About Hank Whitson
Hank Whitson is a pop culture omnivore, gaming geek, escapism nerd, and unrepentant anime addict who has been writing for Game Rant since 2020. He plays and writes about literally everything, but holds a special place in his heart for compelling stories, creative combat, and clever worldbuilding. He attended UCI for his Bachellor's in English and graduated with a special emphasis in Creative writing. At GA Tech, he served as the Entertainment Editor of the award-winning student newspaper, The Technique, and graduated with a Masters in Digital Media having written a thesis on videogame analysis and criticism.
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Industry Focus
I am fascinated by the creative process of game development and enjoy working the interview beat because it allows me to interact with professionals from every facet of the field working on an extremely broad variety of titles. My professional and personal expertise lies with narrative analysis and literary criticism of video games.
Favorite Games
I based the majority of my personality on Final Fantasy 7. Atlus invaded my thoughts and built Persona 5 for me specifically. I am addicted to Genshin Impact. I drink my morning coffee over Doom Eternal and play Beat Saber to stay in shape. Witcher 3's "botchling quest" still haunts me. I'm currently on my first 4-player campaign in Baldur's Gate 3. It is a crime that Bloodborne has not been remade for PC and I will die on that hill, but I don't think it needs a sequel. My Jedi Survivor lighstaber is orange. Tetris is unironically cool.
Proudest Gaming Achievement
To my knowledge, I was the first kid in Pasadena, California to complete the original Pokedex.
Latest Articles
Aion Classic Interview: NCSOFT Talks Revenants, Player Needs, and 2.7 Update Balance
Game Rant speaks to AION Classic's game design director about how NCSOFT developed the new class and other changes in the 2.7 update.
Aion Classic Dev Details New Revenant Class Lore and Abilities
Game Rant talks to Ahn Jinho, AION Classic's game design director, about the distinctive features and development of the game's new Revenant class.
Van-14 Interview: Dev Talks Story, Art, and Gameplay in Metroidvania Passion Project
Game Rant speaks to Valheim artist and developer Robin Ayre about his personal love letter to classic Metroidvanias which is currently in development.
Van-14 Dev Details Lessons Learned from Valheim, Benefits of Personal Projects
Robin Eyre explains how Iron Gate Studios practices and lessons have informed the development of his personal Metroidvania passion project.
Van-14 is Developer's Love Letter to Hollow Knight and Super Metroid
Robin Eyre talks to Game Rant about the qualities that shaped these model Metroidvanias, and how they have influenced the development of Van-14.
Hawked Interview: Dev Discusses Player Feedback, Future Plans, and More
Game Rant speaks with executive producer Andrew Duthie about Hawked's comic book origins, its future live-service plans and issues, and more.
Hawked Dev Details Its Comic Book Approach to the Live-Service Game
Game Rant talks with My.Games' Andrew Duthie about designing Hawked's distinct visual style and the game's comic book-inspired origin story.
Hawked Dev Details The Most Important Aspect of Its Guns and Loadouts
Hawked executive producer Andrew Duthie provides some insight into the extraction shooter's weapon and loadout design in a Game Rant interview.
Dead by Daylight Interview: Devs Discuss New Survivor Perks, New Killer Builds, and More
Game Rant speaks with Behaviour Interactive about Dead by Daylight Chapter 31: All Things Wicked and its new playable Survivor, Killer, and map.
How Dead by Daylight's New Survivor and Killer Redefine In-Game Interactions
In a Game Rant interview, a Behaviour Interactive dev discusses the game-changing Survivor and Killer mechanics in Dead by Daylight's latest chapter.
Dead by Daylight's Chapter 31 Update Focuses on 'Analog Horror'
Game Rant speaks to Behaviour Interactive about analog horror's role in the new killer and designs of Dead by Daylight's Chapter 31 update.
Alone in the Dark is a 'Reference Bender' for Fans of the Original
While fans of the original cannot rely on that knowledge in Alone in the Dark, they can enjoy a reference bender according to the devs.
Alone in the Dark Devs Talk Reimagining, Not Remaking the Classic Horror Game
Game Rant talks to the developers of Alone in The Dark about replayability and renovating a landmark survival horror title.
Alone in the Dark Requires Multiple Playthroughs for Secret Ending, Certain Cutscenes
Game Rant talks with Alone in the Dark developer Pieces Interactive about rewarding multiple playthroughs, character-specific secrets, and much more.
Nightingale's Character Creation is 'Easy to Master, Difficult to Monster'
Game Rant speaks with Inflexion Games about the design philosophy behind Nightingale's character creation system.
Hawked Hands-On Preview: A Fortnite-Lite with Arcadey Uncharted Vibes
Game Rant goes hands-on with My.Games' adventure-flavored, treasure-hunting, PVPVE extraction shooter.
Nightingale Devs Talk Creating the Game's Unique Atmosphere
In a Game Rant interview, Inflexion discusses the design ethos and unique aesthetics behind the look and sound of Nightingale's Gaslamp Fantasy world.
How Nightingale's Backgrounds May Grow Throughout Early Access
Inflexion Games details the function and future potential of character backgrounds in Nightingale during a Game Rant interview.
The Thaumaturge Dev Talks Challenges of Making a New IP
Game Rant speaks to The Thaumaturge developer Fool's Theory about developing its original universe and using it to tell meaningful stories.
Why The Thaumaturge's Poland Setting is so Important to Fool's Theory
Game Rant speaks with The Thaumaturge's design director about the upcoming CRPG's setting and why it is so important to Fool's Theory.