Chris Gardiner
@chrisgardiner.bsky.social
Narrative Director at Failbetter Games. He/him. Our titles include: Fallen London, Sunless Sea/Skies, and Mask of the Rose. Opinions are mine, so there.
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
What is Nighthawks? It's a vampire game where the vampires have been exposed to the world... but it's also different in tone from most. Vampire games tend to be cold and cynical, but this time, being a light in the darkness can be the real adventure.
store.steampowered.com/app/1221950/...
store.steampowered.com/app/1221950/...
Nighthawks on Steam
The secret is out. Vampires have been exposed to the world… and you’re one of them. Seize the night as a modern monster, stepping out of the shadows to build a thriving nightclub empire through fear, ...
store.steampowered.com
October 13, 2025 at 12:48 PM
What is Nighthawks? It's a vampire game where the vampires have been exposed to the world... but it's also different in tone from most. Vampire games tend to be cold and cynical, but this time, being a light in the darkness can be the real adventure.
store.steampowered.com/app/1221950/...
store.steampowered.com/app/1221950/...
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
Read more about Mandrakes, the naming of things, and how to introduce a new world to a player without going too weird, too fast in our recent blog post by @chrisgardiner.bsky.social.
And if you, too, are enthralled by the magic of the Mandrakes then please drop us a wishlist; it's a great help!
And if you, too, are enthralled by the magic of the Mandrakes then please drop us a wishlist; it's a great help!
Mandrake - A Mandrake by Any Other Name - Steam News
Narrative Director Chris is here with the history of Mandrakes in the real world, and insight into how the people of Chandley feel about Mandrakes.
store.steampowered.com
October 6, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Read more about Mandrakes, the naming of things, and how to introduce a new world to a player without going too weird, too fast in our recent blog post by @chrisgardiner.bsky.social.
And if you, too, are enthralled by the magic of the Mandrakes then please drop us a wishlist; it's a great help!
And if you, too, are enthralled by the magic of the Mandrakes then please drop us a wishlist; it's a great help!
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
Here are some real and actual facts about Mandrakes:
- Their smell could drive away demons
- It was a popular component of fertility spells
- Witches used it in the unguents which gave them the power of flight
So: the perfect plant to name our new game and its protagonist after.
#indiedev
- Their smell could drive away demons
- It was a popular component of fertility spells
- Witches used it in the unguents which gave them the power of flight
So: the perfect plant to name our new game and its protagonist after.
#indiedev
October 6, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Here are some real and actual facts about Mandrakes:
- Their smell could drive away demons
- It was a popular component of fertility spells
- Witches used it in the unguents which gave them the power of flight
So: the perfect plant to name our new game and its protagonist after.
#indiedev
- Their smell could drive away demons
- It was a popular component of fertility spells
- Witches used it in the unguents which gave them the power of flight
So: the perfect plant to name our new game and its protagonist after.
#indiedev
Big same.
If any of the folks that worked on Star Wars Outlaws follow me, I want y'all to know I'm loving your game right now. You did such a good job. Having so much fun with this game!
October 1, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Big same.
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
I did a newsletter. But more importantly I DID A VIDEO. Riiiight out of my comfort zone, but entirely inspired and necessary because Doomsong is so fucking cool. Check it out (and also get yourself a copy of Wyrd Science issue 7):
Things! GOLD TEETH Beta, Book Delay, Doomsong, Poor Old Jim
Welcome, bold adventurers, to the TEETH newsletter! This is a (sort of) weekly transmission about our explorations in the very secret land of Tabletop...
buttondown.com
September 26, 2025 at 9:33 AM
I did a newsletter. But more importantly I DID A VIDEO. Riiiight out of my comfort zone, but entirely inspired and necessary because Doomsong is so fucking cool. Check it out (and also get yourself a copy of Wyrd Science issue 7):
Refuse to live in a world where I’m expected to pretend I understand what gilts are.
September 25, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Refuse to live in a world where I’m expected to pretend I understand what gilts are.
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
hey! i have space to do some freelance work next week! you want me to look at your steam page? you want to talk about indie game marketing and get some solid advice? let's talk!!
Intro Post!
I'm Hannah; I've been at Failbetter Games for a decade and yet find it thrilling still
I cover marketing, communications, PR, events, social, newsletter: all the trimmings
I'm also freelance doing the same!
