Olathe East High School Alumni
Olathe, Kansas (KS)
Dan Ryckert
Former video game journalist
What is Dan Ryckert known for?
Born in Olathe, Kansas, Dan Ryckert is a dynamic and accomplished personality in the gaming industry and beyond. He graduated from Olathe East High School in 2002 and later from the University of Kansas in 2007. Ryckert started his professional career joining Game Informer in 2009, in a role that saw him rise to become a senior associate editor.
His tenure at Game Informer was filled with remarkable achievements and notable highlights. Ryckert produced unique video content, invited celebrities for appearances, and even broke two Guinness World Records through gaming marathons. Notably, he made a splash by inviting the American rock band, Gwar, to participate in the release of the Microsoft Kinect, with a fun session of Kinect's Dance Central.
In 2011, Ryckert was recognized by Complex magazine as one of the twenty-five "raddest" game journalists on Twitter. That same year, he also began making in-game appearances, becoming a non-player character in titles like 'L.A. Noire', 'Infamous Second Son', and '2064: Read Only Memories'.
Ryckert's contributions to the gaming industry extended beyond Game Informer when he joined CBS Interactive's Giant Bomb website in 2014. There, he continued to produce engaging content while making regular appearances on Giant Bombcast and Giant Beastcast podcasts. His work at Giant Bomb also included unique escapades like playing 'Super Mario Bros. 3' while riding a roller coaster.
His career took a diverse turn in 2020 when he became a podcast producer for WWE. However, the allure of Giant Bomb was irresistible and led to his return to the platform in 2022 as a creative director.
Ryckert's personal life seems to be as exciting as his professional one. In 2017, Dan Ryckert and his fiancé, Bianca Monda, became the first couple to get married at the Taco Bell Cantina in Las Vegas after winning a competition. Not just a journalist and producer, Ryckert has also authored books and served as a professional wrestling manager.