Michael Thomasson
Video Game Historian
Michael Thomasson is regarded as one of the most prominent videogame historians in the industry today. He teaches college-level courses on videogame history, design, and graphics across several educational institutions. For television, Michael performed research for MTV's videogame-focused program Video MODS. With great acclaim, he contributed to the seminal work of the Inventor of Home Videogames, Videogames in the Beginning by Ralph Baer, alongside numerous other historical videogame publications including his personal project Downright Bizarre Games: Video Games that Crossed the Line. Michael has drafted multiple business plans for various videogame vendors and overseen nearly a dozen game-focused retail stores over a span of two decades. His historical articles have reached audiences globally through newspapers and magazines. He has also played a significant role in the development or publication of dozens of games across numerous consoles, including the Atari VCS, Sega CD, Colecovision, Atari Jaguar, Intellivision, 3DO, CD-i, and Vectrex. Additionally, Michael once held the title of the World's Largest Video Game Collection, as certified by the Guinness Book of World Records!
John Anderson
Gamer Enthusiast and Actor
John Anderson, a talented actor and comedian hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, is widely recognized for his unique persona as a professional "Trick Talking Meat." He captured audience attention in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as one of the Ravagers, further expanding his filmography with significant roles in Jumanji: The Next Level, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Tag, and Black Panther, among others. His impressive alien make-up was highlighted in Make-up Artist Magazine, earning features in both Variety and Rolling Stone's critiques of Tag.
His big break came when Oprah Winfrey cast him in his inaugural speaking role in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. John proudly represented Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 at San Diego's Comic-Con in 2016, contributed content for CONtv, and was depicted as a Ravager in Marvel's associated art book.
John's deep-rooted passion for acting flourished within the Birmingham cosplay community, where he frequently lends his talents to charitable events portraying characters like Batman, The Joker, and Green Arrow. He affectionately refers to himself as "Trick Talking Meat," a phrase famously coined by Carrie Fisher during a 1997 CNN interview, which captures the essence of the cast's experience while filming Empire Strikes Back.
Derrick Moore
Video Game Designer
Derrick Moore is a seasoned video game artist, designer, and independent developer boasting over 25 years of extensive experience in crafting games and game-related systems. His impressive portfolio features the creation of multiplayer environments for Halo: Combat Evolved, as well as significant contributions to the art and design of Crimson Skies and MechWarrior 4. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in the early development of video games for Warhammer 40,000. Beyond the gaming industry, Derrick has also lent his expertise to defense and intelligence visualization, working on classified remote and analytical systems. Furthermore, he dedicated 16 seasons to live operations with the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners, where he actively contributed to zero-waste initiatives and pioneered the first peanut-free accommodation zone in Major League Baseball.