Malcolm Craig
@malcolmcraig.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer in US History @ljmuofficial.bsky.social, historian of games, the Cold War, nuclear stuff, researching #ColdWar era post-apocalypse roleplaying games. #TTRPG designer. You may remember me from such games as #astaterpg, #ColdCity, and #HotWar
Pinned
Malcolm Craig
@malcolmcraig.bsky.social
· Nov 14
When You Say, “Thermonuclear War,” I Think You Mean “the Call to Adventure”! The Twilight: 2000 Tabletop Role-Playing Game and the Postapocalyptic World’s Imaginary Spaces | Journal of American Studie...
When You Say, “Thermonuclear War,” I Think You Mean “the Call to Adventure”! The Twilight: 2000 Tabletop Role-Playing Game and the Postapocalyptic World’s Imaginary Spaces
www.cambridge.org
Hurrah! My article on the Twilight 2000 RPG in the Journal of American Studies is now open access (OA), so anyone who wants to can have a read. OA is important to me, as I want my work on RPG history to go beyond the academy and reach the gaming public.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
If you're interested in longue durée RPG history, this from @guyintheblackhat.bsky.social is worth your time.
Indeed. The purchaseable *product* we call the TTRPG begins in the 1970s with Western Gunfight, Chainmail, and D&D.
Yet role-playing "parlor games," simulations, and similar are centuries old and draw from a well that resembles all the positive stuff about D&D.
Parlor games were feminized...
Yet role-playing "parlor games," simulations, and similar are centuries old and draw from a well that resembles all the positive stuff about D&D.
Parlor games were feminized...
December 23, 2025 at 1:30 PM
If you're interested in longue durée RPG history, this from @guyintheblackhat.bsky.social is worth your time.
Reposted by Malcolm Craig
If you enroll in a history course you don’t get to decide that, I don’t know, the Battle of Hastings took place last Tuesday or something.
Students are taught how to think within a context of agreed fact, knowledge of which can and should be tested.
Students are taught how to think within a context of agreed fact, knowledge of which can and should be tested.
1. This is terrible.
2. This is such a BS claim from a university: “We are committed to teaching students how to think, not what to think.” No! We do, in fact, commit to teaching you what to think. You sign up for a psych course, you have to learn psychology. You can ignore it later if you choose.
2. This is such a BS claim from a university: “We are committed to teaching students how to think, not what to think.” No! We do, in fact, commit to teaching you what to think. You sign up for a psych course, you have to learn psychology. You can ignore it later if you choose.
A graduate teaching assistant who gave a University of Oklahoma student a failing grade on a psychology essay will no longer be teaching at the university
December 23, 2025 at 1:07 PM
If you enroll in a history course you don’t get to decide that, I don’t know, the Battle of Hastings took place last Tuesday or something.
Students are taught how to think within a context of agreed fact, knowledge of which can and should be tested.
Students are taught how to think within a context of agreed fact, knowledge of which can and should be tested.
Reposted by Malcolm Craig
PhD Funding!
University of Leeds
The School of History invites applicants from Black, Asian and other minoritised ethnic groups who wish to study for a PhD commencing in the academic year 2026/27 to apply for the School of History Access to Research Scholarship.
phd.leeds.ac.uk/funding/387-...
University of Leeds
The School of History invites applicants from Black, Asian and other minoritised ethnic groups who wish to study for a PhD commencing in the academic year 2026/27 to apply for the School of History Access to Research Scholarship.
phd.leeds.ac.uk/funding/387-...
School of History Access to Research Scholarship 2026/27
Project opportunity - School of History Access to Research Scholarship 2026/27 at the University of Leeds
phd.leeds.ac.uk
December 22, 2025 at 7:56 PM
PhD Funding!
University of Leeds
The School of History invites applicants from Black, Asian and other minoritised ethnic groups who wish to study for a PhD commencing in the academic year 2026/27 to apply for the School of History Access to Research Scholarship.
phd.leeds.ac.uk/funding/387-...
University of Leeds
The School of History invites applicants from Black, Asian and other minoritised ethnic groups who wish to study for a PhD commencing in the academic year 2026/27 to apply for the School of History Access to Research Scholarship.
phd.leeds.ac.uk/funding/387-...
Zak Sabbath/Smith/whatever is scumbag who has polluted the RPG scene for far too long.
As the Zak Sabbath fanboys/socks are starting to run cover again, a reminder of what a court has found to be true about Zak. (CW for abuse).