I'm Hannah; I've been at Failbetter Games for a decade and yet find it thrilling still
I cover marketing, communications, PR, events, social, newsletter: all the trimmings
I'm also freelance doing the same!
September 25, 2025 at 8:10 PM
hey! i have space to do some freelance work next week! you want me to look at your steam page? you want to talk about indie game marketing and get some solid advice? let's talk!!
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
This is what we're talking about when we say we're excited to have honest-to-goodness sunlight in our new game, Mandrake.
September 25, 2025 at 10:55 AM
This is what we're talking about when we say we're excited to have honest-to-goodness sunlight in our new game, Mandrake.
Just seen some people are trying to spell “manoeuvre“ again.
Please don’t. Someone could die.
That word is only to be spelled by trained writers working in safe conditions and using specialist equipment.
Please don’t. Someone could die.
That word is only to be spelled by trained writers working in safe conditions and using specialist equipment.
September 25, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Just seen some people are trying to spell “manoeuvre“ again.
Please don’t. Someone could die.
That word is only to be spelled by trained writers working in safe conditions and using specialist equipment.
Please don’t. Someone could die.
That word is only to be spelled by trained writers working in safe conditions and using specialist equipment.
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
I got to write another Exceptional Story for Fallen London!! Check it out!!!
A pair of assistants wheel out a metal table, upon which a writhing, screaming number seven has been strapped. Its eyes roll around in its head. "Who would like to cut it open?"
The Exceptional Story for October is here! The Shape of Infinity, by Heather Flowers.
The Exceptional Story for October is here! The Shape of Infinity, by Heather Flowers.
September 25, 2025 at 11:17 AM
I got to write another Exceptional Story for Fallen London!! Check it out!!!
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
This is your official warning that Halloween approaches and the best thing you could do with your TTRPG group for a one off blood-shrine-hunting Regency romp is to buy and read TEETH: Blood Cotillion now
If you want to support the cool TTRPG things @marshdavies.bsky.social and I are trying to do this year then it would be hugely appreciated if you purchased our amazing low-prep one-shot Blood Cotillion, or one of our other TEETH RPGs! Thanks so much.
teethrpg.itch.io/blood-cotill...
teethrpg.itch.io/blood-cotill...
BLOOD COTILLION by TEETH: A ROLEPLAYING GAME
A grotesque, single-session, standalone TTRPG
teethrpg.itch.io
September 25, 2025 at 7:36 AM
This is your official warning that Halloween approaches and the best thing you could do with your TTRPG group for a one off blood-shrine-hunting Regency romp is to buy and read TEETH: Blood Cotillion now
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
You can read a full blog post about our visual development - and give us a wishlist - on Steam. It really helps!
Mandrake - The Chaos of Nature - Steam News
Mandrake Art Director Toby Cook, who was also Lead Artist on Sunless Skies, shares our inspirations and references for the Mandrake setting.
store.steampowered.com
September 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
You can read a full blog post about our visual development - and give us a wishlist - on Steam. It really helps!
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
We're making Mandrake, a rural life sim set in a beguiling new world inspired by British history and folklore.
Now we're not in the Fallen London universe (Sunless Sea, Sunless Skies), we had the opportunity to add sunshine! And trees! 😮 🧵
#wishlistwednesday
Now we're not in the Fallen London universe (Sunless Sea, Sunless Skies), we had the opportunity to add sunshine! And trees! 😮 🧵
#wishlistwednesday
September 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
We're making Mandrake, a rural life sim set in a beguiling new world inspired by British history and folklore.
Now we're not in the Fallen London universe (Sunless Sea, Sunless Skies), we had the opportunity to add sunshine! And trees! 😮 🧵
#wishlistwednesday
Now we're not in the Fallen London universe (Sunless Sea, Sunless Skies), we had the opportunity to add sunshine! And trees! 😮 🧵
#wishlistwednesday
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
92% funded!
And at 100% we'll reveal the author & artist duo behind the 17,000 word bonus 'zine we're gunning to unlock as our first stretch goal...
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/b...
And at 100% we'll reveal the author & artist duo behind the 17,000 word bonus 'zine we're gunning to unlock as our first stretch goal...
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/b...
September 23, 2025 at 12:16 PM
92% funded!
And at 100% we'll reveal the author & artist duo behind the 17,000 word bonus 'zine we're gunning to unlock as our first stretch goal...
