Simon Parkin
@simonparkin.bsky.social
📤 4422
📥 169
📝 231
Author and journalist. Creator of the My Perfect Console podcast. www.simonparkin.com
Car fox, Brighton station.
1 day ago
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Stephen Totilo
2 days ago
This was a lot of fun. The five games I picked for my own dream console were: - The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask - WarioWare Twisted - Red Dead Redemption 2 - Assassin’s Creed Valhalla - WarioWare Move It I explain why throughout the episode (these are not exactly my five favorite games, FYI)
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So excited to have edited and contributed to this beautiful collection of new and published pieces about The Last of Us. Includes stories from the New Yorker, the New York Times, Time, and GQ, as well as two intimate and never-before-published interviews with director,
@druckmann.bsky.social
.
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9 days ago
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In the weeks leading up to SNL UK’s debut, there was an almost giddy sense of anticipatory schadenfreude among many onlookers in Britain. Then, after the premiere, wary praise turned into genuine excitement. How did they prove the naysayers wrong?
observer.co.uk/style/featur...
12 days ago
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The Observer
14 days ago
After more than half a century, Saturday Night Live, the great American comedy institution, has launched a British version (which sounds like an SNL sketch in itself). Employing 300 people and costing over £2m an episode, it’s a huge gamble. Simon Park asks: has it worked?
https://bit.ly/48RGVtg
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Look who’s laughing now: how Saturday Night Live landed i...
After more than half a century, Saturday Night Live, the great American comedy institution, has launched a British version (which sounds like an SNL sketch in itself). Employing 300 people and costing...
https://bit.ly/48RGVtg
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Simon Parkin
Felicia Day
about 1 month ago
LOVED this interview :D
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Loved chatting with
@felicia.day
, whose story is so closely entwined with the evolution of the modern internet, in all its joyous and terrifying forms.
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about 2 months ago
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My Perfect Console podcast
about 2 months ago
From Wakanda to Harlem. This week,
@evnarc.bsky.social
, comic writer, journalist, and narrative designer, joins Simon to discuss storytelling across Black Panther and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and the cultural threads that run through his work. Listen now:
bit.ly/4tak4AR
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After he sold Wordle to the New York Times, Josh Wardle felt lost. He found refuge in an unlikely place: the cryptic crossword. Now he wants to teach the world how to solve them. For @newyorker I spoke to Wardle about his new project, Parseword, out today:
www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
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The Next Game from the Creator of Wordle Is Here
Josh Wardle, the creator of Wordle, has a new game that aims to introduce players to the joys and agonies of the cryptic crossword.
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-lede/the-creator-of-wordle-tries-to-solve-the-cryptic-crossword
2 months ago
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After he sold Wordle to the New York Times, Josh Wardle felt lost. He found refuge in an unlikely place: the cryptic crossword. Now he wants to teach the world how to solve them. For @newyorker I spoke to Wardle about his new project, Parseword, out today:
www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
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The Next Game from the Creator of Wordle Is Here
Josh Wardle, the creator of Wordle, has a new game that aims to introduce players to the joys and agonies of the cryptic crossword.
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-lede/the-creator-of-wordle-tries-to-solve-the-cryptic-crossword
2 months ago
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Simon Parkin
My Perfect Console podcast
2 months ago
Which well-known video game voice actor is difficult to work with? Join
@SimonParkin.bsky.social
in conversation with legendary performance director Tom Keegan, who has pioneered the evolution of acting in video games such as Resident Evil 2, Wolfenstein and Battlefield. Listen now:
bit.ly/4lk41h9
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Simon Parkin
My Perfect Console podcast
3 months ago
Did a chance encounter with Demon’s Souls in Japan help bring FromSoftware’s games to the West? In today's episode, Scottish journalist and Guardian Games Editor
@mackeza.bsky.social
talks about chronicling the video game industry, and her new book covering Nintendo. Available now:
bit.ly/3OMBODk
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Enjoyed appearing on Jacob Watson-Howland's podcast, talking about The Forbidden Garden of Leningrad:
open.spotify.com/episode/1yAT...
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#75: WW2's Secret Story: The Scientists Who Starved for the Future - Simon Parkin
Spotify video
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1yATRiFcGQxdgqWJ7NIqX6?si=c6e2c26391024953
3 months ago
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Simon Parkin
My Perfect Console podcast
4 months ago
Joining us for our first episode of 2026 is the mathmetician and narrative designer,
@jon.inkle.co
. In 2011, Jon co-founded the independent studio Inkle, and has since worked on titles such as 80 Days, A Highland Song, and now a game set in a wartime computer: TR-49. Listen now:
apple.co/45JM19p
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Glenn Moore
5 months ago
I love listening to this podcast and I’ve been looking forward to doing this episode for ages - hear our countdowns of our favourite games of 2025, right here!