1. Zak expected an ex girlfriend to be "at his beck and call for sex at any time"
1. Zak expected an ex girlfriend to be "at his beck and call for sex at any time"
December 22, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Zak Sabbath/Smith/whatever is scumbag who has polluted the RPG scene for far too long.
So one of things I love about the setting for Hot War - dire, post-apocalyptic awfulness with a fascistic government at the helm - is that those in charge are still able to churn out propaganda posters by the thousands. It's my own little "ok, you can have faster than light travel!".
Hot War update is up! www.kickstarter.com/projects/han...
New Paul Bourne art! An update to the Cold City PDF! All your favourite things!
#coldcity
New Paul Bourne art! An update to the Cold City PDF! All your favourite things!
#coldcity
Update 25: December Update - Hot War into layout, new art, Cold City PDF update · Cold City Hot War
Hello!Hot War is now well into layout, with a bunch of proofing completed by the mighty Jess Banks who we're delighted is joining our proofing team on this one. We're all looking forward to bringing y...
www.kickstarter.com
December 22, 2025 at 5:31 PM
So one of things I love about the setting for Hot War - dire, post-apocalyptic awfulness with a fascistic government at the helm - is that those in charge are still able to churn out propaganda posters by the thousands. It's my own little "ok, you can have faster than light travel!".
Forget the tension around Whamageddon, it's this that is the real festive stress test.
4 days until my Christmas joke.
December 22, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Forget the tension around Whamageddon, it's this that is the real festive stress test.
Seldom have I hit the block button so fast. I think I might have given myself whiplash, to be honest.
Just a heads up old Colin is on here and defending his honor
My labelers caught him but he is responding to people on here who found his tweet about not getting a job because of anti-white-man sentiment hilarious
My labelers caught him but he is responding to people on here who found his tweet about not getting a job because of anti-white-man sentiment hilarious
December 22, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Seldom have I hit the block button so fast. I think I might have given myself whiplash, to be honest.
I once spent a week at Kew and managed to find three useful documents. That's about it really. Nothing crazy has ever happened to me in an archive. Unless you count seeing the ghost of Gerald Ford, but I put that down to food poisoning from the Panda Express on the UMich North Campus.
I think we need a mega thread of everyone's craziest archive stories.
December 22, 2025 at 4:58 PM
I once spent a week at Kew and managed to find three useful documents. That's about it really. Nothing crazy has ever happened to me in an archive. Unless you count seeing the ghost of Gerald Ford, but I put that down to food poisoning from the Panda Express on the UMich North Campus.
So the story is that freedom of speech was upheld on both sides? Prof. Sullivan got to deliver her talk, and the protesters got to protest outside. Or does she want legitimate protest against her beliefs banned? Oh...
In less than a decade, these bigots have succeeded in hounding trans people into a desperate fight for survival. And THEY still get to play the victim. For shame, Britain, for shame.
University threatened with legal action after protest at event
Prof Alice Sullivan says her talk at the University of Bristol became like a
www.bbc.co.uk
December 22, 2025 at 2:56 PM
So the story is that freedom of speech was upheld on both sides? Prof. Sullivan got to deliver her talk, and the protesters got to protest outside. Or does she want legitimate protest against her beliefs banned? Oh...
Reposted by Malcolm Craig
Hot War is nominated as one of the most anticipated RPG releases of 2026! Nice. You can vote over this way:
www.enworld.org/threads/its-...
And find out more about Cold City and Hot War over here: handiwork.games/cold-city-ho...
www.enworld.org/threads/its-...
And find out more about Cold City and Hot War over here: handiwork.games/cold-city-ho...
It's Time to VOTE for your MOST ANTICIPATED TTRPG of 2026!
As we do every year, it's time to vote for the most anticipated tabletop roleplaying game of the coming year! Here is last year's Top 10 (spoiler: the winner was Legend in the Mist). Previous winners ...
www.enworld.org
December 19, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Hot War is nominated as one of the most anticipated RPG releases of 2026! Nice. You can vote over this way:
www.enworld.org/threads/its-...
And find out more about Cold City and Hot War over here: handiwork.games/cold-city-ho...
www.enworld.org/threads/its-...
And find out more about Cold City and Hot War over here: handiwork.games/cold-city-ho...
Well, it’s lovely to be recognised by the university for my flailing attempts to take my research out beyond our ivory towers and into the wider RPG community.
December 15, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Well, it’s lovely to be recognised by the university for my flailing attempts to take my research out beyond our ivory towers and into the wider RPG community.
@handiworkgames.bsky.social gift cards! For the discerning roleplayer/wargamer/miniatures painter in your life. Ho ho ho!
