David Velez
@davidbabylon.bsky.social
Pinned
The McDonald’s x Street Fighter collab in Japan is incredible. No notes. 🤌
Reposted by David Velez
OpenAI strikes $38 billion AI training deal with Amazon
OpenAI strikes $38 billion AI training deal with Amazon
Pouring billions more into AI.
buff.ly
November 3, 2025 at 3:20 PM
OpenAI strikes $38 billion AI training deal with Amazon
Reposted by David Velez
This is one of the toughest things I've ever had to write. Hope you can make time for it. #Itagaki
"I Told Him I Loved Him, Because I Do" - A Tribute To The Late Dead Or Alive Creator Tomonobu Itagaki.
"I Told Him I Loved Him, Because I Do" - A Tribute To The Late Dead Or Alive Creator Tomonobu Itagaki
James Mielke reflect on the Team Ninja creator who treated him as a brother
www.timeextension.com
October 22, 2025 at 3:08 PM
This is one of the toughest things I've ever had to write. Hope you can make time for it. #Itagaki
Reposted by David Velez
Oh, I also did a tribute to my brother Itagaki for @theguardian.com. I didn't realize it was up. This is way shorter, but no less poignant, I think. I tried to do him justice. #Itagaki
‘A force of nature who took no prisoners’: a tribute to Ninja Gaiden creator Tomonobu Itagaki
The driving force behind Team Ninja was a game development samurai who almost always won his battles
www.theguardian.com
October 22, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Oh, I also did a tribute to my brother Itagaki for @theguardian.com. I didn't realize it was up. This is way shorter, but no less poignant, I think. I tried to do him justice. #Itagaki
Reposted by David Velez
Extremely rare b-roll footage of an Electronics Boutique in late 1994 or early 1995. Enjoy it!
I found this among 40TB of files from Digital Pictures' archive.
I found this among 40TB of files from Digital Pictures' archive.
October 18, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Extremely rare b-roll footage of an Electronics Boutique in late 1994 or early 1995. Enjoy it!
I found this among 40TB of files from Digital Pictures' archive.
I found this among 40TB of files from Digital Pictures' archive.
Reposted by David Velez
It's past midnight on the east coast, which means it's officially Shadow of the Colossus' 20th anniversary. Come join the party.
Shadow of the Colossus: An oral history
Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Team Ico’s masterpiece by looking back with 11 people who worked on it (and three who didn’t).
www.designroom.site
October 18, 2025 at 4:12 AM
It's past midnight on the east coast, which means it's officially Shadow of the Colossus' 20th anniversary. Come join the party.
Reposted by David Velez
My interview for @polygon.com with #Itagaki back in 2016, after the release of Devil’s Third. www.polygon.com/features/201...
The ups, downs and future of Tomonobu Itagaki's Devil's Third
Hear from the man in charge about the game’s eight-plus years of development.
www.polygon.com
October 18, 2025 at 7:35 AM
My interview for @polygon.com with #Itagaki back in 2016, after the release of Devil’s Third. www.polygon.com/features/201...
Reposted by David Velez
Was great talking about @designroom.bsky.social with the Aftermath folks!
October 17, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Was great talking about @designroom.bsky.social with the Aftermath folks!
Reposted by David Velez
wikipedia's data shows that AI is siphoning traffic away from the site, which is a danger to its sustainability. ironically Wikipedia is more important than ever to users who want reliable information instead of slop, and to AI companies that need it for training data www.404media.co/wikipedia-sa...
Wikipedia Says AI Is Causing a Dangerous Decline in Human Visitors
“With fewer visits to Wikipedia, fewer volunteers may grow and enrich the content, and fewer individual donors may support this work.”
www.404media.co
October 17, 2025 at 1:15 AM
wikipedia's data shows that AI is siphoning traffic away from the site, which is a danger to its sustainability. ironically Wikipedia is more important than ever to users who want reliable information instead of slop, and to AI companies that need it for training data www.404media.co/wikipedia-sa...
Reposted by David Velez
I’ll have more to say on the topic of Itagaki-senpai’s passing soon. But I have been looking at my Team Ninja collection all morning. There’s a bunch still tucked away that I need to dig out. But whenever I ask a creator to sign something, it’s an acknowledgement of their hard work, and memories.
October 16, 2025 at 8:26 PM
I’ll have more to say on the topic of Itagaki-senpai’s passing soon. But I have been looking at my Team Ninja collection all morning. There’s a bunch still tucked away that I need to dig out. But whenever I ask a creator to sign something, it’s an acknowledgement of their hard work, and memories.
Reposted by David Velez
according to a notice on his Facebook page, Tomonobu Itagaki has passed away at the age of 58. No details were shared, but the statement expressed his misgivings about “failing to produce a new game for the fans”
www.facebook.com/share/p/17am...
www.facebook.com/share/p/17am...
