Video Gamers Podcast
The Gift of Gaming: How Make-A-Wish Grants Gamers Dreams - Gaming Podcast
Thu, 06 Mar 2025
It’s time to make gaming dreams come true! Join gaming hosts Josh and Ryan as we are joined by the truly amazing Ian Wright from Make A Wish America. Join us as we dive into the impact gaming can have on people, the impact of achieving a dream and more! From granting the most awesome video game wishes, to a great debate on Red Dead Redemption 2, we’ve got the video game chat you love and an AWESOME ending you can’t afford to miss! Thanks to our MYTHIC Supporters: Redletter, Ol’ Jake, Disratory and Gaius Connect with the show: Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/videogamerspod Join our Gaming Community: https://discord.gg/Dsx2rgEEbz Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/videogamerspod/ Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/VideoGamersPod Subscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU12YOMnAQwqFZEdfXv9c3Q Visit us on the web: https://videogamerspod.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chapter 1: What is the gift of gaming?
The joys are endless, and the impact gaming can have on people cannot be understated. Today, we're diving into the gift of gaming and the impact it can have on people. But first, some introductions are in order. I am your host, Josh. And joining me, as Buddy the Elf would say, he's a cotton-headed ninny muggins. And his motto is, I just like to smile. Smiling's my favorite. It's Ryan.
Josh, just so you know, that gum over there, it's not free candy. Dang it, too late.
And joining us, he doesn't smell like beef and cheese. And if gaming had a Santa Claus, this might just be him because he can be found spreading gaming cheer throughout the world.
It's Ian. I'm sorry, I don't have a cool Buddy the Elf quote for you, but just super pumped to be here, guys.
Oh, that's okay. That's okay. You're the gaming Santa Claus. And now, right now, this is where people are going, wait, what? Wait, Santa? Santa? I know him! I know him! You're not Santa.
You sit on a throne of lies.
Oh, man. Okay. Well, thank you for joining the Buddy the Elf podcast. Yeah, right. No, Ian, we are super excited to have you. And as much as we have teased this little you being the gaming Santa, why don't you... Well, actually, I'll just say it.
So to introduce you to the listeners, you lead the gaming division at the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which, oh my goodness, what an incredible thing that instantly just makes me smile. So tell us a little bit more about yourself and about what you do at Make-A-Wish.
Yeah, yeah. So yes, my name is Ian Wright. My official title is the lead manager for gaming and digital fundraising and Make-A-Wish America. It doesn't fit on a business card. I usually just tell people I'm the gaming guy. That's just like, that's what I do. I'm the gaming guy for Make-A-Wish. So when it comes to
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Chapter 2: How does Make-A-Wish grant gaming wishes?
But like I said, if it's wish granting, if it's just spreading the word of Make-A-Wish through gaming, that's what I'm here for. I'm a longtime gamer, like, since I can remember. My first game, I think, was Donkey Kong Country on the SNES. So, it's like the early 90s. So, like, you know, that'll, like, date me a little bit there. But that's, like, the first one I remember.
Chapter 3: What is Ian's role in Make-A-Wish?
But, like, I've had the SNES. I had the Sega Dreamcast. I don't know if anyone remembers that. Soul Calibur. Yeah, I mean, like, you know, Phantasy Star Online. Played so much Soul Calibur on that thing. GameCube, Xbox, like, PC all the way. So, yeah, I'm a lifelong gamer and super pumped to be here.
Dude, we're very excited to have you, man. Yeah, that is awesome. So you mentioned you handle the fundraising and the gaming division at Make-A-Wish. Is that kind of like a 50-50 split? Is it more like, hey, I try to get people to support this awesome cause, and when gaming comes up, that's kind of my wheelhouse and people kind of point them in my direction? Yeah.
Um, but you know, tell us a little bit more about that. Like, are you directly involved in the like granting of wishes that are gaming related and stuff like that?
So not by, by like, first and foremost, like not every wish, right. Um, our organization grants, I mean, last year we did 16,200, a little over 16,200, um, which, um, was a record. It's the most we've ever granted as an organization. So very excited to do that. And then as part of that 16,000, we grant hundreds of gaming wishes.
