About
Esmeralda Portillo
Esmeralda Portillo is an online personality and former games media editor.
She made her debut as a member of the Sarcastic Gamer team as their executive editor and community manager. She was also a host and producer of the Sarcastic Gamer PINK! Show, one of the game industry’s first female podcast series.
She went on to work for the company Machinima as a talent manager and Inside Gaming’s managing editor. Most notably after, she joined the IGN staff as their executive editor of custom content.
In the midst of all that, Esmeralda has also freelanced for Newegg’s GameCrate,The Escapist, GamesRadar, Complex, GameZone, Polaris, and Unofficial Disney Days. She’s assisted in coordinating events for the children’s charity organization known as Extra Life. Additionally, she’s helped influencers spruce up their branding presence, because somebody has to.
Writing Portfolio
IGN
- Why Horizon Zero Dawn Is So Addictive
- What Makes Buffy Still Relevant and Enjoyable Today
- Seeing the Potentials of Virtual Tourism Through Everest VR
- How ReCore Marries Intense Combat and Touching Moments
- Road to E3: Kingdom Hearts 3
- 30 of the Best True Crime Documentaries, Shows, and Podcasts
- The 10 Things You Forgot About Power Rangers’ First Episode
- An Outsider’s Perspective on Star Wars Mania
- Why Kingdom Hearts Fans Should Care About 2.8
- 17 PlayStation Exclusives We Want on PS4
- Opinion: Why I’m Disappointed by CBS’s Supergirl
GameCrate (Newegg)
- 5 games to occupy your holiday downtime
- Review: Tales from the Borderlands “Zero Sum” offers a modest start
- Review: This War of Mine is a grim look at life in war
- Bungie hurt Destiny by avoiding the MMO label
- Friendship helps eclipse Destiny’s shortcomings
- Preview: A look at Dead Island 2
- Tales from the Borderlands offers a new way to look at Pandora
- A City Sleeps is a celebration of harmony
- 8 instances where game companies pulled a 180
- 5 game franchises that should reboot their lore
- Not now! How notifications undercut gaming immersion
- Opinion: Telltale’s episodic formula isn’t always the way to go
- The best video game for you (depending on your college major)
Machinima
- How our gaming habits evolve as we age
- What’s done right and wrong in the Walking Dead: Season 2 (so far)
- The Walking Dead: Season 2, Episode 5 Review
- The Walking Dead: Season 2, Episode 4 Review
- The Wolf Among Us: Episode 5 Review
- Valiant Hearts: The Great War Review
- The Wolf Among Us: Episode 4 Review
- The Walking Dead: Season 2, Episode 3 Review
- Child of Light Review
- Aztez wants you to kick ass and conquer
- There are no right choices in This War of Mine, just survival
- Secret Ponchos challenges you to become a western legend
- The Wolf Among Us: Episode 3 Review
- The Walking Dead: Season 2, Episode 2 Review
- The Last of Us: Left Behind DLC Review
- The Wolf Among Us: Episode 2 Review
- Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition Review
- Continue?9876543210 Review
- The Walking Dead: Season 2, Episode 1 Review
- Batman: Arkham Origins Review (Video)
- The Wolf Among Us: Episode 1 Review
- Puppeteer Review
- Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Review
- Gone Home Review
- The Wolf Among Us Preview
- Watch Dogs Preview and Aisha Tyler
- The Walking Dead: 400 Days Review
- E3 2013: Zumba Fitness: World Party Preview
- E3 2013: Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare Preview
- E3 2013: The Walking Dead: 400 Days Preview
- E3 2013: Puppeteer Preview
- E3 2013: Dying Light Preview
- The Last of Us Review (Video)
- Remember Me Review
- Remember Me Hands On
- Dead Island: Riptide Review
- Guacamelee! Review
- Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Preview
- Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams Review
- Skulls of the Shogun Review
- Ni no Kuni Review
- God of War: Ascension Multiplayer Hands On
- PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale: First DLC Hands On
- Skulls of the Shogun Hands On
- ZombiU Review (Video)
- Okami HD Review
- Previously On… Assassin’s Creed
- Just Dance 4 Review
- Joe Danger 2: The Movie Review
- Dead Space 3 Valentine’s Day Giveaway
- Inside Gaming Awards Gamer’s Choice – Vote Now!
