Eric Stein (he/him)
@steinea.bsky.social
Producer at EA SPORTS
Games researcher
Former game development instructor
Tabletop game designer
Occasional poet
steinea.ca / steinea.fyi
Games researcher
Former game development instructor
Tabletop game designer
Occasional poet
steinea.ca / steinea.fyi
Cool new book alert! With an open access digital edition, too.
A thread on ZEN AND SLOW GAMES (MIT Press, 2026)
January 22, 2026 at 6:05 PM
Cool new book alert! With an open access digital edition, too.
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
extremely wild story from @nicolecarpenter.bsky.social (yes that one): aftermath.site/nicole-carpe...
I'm Not That Nicole Carpenter
I got a corrections request for a story I didn't write, and it pulled me down a journalism rabbit hole.
aftermath.site
January 16, 2026 at 5:11 AM
extremely wild story from @nicolecarpenter.bsky.social (yes that one): aftermath.site/nicole-carpe...
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
if you think about it, a megadungeon is the ultimate walkable city
December 17, 2025 at 1:04 PM
if you think about it, a megadungeon is the ultimate walkable city
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
One easy fix would be to eliminate categories based on genre or whatever “indie” means and instead get granular about craft (best level design, best world, best combat, etc) which would probably pose other problems but at least make for more interesting conversations and honor specific people
December 13, 2025 at 6:51 PM
One easy fix would be to eliminate categories based on genre or whatever “indie” means and instead get granular about craft (best level design, best world, best combat, etc) which would probably pose other problems but at least make for more interesting conversations and honor specific people
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
"video game mechanics?" Actually, they're called developers.
December 10, 2025 at 2:11 AM
"video game mechanics?" Actually, they're called developers.
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
I played Horses this weekend and I wrote down some messy thoughts not only on the game but especially on the specter of formalism that emerged to haunt us all for a moment.
transgamerthoughts.com/post/8023277...
transgamerthoughts.com/post/8023277...
I Hope You Get To Live Your Entire Life As A Human
I thought this was going to be a review of my time with Santa Ragione's Horses, the controversial art game recently banned from Steam and the Epic Store. To some extent, this will be that but after...
transgamerthoughts.com
December 8, 2025 at 2:06 AM
I played Horses this weekend and I wrote down some messy thoughts not only on the game but especially on the specter of formalism that emerged to haunt us all for a moment.
transgamerthoughts.com/post/8023277...
transgamerthoughts.com/post/8023277...
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
I have written a new blog about what an OSR is. I am told there is a lot of discourse about this, but am confident that this should settle the matter once and for all.
thegardenbelow.blot.im/what-is-an-osr
thegardenbelow.blot.im/what-is-an-osr
What is an OSR? - The Garden Below
a post about not knowing what the OSR is.
thegardenbelow.blot.im
November 27, 2025 at 8:06 PM
I have written a new blog about what an OSR is. I am told there is a lot of discourse about this, but am confident that this should settle the matter once and for all.
thegardenbelow.blot.im/what-is-an-osr
thegardenbelow.blot.im/what-is-an-osr
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
Surprise, we're getting pretty close to the final version of REALIS!
ICYMI: I've been making a TTRPG about mystical moons and living spaceships and sentences that can kill you. A preview is available now (see my pinned post), but the full version draws near!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/cru...
ICYMI: I've been making a TTRPG about mystical moons and living spaceships and sentences that can kill you. A preview is available now (see my pinned post), but the full version draws near!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/cru...
Coming soon: Realis
A new tabletop roleplaying game by Austin Walker
www.kickstarter.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Surprise, we're getting pretty close to the final version of REALIS!
ICYMI: I've been making a TTRPG about mystical moons and living spaceships and sentences that can kill you. A preview is available now (see my pinned post), but the full version draws near!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/cru...
ICYMI: I've been making a TTRPG about mystical moons and living spaceships and sentences that can kill you. A preview is available now (see my pinned post), but the full version draws near!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/cru...
Ohhh yeaah, narrative RPG + Zola, I'm here for it.
We are proud to announce our upcoming game : 13 Germinal. ⛏️
Citizen Sleeper and Disco Elysium meet Emile Zola's novel in this historical and narrative RPG.
Survive the ruthless mines, forge friendships, and take part in a deadly strike. ✊
Join the revolt with a wishlist, link below ⬇️
Citizen Sleeper and Disco Elysium meet Emile Zola's novel in this historical and narrative RPG.
