Brendan Sinclair
@brendansinclair.bsky.social
Recovering game journalist, now simply a journalist.
Context-Free Patent Art: https://www.tumblr.com/contextfreepatentart
Context-Free Patent Art: https://www.tumblr.com/contextfreepatentart
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.
a close up of a man in a military uniform looking at the camera with a serious look on his face .
Alt: Saving Private Ryan .gif of young Matt Damon in a military uniform dissolving into decades-older Matt Damon in seconds.
media.tenor.com
November 3, 2025 at 1:05 PM
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.
SCOOP: For the last two years, Microsoft has pushed Xbox to hit profit margins of 30%, an ambitious target that's far higher than the industry average.
This chase for profit has led Xbox to raise prices, cut thousands of jobs, and rethink everything.
Story: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
This chase for profit has led Xbox to raise prices, cut thousands of jobs, and rethink everything.
Story: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Microsoft Pushes Xbox Division to Hit Higher Profit Margins
Management’s goal of 30% profit margins for gaming has led to job losses, canceled projects
www.bloomberg.com
October 23, 2025 at 11:33 AM
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.
SCOOP: Last year, Ubisoft cancelled an Assassin's Creed game set during Reconstruction. Was to feature a Black Assassin who, among other things, fought the rise of the Klan
Sources: Leadership nixed it over concerns re: U.S. political climate, backlash to Yasuke
www.gamefile.news/p/scoop-ubis...
Sources: Leadership nixed it over concerns re: U.S. political climate, backlash to Yasuke
www.gamefile.news/p/scoop-ubis...
Scoop: Ubisoft cancelled a post-Civil War Assassin’s Creed last year
Company leadership deemed the project too controversial for the moment, sources tell Game File
www.gamefile.news
October 8, 2025 at 8:35 PM
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.
September 26, 2025 at 12:53 PM
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.
Brazilian President signed the under-18 loot box ban into law (Lei 15.211/25; effective March 2026). 🇧🇷 www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_a...
September 26, 2025 at 11:51 AM
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?
Al Michaels Recaps History Of Football For Viewers Just Tuning In https://theonion.com/al-michaels-recaps-history-of-football-for-viewers-just-tuning-in/
September 19, 2025 at 1:29 AM
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.
September 18, 2025 at 12:51 PM
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.
September 12, 2025 at 1:00 PM
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.
September 11, 2025 at 1:03 PM
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.
September 10, 2025 at 11:21 PM
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...
www.chaincatcher.com/en/article/2...
Can babies be tokenized? A crypto experiment to solve the population crisis - ChainCatcher
The subject of the transaction is never the baby itself, but rather the value prediction of its growth trajectory.
www.chaincatcher.com
September 9, 2025 at 6:52 PM
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...
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?
Orson Welles’ Lost Movie Will Use AI to Reconstruct Missing 43 Minutes
Orson Welles’ Lost Movie Will Use AI to Reconstruct Missing 43 Minutes
Since the rise of generative artificial intelligence in 2022, the technology has mostly been plugged into parts of the production pipeline as far as its deployment in Hollywood. Think visual effects, dubbing and storyboarding. As it stands, it’s mostly thought of as a tool to streamline certain processes and cut costs.
bit.ly
September 5, 2025 at 3:19 PM
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-...
www.readonlymemo.com/this-is-the-...
"This is the first:" The 16 year odyssey of "time, money, wrong turns and frustration" it took to finally emulate the Pioneer LaserActive
In April 2009, a Sega fan decided to look into emulating the Mega LD, a quirky and little-known hybrid of Genesis and LaserDisc. This week he finished the job.
www.readonlymemo.com
August 31, 2025 at 12:24 PM
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-...
www.readonlymemo.com/this-is-the-...
Reposted by Brendan Sinclair
it doesn't matter how much you deny our existence, we exist and we will continue to exist.
The Trump administration directs 40 states, five territories and Washington, D.C. to remove references to transgender people from their sex education programs or risk losing federal funding.
States must ax transgender references from sex ed or risk losing funds, Trump admin says
The mandate comes just days after the Trump administration terminated funding for a sex education program in California.
nbcnews.to
August 26, 2025 at 9:32 PM
it doesn't matter how much you deny our existence, we exist and we will continue to exist.
Reposted by Brendan Sinclair
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 hetfeldmalindy@gmail.com, thank you!
August 26, 2025 at 9:57 AM
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 hetfeldmalindy@gmail.com, thank you!
Reposted by Brendan Sinclair
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
#cdnmedia #journojobs
The Logic Job Board - Business reporter
Job vacancy for the role of Business reporter
thelogic.applytojobs.ca
August 25, 2025 at 7:30 PM
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
#cdnmedia #journojobs
The Logic is adding to its finance desk with a new business reporter, role description is here:
thelogic.applytojobs.ca/editorial/41...
thelogic.applytojobs.ca/editorial/41...
The Logic Job Board - Business reporter
Job vacancy for the role of Business reporter
thelogic.applytojobs.ca
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 PM
The Logic is adding to its finance desk with a new business reporter, role description is here:
thelogic.applytojobs.ca/editorial/41...
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.
August 23, 2025 at 10:16 PM
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...
www.tumblr.com/contextfreep...
Post by @contextfreepatentart · 1 image
💬 3 🔁 121 ❤️ 204
www.tumblr.com
August 22, 2025 at 3:40 AM
This week the USPTO issued a patent for a "female-themed video game system."🤷♂️
www.tumblr.com/contextfreep...
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/...
www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/...
‘Diablo IV’ developers work long hours, bracing for impending release
"Diablo IV" is slated for a June 6, 2023 release. Mismanagement and disturbing script changes have contributed to delays, workers say.
www.washingtonpost.com
August 19, 2025 at 4:13 PM
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/...
www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/...
Virtual Boy turns 30 tomorrow. Here's some patent art to celebrate.
August 13, 2025 at 12:36 PM
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.
10 Years Ago This Month - August 2005
The games industry moves pretty fast, and there's a tendency for all involved to look constantly to what's next without…
www.gamesindustry.biz
August 13, 2025 at 11:44 AM
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.
August 10, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Restaurant I ate at tonight had this on the wall, which is definitely a Choice.
