About Alan Boiston

Over three decades through Video Games, Acting, Directing, Buying, Commercial Management, TV Presenting, Journalism, Esports, Video Production and Motorsports. Life has been a journey, of constant evolution and self-development. Adapting to the changing world of technology while improving various skills to stay relevant and with the times.

Alan is a passionate gamer with a keen interest stretching back to the early 1980’s. From education directly into gaming retail saw commercial success in the mid 90’s as a standout store buyer at HMV Trocadero in Central London. Alan was headhunted to become a buyer for Total Home Entertainment (THE) and Nintendo distribution, resulting in considerable success. Greatly expanding the business and overall profits at a time when product knowledge was key to all buying and stock holding decisions.

Understanding the elements that determine success, from game quality to market forces, to marketing and PR awareness, to rival products within the release window. Requiring accurately predicting the life cycle of any given title, maximizing profits, while ordering conservatively to minimize risk. As the industry changed and moved towards the modern vendor management models, it was time for a new chapter that used Alan’s gaming passion, with a move into journalism.

Alan’s journey into journalism began in 1997 with various HMV leaflets and game reviews, followed by more written leaflets and content for THE, eventually progressing to Live TV in 2003. Presenting Gamerweb TV, over 80 hours of live unscripted broadcasts Monday to Friday. This called upon Alan’s expert gaming skills and detailed knowledge on the global gaming industry, supported by studying acting and directing, improving performance in presenting along with various improvisation when required supporting a professional presentation on a challenging budget.

In 2014 Alan became a Bafta Games Member for recognition to his earlier work in lobbying to improving education relating to the video games industry, this successfully improving education options to this day.

In 2015 Alan began writing freelance for the Huffington Post, content would feature coverage of various aspects of the video games and entertainment industries. Then published in 2016 as part of Stuart Ashen’s fun book ‘Terrible Games You’ve Probably Never Heard Of’ which went on to great success.

2017 Alan presented McLaren’s World’s Fastest Gamer on behalf of Logitech G. Presenting on stage with limited briefing time, then making critical changes to the format before jumping on stage commentate a qualifying session. Well received by Logitech, surpassing all of their expectations and opening the door for future opportunities for both parties, later taken up by Logitech in 2020.

Alan began his competitive gaming journey in the late 1980’s, competing on various arcade leaderboards and small events. Despite defeating the Wipeout champion in 1995, the title alas was not officially awarded the recognition due an admin error. Then winning a Colin McRae Rally tournament at ECTS in 1998, winning a drive in Colin’s WRC Car at Silverstone (alas Codemasters failed to provide the prize). Before a 3rd place finish on Gran Turismo in the UK Console Championship in 2000. While also competing in the Dynamic Gaming League held in 2001, this took place at Google Street arcade on Sega’s popular Ferrari F355 Challenge.

Eventually dominating the competition standings for 6 months. Competing in a range of competitions and events including the 2005 Virgin Megastore Forza Motorsport tournament, which brought together competitors from all over the country, Alan eventually finishing 5th. Then in 2006 with a top 10 in the world score on Geometry Wars Retro Evolved, this provided an invite to visit official Xbox magazine, followed by topping the global leaderboards on Time Pilot. Moving on to competing in the xLeague pilot show 2007 event on Project Gotham Racing 3, with a 2nd place finish, and onto the World Cyber Games i31 finishing 4th.

Team VVV (Veni Vici Vici) was founded on May 2006. Following the 2005 Virgin Megastore Forza Motorsport UK wide tournament in which Alan eventually finished place 5th. It brought a great opportunity to bring top players together. Alan began by working with other teams to promote their players and organisations, even featuring in EDGE magazine. However, to maximise potential of marketing opportunities it required developing a team that would suit the structure required for content and sponsorship opportunities. Promoting the players, bringing a community together and maximizing commercial potential.

Designing the logo, registering the trademark, constructing the initial website forum. Then brining a team together, inspiring them and maximizing their performance. This going on to create world leaders in the automotive Esports world, dominating on Project Gotham Racing 3 and Forza Motorsport.

In 2009 Team VVV evolved into a publication and the Esport experience gave kudos as the place for expert racing gaming news, while Alan’s automotive gaming experience and extensive knowledge of motorsport brought a new and focused angle. Covering every major racing game, meeting racing drivers from the past and present including Sir Stirling Moss, Carl Foggarty, Ken Block, Tiff Needell and many more, besides every major gaming developer. VVV swiftly developed a new following with an extensive range of detailed written content. This led to the production of the VVV Annual. A book focused on covering the dissolving gap between gaming, simulation and real motorsport. Displaying the effect and importance of simulation while taking readers through the gaming genre up to modern day, along with a huge range of interviews and covering all racing games released over 2009/10. Alas despite the potential, the book was never published, in many ways it was simply ahead of its time.

Another factor in this era was the diminishing interest in forums and written media. Video was entering the home media sector in a big way. 2009 saw a small step into the world of YouTube videos, but following the production of the VVV Annual, the focus moved to YouTube and with huge success.

A guest of Ferrari at Monza 2011, multiple GT Academy’s tours with full driver training, testing sports cars, rally cars, to eventually being accommodated in Monaco, and invited to Monza 2014, meeting every F1 World Champion and team boss, which lead to being invited into Mercedes to share in the champagne from the podium.

Alan also produced content for sponsors outside of the core products, exploring the impressive hotels of Monaco, showing off the potential options for F1 fans who wish to embrace the full F1 experience. Or interviewing famous BBC TV personalities such as Noel Edmonds about their automotive exploits. One occasion involved interviewing a crew after a series of grueling yacht races at the Classic Rolex Cup held in St Tropez. While another event required a live and unprepared grid walk at Silverstone before the start of the WEC as part of the Le Mans Esport in 2019. This varied range of experience demonstrates greater flexibility in the services and subjects Alan can support.

In 2017 Alan created the Team VVV Awards, rewarding the best racing games and developers for their achievements, in a completely neutral event which was highly sought after and well received. 2018 saw the new TeamVVV.com website launch, this being the foundation for the most informative automotive gaming news site on the web. This was an epic project, Alan micromanaging every stage of development. Featuring media content of over 3500 racing games. While the awards garnered great respect from leaders across the world of automotive game development.

In 2013 Team VVV started consulting on game developments, providing detailed feedback under strict NDA on various improvements required to improve both gameplay and potential sales while giving clients an accurate prediction on scores and reception across all levels.

Over the years this detail has developed, and all of the games have gone on to see important improvements that have advanced the final quality of games and no doubt a positive impact on sales generated by word of mouth and reviews. You can learn more about this service on the Consultancy page.

Alan continues to run content across the Team VVV platforms while expanding on the Consultancy Business in sharing a lifetime of knowledge and maximizing the experience gained to the betterment of clients.