Finn Carney
@finnjc.bsky.social
Video Games Person / Queer as in mission statement
Working on INOCULATE. Previously at Nerial
Blogging at: https://sandboxdunes.neocities.org/
Working on INOCULATE. Previously at Nerial
Blogging at: https://sandboxdunes.neocities.org/
Blog that's been cooking for wayyyy too long finally out.
About considering the ways games intend themselves to be played, and how players interact with those intentions.
sandboxdunes.neocities.org/posts/Touchi...
About considering the ways games intend themselves to be played, and how players interact with those intentions.
sandboxdunes.neocities.org/posts/Touchi...
Sandbox Dunes
Touching the Bounds
sandboxdunes.neocities.org
November 19, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Blog that's been cooking for wayyyy too long finally out.
About considering the ways games intend themselves to be played, and how players interact with those intentions.
sandboxdunes.neocities.org/posts/Touchi...
About considering the ways games intend themselves to be played, and how players interact with those intentions.
sandboxdunes.neocities.org/posts/Touchi...
Reposted by Finn Carney
We just published the latest update to our prototype on itch.
Involving a massive art overhaul and mechanics shake up -
lootdonkey.itch.io/fool-king
Involving a massive art overhaul and mechanics shake up -
lootdonkey.itch.io/fool-king
Fool King by Loot Donkey
Claim the throne in this tactical auto battler!
lootdonkey.itch.io
November 18, 2025 at 5:00 PM
We just published the latest update to our prototype on itch.
Involving a massive art overhaul and mechanics shake up -
lootdonkey.itch.io/fool-king
Involving a massive art overhaul and mechanics shake up -
lootdonkey.itch.io/fool-king
Reposted by Finn Carney
Inspired by some great discussion on Q-UP from @austinwalker.bsky.social, @notquitereal.bsky.social, @sylvibullet.bsky.social, @molleindustria.org and other folks, I wrote a short piece on the design inspiration for Q-UP and what developing the game meant to me
stiknork.substack.com/p/qing-up-in...
stiknork.substack.com/p/qing-up-in...
Qing-UP in the Age of Tilt
As anyone who has played 5 seconds of League of Legends knows, competitive multiplayer games have a tilt problem.
stiknork.substack.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Inspired by some great discussion on Q-UP from @austinwalker.bsky.social, @notquitereal.bsky.social, @sylvibullet.bsky.social, @molleindustria.org and other folks, I wrote a short piece on the design inspiration for Q-UP and what developing the game meant to me
stiknork.substack.com/p/qing-up-in...
stiknork.substack.com/p/qing-up-in...
Reposted by Finn Carney
Fresh writing for the morning! I want to talk to you all about vampires, player expectations, and looking art in the eyes.
aftermath.site/vampire-masq...
aftermath.site/vampire-masq...
The Art Of Playing The Damn Video Game
Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 has a lot to offer if you play the game that's in front of you, instead of the one in your head
aftermath.site
November 13, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Fresh writing for the morning! I want to talk to you all about vampires, player expectations, and looking art in the eyes.
aftermath.site/vampire-masq...
aftermath.site/vampire-masq...
Reposted by Finn Carney
appreciate this article breaking down a taxonomy of knowledge games (also, unfortunately, known as metroidbrainias)
azhdarchid.com/against-metr...
azhdarchid.com/against-metr...
Against 'Metroidbrania': a Landscape of Knowledge Games
What are knowledge games? How do we relate them to each other? What sub-genres exist – and which ones might be implied?
azhdarchid.com
November 13, 2025 at 9:17 AM
appreciate this article breaking down a taxonomy of knowledge games (also, unfortunately, known as metroidbrainias)
azhdarchid.com/against-metr...
azhdarchid.com/against-metr...
Reposted by Finn Carney
POSSESSOR(S) is launching today.
I have been the producer on this project for three years, & the last few weeks have been difficult. Most of the team isn't around anymore to celebrate the launch, so I wrote many words about these incredible people to celebrate them.
🖤 shorturl.at/MpMra
I have been the producer on this project for three years, & the last few weeks have been difficult. Most of the team isn't around anymore to celebrate the launch, so I wrote many words about these incredible people to celebrate them.
🖤 shorturl.at/MpMra
Celebrating the Possessor(s) team 🖤 | Notion
I am not one to post like this usually, but as things have developed recently, I want to take a minute and get some stuff off my chest.
shorturl.at
November 11, 2025 at 4:50 PM
POSSESSOR(S) is launching today.
I have been the producer on this project for three years, & the last few weeks have been difficult. Most of the team isn't around anymore to celebrate the launch, so I wrote many words about these incredible people to celebrate them.
🖤 shorturl.at/MpMra
I have been the producer on this project for three years, & the last few weeks have been difficult. Most of the team isn't around anymore to celebrate the launch, so I wrote many words about these incredible people to celebrate them.