Getting tight for Christmas delivery if you're outside of the UK, but we just launched a range of gift cards (Been meaning to add this to our store forever!) so you can let them choose their own thing and the gift card will be emailed on the day of your choosing.
handiwork.games/product-cate...
handiwork.games/product-cate...
December 15, 2025 at 3:48 PM
@handiworkgames.bsky.social gift cards! For the discerning roleplayer/wargamer/miniatures painter in your life. Ho ho ho!
Reposted by Malcolm Craig
It's the last ever episode of Brainwaves. We coincidentally wrap up some of the biggest stories of the last little while on top of new ones of course.
giantbrain.co.uk/2025/12/15/b...
giantbrain.co.uk/2025/12/15/b...
Brainwaves Episode 172 - Thank You! - The Giant Brain
In the last episode of Brainwaves the whole team wrap up some of the biggest stories we have covered alongside new controversies of course!
giantbrain.co.uk
December 15, 2025 at 10:06 AM
It's the last ever episode of Brainwaves. We coincidentally wrap up some of the biggest stories of the last little while on top of new ones of course.
giantbrain.co.uk/2025/12/15/b...
giantbrain.co.uk/2025/12/15/b...
What if - and bear with me here - the creative process is a crucial, fundamental, and also worthwhile part of creating something?
A radical suggestion, I know. I'll be here all week with further Big Thoughts and "hot aches" (as I believe "the kids" call them).
A radical suggestion, I know. I'll be here all week with further Big Thoughts and "hot aches" (as I believe "the kids" call them).
I have grown to believe that excessive wealth does something to your brain that is analogous to a serious head injury
December 15, 2025 at 9:43 AM
What if - and bear with me here - the creative process is a crucial, fundamental, and also worthwhile part of creating something?
A radical suggestion, I know. I'll be here all week with further Big Thoughts and "hot aches" (as I believe "the kids" call them).
A radical suggestion, I know. I'll be here all week with further Big Thoughts and "hot aches" (as I believe "the kids" call them).
I'll stick to my totally analogue, 32 year old Mazda MX5 thanks.
tesla owners admitting without shame they don’t know how to drive anymore
December 15, 2025 at 9:40 AM
I'll stick to my totally analogue, 32 year old Mazda MX5 thanks.
I can't help but feel that @floaker.bsky.social gives me far too much credit, but I'll take it!
Seeing @handiworkgames.bsky.social, @malcolmcraig.bsky.social, @losthavenart.bsky.social, @davidblandyrpgs.bsky.social, and others I've momentarily forgotten, do things to really push the multi-disciplinary potential and interconnected nature of #ttrpgs as an artform is a joy.
December 14, 2025 at 12:55 PM
I can't help but feel that @floaker.bsky.social gives me far too much credit, but I'll take it!
1) This week was my last teaching week for nine months, as I now have a research sabbatical. Where I need to knuckle down and actually get this book on TTRPGs, the Cold War, and nuclear fear written. I want the book to be accessible to a general audience, both in terms of content and price.
December 13, 2025 at 6:26 PM
1) This week was my last teaching week for nine months, as I now have a research sabbatical. Where I need to knuckle down and actually get this book on TTRPGs, the Cold War, and nuclear fear written. I want the book to be accessible to a general audience, both in terms of content and price.
Reposted by Malcolm Craig
Yay! Naturally I’m biased, but I didn’t write it, so I think it’s fair to say I think that FiveEvil is very good.
FiveEvil is not D&D 5e-based beyond the expected six ability scores and rolling d20+mod vs target, and very much the stronger for it. So no classes, escalating HP, etc. Another great toolkit game, clever tension and desperation mechanics, and superb horror advice. It hugely exceeded my hopes.
December 13, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Yay! Naturally I’m biased, but I didn’t write it, so I think it’s fair to say I think that FiveEvil is very good.
Reposted by Malcolm Craig
I wrote a new article: it’s on the Fallout franchise, & it’s just been published in Games&Culture
I’m currently trying to wrap my head around a bigger project on historical video game promotion and branding & this article is a slice (in progress) of that
+ it’s open access!
doi.org/10.1177/1555...
I’m currently trying to wrap my head around a bigger project on historical video game promotion and branding & this article is a slice (in progress) of that
+ it’s open access!
doi.org/10.1177/1555...
December 8, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I wrote a new article: it’s on the Fallout franchise, & it’s just been published in Games&Culture
I’m currently trying to wrap my head around a bigger project on historical video game promotion and branding & this article is a slice (in progress) of that
+ it’s open access!
doi.org/10.1177/1555...
