Jonathan Garrett
EDITOR
Jonathan has been talking about and playing video games since Primary School, and has a long history of writing about fun things. Thanks to his best friend, Mike Hazleton, he was able to pursue his childhood wish of writing about the very medium he adored so much. He became Sub Editor to Mike’s The Gaming Shack Network (TGSN.co.uk).
The website achieved a great deal, with review code support from big publishers like EA and Ubisoft, regular trips to press only events in London (including the BAFTA’s), and interviews with developers from Team Ninja, LucasFilm, and Ubisoft Red Storm Entertainment.
He ran his own enthusiast press site site, JTGA, which launched in April 2016, producing both written and video content. JTGA was the next step toward what eventually became thatHITBOX - a collection of long form retrospective features, reactions to industry happenings, satire (because fun!), podcast / streaming content, and a whole bunch of reviews, previews, and interviews.
He was hired by AltChar Games as a freelance writer in 2019, and his thatHITBOX project continues to evolve. He is also the creator of Burly Bird Media - a multi faceted production company with a development roadmap that includes podcasts, books, plays, boardgames, and videogames.
Outside of the games industry, he is Company Director for YOUnique Minds CIC, a mental health support community, and has also been teaching drama for over sixteen years, having written / directed over twenty original youth theatre productions.
He created his own drama school, the 'Jay Tee Performance Academy', for five years, in both Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, and Stoke Newington in East London. He forged partnerships with the New York Film Academy, NY, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), and was the creative director for the 'Hackney Youth Performance Academy' in East London.
He is currently teaching Drama at Laureate Academy in Hemel Hempstead.
REVIEW POLICY
In the past, we’ve used a 5 star system, and while that was fine, we found ourselves swimming in 3’s, and unable to differentiate effectively between different experiences. We’ve decided to do away with traditional numbered scores entirely, in favour of a new review system: “Yeah!” or “Nah”.
At the bottom of every game review, we ask the question: Worth it? And the answer is either “Yeah!” or “Nah”, followed by a comment that sums up how we feel.
In order to provide more information, we also have “And” or “But”, which follows up our rating with further clarification, additional context for a game we love, or perhaps a redeeming quality for a game we didn’t like.
Our “Totally Accurate Rating Platform” (TARP) badges also return to add extra in-joke laden flavour.
WHAT WE DO
thatHITBOX writes about all things video games, with a focus on big retrospective features, reactions, interviews, and satire, alongside reviews and previews.
We’re all about producing high quality content and telling interesting, unique stories about creative humans. thatHITBOX isn’t driven by crunch, or the need to be first. We want to be something interesting, but also something different.
And the most important part: thatHITBOX is only for everyone. We are an inclusive space, across all of our channels (social media, podcasts, streaming and this here website).
We are a big believer in the Easy Allies mantra of: “Love and Respect”.
CONTRIBUTORS
JONATHAN GARRETT - Editor
MIKE HAZLETON - Writer
BYRON WOODLAND - Writer
ADAM BURLEIGH - Writer / Podcasts & Shows
JASON BURLEIGH - Writer / Podcasts & Shows
JONNY WILSON - Writer / Podcasts & Shows
RANDY PITCHFORK - Satire