October 16, 2025 at 7:30 AM
according to a notice on his Facebook page, Tomonobu Itagaki has passed away at the age of 58. No details were shared, but the statement expressed his misgivings about “failing to produce a new game for the fans”
www.facebook.com/share/p/17am...
www.facebook.com/share/p/17am...
Reposted by David Velez
Today I lost someone who was truly like a brother to me. I am gutted to the core. I guess I can say so now that it's on his Facebook page. He even listed himself as my actual brother on Facebook. Anyone who knows me knows how close we were. RIP, senpai. You will always be a ninja.
October 16, 2025 at 6:01 AM
Today I lost someone who was truly like a brother to me. I am gutted to the core. I guess I can say so now that it's on his Facebook page. He even listed himself as my actual brother on Facebook. Anyone who knows me knows how close we were. RIP, senpai. You will always be a ninja.
The McDonald’s x Street Fighter collab in Japan is incredible. No notes. 🤌
October 16, 2025 at 1:40 AM
The McDonald’s x Street Fighter collab in Japan is incredible. No notes. 🤌
Reposted by David Velez
🚨🚨🚨
We are live! Welcome to Design Room, a new independent games media site.
• We specialize in oral histories like the Final Fantasy 7 and Street Fighter 2 ones I (@mattleone.bsky.social) did at Polygon
• Our first big story is on Shadow of the Colossus: bit.ly/4hjwz8n
• See more: designroom.site
We are live! Welcome to Design Room, a new independent games media site.
• We specialize in oral histories like the Final Fantasy 7 and Street Fighter 2 ones I (@mattleone.bsky.social) did at Polygon
• Our first big story is on Shadow of the Colossus: bit.ly/4hjwz8n
• See more: designroom.site
Design Room
Video game oral histories
designroom.site
October 14, 2025 at 2:00 PM
🚨🚨🚨
We are live! Welcome to Design Room, a new independent games media site.
• We specialize in oral histories like the Final Fantasy 7 and Street Fighter 2 ones I (@mattleone.bsky.social) did at Polygon
• Our first big story is on Shadow of the Colossus: bit.ly/4hjwz8n
• See more: designroom.site
We are live! Welcome to Design Room, a new independent games media site.
• We specialize in oral histories like the Final Fantasy 7 and Street Fighter 2 ones I (@mattleone.bsky.social) did at Polygon
• Our first big story is on Shadow of the Colossus: bit.ly/4hjwz8n
• See more: designroom.site
Reposted by David Velez
Getting off work? Finally have time to read a 10,000-word story? Or perhaps you live overseas... 👀
For the Shadow of the Colossus story, we interviewed 14 people including project leads Fumito Ueda and Kenji Kaido, hired Gravity Rush concept artist Takeshi Oga to illustrate the cover, and put together a 10,000-word story with help from @milkman.bsky.social @shmuplations.bsky.social and others.
Shadow of the Colossus: An oral history
Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Team Ico’s masterpiece by looking back with 11 people who worked on it (and three who didn’t).
www.designroom.site
October 15, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Getting off work? Finally have time to read a 10,000-word story? Or perhaps you live overseas... 👀
Reposted by David Velez
Take a chronological journey through gaming’s least linear format: the action RPG with The History of Metroidvania: Decade One—1980-1990, coming next march. Details: bit.ly/3KBaRk9
Dives into the gaming trends of the early 1980s and how those beginnings shaped metroidvania genre.
By Jeremy Parish
Dives into the gaming trends of the early 1980s and how those beginnings shaped metroidvania genre.
By Jeremy Parish
October 9, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Take a chronological journey through gaming’s least linear format: the action RPG with The History of Metroidvania: Decade One—1980-1990, coming next march. Details: bit.ly/3KBaRk9
Dives into the gaming trends of the early 1980s and how those beginnings shaped metroidvania genre.
By Jeremy Parish
Dives into the gaming trends of the early 1980s and how those beginnings shaped metroidvania genre.
By Jeremy Parish
Reposted by David Velez
Remember how I kept talking about the Metroidvania book I had in the works, and then it kinda dropped off the radar? I didn't lose interest. I was just working with a Legit Major Publisher (Dark Horse!) on turning it into the pilot release for a Press Run team-up: www.gamespot.com/articles/exp...
Explore The Origins Of Metroidvania In This New Retro Gaming Book
This new book will explore the history of the enduring metroidvania genre in video games.
www.gamespot.com
October 9, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Remember how I kept talking about the Metroidvania book I had in the works, and then it kinda dropped off the radar? I didn't lose interest. I was just working with a Legit Major Publisher (Dark Horse!) on turning it into the pilot release for a Press Run team-up: www.gamespot.com/articles/exp...
Reposted by David Velez
HAPPY SILKSONG DAY!
New, FREE EP: A Knight (for a Knight)
knight.ocremix.org
PLEASE TAG fellow Hollow Knight fans!
@damonzmusic.bsky.social's 4-track tribute to @christopherlarkin.bsky.social's amazing score to the first game!
