# Revisiting a childhood video game deepens father and son’s bond

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/playing-video-games-with-my-22-year-old-son-has-brought-me-to-tears-dominik-diamond/
- Published: 2026-09-25T11:30:48+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-25T12:22:27+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/games/2026/sep/25/playing-video-games-with-my-22-year-old-son-has-brought-me-to-tears-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2
- Topics: Culture, Entertainment, Gaming, Technology

## Key points

- A father and son reconnect through a favourite childhood video game.
- Teamwork helps them complete missions after nearly two decades.
- Gaming provides Diamond with nostalgia, freedom and family connection.

## Summary

Dominik Diamond describes spending three weeks in a flat with his 22-year-old son, Charlie, cooking, watching films and playing video games together. Revisiting Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the first game they played cooperatively in 2009, brings back their shared bond and shows how gaming has strengthened their relationship across 17 years.

They finally complete two Special Ops missions they had abandoned when Charlie was five, overcoming their contrasting styles through communication and teamwork. Diamond says the experience has made him feel carefree and nostalgic, while criticising the commercial cheating industry, reportedly worth $8.5bn, for undermining the enjoyment and spirit of gaming.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.