Meet SmokeShank (Patreon)

I’m one of the co-founders of Gunsmoke Games (GG). My primary responsibilities are the operations and business development of GG. If SU is SR7’s baby, then GG as a business is mine. I’m responsible for our community management and growth, human resources, financials, keeping up-to-date on industry news and trends, communication with outside suppliers/devs/industry partners, and whatever else I need to do. Essentially, I’m here so that the important people developing can just develop. 

I always wanted to get into the video game industry, but never did I see myself as a co-founder of an indie studio. Frankly SR7 and I never even dreamed that we would get as far as we have. When we started this endeavor, our goal was to hit $500 a month by the end of that year (we launched in June 2015). We hit $500 in the first month. The rest is really history, at this point we are legitimizing our business and trying to take GG to the next level.

So, my story!!

I first met SR7 in grade 9 and we became friends instantly. Although him and I ran in completely different crowds, we remained friends. As I left H.S I chose the sports route, like many young athletes I dreamt of playing pro. I took a year off school to pursue an alternative route to that pro dream and eventually would go to University after two years off, but wound up dropping out after my 2nd year. Late in my early 20’s I figured my window of opportunity as a pro athlete had passed and I realized it was time to start adult life, so I gave up my pro dream. 

I ended up working many labor jobs, from steel warehouse work, to oil field work, to tradesman type jobs.  As I worked I watched and learned from what others had done. I saw the “idiot” running a million-dollar business, I paid very close attention to how 100-year-old businesses were run, and how the moonlighter got by as well. I would then routinely come to SR7 and mention new business ideas that we could easily do. He would routinely shake his head and say, “Trucking is easier”. Then when the time came that he was done trucking and wanted to pursue working for himself I proposed a business to him and we jumped head first into it. Several months and one failed business later, Gunsmoke Games was born and now we are on our 3rd year as a full-time business. 

Outside of Gunsmoke Games

I’m still very much involved in sports, and don’t think I could ever leave the locker room environment. It’s like church for me, soul cleansing, and gives me something to work towards outside of GG. 

I’m currently working towards my purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with the Gracie Humaita team. Getting my blue belt was probably one of the most humbling experiences in my life. I trained constantly and achieved it after 3 years. I switched gyms after 2 years and had to train for a full year to prove I was a team player at my new gym.  This made me fall in love with the sport and could care less about what rank I held.  

Outside of BJJ I work out regularly, not for strength or size, but to stay healthy and injury free for BJJ. I also love Summer and camping/hiking are huge pastimes for me. During rest nights, I can be found locked to my couch playing PS4 (Currently playing Spiderman).  But really GG is what takes most of my time, it is the first thing I work on when I wake up and the last thing I work on before going to sleep. It truly is my baby and I can’t wait to help bring you more cool games. 

That’s pretty much what I do and who I am,

Smokeshank