Alan Wen
@damisanthrope.bsky.social
Words merc in games print and online media
Email: alan@alanwen.co.uk
Email: alan@alanwen.co.uk
Reposted by Alan Wen
The best, succinct, and simplest statement about right and left politics. The right start with fear the Zack Polanski starts with hope, facts, and science. Every Reform supporter should watch this short, Zack makes it clear and simple.
youtube.com/shorts/LQZom...
youtube.com/shorts/LQZom...
Whether it's Zohran Mamdani or Claudia Sheinbaum, there is a progressive movement rejecting fascism
YouTube video by Bold Politics with Zack Polanski
youtube.com
November 15, 2025 at 12:32 AM
The best, succinct, and simplest statement about right and left politics. The right start with fear the Zack Polanski starts with hope, facts, and science. Every Reform supporter should watch this short, Zack makes it clear and simple.
youtube.com/shorts/LQZom...
youtube.com/shorts/LQZom...
Saw some cosmic worms at a new installation just around the corner, as you do
November 14, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Saw some cosmic worms at a new installation just around the corner, as you do
This week’s Creative Bloq indie spotlight is Birdcage, a shmup that with smart use of digitised sprites and sprite-scaling captures the 2D/3D vibe of 32-bit classics like Radiant Silvergun www.creativebloq.com/3d/video-gam...
This 90s-inspired bullet hell shooter slows down on purpose, and it’s brilliant
Birdcage is stubbornly retro.
www.creativebloq.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:26 PM
This week’s Creative Bloq indie spotlight is Birdcage, a shmup that with smart use of digitised sprites and sprite-scaling captures the 2D/3D vibe of 32-bit classics like Radiant Silvergun www.creativebloq.com/3d/video-gam...
Reposted by Alan Wen
Do I know any Edinburgh-based games journalists?
November 14, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Do I know any Edinburgh-based games journalists?
Reposted by Alan Wen
And we knew this. This wasn't speculation. We studied it, we had the talking points. We trained volunteers to explain this to people. It's not a surprise. Rich people don't flee places with good quality of life when we increase the quality of life. They might try to cheat us, but they don't leave.
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Millionaire Tax That Inspired Mamdani Fuels $5.7 Billion Haul in Massachusetts
A millionaire levy in Massachusetts that New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani holds up as a model for taxing the rich has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing...
www.bloomberg.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:16 AM
And we knew this. This wasn't speculation. We studied it, we had the talking points. We trained volunteers to explain this to people. It's not a surprise. Rich people don't flee places with good quality of life when we increase the quality of life. They might try to cheat us, but they don't leave.
Reposted by Alan Wen
The IWGB has just announced that 220 letters, signed by Rockstar staff, have now been delivered to leadership at the company, demanding the immediate reinstatement of their fired colleagues.
November 13, 2025 at 1:40 PM
The IWGB has just announced that 220 letters, signed by Rockstar staff, have now been delivered to leadership at the company, demanding the immediate reinstatement of their fired colleagues.
Reposted by Alan Wen
this cop wanted a shuppet, who is attracted to negative emotion, so he could use it to find people before they commit crimes. first thing it did was go to his wife who reluctantly revealed she’s resentful of how much he works and is never home.
it’s a fucking yakuza substory.
it’s a fucking yakuza substory.
October 18, 2025 at 2:07 PM
this cop wanted a shuppet, who is attracted to negative emotion, so he could use it to find people before they commit crimes. first thing it did was go to his wife who reluctantly revealed she’s resentful of how much he works and is never home.
it’s a fucking yakuza substory.
it’s a fucking yakuza substory.
Reposted by Alan Wen
NEW: the IWGB has filed formal legal claims against Rockstar after it says the company refused to meet to discuss bringing back fired developers.
"Rockstar has declined to meet with the IWGB, leading the union and barristers to issue formal legal claims on behalf of the Claimants."
"Rockstar has declined to meet with the IWGB, leading the union and barristers to issue formal legal claims on behalf of the Claimants."
November 12, 2025 at 3:23 PM
NEW: the IWGB has filed formal legal claims against Rockstar after it says the company refused to meet to discuss bringing back fired developers.
"Rockstar has declined to meet with the IWGB, leading the union and barristers to issue formal legal claims on behalf of the Claimants."