🖤 shorturl.at/MpMra
Reposted by Finn Carney
Anybody who has watched the Times pull this shit for ages knows this game. Good piece.
November 8, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Anybody who has watched the Times pull this shit for ages knows this game. Good piece.
Reposted by Finn Carney
Reposted by Finn Carney
The biggest day in esports has arrived. Q-UP is out. store.steampowered.com/app/3730790/...
Save 10% on Q-UP on Steam
Sick of long queues, unfair matchups, and arbitrary reflex tests? Try Q-UP, the coin flipping eSport. It's one part clicker, one part multiplayer strategy game, one part demented capitalism simulator,...
store.steampowered.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:19 PM
The biggest day in esports has arrived. Q-UP is out. store.steampowered.com/app/3730790/...
Reposted by Finn Carney
Six years ago, I wrote most of the Tragedian dialogue for Pathologic 2 in iambic pentameter. I'm back now doing the same for Pathologic 3. I figured it was helpful to write a guide on *how* I did it – in case I get hit by a bus and the team has to carry on without me.
azhdarchid.com/so-you-want-...
azhdarchid.com/so-you-want-...
So You Want to Write Iambic Pentameter
In which I share the dirty secrets of the world's least useful skill
azhdarchid.com
October 8, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Six years ago, I wrote most of the Tragedian dialogue for Pathologic 2 in iambic pentameter. I'm back now doing the same for Pathologic 3. I figured it was helpful to write a guide on *how* I did it – in case I get hit by a bus and the team has to carry on without me.
azhdarchid.com/so-you-want-...
azhdarchid.com/so-you-want-...
Reposted by Finn Carney
imagine if flipping a coin also had a batshit zachtronics-like system for building elaborate chain reactions around the result. now, imagine that same game had the jokes and thematic chutzpah of universal paperclips, bc it was written by the same person. now imagine there was a demo. well guess what
We made a new game. It’s called Q-UP. It’s a coin flipping eSport. There’s a free demo! store.steampowered.com/app/3730790/...
Q-UP on Steam
Sick of long queues, unfair matchups, and arbitrary reflex tests? Try Q-UP, the coin flipping eSport. It's one part clicker, one part multiplayer strategy game, one part demented capitalism simulator,...
store.steampowered.com
September 27, 2025 at 9:01 PM
imagine if flipping a coin also had a batshit zachtronics-like system for building elaborate chain reactions around the result. now, imagine that same game had the jokes and thematic chutzpah of universal paperclips, bc it was written by the same person. now imagine there was a demo. well guess what
Reposted by Finn Carney
Consume Me is out! Get this game, I feel confident in saying, based on the demo, and based on knowing the creators, and based on seeing it develop over the last decade, that it is a masterpiece. store.steampowered.com/app/2359120/...
Save 10% on Consume Me on Steam
did you feel stupid, fat, lazy, and ugly in high school? well i did...but at least i made a life-simulation RPG about it!
store.steampowered.com
September 25, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Consume Me is out! Get this game, I feel confident in saying, based on the demo, and based on knowing the creators, and based on seeing it develop over the last decade, that it is a masterpiece. store.steampowered.com/app/2359120/...
Reposted by Finn Carney
We should be making a “separate but equal” “third space“ for Wes Streeting where he is not allowed to make policy for human beings
September 24, 2025 at 12:54 PM
We should be making a “separate but equal” “third space“ for Wes Streeting where he is not allowed to make policy for human beings
Reposted by Finn Carney
Baby Steps is out now on PlayStation 5 and PC!
Put one foot in front of the other as you stumble and tumble through an expansive world full of unexpected challenges and hilarious inhabitants.
Put one foot in front of the other as you stumble and tumble through an expansive world full of unexpected challenges and hilarious inhabitants.
Baby Steps is out now! Put one foot in front of the other on PS5 and PC.
YouTube video by DevolverDigital
www.youtube.com
September 23, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Baby Steps is out now on PlayStation 5 and PC!
Put one foot in front of the other as you stumble and tumble through an expansive world full of unexpected challenges and hilarious inhabitants.
Put one foot in front of the other as you stumble and tumble through an expansive world full of unexpected challenges and hilarious inhabitants.
Reposted by Finn Carney
Did you know it's legal to say "an Elbit arms manufacturing plant in Bristol has closed its doors after months of targeting from Palestine Action". But it'd ILLEGAL to follow that with "what incredible work from those heroes". That'd be an offence under the Terrorism Act of 2000. Don't say that!
September 7, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Did you know it's legal to say "an Elbit arms manufacturing plant in Bristol has closed its doors after months of targeting from Palestine Action". But it'd ILLEGAL to follow that with "what incredible work from those heroes". That'd be an offence under the Terrorism Act of 2000. Don't say that!
