Tomas Franzese
@tomasfranzese.bsky.social
Video Game Industry Reporter & Critic | Gaming Lead at XDA | Bylines: Digital Trends, GameSpot, ComicBook, Noisy Pixel, MMORPG, Skybox, Palette Swap, Inverse, DualShockers, and Android Police
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After a few months at Android Police, I'm taking on a new role at Valnet. I'm now the Gaming Section Lead at XDA, and will be directing their coverage of PC and console gaming. You can now reach me at tomas.f@xda-developers.com with any news, preview, interview, or review opportunities!
Bears will be the NFC North Champions this season no matter what! And people were predicting we'd be out of the playoffs a couple of weeks ago!
December 28, 2025 at 4:20 AM
Bears will be the NFC North Champions this season no matter what! And people were predicting we'd be out of the playoffs a couple of weeks ago!
Wow, glad that Week 18 Lions game is a little less high stakes now. I would still like to win that and potentially get the #1 seed, but for the most part this NFC North season couldn't have gone much better for the Bears.
December 26, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Wow, glad that Week 18 Lions game is a little less high stakes now. I would still like to win that and potentially get the #1 seed, but for the most part this NFC North season couldn't have gone much better for the Bears.
When you're Italian, every Christmas Eve is a Final Fantasy VII Fishes Remake
December 25, 2025 at 1:55 AM
When you're Italian, every Christmas Eve is a Final Fantasy VII Fishes Remake
I'm looking back on the 2025 articles I'm proudest of. It was by far the hardest year of my career. I was laid off less than half-a-month into 2025, so this year really forced me to learn about everything from the freelance grind to mock reviews to establishing Gaming segments at existing sites.
December 24, 2025 at 10:25 PM
I'm looking back on the 2025 articles I'm proudest of. It was by far the hardest year of my career. I was laid off less than half-a-month into 2025, so this year really forced me to learn about everything from the freelance grind to mock reviews to establishing Gaming segments at existing sites.
Damn, White Castle has really fallen off.
December 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Damn, White Castle has really fallen off.
I'm really looking forward to 007 First Light, but I'm also getting incredibly weird vibes from IO Interactive right now. They're spending tons of money on celebrity cameos for it and Hitman, their SGF press event, and publishing MindsEye. Worried what will happen if this isn't a massive success.
IO Interactive delays 007 First Light by two months, into May of 2026. gameinformer.com/2025/12/23/0...
December 23, 2025 at 6:31 PM
I'm really looking forward to 007 First Light, but I'm also getting incredibly weird vibes from IO Interactive right now. They're spending tons of money on celebrity cameos for it and Hitman, their SGF press event, and publishing MindsEye. Worried what will happen if this isn't a massive success.
Over the weekend, I posted my interview with Bloober Team about the Switch 2 port of Layers of Fear: The Final Masterpiece Edition. The CEO said they "absolutely" will support Switch 2 going forward and teased a big Nintendo-related announcement coming soon: www.xda-developers.com/layers-of-fe...
Layers of Fear developer will "absolutely" keep supporting Switch 2 going forward
Bloober Team CEO Piotr Babieno tells XDA that Layers of Fear and Cronos: The New Dawn's impressive Switch 2 ports are just the start
www.xda-developers.com
December 22, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Over the weekend, I posted my interview with Bloober Team about the Switch 2 port of Layers of Fear: The Final Masterpiece Edition. The CEO said they "absolutely" will support Switch 2 going forward and teased a big Nintendo-related announcement coming soon: www.xda-developers.com/layers-of-fe...
Reposted by Tomas Franzese
holy fuck, da bears
December 21, 2025 at 4:30 AM
holy fuck, da bears
HOLY SHIT I CAN'T BELIEVE WE WON THAT
a man wearing headphones and a chicago bears shirt is standing on a field .
