It was because of the game, yet it wasn't about the game. And I have thousands of those tiny moments: When some old song comes on in a nightclub, instead of thinking, "let's dance!" I think, "Grand Theft Auto!" Or when I catch some strains of the Chrono Cross soundtrack I remember being a recent high school graduate, dreaming of oceanside caverns and lost time, daydreams that could get me through miserable days at the job I had then as office assistant.

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The power games possess to take us elsewhere is precious. They also have an implicit, often-understated power to make our little worlds more special. You've formed friendships over games, you've formed memories. You've learned about the world, or you've learned to think differently about it. And everywhere you look, your view of the world is threaded through, sometimes overtly, sometimes delicately, with the influence of your love for games. What are your stories?

Leigh Alexander is editor-at-large for Gamasutra, author of the Sexy Videogameland blog, and freelances reviews and criticism to a wide variety of outlets. Her monthly column at Kotaku deals with cultural issues surrounding games and gamers. She can be reached at leighalexander1 AT gmail DOT com.

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(Top image by Joseph Ford for Amusement)