Happy to announce that the demo for @zugalu.bsky.social's Five More Minutes, which I did some QA work on, is now out. Feel free to give it a whirl and share it with your chums! store.steampowered.com/app/3367950/...

As of today, it’s been exactly two years now since I first landed in Halifax to visit it prior to moving in. Still glad to call it home.

Rolled credits on Pragmata. Hands down one of the best action titles in recent memory, and one of the more important releases this generation (a new IP that channels 360-era vibes!). If you love your games lean ‘n mean, be sure to give this one a try. It’s another keeper courtesy of Capcom.

I happen to be one of those aging Millennials who grew up playing linear action games that lasted 12-15 hours tops. Not surprised to see so many titles harken back to 7th-gen game design seeing as it's been 20 years since the 360 launched. Nostalgia kicks in around that point.

www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/professional... Sterling report on housing regulations courtesy of the CMHC. This is what I had in mind while addressing the @hfxgov.bsky.social Council back in early March. Supply-side measures can help HRM and other cities on the continent build the infrastructure they need.

Brgan playing Pragmata. Feels and plays like a highly polished 360-era title, what with its no-frills exploration/combat loop, experimental shooting mechanics, and tight level design. In other words, the kind of game I grew up playing as a young’un and wish there were more of in this day and age.

Happy to share that my latest novelette got published on @thewritelaunch.bsky.social earlier today. thewritelaunch.com/2026/04/risk... Had a lot of fun writing this one while keeping track of market news, haha. Feel free to give it a read in your spare time and share your thoughts on it.

Shoutout to shooters with fun gimmicks. Gotta be one of my favorite genres. (Looking forward to playing Pragmata.)

www.saltwire.com/new-brunswic... Concerns: - Sticking to total market value assessments = penalizing property owners for renovating/building multi-unit housing. - Freezing property assessments for a year can distort market data + deprive municipalities of revenue w/o solving housing bottlenecks.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=znWB... Always love learning about policies (other) countries come up with to bolster their economies and put more money in everyone's pockets. Emphasis on financial literacy and market participation is something that governments worldwide could learn from Sweden.

youtu.be/0cixlLFLYP8?si=GG7Rza13ccPLbJPA *insert man playing piano on fire GIF here*

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWBE... Came across this vid detailing Winnipeg's resistance to change. TLDR Good ol' fear of the unknown exaggerating the cons. It's a habit that I've noticed in HRM, NS, and Canada as a whole. Sooner the economic/regulatory landscape's modernized, the better.

Rolled credits on Captain Toad. Hands down one of the best puzzle-platformers I’ve ever played. Gameplay and presentation were on point, and its use of the Gamepad (while limited) made the experience feel less passive than your average platformer.

Sharing this Twitter post here. The fear of the unknown has bedeviled humankind since time immemorial. Given how much more technologically powerful society has become, it ain’t hyperbolic to say that old instincts may undo us if we don’t quell tribalism or bring down the temp in the political room.

All that reading and writing about Nintendo compelled me to bust out this gem. Sad that the Wii U didn’t perform well commercially, for it’s a pretty good console that can make great use of the Gamepad with the right games. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and ZombiU come to mind.

www.linkedin.com/pulse/wii-ro... Following my reading of Keza MacDonald's "Super Nintendo," I couldn't help but put my thoughts about Nintendo into words by whipping up my first design piece in 14(!) months. As always, feel free to comment on my article and share it with your friends.

Good news: One of my novelettes got accepted for publication. More updates later.

Had the chance to address the Nova Scotia Public Bills Committee regarding a bill that addresses the 2026/27 budget. (Timestamp provided for your convenience.) www.youtube.com/live/5Z8PnV6... As with my speech to the municipal council earlier this month, I'm glad to have done my part as a citizen.

👋 New followers! Name’s Mitch Sabbagh. I’m a Halifax-based writer and game designer who worked on Hunter’s Moon and Sovereign Syndicate these past couple of years. Also did some writing at Frogwares and QA at Bethesda. Currently looking for work. Happy to trade words with those reaching out to me.

