Guitar Hero was released 20 years ago this week, so it's now about as old as Super Mario Bros. was when Guitar Hero came out.

Everybody in games was laying off people over the past few years, but Microsoft's cuts still stood out for how seemingly arbitrary and optional they were at a time when the company was consistently posting record profits.

I'll just note that the first Assassin's Creed game was set during the Crusades and made in the years after 9/11 during a couple U.S.-led wars in the Middle East.

Sony already applied for a patent on a literal banana controller, and now it's looking for one on a motion-sensing orb. I love this kind of stuff.

Kind of stunning how a foundational part of the modern video game industry is being banned for kids in major markets and it's getting minimal attention internationally.

Am I the only one who initially read this as referring to an artificial intelligence bot trained on Michaels' work?

Nintendo seems to have a renewed interest in light guns as well, although this one seems to be for location-based entertainment like the Nintendo areas at Universal theme parks.

Here's a patent applicant who imagines using the M-rated game where you torture a guy with a nail gun and blowtorch as a way to teach basic colours to children in the age group of 0-4.

Interesting, Sony just applied for a patent on a haptic feedback system for a gun accessory. Sounds a bit like the old Time Crisis arcade guns that would give a kick of recoil when you pulled the trigger.

Grateful to my follows that nobody has posted gruesome video footage into my feed today. Basically a 0% chance that happens with an algorithmic feed.

I did not expect @writnelson.bsky.social would get to market Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator with a "ripped from today's headlines" angle. www.chaincatcher.com/en/article/2...

Weird how the movie is the one doing this. Does the movie have agency here? When did the movie decide to do this?

This story of one coder's 16-year effort to make an emulator for a largely forgotten laser disc video game system is a fun reminder of the mountains people will climb simply "because it's there." www.readonlymemo.com/this-is-the-...

it doesn't matter how much you deny our existence, we exist and we will continue to exist.

Hi everyone, I'm looking for work from October onwards. Game writing, narrative design, narrative consultation, mock reviews, any kind of copy, German↔️English localisation. Any and all leads to [email protected], thank you!

Come work with me! @thelogic.co is hiring a business reporter to work on the finance desk in Toronto. More details here: thelogic.applytojobs.ca/editorial/41... Please send a DM if you want to hear how great it is to work here, or have any questions. Please share! #cdnmedia #journojobs

The Logic is adding to its finance desk with a new business reporter, role description is here: thelogic.applytojobs.ca/editorial/41...

Lot of people talking about smaller games as a silver bullet solution to AAA problems, but Microsoft did a ton of this after 2018's acquisition spree, had a bunch of successes, and still felt it had to abandon exclusivity to make the business viable.

This week the USPTO issued a patent for a "female-themed video game system."🤷‍♂️ www.tumblr.com/contextfreep...

Seeing a bunch of people remind my timeline about Rod Fergusson's reputation as a "closer," but fewer reminding about the Diablo 4 team's experience, as described in a Washington Post feature. www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/...

Virtual Boy turns 30 tomorrow. Here's some patent art to celebrate.

10 years ago yesterday was the first of the 10 Years Ago This Month columns, maybe the thing I miss most from the old gig. No shortage of concern for game journalism's future these days, but I hope some people will keep looking at its past.

Restaurant I ate at tonight had this on the wall, which is definitely a Choice.

Frankly, I'm amazed nobody tried to patent this sooner. www.tumblr.com/contextfreep...

Anyone know how to get my Samsung phone to stop taking pictures of dreary clouds and making them look like the Windows Bliss wallpaper?

Very divisive Context-Free Patent Art today. www.tumblr.com/contextfreep...

Happy that people will get to check out a really cool twist on RTS games with this, and also hopeful it will introduce people to itch.io, a PC game store alternative to Steam that has always (to my knowledge) been exceedingly developer-friendly.

One thing about the "big name journalist does their own newsletter" era is that these writers will be less likely to afford legal help, either in editing stories or disputes that arise after publishing. It will be easy for wealthy subjects of investigations to sue them into oblivion.

The Canadian gov't welcomes you to share your priorities for the federal budget. As I am fond of saying, decisions are made by those who show up. If they ask, answer! Take a moment to make your voice heard. This is a small example of what engaged citizenship looks like. www.canada.ca/en/departmen...

Another big part of social media is the unexpected intersection of your interests, like when the person you follow for essays on obscure Japanese retro games quote-posts the person you follow who jokes about the existential dread of being a Toronto Maple Leafs fan.

Hello. About a year and a half ago, some guy called Ralph asked me if I wanted to make a new videogame website. We're launching it today. Maybe you can even visit it if people stop hammering the server for a second.

A little over halfway through the year is a good time to ask: what games journalism/criticism pieces have you enjoyed so far in 2025? Looking for recs for consideration for the Games Journalism Award (now 11 years running!). Late November/early December '24 is ok! nygamecritics.com/the-games-jo...

Can't help remembering King's 2024 GDC panel about how the Candy Crush company uses AI where they said it was taking care of mundane tasks to free up staff to spend more time being creative.

Hi. Is anyone hiring any writers or accepting applications? Friends and I would like to know, please.

But what if I only read books about Funko Pops?

Just wanted to flag that The Logic has two new openings on the editing desk that just went up: thelogic.applytojobs.ca The page there says the roles are Toronto-based hybrid work, but the listings specify these positions are open to candidates elsewhere in Canada. Come work with me!

Saw Pixar's Elio, which was pretty good as-is. Then went back and watched the teaser trailer they released a couple years ago, and they changed a ton. Really want to see the original director's version they test screened now.

My contract was not renewed and my role as the social and digital marketing manager for Xbox Canada is no more. With that being said I'm looking for social and community roles as well as in studio production I'm ideally looking for remote roles and anything within Toronto. Reposts are appreciated 🙏🏾

Best wishes to every TSN and Sportsnet employee working NHL free agency all-day coverage tomorrow now that all the big names have already been traded or re-signed. Fingers crossed for bidding wars over third-line centers and/or 2014 all-stars.

The original Switch hardware is eight years old and never received a price cut in Canada. It is now about to get a price hike.

Riot Games is bringing gambling sponsors into its esports competitions. Publishers used to be wary of any association at all with gambling, what with the moral panics about corrupting kids. Wonder if this hurts their arguments about loot boxes not being gambling. www.riotgames.com/en/news/espo...

Happy to report that the original Switch puppy tongue stickers I backed on Kickstarter are fully compatible with Switch 2. www.kickstarter.com/projects/157...

This is awesome

I was on the CBC's The Current with Matt Galloway this morning to talk about the game business, the difference between how healthy the industry actually is and how unhealthy it feels in light of years of bad news, and whether Switch 2 might help the situation. www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...

If you're in the Toronto area, make sure you stop by TCAF today - it's a big independent creator-focused Artist Alley-style show with great programming that is FREE to attend!

Loved spotting local Toronto landmarks in the first game and the few I spotted here have already sold me on it.

Had to mark the Switch 2 launch somehow. www.tumblr.com/contextfreep...

Microsoft President Brad Smith's interview with @thelogic.co on data centres, data sovereignty and the tech giant’s open relationship with OpenAI: thelogic.co/news/the-int...

Wanted to see how appropriate Jenny LeClue: Detectivu might be for my kid. Nintendo eShop says it's rated E10+. Steam says it's rated T. The ESRB website ratings search doesn't list the game at all. Great job, video games. A+ all the way around.