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/b...
And at 100% we'll reveal the author & artist duo behind the 17,000 word bonus 'zine we're gunning to unlock as our first stretch goal...
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/b...
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
reading through bits of fallen london: the roleplaying game for approvals is truly a delicious gift, i think you all are going to LOVE all the lore we're capturing *and* all the new things going into it
September 23, 2025 at 11:49 AM
reading through bits of fallen london: the roleplaying game for approvals is truly a delicious gift, i think you all are going to LOVE all the lore we're capturing *and* all the new things going into it
This policy is stupid, cruel, immoral, chaotic, pointless and – as if more was needed – economically illiterate and destructive. Adopting it requires lying to people about what it would actually entail, and the media choosing not to discuss its horrifying costs.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Farage vows to scrap indefinite leave to remain, placing thousands at risk of deportation
Reform UK plans to force non-citizens to apply for visas with high salary thresholds and no access to NHS services
www.theguardian.com
September 22, 2025 at 10:01 AM
This policy is stupid, cruel, immoral, chaotic, pointless and – as if more was needed – economically illiterate and destructive. Adopting it requires lying to people about what it would actually entail, and the media choosing not to discuss its horrifying costs.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
Imagine an AU where young (not)Genghis gets his shit kicked in by a rival, loses his throne, and becomes a hunted outlaw across all of (not)Asia, that's Orhan Timur.
1) you can read em in any order
2) Dariel is SO GOOD at writing action, small scale or large
3) he makes wizards so gross, goddamn
1) you can read em in any order
2) Dariel is SO GOOD at writing action, small scale or large
3) he makes wizards so gross, goddamn
🧙♂️AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT✍️
Dariel R.A. Quiogue brings you character-driven, fast-paced tales. In THE HUNT OF A THOUSAND LEAGUES his Genghis Khan-inspired Orhan the Snow Leopard flees & fights a menagerie of murderers!
Learn more and get your copy here 👉 www.backerkit.com/c/projects/b...
Dariel R.A. Quiogue brings you character-driven, fast-paced tales. In THE HUNT OF A THOUSAND LEAGUES his Genghis Khan-inspired Orhan the Snow Leopard flees & fights a menagerie of murderers!
Learn more and get your copy here 👉 www.backerkit.com/c/projects/b...
September 21, 2025 at 5:16 AM
Imagine an AU where young (not)Genghis gets his shit kicked in by a rival, loses his throne, and becomes a hunted outlaw across all of (not)Asia, that's Orhan Timur.
1) you can read em in any order
2) Dariel is SO GOOD at writing action, small scale or large
3) he makes wizards so gross, goddamn
1) you can read em in any order
2) Dariel is SO GOOD at writing action, small scale or large
3) he makes wizards so gross, goddamn
This is a lovely piece (and I particularly enjoyed the fierce Dickens opinions) but be warned: by the end of it, my list of “books I have to read“ had expanded dangerously.
Sad that the @atticalocke.bsky.social shout-out got cut from this! But here it is anyway…
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...
Nick Harkaway: ‘I loathed Charles Dickens – it nearly turned me off reading for ever’
The author on his secret theories about Tolkien, the most perfect and terrifying Moomin book, and how his father, John le Carré, inspired him
www.theguardian.com
September 19, 2025 at 10:49 AM
This is a lovely piece (and I particularly enjoyed the fierce Dickens opinions) but be warned: by the end of it, my list of “books I have to read“ had expanded dangerously.
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
So, you know we've a new print mag out in a hot minute but that also means we can finally spend some time on our new website too
Kicking things off @macreadymusings.bsky.social speaks to @andrewgillis.bsky.social about Girl By Moonlight (@evilhat.bsky.social), hope, transcendence & transformation
Kicking things off @macreadymusings.bsky.social speaks to @andrewgillis.bsky.social about Girl By Moonlight (@evilhat.bsky.social), hope, transcendence & transformation
Girl By Moonlight: Hope, Transcendence, Transformation
Ben Macready speaks to Andrew Gillis about Girl By Moonlight, a game of tragic struggles, defiant triumphs and personal transformation.
wyrd.science
September 17, 2025 at 2:06 PM
So, you know we've a new print mag out in a hot minute but that also means we can finally spend some time on our new website too
Kicking things off @macreadymusings.bsky.social speaks to @andrewgillis.bsky.social about Girl By Moonlight (@evilhat.bsky.social), hope, transcendence & transformation
Kicking things off @macreadymusings.bsky.social speaks to @andrewgillis.bsky.social about Girl By Moonlight (@evilhat.bsky.social), hope, transcendence & transformation
Very much digging the look of this. None of the TTRPG attempts to emulate Dark Souls so far have worked for me, but this one looks very, very promising.
