the other has a pair of football players exchanging nice words to each other

Positive Play

  • Journal

I bought College Football 25 for my PS5 today, the first time I’ve purchased an EA Sports game in maybe two decades. After the heart-pumping intro, I was met with this Positive Play message that truly warmed my heart. Is this relatively new? Has it been part of EA games for a while? I’m not sure, but I liked it. I chose the USC Trojans as my favorite team because they are my alma mater, and I began a quick match against Stanford. I beat them 70-0, and it was some of the most fun I’ve had in a long while. I then began the new dynasty mode, but I had to cut it short, so I couldn’t quite delve too deeply into it.

I don’t play video games as much as I used to, and I think that’s mostly because I’ve trained myself to think of them as pointless distractions. I tell myself that I should be writing or that I should be reading or that I should be finishing this project or that project. And maybe that’s still true most of the time, but even without video games, I’m not always working or getting things done. God, I wish I was working and getting things done most of the time! But I’m not, and that’s just the honest truth. Hell, I’ve had to drag myself off my ass to write these daily entries every night and to grab my camera and shoot something, regardless of “quality”.

And maybe that’s where my attitude on things needs to change. Like EA’s message, play can be positive, and maybe I should let some of it back into my life. After all, all work and no play makes Mario a dull boy, and nobody wants that.