Discovering Americans don't use the word "rota" is almost as shocking as the day I discovered how you all pronounce "shone".

This reader top 100 from @rockpapershotgun.bsky.social is STUNNING. www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-rps-100-... I cannot believe what a superb selection has come out, barely touched by recency bias (Clair Obscur will be gone next year, but that's about it). That site still has great readers!

Here's @ethangach.bsky.social's best of 2025: kotaku.com/best-games-2... I love Ethan's picks, because he has something smart to say about all of them.

Sorry to all you Americans out there, denied the magic of celebrating Boxing Day. It's no wonder you're all so cross.

I've never much enjoyed Christmas. It's this week of Sundays, an unfillable void, and yet everyone we know is busy doing...I have no idea what. We just don't have it to do, whatever it is. This sense that everyone else is having this wholesome time, and we're bored out our fucking minds.

Happy Presentmas! I hope the Red Skygoblin reverse-burgles you to acceptable levels.

My pick for the latest Kotaku Indie of the Week is a game that deserved so much more attention in 2025, @flebpuzzles.bsky.social's Strange Jigsaws: kotaku.com/theres-no-be...

I've decided to start a beef with [double-checks name] THump. kotaku.com/arc-raiders-...

Hey, you, here are my Top 10 Games of 2025! Featuring @jabbage.bsky.social, @housefiregames.com, @dave.powerhoof.com, @wadjeteyegames.bsky.social, and @badvikinggames.bsky.social, among others. kotaku.com/john-walkers...

This is upsetting me too much: It's, Mobile: 55% Console: 23% PC: 22% Right? Someone tell me I'm not going mad.

Hey, you, here are my Top 10 Games of 2025! Featuring @jabbage.bsky.social, @housefiregames.com, @dave.powerhoof.com, @wadjeteyegames.bsky.social, and @badvikinggames.bsky.social, among others. kotaku.com/john-walkers...

Guys, I'm not sure Bari Weiss is actually very good at her job.

One of my very favourite things in 2025 has been listening to @nataliehaynes.bsky.social and @aiannucci.bsky.social laughing together on Strong Message Here. My 2026 wish for the pair to launch a longer podcast.

If you're looking for other books by non-monsters to read your kids, these were some of our favourites: The Mr Gum series by Andy Stanton. I would cry laughing reading these. Any of Katherine Rundell's kids books, especially The Rooftoppers. And @stubbleagent.bsky.social's books are hilarious.

This is interesting. I DIDN'T read the books to my kid because they were so coarsing with hatred. Just constant, snide hate for fat people, less attractive people, less intelligent people... Kind of surprised to learn they might not have been Walliams', given how well that seemed to fit.

I spoke to a dozen professional concept artists working in games about whether generative AI image tools have made their jobs easier, even if it's just used in "very early ideation stages." Zero said "yes." Most said it made their job harder. I learnt a lot about concept artists. You should too!

I wrote about @mark-ffrench.bsky.social's fantastic Mosaic of the Strange for Kotaku: kotaku.com/mosaic-of-th...

No, not "despite".

The wonderful @margaret.bsky.social & @iwriteok.bsky.social did an *excellent* two-parter on the Luddites and honestly they fucking ruled: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/c...

I am SO fed up with people portraying the Luddites as some anti-technology idiots refusing to face reality. They are the PERFECT example of AI resistance! People losing their jobs to a SPECIFIC new technology that was being forced on them, making products worse while destroying their livelihoods.

Inkle has made one game a year for 15 years without AI. Sometimes - and I stress only sometimes - two.

This is so adorably tragic. The vile little turd-boy cannot even comprehend the existence of the VIP section from which Ishii would have received her complementary popcorn.

The whole world is under arrest for not having told me there's a new Noname single: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFwT...

If anyone has any contact details for the legend that is Geoff Crammond, I'd really appreciate a DM.

I spoke to the team at @bscotch.net (creators of Crashlands) to find out how many dudes it would take to win in a fight with 100 toddlers. kotaku.com/how-many-dud...

A quick reminder that the Commodore 64 Ultimate, no matter how good it might be, is a project from sex pest Thomas Middleditch. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

Look, I DO play a lot of Pictopix, the but truth is I leave it (and Tametsi) running in the background like, all the time.

A quick reminder that the Commodore 64 Ultimate, no matter how good it might be, is a project from sex pest Thomas Middleditch. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

If you're the boss of a development studio that DOESN'T allow the use of generative-AI when making games, now's a really good moment to grab the best publicity of your life.

If you need some catharsis today, I talked to Bruce Straley about generative AI in gaming: "I don’t know who wants it, I don’t know who’s asking for it, I don’t know who’s pushing for it, but I don’t think it’s the way as a human species we need to be evolving.” www.polygon.com/bruce-strale...

Hey Larian devs: if you all say, "NO WE'RE NOT" at the same time, he can't fire all of you.

New favourite headline.

New favourite headline.

I've been sorting our bookshelves, and two layers deep I found this total classic. Sadly the site doesn't appear to work any more.

I love love love @adashtra.bsky.social's reporting. www.theverge.com/games/841710...

"[...] if there were a way to make this Godot-based game an engine others could use to script their own adventures, it could lead to something extraordinary." This is a wild compliment. I may have to think about this, but the first step would definitely be an overhaul of my scripting language, lol.

So, I COULD stay up and watch The Game Adverts during which Jonathan Blow will be appearing, or I could leap headfirst from the roof of my house onto a three foot spike. How to decide...

I've picked out some of the best-looking demos in @idatxbox.bsky.social's Indie Selects Demo Fest: kotaku.com/9-of-the-bes...

Got to bust out my specialist UK knowledge for a post about the UK government responding to the Rockstar union busting. kotaku.com/gta-6-rockst...

The Amateur Deity Society by @robertcarlson.bsky.social is a new approach to interactive fiction with the sensibilities of a point-n-click adventure, telling a great short story to boot. buried-treasure.org/2025/12/the-... Support Buried Treasure for just $2 a month www.patreon.com/c/buriedtrea...

The Amateur Deity Society by @robertcarlson.bsky.social is a new approach to interactive fiction with the sensibilities of a point-n-click adventure, telling a great short story to boot. buried-treasure.org/2025/12/the-... Support Buried Treasure for just $2 a month www.patreon.com/c/buriedtrea...

“ken let’s play pokémon unite” yes let me just boot it up rq…

In case you were wondering what it’s like to boot a free to play mobile game in 2025

You know you're completely acing parenting when you find yourself frequently using the phrase, "One screen at a time!"

Planet Earth, just not giving a shit about all our nonsense, live: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk0t...

I am incandescent with rage about this: No one, in the history of the universe, has ordered it "custard and apple crumble." Who wrote that? AN ALIEN? IS BBC NEWS STAFFED BY ALIENS? "What's for dessert, my love?" "Custard and apple crumble." "We are getting a divorce." I'm so mad.

It's sad to see what Yoshi's become, ever since the divorce.

I really like following people who mostly post in languages I cannot fathom. I always assume that what they're saying is smart and informed and most likely improving things in general, and am far too lazy to ever find out if I'm wrong.

Finally finishing S4 of the wonderful, hilarious Resident Alien, after starting over to show it all to the boy. I am so constantly blown away by the passion behind the acting, and most of all by @alicewetterlund.bsky.social. No one conveys more complex emotion with just a look.

How is this happening? How are Carney and Sheinbaum not just bumrushing Trump with the podiums above their heads? This is the worst game show I've ever seen.