Greg Miller Reflects On His 18-Year Career: The Fandom, Fatherhood, And All The Weird Stuff In Between
Who would’ve thought Ben Starr—known for Final Fantasy XVI and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33—would be the one interviewing someone? But here we are, and the guest was none other than Greg Miller, the loud, funny, and wildly passionate face behind Kinda Funny and former IGN legend.
The two sat down for a keynote-style “Storytime” chat where Greg Miller looked back on nearly two decades of video game chaos, community, cringe, and career-defining moments.
From Self-Podcasts to IGN: A Relentless Start
Greg Miller always knew he wasn’t destined for a desk job. As an only child, he would perform what was essentially a one-man podcast to himself in his bedroom. He knew from the fourth grade that he wanted to be a journalist—and that drive got him in the door. Eventually.
Funny enough, none of the big gaming outlets hired him at first. He ended up at a local newspaper covering events in his area before landing at IGN—on his 13th attempt. It happened fast: from application to interview to hiring in just 24 hours.
According to Greg Miller, the reason he didn’t make it earlier? He hadn’t been consistent. But once he proved he could write with a distinct voice, he became a major figure at IGN during the years it was still figuring itself out.
The Trending Gamer Award That Changed Everything
In 2015, Greg Miller won the Trending Gamer award at The Game Awards, beating out massive personalities like Markiplier, PewDiePie, and TotalBiscuit. The kicker? It was a public vote, and fans could vote daily. That award meant a lot to Greg—not just because of who he beat, but because it proved that a genuine, community-focused voice could rise to the top.
He joked that Markiplier didn’t even remember hearing about the award, but hey—Markiplier’s awkward potato behavior checks out. Greg’s win wasn’t just a trophy—it was a shift in visibility, a sign that people believed in what he and his team were building. It became one of the stepping stones that launched Kinda Funny into what it is today.
On Kinda Funny, Fandom, and Staying Humble
Now at the helm of Kinda Funny, an 11-person content team, Greg Miller is still surprised by his success—and still prepared for “the other shoe to drop.” He credits their cult-like fanbase (in a good way?) with keeping them going, calling it “a benign cult.”
He doesn’t believe success is about the numbers. It’s about the quality of your audience and how you reach them. Like how even one gaming journalist encouraging people to wishlist an indie game can make a huge difference. That’s the kind of impact he cares about.
Greg Miller On Parenting, Privacy, and the Future of Games
Greg talked openly about fatherhood, too. He’s protective of his son but lets him choose whether or not to be part of the Kinda Funny world. If his son wants to appear on the podcast one day? That’s up to him. Greg just hopes they’ll get to talk games together—maybe even jump into the next Monster Hunter release together if the timeline lines up.
On Regrets, Empathy, and Growth
Eighteen years in the spotlight comes with baggage. Greg Miller admits he has regrets—things he said or did when he wasn’t thinking. Like a moment during a 2012 Comic-Con panel when he introduced Camilla Luddington with a questionable joke about Californication instead of focusing on her actual role as Lara Croft. He’s aware now that he steamrolled her and forced her into a situation where she had to “be nice” even when he was being, in his words, an asshole.
He also recalled being dismissive toward a fan who asked about G4, only to find out years later that the fan carried that moment with them—and that it hurt.
He owns those moments. He knows cancel culture isn’t real—it’s just consequences, and what you do after. Greg says he’s human, he makes mistakes, but he tries to be better every day. And we felt that.
The Review Game and Never Retiring
Ben Starr even quizzed him on some of his old IGN reviews, which turned into a fun guessing game:
- Ghostbusters: The Video Game – He guessed 8, it was 7.1
- Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack – He nailed it at 9
- Fruit Ninja Kinect – 5/5, correct
- L.A. Noire – Guessed 7, actual was 6
- Lego Batman 2 – Guessed 8.5, nailed it
- NCAA Football 14 – Guessed 7.8, actual was 8
Greg Miller has no plans to retire. He loves the idea of aging with the medium, growing older alongside his audience, and still being relevant to the next generation of players. He hopes Kinda Funny can continue to be a place where more people learn to love video games.
Final Thoughts
Greg Miller’s journey is a messy, funny, honest mix of hustle, growth, and gratitude. From pretending to podcast in his bedroom to becoming a father, an award-winning host, and a community leader, he’s still the same nerd at heart—just with a louder mic and a lot more impact.
