Nicola Cocchiaro
@wildbat.bsky.social
Software engineer/indie game dev. I started @synapticsugar.games and do programming, design, music.
Former gameplay and AI programmer on Red Dead Redemption 2, Front Mission Evolved, GI Joe: the Rise of Cobra; backend engineer on Sony PlayStation Now; etc
Former gameplay and AI programmer on Red Dead Redemption 2, Front Mission Evolved, GI Joe: the Rise of Cobra; backend engineer on Sony PlayStation Now; etc
Pinned
Welcome to secret agency G.R.O.O.V.E., recruit!
Agents of Groove, our story-driven rhythm game for Playdate, releases TODAY on Catalog with a discount during launch week! Check it out now!
play.date/games/agents...
#gamedev #indiedev #AgentsOfGroove #playdate
Agents of Groove, our story-driven rhythm game for Playdate, releases TODAY on Catalog with a discount during launch week! Check it out now!
play.date/games/agents...
#gamedev #indiedev #AgentsOfGroove #playdate
Agents of Groove for Playdate
A story-driven rhythm action game. Join the undercover dancers of secret agency G.R.O.O.V.E. and help them master the power of the Rhyhtm, as they stumble upon a sinister plot by rival organization E....
play.date
Tell your friends! Tell your enemies! Agents of Groove is out on Playdate Catalog today! 🎉🪩🕺
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
Heart goes out to the good folks at Ubisoft just trying to make cool games.
January 21, 2026 at 5:34 PM
Heart goes out to the good folks at Ubisoft just trying to make cool games.
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
If you like a videogame, let the devs know! Indie dev can be rough, but knowing that our games do resonate with others keeps us going. Thank you for the praise for #AgentsOfGroove 🥹
#gamedev #indiedev #playdate
#gamedev #indiedev #playdate
January 18, 2026 at 11:57 PM
If you like a videogame, let the devs know! Indie dev can be rough, but knowing that our games do resonate with others keeps us going. Thank you for the praise for #AgentsOfGroove 🥹
#gamedev #indiedev #playdate
#gamedev #indiedev #playdate
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
January 19, 2026 at 12:16 PM
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
we live in a sick society that thinks preventing problems is a waste of time and effort and hey, guess why everything sucks now
January 18, 2026 at 10:10 AM
we live in a sick society that thinks preventing problems is a waste of time and effort and hey, guess why everything sucks now
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
If animated GIFs you recently added to your pages on itch.io no longer animate, try converting them to APNG! A successful workaround for me for an issue that has been around for months now. I don't know user Noree but I have to thank them for pointing this out.
January 16, 2026 at 11:52 PM
If animated GIFs you recently added to your pages on itch.io no longer animate, try converting them to APNG! A successful workaround for me for an issue that has been around for months now. I don't know user Noree but I have to thank them for pointing this out.
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
#ScreenshotSaturday!
Wishlist Chronicles IV: Ebonheim on steam! store.steampowered.com/app/3919080/...
Wishlist Chronicles IV: Ebonheim on steam! store.steampowered.com/app/3919080/...
January 17, 2026 at 2:25 PM
#ScreenshotSaturday!
Wishlist Chronicles IV: Ebonheim on steam! store.steampowered.com/app/3919080/...
Wishlist Chronicles IV: Ebonheim on steam! store.steampowered.com/app/3919080/...
If animated GIFs you recently added to your pages on itch.io no longer animate, try converting them to APNG! A successful workaround for me for an issue that has been around for months now. I don't know user Noree but I have to thank them for pointing this out.
January 16, 2026 at 11:52 PM
If animated GIFs you recently added to your pages on itch.io no longer animate, try converting them to APNG! A successful workaround for me for an issue that has been around for months now. I don't know user Noree but I have to thank them for pointing this out.
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
My horror scavenger hunt game OUTSIDE PARTIES for #Playdate is on sale through Jan. 26, $3 off. Give yourself the gift of unease! (Not suitable for children.)
play.date/games/outsid...
play.date/games/outsid...
January 16, 2026 at 6:06 PM
My horror scavenger hunt game OUTSIDE PARTIES for #Playdate is on sale through Jan. 26, $3 off. Give yourself the gift of unease! (Not suitable for children.)
play.date/games/outsid...
play.date/games/outsid...
