happy 15th anniversary! even after 15 years, it’s still one of my favorite games :) if it weren't for this wonderful piece, i don't think i'd be drawing pixel art right now. (by the way, i drew the header image. i’m truly honored)

Sworcery turns 15 today, and we've got a big new feature looking back for the anniversary.

Big new story up tomorrow.

When the tutorial is the title.

New story up on what happened to Ocean Software's Lobo fighting game, with a bunch of never-before-seen renders made for the game.

An old Capcom promo video popped up on YouTube with, as Ryan Cravens mentions in the comments, "the only real video" of Bill Cravens, the guy who sold Street Fighter 1 in the U.S.

Friend of the site @milkman.bsky.social has a new book on the way.

In 1996 for Ultimate Gamer magazine, @vgephemera.bsky.social dug up a bunch of lost Atari projects like the Mindlink headset that let you control games using brain waves.

Gamest, September 1991

A lot going on here.

Love to see it.

When SNK promoted Samurai Shodown II to arcade operators with some creative math.

Old game magazine photo of the day.

Hi, we're a new video game oral history site. Some highlights so far: Mirror's Edge: bit.ly/mirrorsedgeoralhistory Sayonara Wild Hearts: bit.ly/sayonarawildhearts Shadow of the Colossus: bit.ly/shadowotcolossus Sound Fantasy: bit.ly/49xPfha Rez Infinite: bit.ly/4pKj0BB Find us at designroom.site.

Update for anyone visiting San Francisco: We now have a Space Channel 5 fondue.

We dug up an old Capcom newsletter making fun of SNK's Art of Fighting.

From @designroom.site and @mattleone.bsky.social re: #MirrorsEdge. "We always got pressure to put sequels and known licenses on covers." Yeah. By that point the game had hit a half dozen covers, but I think our cover, based on a sketch I did, was the hotness. www.designroom.site/mirrors-edge...

We dug up an old Capcom newsletter making fun of SNK's Art of Fighting.

We just uploaded this Lorelei and the Laser Eyes trailer, that we made for internal use in 2020. It features 100% unseen and cut content. The game drastically changed direction after this. www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6xM...

Been reading this excellent piece from @designroom.bsky.social about Mirror’s Edge. A lot jumps out at me but this really hit me like a ton of bricks. In 2008, EA released: Mirrors Edge Left 4 Dead Spore Dead Space Unrecognizable from today’s POV. www.designroom.site/mirrors-edge...

Thank you, Yoko Ono, for reminding everyone that John Lennon could be a real ass sometimes <3

the dream team rides again - excited to have an excerpt from my book on @mattleone.bsky.social's wonderful new site, @designroom.bsky.social. Loved writing this chapter on The Beatles, and especially learning more about the GOAT Yoko Ono.

"Directing The Beatles: Rock Band is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life."

Hi, we're a new video game oral history site. Some highlights so far: Mirror's Edge: bit.ly/mirrorsedgeoralhistory Sayonara Wild Hearts: bit.ly/sayonarawildhearts Shadow of the Colossus: bit.ly/shadowotcolossus Sound Fantasy: bit.ly/49xPfha Rez Infinite: bit.ly/4pKj0BB Find us at designroom.site.

Everybody should be reading @designroom.bsky.social Excellent oral history of Mirror’s Edge just posted

Our next big project is live! @lewisgordon.bsky.social spent the past few months tracking down nine people who worked on DICE's innovative 2008 parkour runner.

Best accidental homepage story placement.

So many cool stories in @lewisgordon.bsky.social's oral history of Mirror's Edge, including about the now-iconic art style, along with some eye-opening ones about how marketing decisions were made at EA back then. (I feel like corporations are *somewhat* more willing to delay games these days?)

What could have been: We talk to members of the original Mirror's Edge team about the sequel they wanted to make.

Sally Lore: one of the first video games I auditioned for was Mirror’s Edge! I was somehow shortlisted- though I had no idea what I’d auditioned for until years later because it was anonymised.

Our next big project is live! @lewisgordon.bsky.social spent the past few months tracking down nine people who worked on DICE's innovative 2008 parkour runner.

Big new story coming next week! You'd already know what it is if you subscribed to our newsletter, though... www.designroom.site#/portal/signup

Read (and hear!) how “Begin Again” from Sayonara Wild Hearts came to be. www.designroom.site/how-simogo-b... By @designroom.bsky.social

Happy new year! We've got big plans for 2026, but this seems like as good a time as any to poll the room: What games do you want to see oral histories on in 2026?

Happy new year! We've got big plans for 2026, but this seems like as good a time as any to poll the room: What games do you want to see oral histories on in 2026?

The final story in our music series is live!

Our music game series is now done, so let's recap it with original art by @wendyleftmealone.bsky.social.

Our music game series is now done, so let's recap it with original art by @wendyleftmealone.bsky.social.

Begin Again is my favourite from Sayonara Wild Hearts and this made me immediately redownload it and play the level.

The final story in our music series is live!

Holiday gift idea! Get someone a one-year Design Room subscription. Just go here, tip $70, and put their name, email, and the date you want it to start in the notes. www.designroom.site#/portal/supp...

Holiday gift idea! Get someone a one-year Design Room subscription. Just go here, tip $70, and put their name, email, and the date you want it to start in the notes. www.designroom.site#/portal/supp...

New episode! How do you create an oral history feature about a game like Final Fantasy VII or Street Fighter 2? Former Polygon editor @mattleone.bsky.social joins us to discuss this, and his new site, @designroom.bsky.social. Listen wherever you get podcasts: open.spotify.com/episode/0dAo...

Thrilled so many folks are enjoying this piece. Iwai is one of the most fascinating developers I’ve ever interviewed and I couldn’t believe all the new details (and media) he was willing to share with me. Give it a read!

Incredible article with some brand new information on one of my all time favorite creators’ career!!

A game starring a flying "sound warrior" that started life as a video game stage show with three people playing simultaneously, all synced to the same soundtrack? It could only be Otocky. www.designroom.site/toshio-iwai-...

Next up in our music game series: a big profile of Sound Fantasy and Electroplankton creator Toshio Iwai, based on a three-hour call with @radishgames.com.

ICYMI here’s matt leone talking to mark macd and the miz about how rez infinite and area-x got built, a pleasant Iwata Asks vibe read at designroom.site for when you have 10 min

My subscription is already paying off. Join me!!

We're kicking off a series of music game oral histories with a look back at Rez Infinite -- and why it's been nine years without a follow-up.