N. Evan Van Zelfden

Video Game Observer

The first thing you notice about Mr. Van Zelfden is that he hates to talk about himself. He would rather talk about music, or books, or movies.

He will tell you that he is fascinated by both Business, and Art (with a capital A). And when you combine the two, you've got something on your hands that can change the world.

Aesthetics is everything. And business must be run with flair.

If you ask him about his tastes, he will admit he flits "from golden age to golden age," like a kind of classical hummingbird.

Mention business, and he will start talking about the balance between marketing and management. How one is extroversion and the other introversion. Every business has a personality, and you've got to strike that perfect balance.

He will ask you if you ever read Focus by Al Ries. When you reply in the negative, he will shake his head sadly, "It's a great book."

But if you ask him about video games, then his eyes will light up, a smile will grace his face, and he'll begin to answer your questions without reserve.

"Video games," he will assert, "are the greatest art form to date." And he says this without guile or irony.

"Video games combine all great art. Music and painting, sculpture and architecture, poetry and color, motion and emotion, the power of words, and even the stage and screen. And besides, it's interactive. No other art is truly interactive. And there's nothing like leaving your world behind."