I was pretty surprised that The Bonsai Diary was actually nominated for an Origins Award, so I shot a video about how cool it is for GAMA to recognize solo and small press designers: youtube.com/shorts/hwXWd...

I got my last key component for #unpub, crayons!

I’m scrolling through the Unpub 🎲 ✂️ web app like “I’ll try this one 🛒, and this one 🛒, and holy yes that one too 🛒”. Now to build out my calendar 🛍️

Who wants to see some awesome-looking game pitches? These are the finalists for the 2026 Cardboard Edison Award!!! cardboardedison.com/award

Today I want to share that Ryan Dancey and AEG have parted ways. This is not an easy post to write. Ryan has been a significant part of AEG’s story, and I am personally grateful for the years of work, passion, and intensity he brought to the company. We have built a lot together.

A game I have developed is on Kickstarter! I do not benefit from it funding but I just wanted to share. It was a fun project to work on for the past 2 years. It got great previews of it so if you would enjoy a flip and draw meets tile placement, check it out. tinyurl.com/ra9smcdx

AEG would not exist without the creativity and hard work of designers.

Here's a great way show that you, too, celebrate the joy of human creativity, from @hinokodo.com: hinokodo.itch.io/human-made

I just wrapped up my judging for the Cardboard Edison Award, and this year has some truly stellar games. If my assigned games are any indication of the overall games, the competition is incredibly high and I look forward to the finalists!

Donu & Deca - Act 3 this is my last post for 2025, i want to thank everyone who has been sticking by this year. The support means a lot to me! Happy Holidays! 🎄 #b3d #blender #slaythespire #fanart

Greet article about the netrunner community: www.rascal.news/null-signal-... I'm getting hyped because the new netrunner set is coming out in about a month!

It's the FINAL DAY FOR CARDBOARD EDISON AWARD SUBMISSIONS! We'll have a final count tomorrow, but let's just say we and our judges will be quite busy in the coming weeks! cardboardedison.com/award

Our January Unpub Newsletter just went out and has some exciting news! Check it out! 🎲✂️

PSA: I'm happy to consider writing about your game! Please don't hesitate to reach out! I write about all sorts of indie games, no matter how small! But when you do, please tell me something about it instead of just asking if I'll review your unnamed, unintroduced, totally anonymous game.

Are you or someone you know in #gamedev an experienced game designer who also enjoys Job? Well, we have Job! Look at, share, consider applying for Job! Have a good time with Job™ apply.workable.com/jackbox-game...

New game day! I've been playing/reading the amazing Ironsworn for years now and finally got around to pick it up.

New game day, all the way from Japan. It was unexpectedly a hoot.

Are you looking for a last minute gift for a game designer in your life? We asked TTGDA members for their favorite tools they would recommend as gifts. They've been collected into our first ever TTGDA Gift Guide! tinyurl.com/3z3u9umh

My friend shared with me a review of In Memory Of. I feel so touched to have someone emphasize with the intended experience. 🥰 Here is the link if you want to read it: www.deadparentswhatnow.com/updates/can-... Thank you so very much for the review @deadparentswhatnow.com

Check out this lovely shelf of indie games for sale at Games and Stuff in Maryland! Thank you G&S for your support of indie game designers.

Spotted at my FLGS 😮 @tonytran.bsky.social

woah! New Mill gets some love in the Shut Up & Sit Down gift guide! youtu.be/uDpntcra6VU?...

🌊 HIGH TIDE IS IN A SUSD VIDEO!!!! 🌊 A GAME I MADE IS GRACING THE CHIN OF THE ONE TRUE TOM IN BOARDGAMES THIS IS NOT A DRILL 🚨 (again) THIS IS NOT A DRILL 🚨

TIL in splendor you can only claim 1 royal in your turn. I've been playing it wrong for 8 years!

Finally sharing my sizzle reel! If you're in need of video production work (or pretty much anything creative), hit me up, esp. at #PAXU! I don't ask for this much, but if you're in the #boardgames industry and like what I do, consider sharing this! I'm looking to book up 2026! linktr.ee/jcw.gay

I got to try Up Jenkins tonight and it's much more fun than I ever thought. Here are the rules: www.playwithyourownjunk.com/up-jenkins/

I always leave PaxU with a full heart. This year, I am trying to focus on why I love the design community. It's not the games; it's the incredible people. PaxU continues to be my favorite con. Here is one of my favorite moments/gags: matching backpacks with @mistergross.bsky.social

I'm at PaxU! If anyone wants to hang out, I'll have an unpub table Friday afternoon and Saturday night. I'll be demoing a cyberpunk fashion runway deck builder and a bladerunner-ish social deduction game about penmenship.