I’m currently trying to wrap my head around a bigger project on historical video game promotion and branding & this article is a slice (in progress) of that
+ it’s open access!
doi.org/10.1177/1555...
Reposted by Malcolm Craig
And now, Writing Game Histories (2026) with cover art (courtesy of @murthynikhil.bsky.social’s Syphilisation)
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/writing-g...
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/writing-g...
December 13, 2025 at 9:19 AM
And now, Writing Game Histories (2026) with cover art (courtesy of @murthynikhil.bsky.social’s Syphilisation)
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/writing-g...
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/writing-g...
Oh no! I never had the pleasure of meeting Dr Burr, but his work as a scholar and archivist had a huge impact on my work. What a sad loss to the profession.
The historian and @shafrhistorians.bsky.social member Bill Burr died yesterday after a long fight with cancer. For 35 years he was a senior analyst at the @nsarchive.bsky.social, but this hardly begins to describe his importance to US Foreign Relations historians. nsarchive.gwu.edu/about/staff/...
Dr. William Burr
Dr. William Burr, an Archive Senior Analyst since 1990, directs the Archive's nuclear security documentation project and has led the collection and editorial work to create the award-winning online si...
nsarchive.gwu.edu
December 12, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Oh no! I never had the pleasure of meeting Dr Burr, but his work as a scholar and archivist had a huge impact on my work. What a sad loss to the profession.
Very near a coffee-spat-over-laptop moment at the Peake reference. Bravo, @eleanormorton.bsky.social!
JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis Discuss the appropriate amount of women for a fantasy book
youtube.com/shorts/KuLc6...
youtube.com/shorts/KuLc6...
JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis Discuss the appropriate amount of women for a fantasy book
YouTube video by Eleanor Morton
youtube.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Very near a coffee-spat-over-laptop moment at the Peake reference. Bravo, @eleanormorton.bsky.social!
Oh, @kevinboniface.bsky.social - re: our chat last weekend.
Commercial academic publishing profit margins typically in excess of 32% ...
#AcademicSky #HigherEd
#journals #libraries #scholarship
#AcademicSky #HigherEd
#journals #libraries #scholarship
"academic publishing is dominated by profit-oriented, multinational companies for whom scientific knowledge is a commodity to be sold back to the academic community who created it... The dominant four collectively generated... $12 billion in profits between 2019 and 2024."
December 12, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Oh, @kevinboniface.bsky.social - re: our chat last weekend.
Reposted by Malcolm Craig
I'm not sure why it's flashing like that, but the image contains the CFP for the edited collection @dianearodgers.bsky.social and I are putting together on Folk Horror on Television. We're looking for a wide range of texts, contexts, and academic approaches. Proposals by 15 January.
December 12, 2025 at 8:58 AM
I'm not sure why it's flashing like that, but the image contains the CFP for the edited collection @dianearodgers.bsky.social and I are putting together on Folk Horror on Television. We're looking for a wide range of texts, contexts, and academic approaches. Proposals by 15 January.
Reposted by Malcolm Craig
🚨 Call for Papers! 🚨
📣Join us @lancasteruni.bsky.social 1-3 July 2026 as we return to our original home to celebrate our 50th anniversary!
We welcome proposals from historians at all career stages across 8 thematic strands.
📅 CfP deadline: 16/01/26
🔗 socialhistory.org.uk/events/confe...
#CFP 🗃️
📣Join us @lancasteruni.bsky.social 1-3 July 2026 as we return to our original home to celebrate our 50th anniversary!
We welcome proposals from historians at all career stages across 8 thematic strands.
📅 CfP deadline: 16/01/26
🔗 socialhistory.org.uk/events/confe...
#CFP 🗃️
SHS Annual Conference 2026
Our 50th anniversary conference will be held at Lancaster University, the academic home of the Social History Society. A Significant Milestone The Social History Society was founded at Lancaster Un…
socialhistory.org.uk
November 27, 2025 at 10:42 AM
🚨 Call for Papers! 🚨
📣Join us @lancasteruni.bsky.social 1-3 July 2026 as we return to our original home to celebrate our 50th anniversary!
We welcome proposals from historians at all career stages across 8 thematic strands.
📅 CfP deadline: 16/01/26
🔗 socialhistory.org.uk/events/confe...
#CFP 🗃️
📣Join us @lancasteruni.bsky.social 1-3 July 2026 as we return to our original home to celebrate our 50th anniversary!
We welcome proposals from historians at all career stages across 8 thematic strands.
📅 CfP deadline: 16/01/26
🔗 socialhistory.org.uk/events/confe...
#CFP 🗃️