ALT: a man wearing headphones and a chicago bears shirt is standing on a field .
media.tenor.com
December 21, 2025 at 4:30 AM
HOLY SHIT I CAN'T BELIEVE WE WON THAT
I don't think I'll be playing any new games before the year is over, so I wanted to share my personal Top 10 games list:
1. Donkey Kong Bananza
2. Sword of the Sea
3. Avowed
4. Ball X Pit
5. Lumines Arise
6. Keeper
7. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
8. Hades 2
9. Kirby Air Riders
10. Mario Kart World
1. Donkey Kong Bananza
2. Sword of the Sea
3. Avowed
4. Ball X Pit
5. Lumines Arise
6. Keeper
7. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
8. Hades 2
9. Kirby Air Riders
10. Mario Kart World
December 20, 2025 at 4:56 AM
I don't think I'll be playing any new games before the year is over, so I wanted to share my personal Top 10 games list:
1. Donkey Kong Bananza
2. Sword of the Sea
3. Avowed
4. Ball X Pit
5. Lumines Arise
6. Keeper
7. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
8. Hades 2
9. Kirby Air Riders
10. Mario Kart World
1. Donkey Kong Bananza
2. Sword of the Sea
3. Avowed
4. Ball X Pit
5. Lumines Arise
6. Keeper
7. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
8. Hades 2
9. Kirby Air Riders
10. Mario Kart World
I really love Dogpile from @folly.studio. Play it if you haven't already www.xda-developers.com/dogpile-reco...
You need to play this cheap Steam game about merging dogs
Dogpile was shadow-dropped like one of its dogs during the week of The Game Awards
www.xda-developers.com
December 18, 2025 at 6:34 PM
I really love Dogpile from @folly.studio. Play it if you haven't already www.xda-developers.com/dogpile-reco...
Pretty concerning sales numbers. I wonder if more affluent shoppers on the top part of the K-shaped economy aren't as likely to engage with Black Friday deals because they can afford it regardless. So sales can stay consistently decent throughout the year but don't get the holiday discount boost.
The average price paid for a new unit of video game hardware in the US during November 2019 was $235. In November 2025 it was $439.
3.9 million units of video game hardware sold in the US in November 2019. In November 2025 it was 1.6 million.
Source: Circana Retail Tracking Service
3.9 million units of video game hardware sold in the US in November 2019. In November 2025 it was 1.6 million.
Source: Circana Retail Tracking Service
December 17, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Pretty concerning sales numbers. I wonder if more affluent shoppers on the top part of the K-shaped economy aren't as likely to engage with Black Friday deals because they can afford it regardless. So sales can stay consistently decent throughout the year but don't get the holiday discount boost.
Another great reason to not use AI is the backlash and anger you can't put back in the bottle that comes with using it. Now, all of the writing and art for Divinity will be (rightfully) scrutinized for AI use, and people online will feel generally better criticizing it than they would've before.
Larian Studios, developer of Baldur's Gate 3 and the just-announced Divinity, is apparently using generative AI behind the scenes.
The backlash has been swift and loud, and now Larian founder and game director Swen Vincke has responded to clarify his remarks. https://bit.ly/4qcNbSz
The backlash has been swift and loud, and now Larian founder and game director Swen Vincke has responded to clarify his remarks. https://bit.ly/4qcNbSz
December 16, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Another great reason to not use AI is the backlash and anger you can't put back in the bottle that comes with using it. Now, all of the writing and art for Divinity will be (rightfully) scrutinized for AI use, and people online will feel generally better criticizing it than they would've before.
Doing some end-of-year roundups, and it's fascinating how many video game release dates the Google Overview gets wrong now. I know it's because of AI, but you'd think people would be fact-checking that for newer games! And I'm talking big ones like Death Stranding 2!
December 16, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Doing some end-of-year roundups, and it's fascinating how many video game release dates the Google Overview gets wrong now. I know it's because of AI, but you'd think people would be fact-checking that for newer games! And I'm talking big ones like Death Stranding 2!