And so I am definitely not involved in the majority of them, but I am involved in ones that I can try to make a direct impact on or ones that might need a little bit of help. The way that our organization is sort of split up, we have Make-A-Wish America, which controls America, and then Underneath that, we have different states and regions, our chapters.
And so we might have chapters go, hey, we have a gaming wish in our region. We have absolutely no idea how to move forward, whether it's contacting a developer or contacting a gaming celebrity in their area. And they're like, can you help us with this? Or we say, hey, we have a kid who wants to do this very specific thing in gaming. Is that possible? And then we sort of go from there.
So most of my time is based around fundraising, just because that's a much more proactive thing that I can do as far as outreach to different communities or groups. But then if there is something that pops up, my inbox is constantly with like a, hey, I have a gaming question and then I'm there to answer it.
All right, so I mean, it sounds freaking awesome to be able to work in the gaming division of Make-A-Wish, right? I imagine that this involves talking to studios at times, talking to developers when you're trying to help a wish come true. Getting to meet the people that are making these wishes, is it as awesome as it sounds?
Yes, yes. I will tell you right now that being part of granting a wish is a life-changing process. it will stick with you like forever. Um, and the amount of outpouring and support you see just from people who are even sort of like tertiary to the wish, like the amount of enthusiasm they have, it's, it's just like, it's,
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Chapter 4: What impact does gaming have on people's lives?
Right? Yeah.
It's contagious, man.
Why don't you do more good stuff, Ryan? That's what Josh and I were talking about before the show.
Yeah.
Okay, so that's how this is going to go. When's the last time you saved a cat, Ryan? Yeah, when's the last time you... Ryan actually did save a cat.
Yeah, Josh, why aren't you saving cats? Exactly. Yeah, let's turn this around right on Josh.
I already have two cats, and three is the... I can't go more than that, man. So...
Okay, so, I mean, you're heading up this gaming division, you know, it's obviously kind of, you're getting to help kids, it's a dream that anyone would love to have. Like, it's safe to say, you know, you said in the beginning, like, you're a gamer as well, like, have you just always been that way? You've always just loved video games, you love that kind of world? Yeah.
yeah yeah it's i i have always been like a gamer both of my brothers um are like much uh taller and bitter and more athletically inclined than me and so growing up they would beat me at basketball and soccer and like all the things and then we would finish the week out by me just destroying them in any video game that you could pick right and so like that was like
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Chapter 5: What are some favorite games of Ian?
And then there's, especially as gaming has evolved and we've sort of lost couch co-op, which sucks, in my opinion. That's not a hot take on the show at all, probably. Couch co-op is amazing. No, not at all. Um, but there is something great in the online element of gaming and a sense of community you can build.
Uh, and so like, I've really channeled that and I've made lifelong friendships off of people that I met over the internet. I had like five or six guys come to my wedding a couple years ago that I had never met in person, but like, Like I met them playing Xbox, you know, and they're all great dudes. Right.
And so it's like, you know, there's a sense of community that I love in gaming where you can meet someone like, like this podcast where it's three dudes from different backgrounds living in relatively different places, but we're here to talk about gaming and that's, that's what unites us. I love that. So I, yeah, I'm, I've always been a gamer and I just, the power of gaming is just immeasurable.
Yeah.
We always say that no matter who we have on the show, if we ever bring anybody on, or anyone just in general in life, we can talk games. No matter who you are, if you like video games, we can talk games and we can find some sort of common ground where we can chat about something. It's just one of those things that bridges all gaps and unites everybody, honestly.
There's just that bond between gamers where it's something different than anything else in the world.
And I also believe that people are like, I don't really like video games. I'm not saying you like video games, but there's one out there that I bet you do like. I think there's a game for everyone. Even my dad, who was the most old-school, technologically dumb person, he'll say that. He's always active. He has to be up and doing something.
If you put him down in front of Mario Tennis for Nintendo 64... he will not get up until someone comes and gets him like that game specifically. Right. Like, so I think, I think there's a game for everyone.