Features his mom, cellist Christine Giguère + art by Annie Doyon!
GET!
New, FREE EP: A Knight (for a Knight)
knight.ocremix.org
PLEASE TAG fellow Hollow Knight fans!
@damonzmusic.bsky.social's 4-track tribute to @christopherlarkin.bsky.social's amazing score to the first game!
Features his mom, cellist Christine Giguère + art by Annie Doyon!
GET!
A Knight (for a Knight)
OC ReMix presents a free video game ReMix album, A Knight (for a Knight)
knight.ocremix.org
September 4, 2025 at 11:20 PM
HAPPY SILKSONG DAY!
New, FREE EP: A Knight (for a Knight)
knight.ocremix.org
PLEASE TAG fellow Hollow Knight fans!
@damonzmusic.bsky.social's 4-track tribute to @christopherlarkin.bsky.social's amazing score to the first game!
Features his mom, cellist Christine Giguère + art by Annie Doyon!
GET!
New, FREE EP: A Knight (for a Knight)
knight.ocremix.org
PLEASE TAG fellow Hollow Knight fans!
@damonzmusic.bsky.social's 4-track tribute to @christopherlarkin.bsky.social's amazing score to the first game!
Features his mom, cellist Christine Giguère + art by Annie Doyon!
GET!
Reposted by David Velez
Archival footage like this of a place that no longer exists is the kind of ref you should just let wash over you and watch it when it suddenly appears in your recommendation like this just did for me. A Space is not just how it looks but its how its used and the people that do so and their history.
September 6, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Archival footage like this of a place that no longer exists is the kind of ref you should just let wash over you and watch it when it suddenly appears in your recommendation like this just did for me. A Space is not just how it looks but its how its used and the people that do so and their history.
Reposted by David Velez
hand-drawn art in used game shops might be my favorite thing in the world
June 1, 2025 at 3:54 AM
hand-drawn art in used game shops might be my favorite thing in the world
Reposted by David Velez
AWS enters into ‘strategic partnership’ with Saudi Arabia-backed Humain
AWS enters into 'strategic partnership' with Saudi Arabia-backed Humain | TechCrunch
Amazon says it'll work with Humain, the AI company recently launched by Saudi Arabia’s ruler, to invest '$5 billion-plus' in a strategic partnership.
techcrunch.com
May 13, 2025 at 7:11 PM
AWS enters into ‘strategic partnership’ with Saudi Arabia-backed Humain
Reposted by David Velez
New season of @goodjobbrain.bsky.social!
(Bear w/ me while I set up socials here)
Ep 286: trivia about secrets — hidden rooms in landmarks quiz, mysterious 0s on your money, spy holes in Gibraltar, investigating an oatmeal’s secret surprise, & Pikachu’s printer scandal
goodjobbrain.com/episodes/286
(Bear w/ me while I set up socials here)
Ep 286: trivia about secrets — hidden rooms in landmarks quiz, mysterious 0s on your money, spy holes in Gibraltar, investigating an oatmeal’s secret surprise, & Pikachu’s printer scandal
goodjobbrain.com/episodes/286
May 7, 2025 at 9:29 PM
New season of @goodjobbrain.bsky.social!
(Bear w/ me while I set up socials here)
Ep 286: trivia about secrets — hidden rooms in landmarks quiz, mysterious 0s on your money, spy holes in Gibraltar, investigating an oatmeal’s secret surprise, & Pikachu’s printer scandal
goodjobbrain.com/episodes/286
(Bear w/ me while I set up socials here)
Ep 286: trivia about secrets — hidden rooms in landmarks quiz, mysterious 0s on your money, spy holes in Gibraltar, investigating an oatmeal’s secret surprise, & Pikachu’s printer scandal
goodjobbrain.com/episodes/286
Reposted by David Velez
It's extremely cool to me that we've reached a point in tool development for older consoles where it's viable for a legend of the original era to make a new hardware-pushing genesis game in 2025.
After years of hard work, our retro-inspired shooter Earthion finally has its own home online.
Dive into the world, watch the new trailer, and hear a track made entirely with the Megadrive’s YM2612 sound chip.
Now viewable in English and Portuguese:
earthiongame.com
Dive into the world, watch the new trailer, and hear a track made entirely with the Megadrive’s YM2612 sound chip.
Now viewable in English and Portuguese:
earthiongame.com
Earthion - Earthion
Return to the genesis of 16-bit gaming with Ancient's brand new shoot 'em up, Earthion!
earthiongame.com
May 4, 2025 at 5:47 PM
It's extremely cool to me that we've reached a point in tool development for older consoles where it's viable for a legend of the original era to make a new hardware-pushing genesis game in 2025.
Reposted by David Velez
I miss dvd commentary tracks
May 2, 2025 at 9:53 PM
I miss dvd commentary tracks
Reposted by David Velez
Looking forward to Thunderbolts
May 2, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Looking forward to Thunderbolts