"Rockstar has declined to meet with the IWGB, leading the union and barristers to issue formal legal claims on behalf of the Claimants."
Enjoyed that Mario Galaxy movie trailer, telling that the characters getting the coolest looking moments are both princesses
November 12, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Enjoyed that Mario Galaxy movie trailer, telling that the characters getting the coolest looking moments are both princesses
Reposted by Alan Wen
Just want you to know that when I asked Geoff why he gave the silent treatment to an open letter written by his own "future of games" program (& co-signed by 3000+ industry peers), he replied:
"Because that's my show and nobody gets to tell me how I should use my platform". 💀💀💀
"Because that's my show and nobody gets to tell me how I should use my platform". 💀💀💀
“Don’t gather some of the most brilliant activists in the industry, treat us like crap, and then expect us to do nothing about it.” After the Game Awards cancelled its Future Class programme, @alyssamerc.bsky.social talked to its former honorees
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
“We were effectively props”: young stars of game development feel let down by the ‘gaming Oscars’
Announced in 2020 by the Game Awards as an inclusive programme for the industry’s next generation, the Future Class initiative has now been discontinued. Inductees describe clashes with organisers and...
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Just want you to know that when I asked Geoff why he gave the silent treatment to an open letter written by his own "future of games" program (& co-signed by 3000+ industry peers), he replied:
"Because that's my show and nobody gets to tell me how I should use my platform". 💀💀💀
"Because that's my show and nobody gets to tell me how I should use my platform". 💀💀💀
Nice of PlayStation to remember their home audience 5 years later I guess
November 11, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Nice of PlayStation to remember their home audience 5 years later I guess
Reposted by Alan Wen
I went to meet the 'Rockstar 31', the developers who were suddenly fired from their work on GTA 6 for what the studio has described as gross misconduct.
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
The Rockstar Workers Fired Before They Could Finish GTA 6
YouTube video by People Make Games
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:43 PM
I went to meet the 'Rockstar 31', the developers who were suddenly fired from their work on GTA 6 for what the studio has described as gross misconduct.
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
Reposted by Alan Wen
🎉 Lumines Arise Available Now for PS5 and Steam 🚀
Light, sound and haptics unite your senses. Feel the good vibes. Puzzle differently.
Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/2370000/Lumines_Arise
PS5: store.playstation.com/concept/10011885
lumines.game #LuminesArise
Light, sound and haptics unite your senses. Feel the good vibes. Puzzle differently.
Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/2370000/Lumines_Arise
PS5: store.playstation.com/concept/10011885
lumines.game #LuminesArise
November 11, 2025 at 2:14 PM
🎉 Lumines Arise Available Now for PS5 and Steam 🚀
Light, sound and haptics unite your senses. Feel the good vibes. Puzzle differently.
Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/2370000/Lumines_Arise
PS5: store.playstation.com/concept/10011885
lumines.game #LuminesArise
Light, sound and haptics unite your senses. Feel the good vibes. Puzzle differently.
Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/2370000/Lumines_Arise
PS5: store.playstation.com/concept/10011885
lumines.game #LuminesArise
Reposted by Alan Wen
"We found out later that Keighley had a party in another room with all the influencers and industry people. You know where Future Class met that day? At a Starbucks.”
‘We were effectively props’: young stars of game development feel let down by the ‘gaming Oscars’
Announced in 2020 by the Game Awards as an inclusive programme for the industry’s next generation, the Future Class initiative has now been discontinued. Inductees describe clashes with organisers and...
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:28 PM
"We found out later that Keighley had a party in another room with all the influencers and industry people. You know where Future Class met that day? At a Starbucks.”
Happy Lumines Arise day so once again here’s the interview I did with director Takashi Ishihara for Creative Bloq www.creativebloq.com/3d/video-gam...
The surprising visual audacity of Lumines Arise
Hands-on with the blockbuster puzzle game.
www.creativebloq.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Happy Lumines Arise day so once again here’s the interview I did with director Takashi Ishihara for Creative Bloq www.creativebloq.com/3d/video-gam...
👋
Hands up if you've never used Chat GPT ✋
(I feel like Dozer and Tank in The Matrix right now - at first I didn't use it because, rather ironically, I'm lazy and stubborn (peak Taurus energy there) - literally no, don't make me use the new thing I don't wanna. Now I'm glad I didn't 😅)
(I feel like Dozer and Tank in The Matrix right now - at first I didn't use it because, rather ironically, I'm lazy and stubborn (peak Taurus energy there) - literally no, don't make me use the new thing I don't wanna. Now I'm glad I didn't 😅)
Probably a good way to tell right now if the job you’re applying for is run by absolute dumbfucks is to ask if they’re using AI.
