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THERE was always something about video games.
Growing up, FilAm Chester Vergara was a video game addict. He would sit in front of the TV and play for hours.
As a 12-year-old, he would carry a Legend of Zelda battery pack containing a previous saved game everywhere he went so if he were at a friend’s house, he’d pop it in the Nintendo and continue to play.
"As a kid, I just had this love for gaming," said Vergara. "I just love how it could take you away from reality and bring you into this fantasy world."
His parents hated it. His parents wanted him to become a lawyer or a doctor.
But now they’ll have to settle that their son’s fervent childhood hobby has become a full time job.
The 32-year-old Vergara is an associate producer for Namco Bandai, one of the largest producers of video games and toys in the world.
As an associate producer, he’s responsible for overseeing a games development from design to coordinating with publishers and ensuring that the game gets finished on time.
He’s already produced several video game titles in all the major consoles including Warhammer for Sony’s PSP, Fast and Furious for XBOX, Afro Samurai for the Sony’s PS3 and both Active Life: Outdoor Challenge I and II for the Nintendo Wii system, among others.
In this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, the world’s premiere trade show for computer and video games and related products, it’s hard not to miss Vergara. Donning a red shirt with the Namco Bandai logo, the shaven head Filipino is wearing a grin from ear to ear. During the three-day convention, he’s been demonstrating the latest title he helped produce – Active Life eXtreme challenge II for the Nintendo Wii system.
"This is really a great game for families," he said about the game. "It’s a great way for kids and parents to spend quality time and enjoy the game that they are playing."
Vergara admits that he never thought he would be in the position that he’s in. He said that he’s living the dream.
"It’s really a big sense of accomplishment to be where I am," said Vergara. "There’s not a lot of Filipinos in my position."
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