Look lads you got that second amendment for a reason and I’m just not seeing you ever using it for the right reasons

My final bit of writing for 2025. "Something great happened here, but it’s over with."

It is my absolute honor to have written for Spine for the first time in years! 2025 saw me going through an enormous amount of loss, but even though things are certainly challenging, I'm still here. HUGE kudos to my brother @diegoarguello.bsky.social for the titanic effort of putting this together!

Always honored to write for of Into The Spine, and it’s incredible to see that, even in an industry bleeding talent, that talent refuses to give up. I lost co-workers I loved working with in 2025, so massive thanks to @diegoarguello.bsky.social for letting me write about the power of community.

this was an immeasurable effort from everyone involved. the list is packed with calls to action and donation funds. folks wrote about anything from games to movies and books. we didn’t include anything published or developed by microsoft, and avoided games with gen ai like the plague

I played games this year www.thegamer.com/game-of-the-...

Why We're Boycotting Xbox: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ybj1...

We spoke to a dozen professional concept artists who are currently or have previously worked in game development about whether generative AI image tools have made their jobs any easier. Zero said it did. Most said it made things harder. thisweekinvideogames.com/feature/conc...

You can shoot Miles and he complains about it in Metroid, so all the talking kinda balances out

My review is up for Octopath Traveler 0! It's got some blemishes, but hot damn, it's got heart. Easily the best story in the series, and unequivocally the boldest. www.thegamer.com/octopath-tra...

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is almost two decades in the making and it's arguably worth the wait? #MetroidPrime4 A faithful evolution of the series with a great world and strong characters that carried me all the way through to the end. Here's my full review: www.thegamer.com/metroid-prim...

JRPG actually means J’adore Role-Playing Game

I just don’t know how you all have the time for these takes

My review of The Outer Worlds 2! I adored it, but had a lot to say about how I feel Obsidian needs to be more earnest. The best moments are when the writing takes the setting and themes seriously www.thegamer.com/the-outer-wo...

My heart is utterly broken for everyone who got laid off today, I don't have the words to express how angry and scared this makes me. TG will never be the same, and it sucks.

It's been a hard week for the folks over at TheGamer. If you find yourself recently laid off, please reach out about potential freelance work for Pad & Pixel. Just HMU. And take care of yourself.

This feels far too evergreen, but we're always open for feature pitches at [email protected], and my personal email is in bio. I get to work with so many brilliant writers, and there's always room for more ❤️

After 6 years with TheGamer, Valnet has decided to shut down features and lay off the entire team, including me. I don't know what's next for me but I intend to stay in games, whether that's at another outlet, consulting, or PR. If you have any leads, I'd appreciate any help

If anyone who was laid off from TheGamer today has a piece they were working on and need a home for, Skybox wants to hear from you, and we pay pretty well. We can't make up for you being laid off, but we'll do what we can.

I got laid off from TheGamer today, along with the entire Features team (go give @epicswitzer.bsky.social and @hallafyre.bsky.social a follow!) Needless to say, I'm now looking for work. I'm open to roles in: -Journalism -PR -Copywriting -Copy editing -Games writing -Scriptwriting

Please, give these wonderful writers, those who I would call friends, the place they deserve to create the incredible writing they’ve been trying so hard to do for years

I just want us to be respected. Is that so much to ask for? For the industry to in any way care for the talent that creates your profits? I was physically shaking with anger and sadness earlier. I just want us to be happy doing our jobs. I never felt like that was much to ask

Valnet unfortunately let go of the entire TheGamer features team today alongside several other staff members. Many incredibly talented and hard working writers I've had the pleasure of working with over the past several years.

Please follow and support what they do next, as all three of them are tremendous talents who deserve the very best. @funnelchest94.bsky.social @epicswitzer.bsky.social @hallafyre.bsky.social No matter what they end up doing, they're going to kick ass and do themselves proud.

I'd love it if my friends would stop getting laid off. Just saying.

TheGamer is losing so much talent today, it breaks my heart. On a personal and professional level, I cannot put the loss into words. Everyone being laid off today is incredible and would be an asset to your team. They have jumped through more hoops than you can imagine. Hire them!

