Yes, I’m a Filipino Kiwi… Who Also Happens to be A Car Guy

I will be frank here: I am a genuine car guy who is passionate about racing games. While most people are into the mainstream gaming trends, like sci-fi, action, or even horror, I choose a different path by enjoying the step on a gas pedal, cruising down a road at high speeds like there is no tomorrow. Needless to say, this passion did not come from nowhere at all. It is a long story short.

So, this all started all the way back in my house in Malolos, Bulacan. I was 3 years old at that time, watching my father play a racing game on his old phone. Since that time, I grew more and more engaged with various racing games as the years went on. 

When I was around 4-14 years old, I was only limited to a handful of free online Flash games such as Renegade Racing, Earn to Die, or even Freeway Fury since buying high-end titles cost a lot of fortune, and if my parents had the money, we would go to our nearest arcade station to get my hands on a physical steering wheel and actually feel like a real driver on the seat. Otherwise, I’d simply stick to my cellphone playing either Reckless Getaway 2, Asphalt Legends UNITE, or Demolition Derby 3. This made me quite an oddball in my community, as most other Filipinos are more likely to play Mobile Legends, Clash of Clans, or even VALORANT. 

Eventually, I was able to get some racing and driving games installed on the PC by the time I was 15, and since then, I never looked back up until my arrival here in Auckland.

Growing up playing racing games, I also became fonder of the automobile world. My mother used to buy plenty of toy cars for me when I was a kid. Unfortunately speaking, many of those toys won’t make it past the 2010s. Nonetheless, I still preserve those precious memories, as I make them my inspiration to continue admiring the automotive world as it is, and I will never apologize about it. 

My immersion with racing games also influenced the type of music I was listening to. Instead of sad ballads or some “trendy” K-Pop, I listened to a lot of high-energy English rock and pop music as my music preferences diversified and matured. My fluency in the English language largely became possible because of my exposure to English media as a kid alongside my little brother. This also helped us since a lot of racing games are set in the said language in particular.

All I can say is that had things gone differently—such as being diverted to another toy like a toy soldier or an action figure—I would not have been as invested in the automobile world as I am today. Do not get me wrong; I also have other interests continuously pursued, such as music, physics, drawing, and even some robots like Transformers. All of it naturally evolved from my inspirations with various car-related games and movies, and I owe a lot to my parents for opening my eyes to the world with these things.

About the Author

Jose Enrique Villacorta Joson is a graduate of Senior High School from Bulacan Ecumenical School under the STEM branch. He started his journey in the Bubots Writing Class last November 2025 in the Advanced Class. Today, Jose strives to further improve his writing in the near future so that he may be able to pursue his dreams as a writer and an artist.