- Inside Gaming 2012 Holiday Guide
- Mirror’s Edge 2 in Production?
- Seal Team 6 Members Punished for Work on Medal of Honor: Warfighter
- Extra Life Charity, 24-Hour Livestream this Saturday
- PS Store Redesign Launching on Oct 23
- Favela Map Temporarily Removed Due to Offensive Islamic Imagery
FEATURES AND EDITORIALS
REVIEWS AND PREVIEWS
ARTICLES
Complex
- Are Continuous Sequels Harming Video Game Franchises?
- 10 Things Bosses Should Stop Asking Their Employees to Do
- The Top 12 Annoyances With Both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4
- How to Tell a Boss Fight is About to Happen and 5 More Things Only Gamers Know
- 8 Dumb Things Video Games Have Been Accused of Causing
GameZone
- The pricing game and its current effects on the video game industry
- Adult Swim wants it to rain, and to steal your birthday cake
- The hit movie “Her” and its commentary on video games
- Games you may have missed for your holiday break, and where to get them cheap
- Top 5 Kingdom Hearts worlds that filled us with nostalgia
- Review: BattleBlock Theater is a wonderful production everyone should experience
- Review: Rhythm Destruction attempts to blur the line between rhythm game and shmup
- The Final Countdown: The last Defiance beta weekend
The Escapist
- ARCHIVE OF THE ESCAPIST ARTICLES (70+)
- Ken Levine Was Asked A Lot About Making Bioshock Without Violence
- If Kill Bill was Made into a NES Game
- Complaints Lead to Changes in FX’s The Strain Billboards
- Lycans Are the Latest Enemies Revealed for The Order: 1886
- We Need Toxic Players, According to Orcs Must Die Developer
- A First-Person Look on How George R. R. Martin Writes Game of Thrones
- New Trailer for Dead Island: Epidemic MOBA has Sharknados
- Percentage of Women in Game Development Has Doubled
- Hulu Will Not Be Renewing Community
- Quick Look Behind the Scenes of Jurassic World
- Shane Black Directing Predator Reboot
- Nathan Fillion Will Appear in Guardians of the Galaxy
- Mozilla Reportedly Working on Its Own Chromecast
- It’s Possible to Earn Scholarships for Playing League of Legends
Sarcastic Gamer
- Review: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
- Review: Dance Central 2
- SG Review: Resident Evil: Code Veronica X HD
- SG Review: Valve Presents: The Sacrifice
- SG Review: BloodRayne Betrayal
- SG PAX Prime 2011: Final Fantasy XIII-2
- SG PAX Prime 2011: Rise of Nightmares
- SG PAX Prime 2011: Orcs Must Die
- SG PAX Prime 2011: Jetpack Joyride
- SG PAX Prime 2011: Lollipop Chainsaw
- SG PAX Prime 2011: Shoot Many Robots
- SG Review: Fruit Ninja Kinect
- SG E3 2011: SEGA Games Worth Downloading
- SG E3 2011: Kinect Previews
- SG E3 2011: Anarchy Reigns Camera Ruins the Fun
- SG E3 2011: You’ll Want to Play with these Aliens
- SG E3 2011: Gotham City Impostors was Actually Fun
- SG E3 2011: Naughty Dog Keeps Delivering with Uncharted 3
- SG E3 2011: Mass Effect 3 Brings on the Tears
- SG E3 2011: Vita Bends Gravity & Makes Sweet Music
- SG Review: Portal 2
- SG Flix: Sucker Punch
- SG Review: Vanquish
- SG Review: Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
- MK Blowout II: “It’s bloody delicious,” says this girl gamer
- SG E3 2010: Epic Mickey isn’t an epic win
- SG E3 2010: Warriors of Rock may actually rock?
REVIEWS AND PREVIEWS
FEATURES, EDITORIALS & ARTICLES
Social Media Today
Unofficial Park Days
- Bats Day: Fun in the Dark (2015 Edition)
- Newsflash: 2015 Disneyland & CA Adventure Changes
- Ugly Christmas Sweater Day: Classy Attire
- Phyllis Navidad: Who is Phyllis Herman?