Survive the ruthless mines, forge friendships, and take part in a deadly strike. ✊
Join the revolt with a wishlist, link below ⬇️
November 18, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Ohhh yeaah, narrative RPG + Zola, I'm here for it.
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
it's on miro. it's literally on figma. you have to log into okta. it's in jira. it's on zoom. it's on pureref. it's on flow. it's on perforce. it's on slack. you can find it on slack. you can go to slack and find it. log onto slack right now. you can slack it. slack has it for you. it's on slack.
November 12, 2025 at 10:15 PM
it's on miro. it's literally on figma. you have to log into okta. it's in jira. it's on zoom. it's on pureref. it's on flow. it's on perforce. it's on slack. you can find it on slack. you can go to slack and find it. log onto slack right now. you can slack it. slack has it for you. it's on slack.
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
The webpage for our upcoming book has the cover on it now which is enough of a milestone for me to write another post about the book we have coming out soon. www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?b...
November 11, 2025 at 5:05 AM
The webpage for our upcoming book has the cover on it now which is enough of a milestone for me to write another post about the book we have coming out soon. www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?b...
Can confirm, this was nice and easy to complete!
to my games ppl: devs, journos, students, teachers, investors, and not-for-profit weirdos:
The annual GDC State of the Industry survey just dropped. I consulted on this year's survey and promise the experience will feel both better targeted AND shorter.
gdconf.typeform.com/SOTI26
The annual GDC State of the Industry survey just dropped. I consulted on this year's survey and promise the experience will feel both better targeted AND shorter.
gdconf.typeform.com/SOTI26
2026 State of the Game Industry
The gaming industry's most comprehensive annual survey is back, and we're casting a wider net than ever before. Whether you're a developer, executive, investor, marketer, educator, or any other profes...
gdconf.typeform.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Can confirm, this was nice and easy to complete!
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
Here We GO! Come along, my dearies!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
Apocalypse World: Burned Over
The 3rd edition of the groundbreaking original.
www.kickstarter.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Here We GO! Come along, my dearies!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
i wish people would be substantially more careful with their choice to dismiss art/games they don't like as "not art / not a game"
November 4, 2025 at 4:51 AM
i wish people would be substantially more careful with their choice to dismiss art/games they don't like as "not art / not a game"
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
Check out this nice review of FICTIONAL GAMES that @steinea.bsky.social did for ARB a while back: ancillaryreviewofbooks.org/2023/05/26/i...
Imagined Agency: Review of Stefano Gualeni and Riccardo Fassone’s Fictional Games
Eric Stein Under Review:Fictional Games: A Philosophy of Worldbuilding and Imaginary Play. Stefano Gualeni and Riccardo Fassone. Bloomsbury Academic, January 2023. Throughout the media we enjoy, fr…
ancillaryreviewofbooks.org
October 10, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Check out this nice review of FICTIONAL GAMES that @steinea.bsky.social did for ARB a while back: ancillaryreviewofbooks.org/2023/05/26/i...
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
Roll with Advantage: Creative, Collaborative, and Critical Responses to Dungeons & Dragons (Play Story Press 2025) edited by Suzanne Richardson & Edmond Y. Chang: playstorypress.org/books/roll-w... - in print or open access PDF! #analoggamestudies #creativewriting #dungeonsanddragons #dnd
October 1, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Roll with Advantage: Creative, Collaborative, and Critical Responses to Dungeons & Dragons (Play Story Press 2025) edited by Suzanne Richardson & Edmond Y. Chang: playstorypress.org/books/roll-w... - in print or open access PDF! #analoggamestudies #creativewriting #dungeonsanddragons #dnd
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
Silksong true ending as praxis, in this essay I will
September 29, 2025 at 5:08 AM
Silksong true ending as praxis, in this essay I will
The Mist, Phantom, Cogwork Dancers last night. Unlocked Whiteward before going to sleep. This game, man. Mechanically, aesthetically, just so impressive. And the WRITING! Achingly beautiful. Talking with the Caretaker in Songclave, some real gut-punch lines.
September 21, 2025 at 4:52 PM
The Mist, Phantom, Cogwork Dancers last night. Unlocked Whiteward before going to sleep. This game, man. Mechanically, aesthetically, just so impressive. And the WRITING! Achingly beautiful. Talking with the Caretaker in Songclave, some real gut-punch lines.