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Simon Parkin
Scribner Books
6 months ago
The Guardian picked THE FORBIDDEN GARDEN by Simon Parkin as one of the Best Science Books of 2025!
https://bit.ly/3MoIE0x
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The best science and nature books of 2025
From the threat of superintelligent AI to the dangers of overdiagnosis; plus the evolution of language and the restless genius of Francis Crick
https://bit.ly/3MoIE0x
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This week's episode––our last interview of 2025––features
@harvey1966.bsky.social
, co-designer of Deus Ex and Dishonored, in a profoundly reflective mood, exploring a life spent at the bleeding edge of immersive sim design. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
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5 months ago
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Critics once wielded savage pens. Now, audiences crave cheer. As the age of the vicious restaurant review fades, have we lost our appetite for honesty along with our taste for cruelty? In today's
@observeruk.bsky.social
:
observer.co.uk/style/featur...
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How we lost our taste for the vicious restaurant review | The Observer
https://observer.co.uk/style/features/article/how-we-lost-our-taste-for-the-vicious-restaurant-review-broadsheet
5 months ago
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Alan Wen @ BitSummit
5 months ago
Great read, and can’t help but make parallels to other reviews
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Critics once wielded savage pens. Now, audiences crave cheer. As the age of the vicious restaurant review fades, have we lost our appetite for honesty along with our taste for cruelty? In today's
@observeruk.bsky.social
:
observer.co.uk/style/featur...
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How we lost our taste for the vicious restaurant review | The Observer
https://observer.co.uk/style/features/article/how-we-lost-our-taste-for-the-vicious-restaurant-review-broadsheet
5 months ago
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Simon Parkin
My Perfect Console podcast
5 months ago
Join Simon live in Chicago as he chats with pioneering American video game developer Alex Seropian. Find out how Alex founded Bungie while a student at University, and why, after Apple's Steve Jobs revealed the game on stage, they took Halo to Microsoft. Listen now:
bit.ly/48DkCGz
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Simon Parkin
Keza MacDonald
6 months ago
My book about Nintendo is out soon! Early readers have said incredibly nice things about it! Pre-order here for US/UK:
linktr.ee/super_nintendo
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‘The Forbidden Garden of Leningrad’ is one of
@theguardian.com
’s science books of the year. Pick up a copy for a loved one who enjoys nonfiction wherever you get your books:
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/d...
6 months ago
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Simon Parkin
Marc マルク🗼
6 months ago
Incredible
@myperfectconsole.bsky.social
episode with Mark Cerny sharing a ton of annecdotes. Atari, Sega, Universal, Cystal Dynamics, Naughty Dog, Insomniac, Playstation, you name it. Priceless stories for videogame history enthousiasts. Give it a listen! Mark, write a biography I beg you! 🙏
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Simon Parkin
Billy Hynes Comics Enabler & Victim
6 months ago
A phenomenal interview within the format of the show while the guest clearly has about 100 hours at least of stuff to talk about. One day maybe. A book. But in the meantime, an excellent interview by Simon Parkin
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A rare Pokémon appears: Mark Cerny, on the show, next week.
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6 months ago
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The story of how a Bournemouth schoolboy developed Worms, a video game that went on to become a global phenomenon, is extraordinary. One of my favourite conversations on the show this year-
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6 months ago
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A privilege to speak with
@yosp-jp.bsky.social
, whose passion and belief in independent gamemakers is both infectious and authentic. Among many other things he tells the story of how a failure led him to join Ken Kuatargi's PlayStation project, an opportunity that changed the course of his life:
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6 months ago
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Simon Parkin
A Profound Waste of Time
6 months ago
Origins of a Species 🐟 At the turn of the millennium one of gaming’s most unique and bizarre titles was released for the Dreamcast.
@simonparkin.bsky.social
sits down with its creator Yoot Saito to discuss the evolution, extinction and potential revival of the weird and wonderful Seaman.
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A privilege to speak with
@yosp-jp.bsky.social
, whose passion and belief in independent gamemakers is both infectious and authentic. Among many other things he tells the story of how a failure led him to join Ken Kuatargi's PlayStation project, an opportunity that changed the course of his life:
add a skeleton here at some point
6 months ago
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Simon Parkin
A Profound Waste of Time
7 months ago
🤖🌟 Issue 6 of APWOT is live on Kickstarter! 🌟🤖 Featuring a beautiful lenticular cover of Astro Bot marking both our feature interview with the game’s director, Nicolas Doucet, and the 30th anniversary of PlayStation. Get in there! 💫
kck.st/4i1GAHT
💫
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Scribner Books
7 months ago
Named a Best Book of the Year by Scientific American and The Economist! The true story of the botanists who made “the heroic decision during the siege of Leningrad to guard biodiversity at the cost of human life” (NYT) The Forbidden Garden by Simon Parkin, now in paperback!
https://bit.ly/3BIYQod
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Simon Parkin
Rami Ismail (رامي)
7 months ago
I am such a huge fan of
@myperfectconsole.bsky.social
, because I'm such a huge fan of
@simonparkin.bsky.social
. Getting to be on the show was a delight, and folks are telling me it was good - I'm glad to hear.