May as well be everyday at this point

Branden is such an incredible editor, writer and basically everything else. There’s seriously nothing he can’t do, digitally or physically, and he would make an incredible addition to any team

Turns out I’m great at managing dinosaurs and terrible at keeping fences intact. My Jurassic World Evolution 3 review is up: www.thegamer.com/jurassic-wor...

I made a game! Last weekend, I and six pals created O.R.C. in a couple of hours. We playtested once and decided that it was good enough to launch into the world, so if you've always wanted a dexterity dice game about rowdy orc cheerleaders, grab it for free here! sledgehammer-gaming.itch.io/orc

I have fulfilled a lifelong ambition. I have finally had an article published on a Star Trek website!

Man, I really am just using this site to announce when more of my colleagues leave, huh? Happens a bit too often!

Not the best weekend, but really really proud and excited to share my Ninja Gaiden 4 review :) Definitely my Game of the Year, surprising no one - www.thegamer.com/ninja-gaiden...

Joe is wonderful, funny, and a massive personality that will improve any workplace. But on top of that, he’s just perfect at his job. I’ll say it constantly, but he’s made me a better writer with his edits, and he’ll make any site better with his experience as an editor or in TCG

after months of applying to endless jobs both in games and out, I am at a point where I'm applying to retail jobs. so this is sort of a final call: if you're looking for a video editor or writer or anyone to do literally anything, would love to hear from you. www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Hi! I'm Santi Leguiza, a freelancer gaming journalist with 7+ years of experience as a writer and 3+ as an editor! You can check my work at santileguiza.com Do you want to work with me? You can also find me as @skylinefantasy in: -X/Twitter -Instagram And by email ✉️: [email protected]

Seeing claims that Steam is blocking games that contain "mature themes" from releasing through early access. If you have been affected or have any info on this, I'd love to hear from you. Either pop me a DM here, or email me rhiannon.b@thegamer[dot]com

Ziff Davis and IGN routinely decide that work done by our laid off colleagues is not important. But inevitably, that crucial work falls onto those who remain. Not this time. Not anymore.

Santi is far and away one of the best and most dedicated writers I have ever worked with, and his edits in my earlier days are why I am where I am now. He is a godsend in every possible way, and any team would be improved to have him working with them.

I spoke with a union and industry rep about the state of play with AI in the gaming industry. Put simply, big players like Epic are trying to reframe the conversation and sell solutions to performers that they don't want. www.thegamer.com/ai-acting-et...

My review of Date Everything! is up! I had a blast playing through this amazing visual novel, and if you love dating simulators with beautifully written characters, you should definitely check this one out! www.thegamer.com/date-everyth...

I adore Nightreign; it's one of the most exhilarating, challenging Soulslikes, miraculously condensing the Elden Ring experience into 40-minute bursts. It's the boldest thing From has done in over a decade, and the weird meld works far more than it should. www.thegamer.com/elden-ring-n...

Something is rotten on the island of Sacra.

This is the new thing I've been working on with @henrystockdale.com and @craezytaxi.bsky.social. @rewinder.co.uk - An independent media site that will allow us to have in-depth conversations about the topics that interest us. www.youtube.com/watch?v=opu-...

I have been laid off from TheGamer. Open to any and all work for video production and writing both in the industry and outside it.

My first op-ed in years! I'm trying to dip more into features and thought pieces, so I began by yapping about my new player experience in Fragpunk. www.thegamer.com/fragpunk-cas...

Have spent nearly the last week completely absorbed by Ninja Gaiden 2 Black - bloody love this series and so glad to see it returning, first of all with the best in the series www.thegamer.com/ninja-gaiden...

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is unlikely to be the game that saves Ubisoft or changes the type of games it intends to make, but it is an impressive open world adventure in its own right. Here’s my thoughts after four hours of hands-on time: www.thegamer.com/assassins-cr... #AssassinsCreedShadows

My Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Q&A with Sakamoto-san is up! There were a few interesting takeaways from the event for me.. www.thegamer.com/like-a-drago...