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
Natural talent is nothing compared to the ability to keep making shit long after everyone else has given up
January 5, 2026 at 3:43 PM
Natural talent is nothing compared to the ability to keep making shit long after everyone else has given up
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
The reason I say “Sweet Baby Inc is a team of Writers & Narrative Designers” so often, is because even people who support us are often under the impression that we are sensitivity consultants.
Sensitivity consultants are great, but again, Sweet Baby Inc is a team of Writers & Narrative Designers.
Sensitivity consultants are great, but again, Sweet Baby Inc is a team of Writers & Narrative Designers.
The top reason studios use consulting labour for narrative is that they all want to avoid having a greater quantity of writers and narrative designers on the full-time payroll. That's it. It's to get the stuff designed and written but also save money/commitment.
I think the thing that gets muddled about us over and over again is that we *do* write things! We *are* game devs! And so when people say we just give feedback or opinions it looks like we’re being caught in a lie.
We are being paid by the studio to write whatever it is they pay us to write.
We are being paid by the studio to write whatever it is they pay us to write.
January 15, 2026 at 1:17 PM
The reason I say “Sweet Baby Inc is a team of Writers & Narrative Designers” so often, is because even people who support us are often under the impression that we are sensitivity consultants.
Sensitivity consultants are great, but again, Sweet Baby Inc is a team of Writers & Narrative Designers.
Sensitivity consultants are great, but again, Sweet Baby Inc is a team of Writers & Narrative Designers.
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
A big thank you to all those who have already tried Agents of Groove! If you haven't yet, did you know that the game offers many settings to tailor the gameplay experience? Here's our previous thread on accessibility features we launched with:
#gamedev #indiedev #playdate #AgentsOfGroove
#gamedev #indiedev #playdate #AgentsOfGroove
We believe #accessibility to be important to allow people to enjoy videogames. Rhythm games and the @play.date controls can present unique challenges, so we designed #AgentsOfGroove to be fairly relaxed, and implemented features to tailor the experience further 🧵
#gamedev #indiedev #playdate
#gamedev #indiedev #playdate
January 11, 2026 at 12:12 AM
A big thank you to all those who have already tried Agents of Groove! If you haven't yet, did you know that the game offers many settings to tailor the gameplay experience? Here's our previous thread on accessibility features we launched with:
#gamedev #indiedev #playdate #AgentsOfGroove
#gamedev #indiedev #playdate #AgentsOfGroove
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
Burnout is genuinely life-destroying and I really can't say, on this website, what I think should happen to managers who not only let it happen to one individual worker but who systemically make it happen on large groups of workers.
January 14, 2026 at 2:10 PM
Burnout is genuinely life-destroying and I really can't say, on this website, what I think should happen to managers who not only let it happen to one individual worker but who systemically make it happen on large groups of workers.
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
My Video Game Visual Voice Reel!
Featuring voice acting from Dread Delusion, Old Skies (my BAFTA Breakthrough), Harold Halibut, Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader, The Seance of Blake Manor, The Excavation of Hob's Barrow, Lord Winklebottom Investigates, Mutropolis, Loco Motive, PRIM, and more!
Featuring voice acting from Dread Delusion, Old Skies (my BAFTA Breakthrough), Harold Halibut, Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader, The Seance of Blake Manor, The Excavation of Hob's Barrow, Lord Winklebottom Investigates, Mutropolis, Loco Motive, PRIM, and more!
January 12, 2026 at 7:17 PM
My Video Game Visual Voice Reel!
Featuring voice acting from Dread Delusion, Old Skies (my BAFTA Breakthrough), Harold Halibut, Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader, The Seance of Blake Manor, The Excavation of Hob's Barrow, Lord Winklebottom Investigates, Mutropolis, Loco Motive, PRIM, and more!
Featuring voice acting from Dread Delusion, Old Skies (my BAFTA Breakthrough), Harold Halibut, Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader, The Seance of Blake Manor, The Excavation of Hob's Barrow, Lord Winklebottom Investigates, Mutropolis, Loco Motive, PRIM, and more!
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
Uncrank’d presents: The Folio — a limited #PlaydatePrime zine!
