Entrepreneur spends career playing games

-----------------------
Entrepreneur spends career playing games
By Darla M. Wiese, dmwiese@qconline.com

To many, Josh Carlson, 29, is living the dream-life.

Mr. Carlson used to spend a lot of time playing computer games at home. Now he spends lots of time playing computer games at work. He also spent most of October traveling around Europe, Asia and South America ... all for his job.

"It's the easiest job you could have," said Mr. Carlson. "I mean, there are responsibilities, but you're not going to find an easier job."

Mr. Carlson, along with his buddies, Harry Cleaveland and Mark Kruse, is part-owner of Midnight Gaming, which offers full computer repair services and custom computer assembly in Moline. The real draw, however, is the 40 gaming computers, all of which boast T-1 connections.

The computers allow customers to play popular games, such as Diablo and Quake, on high-speed connections with other gamers from all over the world. The computers are also networked together so friends can play in the same game together at the gaming center. The business opened in September.

"We always had the idea to merge the two centers (repair and gaming), because they are complimentary of each other," he said.

Last month, Mr. Carlson and Mr. Kruse traveled to 13 countries in 21 days, competing for a spot in the world finals for the game "Painkiller."

Painkiller is a single-person shooting game. The character, Daniel, has found himself in purgatory after a car accident and must defend heaven from an onslaught from the monsters of hell.

Both men won one of the top 32 qualifying places. The finals will be in New York City in two weeks and will be featured on MTV. Half a million dollars is up for grabs.

Of his game strategy, Mr. Carlson says he will just try to "run and survive."

He predicts both he and Mr. Kruse will lose in the first round. His opponent is from Singapore, while Mr. Kruse will play an Italian.

"We placed in the top 32 last year, too," he said. "We've played enough and played the same people enough, that we know who we can and cannot beat."

During the qualifying competitions last month, the two men would often play games for six or more hours a day. One game lasted 14 hours.

"You have to be physically and mentally in shape (to compete at that level)," he explained. "All the pros are in physical shape, they work out and stuff. It goes hand-in-hand with a competitive attitude."

Mr. Carlson enjoys mountain climbing, climbing in Switzerland between tournaments. Mountain climbing, in fact, led him to gaming.

"There are no mountains around here, so I had to find something else to do with my time," he explained.

When he's not gaming Mr. Carlson is a stay-at-home dad for his two children, Noelle, 2, and Xander, 5 months. His wife, Beth, is a midwife at the East Genesis Medical Center, East Campus.

"It gets a little hard though, because when she's coming home from work, I'm just going to work," he said of his wife of eight years. "She shares no enthusiasm for my interests at all, none. But she is a very, very understanding and supportive wife."

Mr. Carlson hopes to set up local gaming leagues and eventually expand Midnight Gaming to other locations in the area.

"It's not a gold mine, but if you're going to have a job you're enjoying, it's worth it."

© Copyright 2007 Troy & Kim . Last update: 1/19/2007; 12:08:44 AM. This theme is based on the SoundWaves (blue) Manila theme.