A record-breaking young Welsh videogame developer has been chosen to write the foreword to the Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2027.
Max Baker earned the Guinness World Records title for the youngest videogame developer (male) at just 10 years and 357 days old.
He secured the record after creating Gravity Parkour 2.0, a five-level platform game built using Python, in just four hours.
Max first started coding at the age of seven and is largely self-taught. He says one of his favourite parts of game development is being able to transform an idea from his imagination into something other people can play.
Max said: “I really enjoy being able to bring ideas from my imagination out into the real world, and have a game that’s really similar to my original idea. Also, playing a game that you’ve made makes it twice as fun!”
Creating Gravity Parkour 2.0 presented an additional challenge, with Max having just four hours to complete the game as part of his record attempt.
He said: “It was really nice being able to keep the idea of the original Gravity Parkour, but also improve on it and add new features. It was also quite fun working with the time pressure for the record attempt – I was trying to get as many features in as possible with the four hours that I had.”
Following his record-breaking achievement, Max has now been selected to introduce readers to the Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2027.
He has written the book’s foreword, sharing what he has learned from coding, creating games and becoming a Guinness World Records title holder.
For Max, creating a successful game starts with developing an idea that you genuinely enjoy.
He said: “It’s really important to start with a game idea you love, to enjoy making and playing the game. If you like a game idea you’re making, you’ll make it even better and people who play it will enjoy it as much as you do.”
His approach to development is simple: “Always make it the best it can be and never ‘good enough’.”
Reflecting on being featured in the new Gamer’s Edition, Max said: “It’s absolutely amazing! It’s been such a whirlwind since I first did the attempt, and I can’t thank everyone over at Guinness World Records enough. It’s a dream come true.”
He also had some advice for other young people considering trying coding or creating their own videogame.
“If things get tricky, don’t be discouraged, be patient, and never give up!”
Max’s story reflects one of the central messages of this year’s Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition, which aims to show there is no single way to be a gamer.
For Max, gaming is as much about creating, imagining and problem-solving as playing, with coding providing a way to turn his ideas into experiences other people can enjoy.
The 2027 Power-Up Planet edition celebrates modern gaming culture and features players, developers, streamers and creators from around the world.
It also covers major gaming franchises including Fortnite, Minecraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario, Grand Theft Auto and Subway Surfers.
Alice Bell, Editor of Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2027, said:
“I’m so excited for readers to get their hands on this year’s Gamer’s Edition. It really champions the breadth of creativity and achievement that makes up modern videogames. At Guinness World Records we believe gaming is for everyone, and this Edition showcases gamers of different generations and cultures from around the world. It’s a privilege to celebrate our Power Up Planet with them, and hopefully inspire even more people to be part of it!”
Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2027 is available now in stores and online, priced at £12.99.