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While alive, Einstein fought all attempts to use his name and likeness as a promotional gimmick. His death, however, turned his face into a battleground, kickstarting the celebrity image rights industry. Inside the murky world of Einstein’s rights, now in audio:
www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2...
7 months ago
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Simon Parkin
A Profound Waste of Time
7 months ago
🚨 It's that time of year again! Please sign up for the upcoming ISSUE 6 campaign! 🙌🙏
www.kickstarter.com/projects/caz...
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Coming soon: A Profound Waste of Time: Issue 6
The sixth issue of A Profound Waste of Time. Kickstarter coming late 2025.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/caz/a-profound-waste-of-time-6
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*The Audience Versus* is coming to The Pleasance, Islington next Tues, 28th Oct. Face-off against
@elliegibson.bsky.social
and
www.instagram.com/_ednight/
in a series of bastardised video game-challenges. With host
@thenewsatglenn.bsky.social
. Tickets here:
www.pleasance.co.uk/event/audien...
7 months ago
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Simon Parkin
My Perfect Console podcast
7 months ago
The success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 caught everyone by surprise, including those intimately involved in its creation. Join
@SimonParkin.bsky.social
in conversation with Lorien Testard as he recounts his journey from guitar teacher to game's composer. Listen now:
apple.co/47xkVDw
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Evan Narcisse
7 months ago
I'll be talking with
@simonparkin.bsky.social
today for a live recording of the
@myperfectconsole.bsky.social
podcast as part of the University of Chicago's amazing Year of Games Symposium. Come through if you can!
www.eventbrite.com/e/my-perfect...
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Chance the Rapper vs Animal Crossing - prob the best thing I made in lockdown tbh.
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7 months ago
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[email protected]
is one of the sharpest, loveliest people working in tech journalism, whose work at The Verge and Polygon has helped shape the way we talk and think about games. Still, there was so much about his life and journey I didn't know. Listen here:
open.spotify.com/episode/6tTY...
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7 months ago
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Simon Parkin
In 2014 I wrote for
@newyorker.com
about
@kurtjmac.bsky.social
, a YouTuber who began walking in Minecraft and never stopped. His quest was to reach the Far Lands, a place at the limits of the algorithmic world, where the landscape breaks apart. On Saturday, after fourteen years, he arrived:
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A Journey to the End of the World (of Minecraft)
https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/a-journey-to-the-end-of-the-world-of-minecraft
8 months ago
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In 2014 I wrote for
@newyorker.com
about
@kurtjmac.bsky.social
, a YouTuber who began walking in Minecraft and never stopped. His quest was to reach the Far Lands, a place at the limits of the algorithmic world, where the landscape breaks apart. On Saturday, after fourteen years, he arrived:
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A Journey to the End of the World (of Minecraft)
https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/a-journey-to-the-end-of-the-world-of-minecraft
8 months ago
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Blippo+ is a handcrafted TV-channel surfing game from a past that never existed. L.A.-based actors, comedians and artists collaborated to direct and film hours of footage. A joy to interview
@theuniverse.bsky.social
, one of its creators, whose career is studded with bright jewels like these.
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8 months ago
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Thrilled to have spoken to Alexander, whose translation work I have long admired, and whose influence can be clearly seen in so many games, including this week’s rerelease of Final Fantasy Tactics.
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8 months ago
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Simon Parkin
My Perfect Console podcast
8 months ago
Slow Horses is back. To celebrate, listen to our episode with Daniel Pemberton, composer of the show’s theme tune (and many more), who reveals how Rolling Stones’ frontman Mick Jagger recorded the song’s vocals — using a studio on his ‘back-up’ island:
www.patreon.com/posts/daniel...
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Simon Parkin
Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò
8 months ago
this is, hands down, the best video I've seen on men's influencer content and it's not close either
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Andy Robertson
8 months ago
This was a special conversation for me for many reasons. Was fab talking to
@simonparkin.bsky.social
of course. But also, talking about my childhood, my family, how game discovery was woven in to my very first job, and how these 5 games mean the world to me. If you like my stuff, do share widely.
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This NYT interview with Cameron Crowe is a great listen. At one point the interviewer shares several of his theories as to why Crowe's more recent work might be weaker than his earlier films. Ballsy!
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
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'The Interview': What Happened to Cameron Crowe? He Has Answers.
Podcast Episode · The Daily · 13/09/2025 · 52m
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-interview-what-happened-to-cameron-crowe-he-has-answers/id1200361736?i=1000726632521
8 months ago
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Simon Parkin
For today’s Observer magazine I interviewed Brett Goldstein at the house he’s renovating in Fulham, about the secret tape that made him Roy Kent, his new film’s rejection of algorithmic love, and why, after 5 years in the froth of success, he’s ready to put down roots:
observer.co.uk/culture/inte...
8 months ago
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For today’s Observer magazine I interviewed Brett Goldstein at the house he’s renovating in Fulham, about the secret tape that made him Roy Kent, his new film’s rejection of algorithmic love, and why, after 5 years in the froth of success, he’s ready to put down roots:
observer.co.uk/culture/inte...
8 months ago
5
40
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