Issue 1: “The First Loop – Init() is where the loop begins”
Spotlighting #Playdate devs launching in Q1 2026 who couldn’t be in Issue 10.
📋 Form: forms.gle/7yXs6d4iXie7...
🗞️ More in this week’s Quick News Update.
Issue 1: “The First Loop – Init() is where the loop begins”
Spotlighting #Playdate devs launching in Q1 2026 who couldn’t be in Issue 10.
📋 Form: forms.gle/7yXs6d4iXie7...
🗞️ More in this week’s Quick News Update.
January 13, 2026 at 3:10 PM
Uncrank’d presents: The Folio — a limited #PlaydatePrime zine!
Issue 1: “The First Loop – Init() is where the loop begins”
Spotlighting #Playdate devs launching in Q1 2026 who couldn’t be in Issue 10.
📋 Form: forms.gle/7yXs6d4iXie7...
🗞️ More in this week’s Quick News Update.
Issue 1: “The First Loop – Init() is where the loop begins”
Spotlighting #Playdate devs launching in Q1 2026 who couldn’t be in Issue 10.
📋 Form: forms.gle/7yXs6d4iXie7...
🗞️ More in this week’s Quick News Update.
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
#Playdate のリズムゲーム #AgantsofGroove 、セール今夜までだけどどうしよっかな～と悩んでいたが、日本語に対応していると知り、思い切って始めてみた。
クランクを回しながらボタンを押すのは、ナカナカ難しい。とはいえ、アクセシビリティを重視しているとのことで、入力はいろんな方法が選べる。
クランクを回しながらボタンを押すのは、ナカナカ難しい。とはいえ、アクセシビリティを重視しているとのことで、入力はいろんな方法が選べる。
January 13, 2026 at 12:58 PM
#Playdate のリズムゲーム #AgantsofGroove 、セール今夜までだけどどうしよっかな～と悩んでいたが、日本語に対応していると知り、思い切って始めてみた。
クランクを回しながらボタンを押すのは、ナカナカ難しい。とはいえ、アクセシビリティを重視しているとのことで、入力はいろんな方法が選べる。
クランクを回しながらボタンを押すのは、ナカナカ難しい。とはいえ、アクセシビリティを重視しているとのことで、入力はいろんな方法が選べる。
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
People don't realize how much you help indie creators when you mention an indie game you like to someone else!
A 30-second mention of one of my games, deep into the 13:10 mark of a ~30k-view YouTube video, is able to do this.
I'm thankful to everyone that decides to share the spotlight with smaller creators; you have no idea the difference you can make in our lives 💞
I'm thankful to everyone that decides to share the spotlight with smaller creators; you have no idea the difference you can make in our lives 💞
January 12, 2026 at 1:10 PM
People don't realize how much you help indie creators when you mention an indie game you like to someone else!
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
We have blast off!
🌌 The Cosmic Collection is available now: itch.io/b/3398/-the-...
Pick up 4 space-themed #Playdate games for just $15 until January 25th!
🌌 The Cosmic Collection is available now: itch.io/b/3398/-the-...
Pick up 4 space-themed #Playdate games for just $15 until January 25th!
January 12, 2026 at 12:01 AM
We have blast off!
🌌 The Cosmic Collection is available now: itch.io/b/3398/-the-...
Pick up 4 space-themed #Playdate games for just $15 until January 25th!
🌌 The Cosmic Collection is available now: itch.io/b/3398/-the-...
Pick up 4 space-themed #Playdate games for just $15 until January 25th!
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
I know that some of you in arts and entertainment feel down on yourselves right now, like your work is frivolous, in the midst of everything going on. Nothing could be further from the truth. You provide food for the heart, and you help get people through another day when times are hard.
January 10, 2026 at 7:25 PM
I know that some of you in arts and entertainment feel down on yourselves right now, like your work is frivolous, in the midst of everything going on. Nothing could be further from the truth. You provide food for the heart, and you help get people through another day when times are hard.
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
hi! i'm co-founding a new gaming website with my former polygon colleague @zoehhannah.com. it's called mothership.blog. i made it for someone like me... the kind of website i always wished we had in our space. watch the video to learn more :D
It's time to board the Mothership.
www.youtube.com/shorts/iEw90...
www.youtube.com/shorts/iEw90...