I actually remember someone at the theater (I think it was an Alamo Drafthouse?) giving us this disclaimer when I saw it opening weekend. Shocked it still needs to be said eight years later.
it's a lot easier to understand the visceral hate for The Last Jedi when you understand the average adult star wars fan needs things like this when engaging with art
December 15, 2025 at 11:21 PM
I actually remember someone at the theater (I think it was an Alamo Drafthouse?) giving us this disclaimer when I saw it opening weekend. Shocked it still needs to be said eight years later.
Bears are division leaders again!
December 15, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Bears are division leaders again!
Positioning Xbox Game Pass as a vault prison is certainly a choice.
December 12, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Positioning Xbox Game Pass as a vault prison is certainly a choice.
I'm doing a live blog for The Game Awards! I'll be keeping it up to date with every game announcement and award winner. www.xda-developers.com/the-game-awa...
The Game Awards 2025: Live updates on every game reveal and award winner
We're keeping tracking of every game announced and every award given out over the course of The Game Awards 2025
www.xda-developers.com
December 12, 2025 at 12:00 AM
I'm doing a live blog for The Game Awards! I'll be keeping it up to date with every game announcement and award winner. www.xda-developers.com/the-game-awa...
Reposted by Tomas Franzese
Look out. #Supergirl lands in theaters June 26.
December 11, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Look out. #Supergirl lands in theaters June 26.
My brother asked me if I knew the name of an indie game he couldn't remember that had "Abyss" in the title, and this was my genuine response to him:
a cartoon character with a glow in the dark skeleton behind bars says do you have any idea how little that narrows it
ALT: a cartoon character with a glow in the dark skeleton behind bars says do you have any idea how little that narrows it
media.tenor.com
December 10, 2025 at 10:27 PM
My brother asked me if I knew the name of an indie game he couldn't remember that had "Abyss" in the title, and this was my genuine response to him:
I'm very happy to share XDA's 2025 game of the year list! Our top ten games consist of a healthy mix of indies, AAA heavy hitters, and titles with generally innovative and creative game design: www.xda-developers.com/xda-game-of-...
XDA's Top 10 video games of 2025
Out of every game released throughout 2025, these are the ones that XDA liked the most
www.xda-developers.com
December 10, 2025 at 5:45 PM
I'm very happy to share XDA's 2025 game of the year list! Our top ten games consist of a healthy mix of indies, AAA heavy hitters, and titles with generally innovative and creative game design: www.xda-developers.com/xda-game-of-...
Well, at least Caleb Williams doesn't have the worst game-losing interception of the week now.
December 9, 2025 at 4:49 AM
Well, at least Caleb Williams doesn't have the worst game-losing interception of the week now.
Playing Metroid Prime 4, and I'm a little surprised at how boring it is. It's not boring because of the slow pace (I actually love its world design and sense of exploration). I just don't find its game design that creative, when Nintendo's other Switch 2 games this year have been great at that.
December 7, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Playing Metroid Prime 4, and I'm a little surprised at how boring it is. It's not boring because of the slow pace (I actually love its world design and sense of exploration). I just don't find its game design that creative, when Nintendo's other Switch 2 games this year have been great at that.
I interviewed the Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator about the series' PS5 debut. He revealed that Microsoft originally said no to the idea of a PS5 port, only to change its mind a year or so later! Shows how much Xbox's strategy has shifted, even internally: www.xda-developers.com/microsoft-fl...
Xbox originally said "no" to bringing Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 to PS5
In an interview with XDA, a Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 developer revealed how the port came to be, and how it almost didn't happen
www.xda-developers.com
December 6, 2025 at 4:50 PM
I interviewed the Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator about the series' PS5 debut. He revealed that Microsoft originally said no to the idea of a PS5 port, only to change its mind a year or so later! Shows how much Xbox's strategy has shifted, even internally: www.xda-developers.com/microsoft-fl...
Reposted by Tomas Franzese
“The Bears are the #1 team in the NFC” what the fuck are you talking about
November 30, 2025 at 9:01 PM
“The Bears are the #1 team in the NFC” what the fuck are you talking about