Marc Normandin
@marcnormandin.bsky.social
Newsletters on retro video games and sports labor, regular at The A.V Club and Baseball Prospectus. Editor at FOX Sports. he/him
https://retroxp.beehiiv.com
https://marcnormandin.com
https://www.avclub.com/author/marc-normandin
https://retroxp.beehiiv.com
https://marcnormandin.com
https://www.avclub.com/author/marc-normandin
Pinned
Past meets present: Alex Kidd in Miracle World
Before there was Sonic the Hedgehog, there was Alex Kidd.
retroxp.beehiiv.com
It's pretty easy to see how Alex Kidd in Miracle World failed to live up to Sega's hopes that it would be as popular as Super Mario Bros. I don't mean that as a negative, though, more that the latter was designed for a mass audience, and Miracle World was specifically for the weirdos [complimentary]
The Rays have traded Junior Caminero
February 18, 2026 at 2:16 AM
The Rays have traded Junior Caminero
Reposted by Marc Normandin
I'm so tired of the players bending over backwards to seem reasonable to some imaginary audience, when everyone with eyes can see that the league is screwing them over.
Nneka: The players’ revenue share proposal started at 40% and is now 28%. But, “the league’s first proposal had the player share at less than 13, and they’re still stuck at 14.5… So, to come back six weeks later, and that’s still where they’re at doesn’t demonstrate a sense of urgency from them.”
Nneka Ogwumike calls out Adam Silver, WNBA over latest CBA comments
Nneka Ogwumike was confused by some of Adam Silver’s comments at NBA All-Star weekend.
highposthoops.com
February 18, 2026 at 2:11 AM
I'm so tired of the players bending over backwards to seem reasonable to some imaginary audience, when everyone with eyes can see that the league is screwing them over.
Amish Paradise
you are all fools the REAL music question that will cause intergenerational warfare on bluesky is actually: what is weird al's signature song?
February 18, 2026 at 1:40 AM
Amish Paradise
Reposted by Marc Normandin
catherine 2 confessional preview:
February 18, 2026 at 12:44 AM
catherine 2 confessional preview:
Reposted by Marc Normandin
If anybody on here is even pondering voting for Stephen A. Smith to be president, let's set up a boxing match I can knock some sense into you legally
Stephen A. Smith: "We wouldn’t have a border crisis under my watch."
"We ain’t defunding any police… There’s gonna be more."
It's with much regret I foresee the inevitable, he's running
"We ain’t defunding any police… There’s gonna be more."
It's with much regret I foresee the inevitable, he's running
February 17, 2026 at 10:14 PM
If anybody on here is even pondering voting for Stephen A. Smith to be president, let's set up a boxing match I can knock some sense into you legally
Oh come on man
Tony Clark is expected to WHAT
February 17, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Oh come on man
Reposted by Marc Normandin
what if i told you, through the power of forensic analysis, we are closer than ever to knowing the exact Far Side cartoon that is making Sting smile in this iconic photo. 🧵 👇
February 17, 2026 at 5:18 PM
what if i told you, through the power of forensic analysis, we are closer than ever to knowing the exact Far Side cartoon that is making Sting smile in this iconic photo. 🧵 👇
Amazing that we get these reports of baseball teams coming to pre-agreements with literal international children and then MLB is like "well there's only one solution to enforcing rules we already have in place, and it's an international draft that further erodes any negotiating power the kids have"
February 17, 2026 at 4:33 PM
Amazing that we get these reports of baseball teams coming to pre-agreements with literal international children and then MLB is like "well there's only one solution to enforcing rules we already have in place, and it's an international draft that further erodes any negotiating power the kids have"
Tony Clark is expected to WHAT
February 17, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Tony Clark is expected to WHAT
I just looked directly at the boxscore for Richmond @ George Mason from last night and Jesus Christ. What the hell happened there. The winning team shot 29%.
February 17, 2026 at 2:17 PM
I just looked directly at the boxscore for Richmond @ George Mason from last night and Jesus Christ. What the hell happened there. The winning team shot 29%.
I am more convinced every day that the solution to tanking isn't punishments or lottery changes, it's getting rid of the draft entirely
February 17, 2026 at 1:44 PM
I am more convinced every day that the solution to tanking isn't punishments or lottery changes, it's getting rid of the draft entirely
Reposted by Marc Normandin
It's been observed by people paying closer attention that 100% of instances of this label on this site have been applied manually by a person with admin power and not as an automated response to a context trigger. BBS forum mod tantrum filter button. See if it's set to Hide or not in your settings.
If you want to see posts from cool people on here, go to @moderation.bsky.app and turn off this label
February 16, 2026 at 11:39 PM
It's been observed by people paying closer attention that 100% of instances of this label on this site have been applied manually by a person with admin power and not as an automated response to a context trigger. BBS forum mod tantrum filter button. See if it's set to Hide or not in your settings.
