I've been writing code since 1979. Even in my early years I wanted to make games, but the tools available weren't exactly great back then. Today it's relatively easy to get started, so I'm pursuing my passion for it, and hoping to start my own game studio in the near future.
I was there when things like Pong and Pacman got their start, and I fed quarters into all the neatest game cabinets at the arcade. I played on nearly every game console ever made, even if I didn't actually own them all. I saw the beginnings of every popular game genre, and tons of games that defied categorization into a genre. Games that had great stories, and games that never needed a story at all to be great.
Today we have the means to actually share our creations with people before they're ready to ship, and get feedback, and I think that's a fabulous development. We can test continually, get constant feedback, and make changes accordingly. Which is what brings me here!