Gavin Craig
@craiggav.bsky.social
Weird, thoughtful, and quiet. Not necessarily in that order.
Amateurism? In this economy?
December 6, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Amateurism? In this economy?
Is it very Gen X of me that conceptual/theoretical issues default for me to a state of “interesting but not determinative”? Or am I just cribbing that from Zadie Smith?
December 6, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Is it very Gen X of me that conceptual/theoretical issues default for me to a state of “interesting but not determinative”? Or am I just cribbing that from Zadie Smith?
The problem is that we have accepted and even embraced consumption as a marker of identity.
December 5, 2025 at 6:50 PM
The problem is that we have accepted and even embraced consumption as a marker of identity.
The problem is that we crave monopoly, and have accepted the lie that not only is monopoly easy for the consumer, it is good as well.
December 5, 2025 at 6:49 PM
The problem is that we crave monopoly, and have accepted the lie that not only is monopoly easy for the consumer, it is good as well.
I don’t really care about Horses (or ludocentrism v narrative). The problem is that we’ve allowed Steam to become Amazon and Itch.io to become Barnes & Noble.
Even though direct digital sales would seem to be the easiest thing in the world. If only people would buy things directly.
Even though direct digital sales would seem to be the easiest thing in the world. If only people would buy things directly.
December 5, 2025 at 6:47 PM
I don’t really care about Horses (or ludocentrism v narrative). The problem is that we’ve allowed Steam to become Amazon and Itch.io to become Barnes & Noble.
Even though direct digital sales would seem to be the easiest thing in the world. If only people would buy things directly.
Even though direct digital sales would seem to be the easiest thing in the world. If only people would buy things directly.
I’m not sure that “games” as a culture and a medium are interested in “the spoils of culture” unless we are only talking about money.
That is, I’m not sure that games writ large have any interest in being a culture instead of a business.
That is, I’m not sure that games writ large have any interest in being a culture instead of a business.
I’m going to get in trouble for this, but fuck it.
I’ve been at this a long time. Games culture wants the spoils of cultural sophistication without doing the work. It wants a guarantee that the intention to make work guarantees not just a living but a thriving one. It is a medium for children.
I’ve been at this a long time. Games culture wants the spoils of cultural sophistication without doing the work. It wants a guarantee that the intention to make work guarantees not just a living but a thriving one. It is a medium for children.
Despite the controversy, Horses is only shocking if you're unfamiliar with the history movies, theater, literature, or basically any art form that does not have stats. aftermath.site/horses-indie-g...
December 5, 2025 at 3:39 PM
I’m not sure that “games” as a culture and a medium are interested in “the spoils of culture” unless we are only talking about money.
That is, I’m not sure that games writ large have any interest in being a culture instead of a business.
That is, I’m not sure that games writ large have any interest in being a culture instead of a business.
EXCEEDING THE LAW EXCEEDING THE LAW
December 1, 2025 at 12:30 AM
EXCEEDING THE LAW EXCEEDING THE LAW
What if I played some video games in 2026?
November 28, 2025 at 5:09 PM
What if I played some video games in 2026?
Reposted by Gavin Craig
Our Black Friday deal just dropped! Discount code BFCM25 at bossfightbooks.com for 20% off your order.
November 26, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Our Black Friday deal just dropped! Discount code BFCM25 at bossfightbooks.com for 20% off your order.
Reposted by Gavin Craig
There should be more games inspired by avant-garde stage design.
November 26, 2025 at 4:35 PM
There should be more games inspired by avant-garde stage design.
Reposted by Gavin Craig
buy my zzt book, it's about terrible gay teenagers making video games
Our Black Friday deal just dropped! Discount code BFCM25 at bossfightbooks.com for 20% off your order.
November 26, 2025 at 8:56 PM
buy my zzt book, it's about terrible gay teenagers making video games
Reposted by Gavin Craig
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
November 25, 2025 at 11:07 PM
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
No awards program is worth paying attention to.
November 17, 2025 at 5:49 PM
No awards program is worth paying attention to.
When the problems are the same problems, the conversations tend to be the same conversations
November 8, 2025 at 5:40 PM
When the problems are the same problems, the conversations tend to be the same conversations
New graphics, same content.
November 8, 2025 at 5:36 PM
New graphics, same content.
Lack of institutional memory is one reason why games criticism keeps having the same conversations over and over again.
But another reason is that games themselves are not terribly interested in listening to or learning from almost any of these conversations.
But another reason is that games themselves are not terribly interested in listening to or learning from almost any of these conversations.
November 8, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Lack of institutional memory is one reason why games criticism keeps having the same conversations over and over again.
But another reason is that games themselves are not terribly interested in listening to or learning from almost any of these conversations.
But another reason is that games themselves are not terribly interested in listening to or learning from almost any of these conversations.
Artisanal, small-batch criticism
November 8, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Artisanal, small-batch criticism
Reposted by Gavin Craig
Couldn't get any review work for Nov, which is a pity because there are a lot of exciting indies releasing this month. I'm looking forward to these - and if you're open to commissioning any this month, please let me know!
Ambrosia Sky (store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...)
Ambrosia Sky (store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...)
Ambrosia Sky on Steam
You left. Now they’re dead. Ambrosia Sky: Act One is an immersive sim about exploring an asteroid colony devastated by a mysterious contamination. Survive and harvest strains of aggressive alien fungi...
store.steampowered.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Couldn't get any review work for Nov, which is a pity because there are a lot of exciting indies releasing this month. I'm looking forward to these - and if you're open to commissioning any this month, please let me know!
Ambrosia Sky (store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...)
Ambrosia Sky (store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...)
Ready for Halloween
September 28, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Ready for Halloween
TIGERS CLINCH A PLAYOFF BERTH
September 27, 2025 at 11:06 PM
TIGERS CLINCH A PLAYOFF BERTH
I love cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice, but my aversion to pumpkin is so strong that I will never buy “pumpkin spice” anything unless I’m 1000% sure that there is zero pumpkin flavor in it and there’s only one way to know for sure so just no.
September 26, 2025 at 11:53 PM
I love cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice, but my aversion to pumpkin is so strong that I will never buy “pumpkin spice” anything unless I’m 1000% sure that there is zero pumpkin flavor in it and there’s only one way to know for sure so just no.
Huzzah!
We reached the 100 new subscribers we needed to unlock a Final Fantasy and politics issue for you folks! We'll start production soon with the goal of publishing it in early 2026.
Thank you SO much for all of your help with this drive! We couldn't have done it without you.
Thank you SO much for all of your help with this drive! We couldn't have done it without you.
September 26, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Huzzah!
Stupid Tigers. Gotta play a whole season.
September 24, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Stupid Tigers. Gotta play a whole season.
Follow up follow up pitch: A tornado in a volcano I think this one really has potential
September 21, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Follow up follow up pitch: A tornado in a volcano I think this one really has potential
Follow up pitch: A movie about a brilliant poet with lots of poetry in the movie but all the poetry is generated by AI and also a heavily modded hot rod that launches into space why not
September 21, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Follow up pitch: A movie about a brilliant poet with lots of poetry in the movie but all the poetry is generated by AI and also a heavily modded hot rod that launches into space why not