So What’s the Story Behind TypeRacer?

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a web game called TypeRacer, which is a simple, online multiplayer typing game. It might not sound all that fun or far from those days at school with Mavis Beacon, but if you’ve tried it, it’s hard to put down. Patrick Klepek over the MTV Multiplayer blog has also been pretty enamored with the game, enough so that he spoke with the game’s creator about his inspiration of what kind of game he is.

Here’s a hint: He’s not a hardcore gamer.

Alex Epshteyn is a 26-year-old programmer whose last game console was an NES. “I’m a fan of PC games, especially the classics. I’m not playing anything right now, as I’m trying to focus on building new features for TypeRacer, but the games I’ve been addicted to most recently include Transport Tycoon Deluxe, Civilization 3, and Return to Castle Wolfenstein / Enemy Territory.”

TypeRacer continues to expand, with an upcoming Facebook app and website accounts pegged as the most exciting and significant changes. Since it was released, there have been a number of updates, including the ability to join a private race so that you can play with friends.

As for how Epshteyn decided to create the game, it’s really quite simple.

“I decided to take some time to learn how to touch-type the right way at a particularly boring summer internship I had a few years ago, between college and grad school. I installed a shareware typing tutor for Windows, and two weeks later I was touch-typing! What they lacked was a multi-player mode, so it occurred to me that I should make a multi-player typing game myself!”

And sure enough, he has. I’m excited to see how the game grows from here and just how popular it becomes once it’s introduced into the world of Facebook. (My prediction: Very.)