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
I'm starting to get texts about this now so I guess I need to say something:
There is a fundraiser going around about a "preservation disaster" raising money right now that I highly advise you to stay very far away from. A particular British tabloid is running with it unquestioningly. Thread:
There is a fundraiser going around about a "preservation disaster" raising money right now that I highly advise you to stay very far away from. A particular British tabloid is running with it unquestioningly. Thread:
September 19, 2025 at 6:46 PM
I'm starting to get texts about this now so I guess I need to say something:
There is a fundraiser going around about a "preservation disaster" raising money right now that I highly advise you to stay very far away from. A particular British tabloid is running with it unquestioningly. Thread:
There is a fundraiser going around about a "preservation disaster" raising money right now that I highly advise you to stay very far away from. A particular British tabloid is running with it unquestioningly. Thread:
Wow, these ToCs are awful. I've made my research available on several platforms for a while for exactly this reason, as well as syndicating on my personal site. This was an easy few clicks to delete my Academia page. The site has rapidly worsened over the last few years, so I'm not sad to leave it.
I've deleted my academia.edu. The new ToCs were totally unacceptable.
Academia.edu - Find Research Papers, Topics, Researchers
Academia.edu is the platform to share, find, and explore 50 Million research papers. Join us to accelerate your research needs & academic interests.
academia.edu
September 19, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Wow, these ToCs are awful. I've made my research available on several platforms for a while for exactly this reason, as well as syndicating on my personal site. This was an easy few clicks to delete my Academia page. The site has rapidly worsened over the last few years, so I'm not sad to leave it.
Reposted by Eric Stein (he/him)
THEY LET ME WRITE ANOTHER BOOK
"You’re Not Overthinking It" is available for pre-order right now. It collects the most meaningful essays of my career alongside hundreds of new annotations on each piece’s creation, background, and legacy. Far more details below: www.lostincult.co.uk/overthinking
"You’re Not Overthinking It" is available for pre-order right now. It collects the most meaningful essays of my career alongside hundreds of new annotations on each piece’s creation, background, and legacy. Far more details below: www.lostincult.co.uk/overthinking
September 16, 2025 at 5:01 PM
THEY LET ME WRITE ANOTHER BOOK
"You’re Not Overthinking It" is available for pre-order right now. It collects the most meaningful essays of my career alongside hundreds of new annotations on each piece’s creation, background, and legacy. Far more details below: www.lostincult.co.uk/overthinking
"You’re Not Overthinking It" is available for pre-order right now. It collects the most meaningful essays of my career alongside hundreds of new annotations on each piece’s creation, background, and legacy. Far more details below: www.lostincult.co.uk/overthinking
Spot on. I do not have the fastest reflexes, but it's been incredible to feel Silksong teaching me to *slow down*. I beat Widow and Last Judge when I was able to actually calm myself and stay still in the arena. Panic is my #1 cause of a failed boss run.
The thing about silksong difficulty is that every boss goes from being very hard to very easy as soon as you learn all their moves and telegraphs.
Every single attack is telegraphed and every single attack has a thing you can do to avoid it and a thing you can do to punish it. Every. Single. One.
Every single attack is telegraphed and every single attack has a thing you can do to avoid it and a thing you can do to punish it. Every. Single. One.
September 15, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Spot on. I do not have the fastest reflexes, but it's been incredible to feel Silksong teaching me to *slow down*. I beat Widow and Last Judge when I was able to actually calm myself and stay still in the arena. Panic is my #1 cause of a failed boss run.
Beautifully written. The whole review is worth a read, captures a lot of what I love about this game. May we be like the bugs, indeed!
reviewed Silksong, whose friction is fundamental to its humanism. (may we, twisted by this historical moment into alienated vermin, be like the bugs)
www.slantmagazine.com/games/hollow...
www.slantmagazine.com/games/hollow...
September 14, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Beautifully written. The whole review is worth a read, captures a lot of what I love about this game. May we be like the bugs, indeed!
I ran through Sinner's Road tonight and it is evil and mean and incredible. So many awful curveball surprises which made for great early game tests of all the tricks I've learned so far. Liz describes it perfectly here.
My current Silksong hot take is that I like Sinner's Road best so far out of all the areas in terms of how it handles challenge variety and difficulty. I feel simultaneously incredibly skilled and powerful and a puny little bug being absolutely bodied by the experience.
September 10, 2025 at 4:27 AM
I ran through Sinner's Road tonight and it is evil and mean and incredible. So many awful curveball surprises which made for great early game tests of all the tricks I've learned so far. Liz describes it perfectly here.