Board the Mothership.
YouTube video by Mothership Media LLC
www.youtube.com
January 9, 2026 at 5:04 PM
hi! i'm co-founding a new gaming website with my former polygon colleague @zoehhannah.com. it's called mothership.blog. i made it for someone like me... the kind of website i always wished we had in our space. watch the video to learn more :D
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
All difficulty options are really accessibility options.
January 8, 2026 at 2:18 PM
All difficulty options are really accessibility options.
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
Welcome to secret agency G.R.O.O.V.E., recruit!
Agents of Groove, our story-driven rhythm game for Playdate, releases TODAY on Catalog with a discount during launch week! Check it out now!
play.date/games/agents...
#gamedev #indiedev #AgentsOfGroove #playdate
Agents of Groove, our story-driven rhythm game for Playdate, releases TODAY on Catalog with a discount during launch week! Check it out now!
play.date/games/agents...
#gamedev #indiedev #AgentsOfGroove #playdate
Agents of Groove for Playdate
A story-driven rhythm action game. Join the undercover dancers of secret agency G.R.O.O.V.E. and help them master the power of the Rhyhtm, as they stumble upon a sinister plot by rival organization E....
play.date
January 6, 2026 at 6:12 PM
Welcome to secret agency G.R.O.O.V.E., recruit!
Agents of Groove, our story-driven rhythm game for Playdate, releases TODAY on Catalog with a discount during launch week! Check it out now!
play.date/games/agents...
#gamedev #indiedev #AgentsOfGroove #playdate
Agents of Groove, our story-driven rhythm game for Playdate, releases TODAY on Catalog with a discount during launch week! Check it out now!
play.date/games/agents...
#gamedev #indiedev #AgentsOfGroove #playdate
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
Agents of Groove from @synapticsugar.games is out now 🪩
Exclusive for Playdate, the story-driven rhythm action game features "levels that will ask you to use the Playdate buttons and crank, often at the same time, with some surprises along the way."
🟨 play.date/games/agents...
Exclusive for Playdate, the story-driven rhythm action game features "levels that will ask you to use the Playdate buttons and crank, often at the same time, with some surprises along the way."
🟨 play.date/games/agents...
January 7, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Agents of Groove from @synapticsugar.games is out now 🪩
Exclusive for Playdate, the story-driven rhythm action game features "levels that will ask you to use the Playdate buttons and crank, often at the same time, with some surprises along the way."
🟨 play.date/games/agents...
Exclusive for Playdate, the story-driven rhythm action game features "levels that will ask you to use the Playdate buttons and crank, often at the same time, with some surprises along the way."
🟨 play.date/games/agents...
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
Tell your friends! Tell your enemies! Agents of Groove is out on Playdate Catalog today! 🎉🪩🕺
Welcome to secret agency G.R.O.O.V.E., recruit!
Agents of Groove, our story-driven rhythm game for Playdate, releases TODAY on Catalog with a discount during launch week! Check it out now!
play.date/games/agents...
#gamedev #indiedev #AgentsOfGroove #playdate
Agents of Groove, our story-driven rhythm game for Playdate, releases TODAY on Catalog with a discount during launch week! Check it out now!
play.date/games/agents...
#gamedev #indiedev #AgentsOfGroove #playdate
Agents of Groove for Playdate
A story-driven rhythm action game. Join the undercover dancers of secret agency G.R.O.O.V.E. and help them master the power of the Rhyhtm, as they stumble upon a sinister plot by rival organization E....
play.date
January 6, 2026 at 6:14 PM
Tell your friends! Tell your enemies! Agents of Groove is out on Playdate Catalog today! 🎉🪩🕺
Reposted by Nicola Cocchiaro
Agents of Groove hit Catalog today. Read what I thought about it then get it on launch discount! www.playdateunofficial.com/the-games/ag...
Agents of Groove — Playdate: The Unofficial Website
Beatmania: Disco Stu Edition
www.playdateunofficial.com
January 6, 2026 at 10:32 PM
Agents of Groove hit Catalog today. Read what I thought about it then get it on launch discount! www.playdateunofficial.com/the-games/ag...