We'll be in #Booth3701 at #PaxUnplugged2025 this weekend in Philadelphia. Here's a list of the 238 games from 119 member-publishers we'll have: www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/PAX-Un...

This is the nastiest deck I've made and I'm so proud. It's called BIG ROCK COMING #netrunner

Using blackjack to raise the dead! ⚰️💀👑 Exploring Necromancer Heretic by @junkfoodgames.bsky.social and how traditional games can be modified and recontextualized as the basis for modern board games and TTRPGs: www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/necro-here... #ttrpg #solorpg #gamedesign #boardgames 🎲✂️

Clues by Sam - Nov 11th 2025 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 04:16 #cluesbysam cluesbysam.com Finally took my time and got a perfect score 👏

I'm running a table at the last art walk for the year. I decided to offer my first ever discount on In Memory Of. I'm extending the sale to online as well: 1 for $15+shipping If you buy 2, get 1 free! DM me to buy a copy.

Indie TTRPG self-publisher meetup hosted by @ttrpgkids.com happening Sunday at PAXU in a couple weeks. Could be a fun time, and I hope to be there! 👀 #ttrpg #selfpublish #paxu #paxunplugged

The very first thing I ever designed was a PbtA game. I wouldn't be doing this without AW and the Bakers. Go back this game.

I added a "game design resources" section to my site: www.petermcpherson.com/game-design-... This is a collection of mostly free online tools I use regularly, as well as links to excellent podcasts, blogs, and YouTube channels. I hope people find something helpful here! 🎲✂️

Only two days left to back Club Spooky and That's the Spirit!, two indie games by @connor.alwaysawake.games.

Clues by Sam - Oct 30th 2025 🟩🟨🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 05:20 #cluesbysam cluesbysam.com

Excellent post by @stickerdoodles.bsky.social about how to make your indie RPG more retailer-friendly. Strongly agree with putting the title in the upper third of the cover, and if it's thick enough to have one, having a spine with the game's title on it. stickydoodler.itch.io/bonsai-diary...

No one makes zine games to get rich. But I want to bring joy to as many people as possible. So I've worked to get Friendly Local Game Stores and Local Book Shops to carry our games. Here's what I've learned so far: 1. 📚 DESIGN FOR RETAIL This is my FLGS's zine section. What do you see? 1/▶️

I finally got my butt in gear and made a sell sheet before heading to bed. And it only took me 20 minutes! *Looks at clock* It actually took 2 hours and it's past my bed time. 😅😅

Pictures from the Starcraft minis game is giving me fomo I never thought possible. I need that Zeratul promo model.

Got a specific game design problem you're trying to crack? We'd love to give our input in Missing Pieces, a board game design advice column in @ttgda.bsky.social's newsletter! You can submit questions here: docs.google.com/forms/d/1hc3...

I talked with a nervous patient for a while about dnd to calm his nerves. He came back a while later and got me a present! 😊😊

I just beat Typhon this morning on my first try with 1 hit left. Holy crap the combination of adrenaline rush and borderline zen is amazing game design. Perfect job @supergiantgames.bsky.social

I just found out my favorite new artist is a fucking AI. I'm so upset.

Its alive! Checkout Club Spooky & That's the Spirit on KS now! www.kickstarter.com/projects/alw...

Caught up on the livecast from this week. Someone mentioned that other companies are starting to put 'no ai was used' kind of notes on their games and in rulebooks. I think y'all might be interested to know that there is a movement there and people look for that! @stonemaiergames.com

Today's video was a hard one for me to make - I wanted to talk about my experiences going through burnout in the last year or so as a game designer, and aspects of the wider tabletop industry that contribute to that. youtu.be/D2rC_8F10R8 🎲✂️

Indie & Local Tabletop Games Fair 📆 Sat, Oct 18 🕛 12-5pm 📍@peoplesbooktakoma.com RSVP for the panel (which I'll be moderating): peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/indie-...