James Wong, late 30s, lawyer

JAMES Wong (not his real name), a partner in a big law firm, spoke on condition of anonymity as he did not want any of his clients to know that he is as much a gaming guru as he is a legal eagle.

In fact, the married man considers himself a connoisseur of games, which he sees as modern art pieces to be enjoyed.

His foray into video games began at eight years old, when he used his hongbao money saved over the years to buy his own computer.

Today, he games on PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, the Nintendo DS and his PC for about an hour every day and spends about $100 a month on new titles.

Would you tell your client that you are a gamer?

I have learnt to release information in "bite-sized" portions and if I assess that a negative reaction is impending, I will stop before any damage is done.

Would you instead admit to playing golf or going for wine appreciation courses if you spend a lot of time on these things?

Not really.

It's not good to be seen indulging in expensive hobbies nowadays.

The main difference with games is that they tend to be non-social, although these days with online gaming, that is changing too.

What would you think of a client who is a gamer?

When we discover we are both gamers, it is often easier to work with the client as we already share something in common.

How would you feel if you found out that your surgeon or lawyer spent the previous day playing video games, before an important operation or a case?

It's a question of how long or intense the gaming was.

It can be a therapeutic thing in moderation.

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life.

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