Honestly, it is really funny. Cause my wife is somewhat of a gamer, but she's very, very niche in like the game choices. Like it has to be Nintendo and it has to be like Zelda or Mario. But if it's one of those two things, she will get completely engrossed in it and just play it for hours at a time until she beats the game. And then she kind of looks around and is like, well, what do I do now?
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Chapter 6: How did Ian's journey lead him to Make-A-Wish?
Chapter 7: What is the importance of community in gaming?
I mean, man, it seems like, you know what, us bearded gents, you know, with the handsome faces and this like really good gaming knowledge, I feel like we're just kind of on a different level, man. Yeah.
What is it? Let's hear it. What is your hot take? My gaming hot take that I will also stress to the listeners. I sent this in and then happened to check the guy's top 10 favorites and was like, oh, that was probably a mistake, but it's fine. I am a firm believer that
The vast majority of Rockstar IP, so the Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead, you know, the Red Dead series, Redemption, Redemption 2, all of them. Fantastic, incredible games, beautiful world storytelling, you know, world building, character development, everything writing is amazing.
they will never be eligible to be game of the year or best game of all time, GOAT status, because the controls are an absolute crime against humanity. And I stand by that. I stand by the fact that I shouldn't have to, in this day and age, double tap the A button to make my guy run, which is one of the most basic things I need them to do in a game that requires a bunch of traversal.
And also, there's just some line of code in Rockstar's development process that says, If your character is fleeing from a situation, whether it's a gunfight or a car chase or something, and they're running, and they get within three feet of an object, they will just randomly ragdoll and trip over it. That's also something I believe. Again, great games. I've played them. I've beaten them.
I love them. But they're never going to be at the top of the list because of that. Their controls just, ugh, they're the worst thing ever. And I stand by it. I'm with you.
It hurts me to say it should be, but it's like, what are you doing? Like, what are we doing here? I have always maintained that. Listen, I fully admit that Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the greatest video games that has ever been made. But I have been a staunch believer in that the gameplay is a 7 out of 10. And people go, what are you talking about? And it's the exact same thing.
It's the controls. It's the shooting in that game. It's the weird, like when you press forward on the stick, there's that pause in the slight acceleration of the character where it feels like it's laggy. Right. It just takes a little bit to get going. It's the same thing when you stop. They kind of have to come to a stop. And it's just not snappy.
Your ACLs would both completely explode if you just stopped on a dime. And they did. But you know what? I stopped. I stopped. At the same time. Okay, but you can stop. You know, the crazy thing to me is that I don't even... Double tapping to run, that's the hang-up on the greatest game ever made. It's so dumb. No, it's the greatest game ever made. There is...
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Chapter 8: What is the debate on Red Dead Redemption 2's gameplay?
Have you seen some of the games lately? Like, come on.
I am also with you, Ian. I mean, I think we all agree Witcher 3 is one of the greatest games ever made. So, you know, the game has really, really good controls and gameplay is that God of War, the game that actually won Game of the Year in 2018, that game was the true, you know, the true victor and rightfully so as well. Yeah.
I love God of War. It's one of my favorite games of all time as well. Red Dead is just that next level above for me. But it's fair. I get it. I get some people can't handle controls and they're not good enough to do it. So it's not a big deal.
oh man there's also just like you know i could i could just keep going like there's just like it's like it's like the fact that like yeah there's like a sense of realism you know like i get that argument but then there's also the like if i aim my pistol down or rifle down too far i can accidentally shoot my own horse but like and i get it's like well that's really what would happen but you would never do that if you were actually you know so it's just like a janky controls that are that are making it do that it's
so my wife her name is Sarah I had like Sarah 6.0 because I would just randomly clip a wall or a pole or something with my horse I know it's true and I just kept renaming it to just keep it like the running joke because it would just my horse would explode and I'd run and tumble and I'm like Dang it! Now I'd have to go get another one. So I get it. I get it.
But, you know, there's a lot in that game. They can only do so much. Everything can't be perfect, man. It's...
And that's why it's a seven out of 10.
All you need to do is just, all you have to do is accept the seven out of 10 and we can put this to bed.
Right. If you were to, if you were to say eight, I could, I could muscle my brain into like seven and a half. I'll meet you in the middle.
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