Katie Schutze-Contributor

Editorial Team

Contributor

Contributor Since January, 2026
Qualifications Bachelor of Arts in English
Expertise
Video Games, JRPG, Pokémon
  • 10
    articles
  • 3
    News
  • 7
    Features
The Best War Games logo Profile

About Katie Schutze

A born-and-bred Texan, Katie's been overthinking fiction since she could pick up a TV remote. After getting her English degree, she found her niche when someone passed a game writer position at CBR her way. Someday, her inane ramblings about the parallels between Homer's Odyssey and The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie  will be validated.

Katie started out as a writer for CBR in 2023, where she wrote features, lists, and news about video games and anime alike. In 2026, she started writing for TheBestWarGames.

The youngest of four sisters, Katie's been gaming on hardware much older than her since she was born. She was still playing Pokemon Yellow  while her classmates were on Pokemon Emerald, and remembers when PC games still required CDs. She can't count how many times she's beaten Kingdom Hearts  1 and 2.

Favorite Games

Katie's favorite game of all time is Rune Factory 4, and her favorite story in gaming is Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. She was inordinately thrilled when both of these were ported to the Nintendo Switch.

Favorite Console

Katie's Nintendo 3DS has given her the most playtime out of any console she's ever owned, and she'll still vouch that it's got some of the best JRPGs of all time.

Industry Focus

Katie has a particular fondness for JRPGs due to their storytelling potential, but she's happy to write on most things about the gaming industry in general.

Latest

Pokemon villains are bad parents feature
All the Best Pokemon Villains are Cut From the Same Cloth
Pokemon

In the mainline Pokemon titles with the best stories, the villains tend to have complicated relationships with their families, at best.

Rune Factory 2 bride stealing mechanic feature
The Classic 77 Metacritic Farming Sim That Let You Steal a Man's Bride at the Altar
Rune Factory 2

Farming sims often have marriage, so players can have their own happy endings. But Rune Factory 2 lets you ruin other couples' happy endings in turn.

Freya Crescent and Sir Fratley in Burmecia together at the end of Final Fantasy 9
This Final Fantasy 9 Character Shows Us How to Make Old Tropes Fresh Again
Final Fantasy 9

Final Fantasy 9's Freya Crescent doesn't get the screentime a playable character deserves, but her storyline with her lost love still stands strong.

Final Fantasy IX Picture Book: Vivi and Grandpa's Memories for the Sky US release date
Final Fantasy 9 is Officially Getting a Prequel in May, But Not in the Way You Would Expect
Final Fantasy 9

This spring, American Final Fantasy 9 fans will get to learn a little more about fan-favorite black mage, Vivi Ornitier.

This article is about Mario Tennis and Mario Golf on the Game Boy Color, as well as Mario Tennis: Power Tour and Mario Golf: Advance Tour on the Game Boy Advance.
Mario Tennis Used to Be a JRPG, and I Miss Those Days
Video Games

People may think of Paper Mario or Mario & Luigi when it comes to Mario RPGs, but Camelot adds a welcome JRPG twist to early Mario Tennis and Golf.

Red and Blue in Pokémon Origins
Pokemon's Greatest Hits are Trapped on Old Consoles, and That Needs to Change
Pokemon

For a franchise that wields nostalgia like a weapon, it's weird that Game Freak hasn't put the older Pokemon games on newer consoles.

This article compares the story and gameplay of Final Fantasy 6 and Final Fantasy 7.
Has Final Fantasy 6 or Final Fantasy 7 Aged Better?
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Final Fantasy 6 and Final Fantasy 7 both changed the RPG landscape, but which is a better first game for a modern player?

Stardew Valley Developer Donation is a Big Win for Indie Games
It's Time for Stardew Valley Fans to Play the 30-Year-Old Series that Inspired It
Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley's key inspiration turns 30 years old in 2026, which means there's not really a better time to go back and check it out.

Sonic the Hedghog announces new radio drama podcast Sonic the Hedgehog Presents: The Chaotix Casefiles
New Sonic the Hedgehog Release is Completely Unexpected
Sonic the Hedgehog

After Sonic the Hedgehog's tenure in games, movies, TV, comics, and more, he'll be taking a trip into the world of podcasts with a new story.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons version 3.0 update early release
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Update 3.0 Is Officially Live A Day Ahead of Schedule
Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Update 3.0 for Animal Crossing: New Horizons drops on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 today instead of its planned release date of January 15.