Reposted by Marc Normandin
I would not bite my Olympic gold medal, I would fit the entire thing into my mouth
February 16, 2026 at 9:18 PM
I would not bite my Olympic gold medal, I would fit the entire thing into my mouth
Now I'm no expert but that seems Bad
Steam Decks are out of stock for the reason we thought: RAM shortages.
February 17, 2026 at 2:09 AM
Now I'm no expert but that seems Bad
This figure skater has magician facial hair when you take into account the outfit but I'm not sure if that helps or hinders him with the judges
February 17, 2026 at 1:48 AM
This figure skater has magician facial hair when you take into account the outfit but I'm not sure if that helps or hinders him with the judges
One of the things this game does exceptionally well is teach you how this kind of game even works. Great STG
Gunvein, one of the standout games from the international danmaku renaissance of the last several years, is discounted on PC for the first time in years, and on Switch for what might be the first time ever
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/gunvein-switch/
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/gunvein-switch/
Save 50% on Gunvein on Steam
Gunvein is a dynamic, aggression-based bullet hell shoot em up where you use lock on lasers, charged weapons, bombs & hypers to overwhelm the enemies before they overwhelm you.
store.steampowered.com
February 17, 2026 at 12:47 AM
One of the things this game does exceptionally well is teach you how this kind of game even works. Great STG
[Joe Girardi shows up on my TV during the Oklahoma State women's game] wait hold on a second
February 16, 2026 at 8:30 PM
[Joe Girardi shows up on my TV during the Oklahoma State women's game] wait hold on a second
Reposted by Marc Normandin
the impossible number of games that release on Steam every day has been discourse for years
why would anybody want to play a game nobody could be bothered to make
why would anybody want to play a game nobody could be bothered to make
Unity says its AI tech will soon be able to 'prompt full casual games into existence'
Unity says its AI tech will soon be able to 'prompt full casual games into existence'
Company CEO Matt Bromberg claims AI will empower non-coders and seasoned developers alike.
www.gamedeveloper.com
February 16, 2026 at 5:27 PM
the impossible number of games that release on Steam every day has been discourse for years
why would anybody want to play a game nobody could be bothered to make
why would anybody want to play a game nobody could be bothered to make
Seeing that Preller is the second-longest-tenured GM in MLB is one of those things that checks out out still feels wrong
February 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Seeing that Preller is the second-longest-tenured GM in MLB is one of those things that checks out out still feels wrong
Reposted by Marc Normandin
Reposted by Marc Normandin
I have a very simple and straightforward two-step plan to Save The Video Game Industry:
Step 1: Globally eliminate the concept of a classed society and redistribute all surplus resources among the populace, permanently enshrining social ownership of the means of production.
Step 2: Ridge Racer 8.
Step 1: Globally eliminate the concept of a classed society and redistribute all surplus resources among the populace, permanently enshrining social ownership of the means of production.
Step 2: Ridge Racer 8.
February 16, 2026 at 12:47 AM
I have a very simple and straightforward two-step plan to Save The Video Game Industry:
Step 1: Globally eliminate the concept of a classed society and redistribute all surplus resources among the populace, permanently enshrining social ownership of the means of production.
Step 2: Ridge Racer 8.
Step 1: Globally eliminate the concept of a classed society and redistribute all surplus resources among the populace, permanently enshrining social ownership of the means of production.
Step 2: Ridge Racer 8.
Crushed it
Dinner plan is:
-Slice of fresh rosemary gruyere bread with an orange-almond butter.
-Butternut corn chowder
-Lemon, leek, and pea risotto
-chicken breast with smoked paprika, manzanilla, and golden raisin pan sauce, served with a butternut mash
-Slice of fresh rosemary gruyere bread with an orange-almond butter.
-Butternut corn chowder
-Lemon, leek, and pea risotto
-chicken breast with smoked paprika, manzanilla, and golden raisin pan sauce, served with a butternut mash
February 16, 2026 at 12:19 AM
Crushed it
Reposted by Marc Normandin
can they pop it back in, or?
February 15, 2026 at 5:36 PM
can they pop it back in, or?
Reposted by Marc Normandin
at an indie game event in the Mission in SF some guy came up to me and asked me and my friend "what are you building?" and i said "we're more into destroying" and he just kinda stared blankly at us for a split second and then walked away. it is so easy to short-circuit these people's brains
Token Anxiety
i think i mostly echo this for myself. with so much that can be done, i often feel like i *should* be doing something, always
i think i mostly echo this for myself. with so much that can be done, i often feel like i *should* be doing something, always
February 15, 2026 at 5:24 PM
at an indie game event in the Mission in SF some guy came up to me and asked me and my friend "what are you building?" and i said "we're more into destroying" and he just kinda stared blankly at us for a split second and then walked away. it is so easy to short-circuit these people's brains
Sorry, Lindsey Vonn has had four surgeries on her leg this week and will have more?
February 15, 2026 at 11:41 AM
Sorry, Lindsey Vonn has had four surgeries on her leg this week and will have more?