- Thanksgiving: Recommended Disney Movies
- Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon: 10 Best Marvel Cosplays
- Rockabilly Day: Rockin’ at the House of Mouse
- Halloween: 10 Best Disney Costumes
- Jitterbuggin’ The Park: Years of Swinging
- Galliday: A Celebration of Doctor Who
- It’s a Ska World After All: The History of Ska
Videos+Podcasts
IGN
- Your Name Movie Spoilercast
- Join IGN’s Live Stream Celebrating International Women’s Day
- History of Awesome 2010
- History of Awesome 2009
- How Scary is Outlast 2
- Why We Still Love Pokemon After 20 Years
- Most Annoying Enemies in Video Games
- IGN’s Most Anticipated Games of 2016
- IGN’s Most Anticipated Movies of 2016
- Vault IGN, Episode 7: I’ve Never Played Fallout Before
- Why Super Mario Bros. 3 is the Greatest Game Ever Made
- IGN Can’t Build LEGO
- What’s Your Favorite PlayStation Memory?
- How Scary is Until Dawn
- History of Awesome 1988
- Tales from the Borderlands, Episode 5 Spoiler Cast
- Tales from the Borderlands, Episode 4 Spoiler Cast
- Tales from the Borderlands, Episode 3 Spoiler Cast
- Tales from the Borderlands, Episode 2 Spoiler Cast
- Licking Everything in Goat Simulator on PS4 – IGN Plays Live
- Rock Band 4 Gameplay Reveal – IGN Live Presents
Machinima
- Little Big Planet 3 NEW GAMEPLAY @ E3 2014!!
- Dragged to Hell [The Evil Within Gameplay] – RGD Recap
- Radio Respawn – 08/10/12 – Total Recall, Mars, Chik-fil-A
- Respawn: Inbox! – 08/20/12 – w/ APLFisher, Chris Lockey & the Machinima staff
- Creepy Text Theatre – Ep. 2
- Creepy Text Theatre – Ep. 4
- Creepy Text Theatre – Ep. 5
- Escola de Call of Duty – Rage Quit
- Festa de GTA V! Finalmente lancado no Brasil!
Sarcastic Gamer Pink
- SG Pink Episode 60: Everybody Loves A Pink Kitty
- SG Pink Episode 62: OMG We’re Late!
- SG Pink Episode 63: Baby Waker
- SG Pink Episode 64: The Dork of Zork
- SG Pink Episode 65: Sorry We’re Late… Again
- SG Pink Episode 66: Look Who’s On Time
- SG Pink Episode 68: Red Dead Returned
- SG Pink Episode 67: Out of Order
- SG Pink Episode 69: Grab At All Times
- SG Pink Episode 70: The Mail Show
- SG Pink Episode 71: Twins
- SG Pink Episode 72: A Naughty Let Down
- SG Pink Episode 73: Johnny Walker Locker
- SG Pink Episode 74: Might As Well Get Paid For It
- SG Pink Episode 75: World of War Crash
- SG Pink Episode 76: Girls Fight Back
- SG Pink Episode 77: 100 Proof
- SG Pink Episode 78: The Episode After PAX
- SG Pink Episode 79: Miley’s Mullet
- SG Pink Episode 80: Bust A Move!
- SG Pink Episode 81: Killing Me Softly
- SG Pink Episode 82: Bocce Balls!
- SG Pink Episode 83: Pinky Anniversary
- SG Pink Episode 84: Gaming Hippies
- SG Pink Episode 85: BRAAAINNNS!
- SG Pink Episode 86: La La La!
- SG Pink Episode 88: Queen Of The Nerds
- SG Pink Episode 89: Douche Bag
- SG Pink Episode 90: Stupefy
- SG Pink Episode 91: Girls Gone Wild with the Thing
- SG Pink Episode 92: Drunken Martha Stewart
- SG Pink Episode 93: Fishmonger
- SG Pink Episode 94: Kim & Kesha!
- SG Pink Episode 95: Get Me A Sammich
- SG Pink Episode 96: Body Protector
- SG Pink Episode 97: Luck and Hip Hop
- SG Pink Episode 99: Faster, Funnier!