November 9, 2025 at 3:53 PM
👋
Reposted by Alan Wen
Reposted by Alan Wen
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:55 AM
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
Reposted by Alan Wen
I fully believe in the corporate death penalty and believe we would be a better world if OpenAI lost its corporate charter and was forcibly dissolved.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
ChatGPT encouraged college graduate to commit suicide, family claims in lawsuit against OpenAI | CNN
A 23-year-old man killed himself in Texas after ChatGPT ‘goaded’ him to commit suicide, his family says in a lawsuit.
www.cnn.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:12 AM
I fully believe in the corporate death penalty and believe we would be a better world if OpenAI lost its corporate charter and was forcibly dissolved.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
Reposted by Alan Wen
Reposted by Alan Wen
Don't miss this new interview with Director Takashi Ishihara all about Lumines Arise! @creativebloq.com.web.brid.gy
www.creativebloq.com/3d/video-gam...
www.creativebloq.com/3d/video-gam...
The surprising visual audacity of Lumines Arise
Hands-on with the blockbuster puzzle game.
www.creativebloq.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Don't miss this new interview with Director Takashi Ishihara all about Lumines Arise! @creativebloq.com.web.brid.gy
www.creativebloq.com/3d/video-gam...
www.creativebloq.com/3d/video-gam...
Reposted by Alan Wen
If you were a member of The Game Awards Future Class and can speak to your experience, I want to chat with you for The Guardian!
DM me, or email alyssamerc[at]gmail[dot]com.
Signal boost please!
DM me, or email alyssamerc[at]gmail[dot]com.
Signal boost please!
November 7, 2025 at 2:25 PM
If you were a member of The Game Awards Future Class and can speak to your experience, I want to chat with you for The Guardian!
DM me, or email alyssamerc[at]gmail[dot]com.
Signal boost please!
DM me, or email alyssamerc[at]gmail[dot]com.
Signal boost please!
Went to Edinburgh yesterday to do some real journalism
November 7, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Went to Edinburgh yesterday to do some real journalism
Reposted by Alan Wen
I was a member of TGA Future Class 2022 and lemmee tell ya, my skin has been crawling since
pretty much every interaction I had with them (few) & story I heard about other members' interactions with them (many) was bad. & by bad I mean, so many shades of being used as photo op tokens & nothing more
pretty much every interaction I had with them (few) & story I heard about other members' interactions with them (many) was bad. & by bad I mean, so many shades of being used as photo op tokens & nothing more
EXCLUSIVE on @gamedeveloper.bsky.social: not only has The Game Awards not nominated a Future Class for 2025, it's told alumni it "does not have any active programming plans" for the award.
The Future Class page was taken down sometime this year—eliminating a definitive archive of honorees.
The Future Class page was taken down sometime this year—eliminating a definitive archive of honorees.
The Game Awards' Future Class program remains on ice
Future Class organizer Emily Weir has informed past honorees that The Game Awards has no active plans for the program.
www.gamedeveloper.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:12 AM
I was a member of TGA Future Class 2022 and lemmee tell ya, my skin has been crawling since
pretty much every interaction I had with them (few) & story I heard about other members' interactions with them (many) was bad. & by bad I mean, so many shades of being used as photo op tokens & nothing more
pretty much every interaction I had with them (few) & story I heard about other members' interactions with them (many) was bad. & by bad I mean, so many shades of being used as photo op tokens & nothing more
This week’s Creative Bloq indie spotlight is Lumines Arise where I interview director Takashi Ishihara on how this music-based puzzler gets more than just the Tetris Effect treatment but also a more personal and human touch www.creativebloq.com/3d/video-gam...
The surprising visual audacity of Lumines Arise
Hands-on with the blockbuster puzzle game.
www.creativebloq.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:11 AM
This week’s Creative Bloq indie spotlight is Lumines Arise where I interview director Takashi Ishihara on how this music-based puzzler gets more than just the Tetris Effect treatment but also a more personal and human touch www.creativebloq.com/3d/video-gam...