Author: Nikki Lynette

There’s no denying it: video games are officially part of global culture. As a $120 billion a year industry, it’s becoming increasingly obvious to non-tech related brands that games are where the money’s at, and they wanna cash in. Gamers are redefining a lot of norms. Esports have become so lucrative and require so much skill that it’s redefining what it means to be a pro-athlete. Players filming their casts from their bedrooms are making as much money as top tier entertainers, redefining what it means to be an influencer and celebrity. And with interest in gaming culture comes interest…

In the year 2003, something happened that altered the course of human history. It was  game changing. It was an innovation in the way people live and socialize. On December 2, 2003, Electronic Arts gave us The Sims. And nothing was ever the same again. Through The Sims, people were able to disengage from their real lives and live a second, more sensational existence where they could indulge in all the naughty stuff they could imagine, with no real-world consequences. We could not only control the way our Sims avatar looked, we could also determine how it lived and interacted…

This article was originally published in 2017. Because Sugar Gamers is participating in Nikki Lynette’s self-care challenge, and because there is a growing need for more mental wellness discussions within the tech & gaming community, we are posting an updated version of the original article, written by Sugar Gamers founder Keisha Howard. Since the age of 10, video games have been my favorite way to escape from reality. As a girl living in one of the most impoverished and violent areas of Chicago’s south side, I didn’t have a lot of freedom to go outside to play. Gaming became a huge…

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When you think of the rapper Soulja Boy, you probably think of his smash hit (from like 10 years ago) called Crank That Soulja Boy. Since he came on the scene, Soulja has been known for his dance moves and online antics. He is actually considered the pioneer of using the internet to sell yourself as an artist, being the first rapper to capitalize off of social media in a major way. Honestly, I don’t know any of his recent songs. Yet, he has over 5 million followers on Twitter. Maybe that is why he felt confident enough to announce…

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello. My name is Nikki Lynette and I am sore all over. I feel like I did a full body workout with heavy weights, but I didn’t. I got this way from doing one 45 minute class at Cycmode… and I can’t wait to do it again. Since November 24th, Sugar Gamers has been joining me in my 30 Day Self-Care Challenge for my mental health movement Get Out Alive. The #iGetOutAlive challenge includes one month of healthy eating, relaxation techniques, and fitness. It hasn’t been easy. But its officially day 10, and since I sort of hate working out…

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Why Stan Lee is the Father of Geek Culture [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The loss of Stan Lee will be felt all over the world. Although he lived a long, awesome life, it still always hurts when we lose one of the innovators who helped shape our culture in such a significant way. With the popularization of Marvel movies, parts of geek culture that used to be specific to comic book nerds have now become part of popular culture. While this fact pisses off many snooty comic enthusiasts, nobody can deny the fact that it’s a good thing when we are all able…