- SG Pink Episode 100: Better Than Nothing
- SG Pink Episode 101: Increase My Bust
- SG Pink Episode 102: SG Punk
- SG Pink Episode 103: This Week with Andrea
- SG Pink Episode 104: Jax is Back!
- SG Pink Episode 105: Doc-itis
- SG Pink Episode 106: Bye Bye Harley
- SG Pink Episode 107: Afterneath It
- SG Pink Episode 108: Wooden Spoon
- SG Pink Episode 109 Appetizer
- SG Pink Episode 109: Hooker from Pennsylvania
- SG Pink Episode 110: Better than my Mom
- SG Pink Episode 111: 40’s Bush
- SG Pink Episode 112: Jax Was Fired
- SG Pink Episode 113: E3 Lateness
- SG Pink Episode 114: Farewell Barf
Sarcastic Gamer/Big Red Barrel
- SG Respawn Radio 049: Boobies and Gaming
- SG Modcast
- SG Christmas 2010 Special
- SG Brown #30: Off The Ropes
- SG-PSP Episode 108: Brain Baldness
- SG-PSP Episode 134: Freckle Bear
- SG-UK Episode 30: American Fisting Aliens
- SG-PSP 149: Pacman’s Skinny Body
- BRB Blu 11: What Did Kobe Do Now?
- BRB Blu 20: Amazing Kama Sutra Spider-man
- BRB Blu 23: Pay To Win
- BRB Blu 27: New Rogaine Formula
GamerTag Radio
- Episode 247: E3 2010 Roundtable with SG & GTR (Final Day)
- Episode 277: Nintendo 3DS Price: “Don’t Be Upset About The Price” Roundtable
- Episode 288: Wii 2 Roundtable, Portal 2 Review & Gears Of War 3 Beta
The Show Radio
The Married Gamers
Hip Hop Gamer Show: Backlash
Trophy Whores
Post Game Report
CGR Podcast
Front Towards Gamer
GeekTi.me
Brand Portfolio
Blog
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Pokemon Go: The Impact Around the World
It’s only been a few days since Pokémon Go launched in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, but there’s no denying its impact and popularity. Droves of people are making their way to local parks and churches to stare intensely at their phones while they catch fictional monsters from nearby PokeStops tagged with lures and battling for ownership of the…
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The Hardest Thing About Being a Freelance Writer
Driving ferraris and attending lavish parties is what freelancers are made for, but that’s not the life freelancers actually live. With the luxuries of working from home and setting your own schedule come the immense hurdles of sporadic work availability and the too frequent non-payments. Though recently I’ve come across something I as a freelance writer, which…
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I’ve Been Quoted for a Game!
Below you’ll see a few outlets like IGN, GameInformer, and Machinima… that last one is me! I’m so happy that my first endorsement quote is for a video game like Telltale’s The Walking Dead! It feels a bit surreal. I’m also relieved it was used in the right context, given some of the horror stories I’ve…
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Social Experiment: YouTube Comments
There’s a reason Twitter feeds like @AvoidComments exist. Comments can range from encouraging or crushing, and no where is that most true than on YouTube. YouTube comments bring in all walks of life, and those walks can be pretty nasty. But thanks to an unplanned social experiment, I learned there’s hope! I found out that if…
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How to Beat Other Businesses on YouTube
YouTube is a wonderful platform that offers anyone the opportunity to upload their videos online and attract some of the most dedicated audiences out there. It’s a field of endless opportunities, but one that unfortunately many businesses (big and small) fail to understand. Simply following the basics guarantees you’ll be ahead of 80% of the…
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Stop Writing “Opinion” in your Opinion Headlines
Lately I’ve been paying closer attention to the headlines I click on in my RSS feeds. Evaluating what drives a user to click on a particular subject based on the format and keywords is fascinating. I’ve really come to appreciate the simplicity of game industry headlines compared to those of general news outlets—mainstream media aims…
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“You’re Too Skinny!” The Other Side of the Body Image Struggle
Living in Los Angeles has been an interesting experience. Stationary traffic and smog aside, it’s hard not to miss the heavy focus the LA culture has on health: protein shakes, gluten-free menus, sushi, yoga, juice cleanses, etc. It’s a city with “body image” as its core, and it’s one that can be quite overwhelming for…
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