If you're not willing to even keep up an *archived list* of the game developers you touted as future stars in the industry, let alone a notably *underprivileged* list of developers who were supposed to get resources *from your organization*, then you're not serious about that work. (3/5)

Absolutely wild that this article is how we found out about this and not via official sources or on the Discord for FC members

Last year I did this interview with the intention of it being part of a longer reported piece in LARP and politics, but that fell through as things got...really intense after November. Thanks still a fascinating exploration into what games can explore against a backdrop of history

If you worked/work at Square Enix and have any further specifics on the layoffs today you're willing to share, please reach out. Email and Signal in my bio, can keep you anonymous.

So not only is Square Enix going to try to replace 70% of its QA with AI, it's also apparently laying off at least 100 people (possibly significantly more) as it continues to consolidate its operations further and further: www.ign.com/articles/squ...

Couldn't get any review work for Nov, which is a pity because there are a lot of exciting indies releasing this month. I'm looking forward to these - and if you're open to commissioning any this month, please let me know! Ambrosia Sky (store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...)

Was a tad held up with personal stuff over the week, but wanted to share this interview I did with @liz-shrikestudio.bsky.social for her horror TTRPG, for @rascal.news - one of the most fascinating projects I've read these days

Couldn't get any review work for Nov, which is a pity because there are a lot of exciting indies releasing this month. I'm looking forward to these - and if you're open to commissioning any this month, please let me know! Ambrosia Sky (store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...)

DriveThruRPG has launched a new program to sell publishers' offset books and other physical products. It's a boon to smaller creators, but also further consolidation for the one of the hobby's largest digital platforms.

Very excited to share a feature I wrote about parrying - as a parry Hater

i've got an interview up about the development process and folkloric background for One-Eyed Likho among other things, i learned about the Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index, which classifies folktales from around the world

📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms). It’s also concerning. 1/

A must-read by @chasecarter.bsky.social on the effect of tariffs on the TTRPG industry. There are inherent issues to the rampant use of crowdfunding in the industry, and tariffs are just making it a lot worse

We wanted to understand what a Zohran Mamdani administration would mean for New York. So we talked to a Kentucky woman who once tied for 5th place in a swim race with a transgender woman and got really mad that she didn't get to hold the trophy.

gene park has been palling around with fascists with more than just a minute, you guys

im glad the government posting halo memes is revealing that half the people reporting on it are fine with it

I really have been looking forward to this for a while! Can't wait to give it a shot

Always grateful to do something for Zack and Funland. For this one I looked at this weird little game called Ratshaker, which seemed promising at first as a spooky little treat, but ultimately disappoints... as a horror game

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha good job Sydney

If you'd like to learn more about ✨️COCOON: Design Works✨️ I had a gab with @sevenoutoften.co.uk about it for a bonus episode of Indieventure

Nic and I still need help with this. We've lowered the goal to reflect that right now this GFM is about meeting our current survival needs and not just helping us get the rest of our stuff from the States. Thank you to everyone who has contributed/shared.

Love my non-binary monarch yama

Another excellent @crapstacular.bsky.social piece providing a broad but well reported introduction to jubensha. It's been a national craze there for years, but the Anglosphere is catching wise thanks to a few determined studios.

Big day! Here's the thing I've been working on for the past few months.

Here's a fun one for @rascal.news about how jubensha is slowly gaining momentum outside China. I chat with three studios on how they're bringing jubensha to the west www.rascal.news/jubensha-is-...

I've been super proud to work with a bunch of talented authors including @judedoyle.bsky.social and @taliabhatt.itch.io on this package over the past couple months — it's six great stories about the weird, scary moment both the internet and trans people are in

If you only read one story today, make it @nicolecarpenter.bsky.social's breakdown of the Saudi-backed EA buyout, which includes thoughts from multiple business analysts and experts who explain what the $55B deal could mean for EA workers, its video games, and the wider industry. Essential reading.

Used to run an indie site where a good amount of time is spent speedrunning as many indie releases as possible. I didn't get paid a lot, the site didn't get much views, and in light of the impossible demands to get eyes on your pages as press these days - yes, press for indie games is rough

👁️We're down to our last handful of SIGNED copies for Mouthwashing: Design Works, so if you're after some of those sweet sweet signatures you better be quick! ✍️

Day one of @kickstarterunited.org's ongoing strike saw elected officials and union leaders show up in the streets of NYC to support workers.

I've really been enjoying whatever @newmadras.bsky.social puts out on Rascal, but esp this piece that describes the state of itch.io extremely eloquently. itch has issues, but its platform - and the service it provides - is extremely unique in today's age of technofeudalism

Boosting again, please share! Still looking for writing work-- full time or contract, i'm incredibly adaptable and eager to learn and grow ✍️

I'm still looking for devs to chat with!

I liked the first season and didn't finish the second season (hint: sexism) but the only reason why I may consider watching this is to see Jang Eun-sil do whatever the fuck she's doing in there

It's Edge release day, which means I can finally share that I wrote about Undertale's 10th anniversary, and how its portrayal of pacificism is honestly still pretty unmatched even a decade later. I'm very proud of the piece, and hopefully you'll get to read about it!

Adding my voice to the chorus: the Sumud flotilla never entered Israeli waters. that is a lie. The Gazan coast is Palestinian territory (not even spiritually, like actually in international law) so the Sumud flotilla has not violated Israeli sovereignty. The Israelis intercepting them however…

To bring this slightly closer to home - some of the activists on board are Malaysians

I'm still looking for devs to chat with!

I would like to think that this is an effect of the BDS boycott but honestly if you haven't started your Xbox boycott, the second (third? fourth? whatever) best time to do so is now

Worth pointing out that Kickstarter United is NOT currently calling for a public boycott of Kickstarter's platform. The work strike encompasses 59 "community support specialists, trust and safety analysts, marketing professionals, software engineers, and other tech workers" under the old contract.

In a couple days, it'll be one year of joining Rascal. I'm grateful that I get to do this job. Which is part of why I work so hard at it. Because it's a tough job when I do it well because I'm trying to tell the stories of real people and I don't want to mess that up. Thanks for reading, folks.

Surprise! I'm stoked to share that I'm writing this book. It's a dream to learn more about the game's development history from @wrongorgan.bsky.social themselves!

Me when I hike irl

Hell yeah @crapstacular.bsky.social

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Surprise! I'm stoked to share that I'm writing this book. It's a dream to learn more about the game's development history from @wrongorgan.bsky.social themselves!

I think it's very sad that a great writer passed away still looking for work because we're in living in an era where good writing doesn't pay well anymore. RIP Kaleb Horton - I love this piece he wrote on nostalgia kalebhorton.ghost.io/memory-nosta...

Our REVIEW CREW (@strida.bsky.social, @gracemachine.bsky.social, @crapstacular.bsky.social, @grahamsig.bsky.social) tackles THE FOREVER WINTER, FLYKNIGHT, OMEGA 6 and MORE!!! Plus we visit a TAMAGOTCHI WEDDING??