Before 2001, the Internet looked much different than it does today. Google was still in its early days, and large social media hubs like Reddit and Facebook weren't even a concept. Most online traffic centered around scattered pockets of forums and chat rooms. One such forum, Gamingforce, hosted a user base passionate not only for video games but also video game music.
In 2001, a handful of Gamingforce users, eager to realize their own vision, set off to make an online space of their own. This new endeavor would be called GameSekai. From 2001 until 2005, people from all over the world gathered at GameSekai to celebrate their appreciation of game music and media. It was a small but tight-knit community, forging friendships that would last for decades to come.
As time went on, the Internet became more and more mainstream. Social media as we know it today was nascent but visible on the horizon. Yet forum culture was still at its apex when in 2005, when a new administration took over the forums. After the departure of GameSekai's original founders, the community would reinvent its look and identity. By the end of 2005, GameSekai was no more. In its place, Valiant Gamers was born. Though the site now had a new look and a new name, the original mission was still the same.
The original Valiant Gamers forums would last until 2008. By the end of that year, however, forum culture was losing its grip on Internet traffic to the likes of modern social media. Sites like MySpace and Digg offered new ways of connecting with others and facilitating online discussion. Though the Valiant Gamers community kept in touch, bit by bit we moved on to new platforms and in new life directions. The landscape changed, and we changed with it.
Looking back, it was all inevitable. These technologies allowed the Internet to grow from being a niche hobby into an essential daily utility for the masses. Change is essential and important, for we as individual and society at large. But not all change is good. We here, among others, feel that something was lost in that transition. Though the world has never been more connected than it is now, there is a persistent feeling that we are more isolated from each other than ever. The commercial giants of the modern Internet have forgotten what made the Internet great, opting instead to spy and prey upon their users. The mad rush to monetize every last stretch of the web leaves one feeling hollow and nostalgic.
After almost twenty years, we've come together once again to keep the old community spirit alive. On January 19, 2024, Valiant Gamers went online once again. Though we are older now (and hopefully a little wiser), we want to take back that little corner of the Internet. Our goal is as it ever has been: to celebrate games and the music that makes them memorable. But moreover, we want to explore all kinds of hobbies, ideas, and thoughts with all of you. Let's make something that's ours and have a damn good time doing it. We hope you enjoy yourselves here at the new Valiant Gamers Forums!
—Team Valiant