Plus @soulmuppet.co.uk do great writing, ingenious narrative design, and beautiful books.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/sou...
Plus @soulmuppet.co.uk do great writing, ingenious narrative design, and beautiful books.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/sou...
DOOMSPIRAL
Venture to the doomed land of Weftenhaal to reclaim Fate and slay the gods.
www.kickstarter.com
September 16, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Very much digging the look of this. None of the TTRPG attempts to emulate Dark Souls so far have worked for me, but this one looks very, very promising.
Plus @soulmuppet.co.uk do great writing, ingenious narrative design, and beautiful books.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/sou...
Plus @soulmuppet.co.uk do great writing, ingenious narrative design, and beautiful books.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/sou...
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
Not only am I communications director at Failbetter Games, I am also available for indie games marketing help.
Typically I focus on Steam store pages. Get them right, and everything else becomes easier.
My services are as follows:
Typically I focus on Steam store pages. Get them right, and everything else becomes easier.
My services are as follows:
September 14, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Not only am I communications director at Failbetter Games, I am also available for indie games marketing help.
Typically I focus on Steam store pages. Get them right, and everything else becomes easier.
My services are as follows:
Typically I focus on Steam store pages. Get them right, and everything else becomes easier.
My services are as follows:
Reposted by Chris Gardiner
Why call our new game Mandrake? And what's in the name Mandrake, for the people of Chandley?
Here's @chrisgardiner.bsky.social to answer whether a name is ever just a name.
Here's @chrisgardiner.bsky.social to answer whether a name is ever just a name.
Mandrake - A Mandrake by Any Other Name - Steam News
Narrative Director Chris is here with the history of Mandrakes in the real world, and insight into how the people of Chandley feel about Mandrakes.
store.steampowered.com
September 5, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Why call our new game Mandrake? And what's in the name Mandrake, for the people of Chandley?
Here's @chrisgardiner.bsky.social to answer whether a name is ever just a name.
Here's @chrisgardiner.bsky.social to answer whether a name is ever just a name.
Team Cherry: "What's Steam? Is it a software?"
September 4, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Team Cherry: "What's Steam? Is it a software?"
One of my all-time favourite games. A complete reimagining of D&D from the ground up, beautifully imagined and written.
Plus it has an incredible range of support in the form of scenarios (all of which are fantastic) and articles collected in yearly annuals. It punches well above its weight!
Plus it has an incredible range of support in the form of scenarios (all of which are fantastic) and articles collected in yearly annuals. It punches well above its weight!
September 2, 2025 at 10:28 AM
One of my all-time favourite games. A complete reimagining of D&D from the ground up, beautifully imagined and written.
Plus it has an incredible range of support in the form of scenarios (all of which are fantastic) and articles collected in yearly annuals. It punches well above its weight!
Plus it has an incredible range of support in the form of scenarios (all of which are fantastic) and articles collected in yearly annuals. It punches well above its weight!
Star Wars Outlaws was straight up my GOTY last year – it’s made with such love and attention, and is the most immersive realisation of Star Wars I’ve seen in a game.
I still go back to play it – just hearing the intro music is a pure endorphin injection for me. It’s my happy place game. Pure joy.
I still go back to play it – just hearing the intro music is a pure endorphin injection for me. It’s my happy place game. Pure joy.
Star Wars Outlaws released a year ago today. The most challenging, rewarding, engaging and exhilarating project of my career. Getting to live and shape in the world of Star Wars on a daily basis was just a dream come true. I couldn't be prouder, and I could not have poured myself more into it.
August 31, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Star Wars Outlaws was straight up my GOTY last year – it’s made with such love and attention, and is the most immersive realisation of Star Wars I’ve seen in a game.
I still go back to play it – just hearing the intro music is a pure endorphin injection for me. It’s my happy place game. Pure joy.
I still go back to play it – just hearing the intro music is a pure endorphin injection for me. It’s my happy place game. Pure joy.