Just objectively fun / interesting how quickly we've spun from "its so beautiful that all gamers get to experience Silksing together :)" to "dang this game is tough as shit i wish someone had warned us :("
Silksong is much harder than Hollow Knight (which was already pretty tough!). I wonder how many people will bounce off a certain boss in front of a door with bells
September 6, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Just objectively fun / interesting how quickly we've spun from "its so beautiful that all gamers get to experience Silksing together :)" to "dang this game is tough as shit i wish someone had warned us :("
Reposted by Finn Carney
i reviewed NBA 2K26 for @endlessmode.bsky.social because someone had to while you're all playing silksong: www.endlessmode.com/article/comm...
September 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM
i reviewed NBA 2K26 for @endlessmode.bsky.social because someone had to while you're all playing silksong: www.endlessmode.com/article/comm...
Reposted by Finn Carney
Dice more spin-y ✅
Tool tips more tip-y ✅
Cheaters less cheat-y ✅
Go check out the latest Fool King patch 009!
lootdonkey.itch.io/fool-king
Tool tips more tip-y ✅
Cheaters less cheat-y ✅
Go check out the latest Fool King patch 009!
lootdonkey.itch.io/fool-king
August 27, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Dice more spin-y ✅
Tool tips more tip-y ✅
Cheaters less cheat-y ✅
Go check out the latest Fool King patch 009!
lootdonkey.itch.io/fool-king
Tool tips more tip-y ✅
Cheaters less cheat-y ✅
Go check out the latest Fool King patch 009!
lootdonkey.itch.io/fool-king
Reposted by Finn Carney
Hello. I wrote a nice long essay about AI and this very strange moment where we're constantly told we're living in the dawn of a strange new future but the only thing that's actually clear is that everyone feels pretty unmoored and uncertain. I hope you'll read it
AI Is a Mass-Delusion Event
Three years in, one of AI’s enduring impacts is to make people feel like they’re losing it.
www.theatlantic.com
August 18, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Hello. I wrote a nice long essay about AI and this very strange moment where we're constantly told we're living in the dawn of a strange new future but the only thing that's actually clear is that everyone feels pretty unmoored and uncertain. I hope you'll read it
Reposted by Finn Carney
SHIELD GOBLINS! SHIELD GOBLINS! SHIELD GOBLINS!
Also I've finally made some improvements to pathfinding so you can all stop yelling at me 😭
Also I've finally made some improvements to pathfinding so you can all stop yelling at me 😭
We just updated Fool King to Version 0.08 so go grab it now!
Includes new unit the shield goblin, a new map & unit logic improvements!
https://lootdonkey.itch.io/fool-king
#indiedev #gamedev #strategy #roguelike/
Includes new unit the shield goblin, a new map & unit logic improvements!
https://lootdonkey.itch.io/fool-king
#indiedev #gamedev #strategy #roguelike/
August 17, 2025 at 7:03 PM
SHIELD GOBLINS! SHIELD GOBLINS! SHIELD GOBLINS!
Also I've finally made some improvements to pathfinding so you can all stop yelling at me 😭
Also I've finally made some improvements to pathfinding so you can all stop yelling at me 😭
A real mix of "stuff I can only get on the computer" And "stuff I'll only be able to play if my parents don't see me playing it"
August 15, 2025 at 9:53 AM
A real mix of "stuff I can only get on the computer" And "stuff I'll only be able to play if my parents don't see me playing it"
Reposted by Finn Carney
"Their message is to encourage people to ride bikes instead of having gun violence in the community." www.npr.org/sections/pic...
August 12, 2025 at 11:51 AM
"Their message is to encourage people to ride bikes instead of having gun violence in the community." www.npr.org/sections/pic...
Reposted by Finn Carney
cute, silly, and a nice snack of a game at under two hours from @lululu.games and us at @popagenda.co
📅 Henry Halfhead is coming Sept 16 to PC, Switch, and PS5!
🍎 Play As 250+ Different Everyday Objects
📖 A nice little story
🤝 Local Co-Op - Get up to mischief together
📅 Henry Halfhead is coming Sept 16 to PC, Switch, and PS5!
🍎 Play As 250+ Different Everyday Objects
📖 A nice little story
🤝 Local Co-Op - Get up to mischief together
August 11, 2025 at 1:20 PM
cute, silly, and a nice snack of a game at under two hours from @lululu.games and us at @popagenda.co
📅 Henry Halfhead is coming Sept 16 to PC, Switch, and PS5!
🍎 Play As 250+ Different Everyday Objects
📖 A nice little story
🤝 Local Co-Op - Get up to mischief together
📅 Henry Halfhead is coming Sept 16 to PC, Switch, and PS5!
🍎 Play As 250+ Different Everyday Objects
📖 A nice little story
🤝 Local Co-Op - Get up to mischief together
Reposted by Finn Carney
BBC International Editor Jeremy Bowen has confirmed that the entire Al Jazeera team in Gaza City has been killed.
August 10, 2025 at 10:33 PM
BBC International Editor Jeremy Bowen has confirmed that the entire Al Jazeera team in Gaza City has been killed.