Ahoj. Since I am a proponent of "right fit for the write job," here is a starter kit for people who do Game Narrative. @me if I've missed you — just have to be a not-shit person and have a writer/ND track record — or want to be taken off the list go.bsky.app/FwZqzcz

Ran into @mackeza.bsky.social‘s love letter/book to all things Ninty at my local newsstamd. :)

Began playing Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Love how it reinvents the series formula with its emphasis on researching and catching its titular critters. Also got some mileage from my starter…

I’ll admit that my experience with Pokemon is rather limited due to my growing up as a PC/PS3/360 player. Having now migrated to Nintendo’s ecosystem, however, I’ve a chance to make up for lost time by trying out the likes of Arceus. Shoutout to Strawhat Midas for his insightful Pokemon videos.

Playing REquiem on SW2. NGL I love that Nintendo’s latest system’s getting on Day 1 the kind of big-budget game one used to see only on Xbox and PlayStation. GC was, I think, the last time Nintendo fans shared the same big release schedule and roster as Sony and Microsoft ones.

www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/eg71a... Happy to share with you my latest novelette. As with my last story, my interest in markets and the shenanigans arising from them played a role in shaping the attached tale. Thanks in advance for reading and sharing your thoughts on it!

you have to read to write. a lot. Like you have to read way more than you write for your writing to be worth anything. there are zero exceptions to this

Happy to share my latest novelette-sized story. www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/es0yk... Was inspired by my love of mecha and business/markets. As with my previous works of fiction, this tale is set in an alternate historical rendition of Atlantic Canada. Thanks in advance for reading in your spare time!

Same deal with Ottawa/Canada.

youtu.be/RJTBoQhWaC0?... Can’t be the only soul who thinks this looks like Prototype (with a dash of Gravity Rush tossed in for good measure).

A common misconception I see among political analysts and laypeople is that "pro-business" and "pro-market" are the same. In truth, "pro-business" means protecting existing enterprises. "Pro-market" means maximizing competition and economic efficiency, which can be amenable to creative destruction.

TSX pretty much gave back all its YTD gains in one fell swoop (i.e. day). Absolute cinema right there, folks.

Sovereign Syndicate (Crimson Herring Studios), which I worked on as a writer, is now out for PS4/5. store.playstation.com/en-us/produc...

If Canada further liberalizes its internal market, then the Atlantic provinces can see huge gains in productivity and GDP per worker.

Rolled credits on RE3: Nemesis. Great mainline sendoff to the PS1 era, and a quality survival horror title in its own right.

I remain thankful to have read Donald Robertson’s book on Stoicism (a philosophy I still embody to this day). Covid and 2025 challenged the world and brought out the worst in those sensing opportunism or, at the very least, thinking they’ve control over anything beyond their mind.

halifax.citynews.ca/2026/01/13/n... Rising property values should theoretically allow @hfxgov.bsky.social to lower property tax rates while maintaining revenue. Worth bringing up given constituents' concerns about the rising cost of living.

Beat the demo for Parasite Mutant the other day, and came away rather impressed with what was shown. Even got me to dive into the world of emulation by installing Duckstation so as to (re)play the first Parasite Eve. Something about the PS1/Saturn days that's hard to replicate.

This evening's thought to ponder from Maggies Farm

www.gamesindustry.biz/ubisoft-shut... Studio in my neck of the woods getting shut down. :(

Update on my job-related circumstances. TLDR Open to new opportunities in the game industry.

Happy to unveil that I completed IBM's Enterprise Design Thinking course. I like that the lessons I learned can be applied to pretty much any endeavor. Highly recommend it to those wishing to better serve their products' end users.

While '25 in games wasn't quite as thrilling as '24, it still churned out some memorable releases. Don't have a single GOTY in mind. My four favorite games are: - Stellar Blade (PC version) - Atomfall - Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Cronos: The New Dawn Happy New Year, folks!

Christmas gifts this year. :)

Merry Christmas!

www.missingmiddleinitiative.ca/p/2025-provi... ATL Canada leads the pack as a region, though NS ranks seventh (tied with MB). If Tim Houston and @hfxgov.bsky.social can improve on that front, then that’ll help make NS and the Maritimes more attractive for business (seeing as workers need a home).

Just started playing Stellar Blade on PC.

Rolled credits on Armored Core VI. Despite some camera/control quirks and difficulty spikes with boss fights, ACVI's a certified blast—replete with spectacle and crunchy combat. No wonder folks like @dark1x.bsky.social hold it in high regard. Hopefully we won't have to wait long for another entry.

Just cleared the demo for Pragmata. Really liked it! Hack 'n shoot mechanic works quite well and nicely blends puzzle-solving and quick reflexes. Also curious to see more worldbuilding and how the chemistry between Hugh and Diana will play out. 2026 got that more exciting.