Andy Robertson

Andy is an author, journalist and expert on children, video games and play. He founded Family Gaming Database, which helps millions of parents and carers understand and discover video games, and is the author of Taming Gaming, a practical guide to healthy family gaming.

His work explores the fundamental value of play and what happens when children’s play moves onto screens. Drawing on conversations and collaborations with families, academics, play practitioners and the games industry, he challenges the idea that digital play is a lesser substitute for “real” play and makes the case for recognising video games as an important part of childhood.

His forthcoming book, Reclaiming Gaming, explores how parents can move beyond anxiety about screens to better understand, support and participate in their children’s digital play, while protecting the agency, freedom and independence that make play valuable in the first place.