✨ Kaelan 🔜 GDC ✨
@kaelandm.bsky.social
Game & Narrative Designer.
PhD Candidate at UChicago researching rad worldbuilding.
Lead organizer, QGCon.
they/he
PhD Candidate at UChicago researching rad worldbuilding.
Lead organizer, QGCon.
they/he
Pinned
✨ Kaelan 🔜 GDC ✨
@kaelandm.bsky.social
· Jan 22
Hello Bluesky! I finally made the switch!
while I'm getting settled in, here's a reminder of who I am:
👾 I make games about weird worlds & unexpected alliances
🌏 I'm doing a PhD on playful worldbuilding
🏳️⚧️ I'm a trans guy (he/they)
👔 I make my own clothes & wear cool homemade fits at GDC
while I'm getting settled in, here's a reminder of who I am:
👾 I make games about weird worlds & unexpected alliances
🌏 I'm doing a PhD on playful worldbuilding
🏳️⚧️ I'm a trans guy (he/they)
👔 I make my own clothes & wear cool homemade fits at GDC
so wild to see my article in this list!!
This week: 23 reads on Silksong (discourse), King's Field (-likes), and political economy (no catch):
critical-distance.com/2025/09/09/s...
critical-distance.com/2025/09/09/s...
September 7th
Welcome back readers. We’ve got a big issue this week–23 article picks, and the decision to draw the line even there had more to do with not wanting this post to be delayed into Wednesd…
critical-distance.com
September 16, 2025 at 6:02 PM
so wild to see my article in this list!!
I wrote an article for the Imaginary Engine Review about stumbling into a community I knew nothing about, throwing my game at them, and somehow being welcomed.
For our second contribution, Kaelan Doyle-Myerscough reflects on their first entry into IFComp, the joys and problems of insular art cultures, and the boundaries of interactive fiction.
My Waltz into the IFComp
Just a month before I entered it, I had no idea what the IFComp was.
The year was 2017. I was dealing with a triple-whammy spring season: I broke up with my long-term partner, lost my cat to kidney ...
www.tier-review.com
September 5, 2025 at 7:16 PM
I wrote an article for the Imaginary Engine Review about stumbling into a community I knew nothing about, throwing my game at them, and somehow being welcomed.
Reposted by ✨ Kaelan 🔜 GDC ✨
We're very excited to announce that mabbees and I will be flying across the ocean to Canada to be a part of the Queerness N' Games Conference! Thank you to @qgcon.bsky.social for having us 💚
📆 September 26-28th
🇨🇦 Montreal, Quebec
🕸️ buff.ly/zE8L4ji
#qgcon #studioterranova #gamedev #lgbtqia
📆 September 26-28th
🇨🇦 Montreal, Quebec
🕸️ buff.ly/zE8L4ji
#qgcon #studioterranova #gamedev #lgbtqia
August 24, 2025 at 2:21 AM
We're very excited to announce that mabbees and I will be flying across the ocean to Canada to be a part of the Queerness N' Games Conference! Thank you to @qgcon.bsky.social for having us 💚
📆 September 26-28th
🇨🇦 Montreal, Quebec
🕸️ buff.ly/zE8L4ji
#qgcon #studioterranova #gamedev #lgbtqia
📆 September 26-28th
🇨🇦 Montreal, Quebec
🕸️ buff.ly/zE8L4ji
#qgcon #studioterranova #gamedev #lgbtqia
Reposted by ✨ Kaelan 🔜 GDC ✨
Wondering a bit about what QGCon is all about? Here's a brief into to get you hype for September's event! Only a month away 💫
August 27, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Wondering a bit about what QGCon is all about? Here's a brief into to get you hype for September's event! Only a month away 💫
Reposted by ✨ Kaelan 🔜 GDC ✨
We are proud to say that we are now already 63% funded based on your generosity and shares, before accounting for the matching donations! Thank you and please help us finish strong!
.
#videogames #lgbtq #gamestudies #gaming #queerjoy #ttrpg #gamedev #indiegame #transjoy #boardgames #ttrpg
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#videogames #lgbtq #gamestudies #gaming #queerjoy #ttrpg #gamedev #indiegame #transjoy #boardgames #ttrpg
August 6, 2025 at 1:40 AM
We are proud to say that we are now already 63% funded based on your generosity and shares, before accounting for the matching donations! Thank you and please help us finish strong!
.
#videogames #lgbtq #gamestudies #gaming #queerjoy #ttrpg #gamedev #indiegame #transjoy #boardgames #ttrpg
.
#videogames #lgbtq #gamestudies #gaming #queerjoy #ttrpg #gamedev #indiegame #transjoy #boardgames #ttrpg
Avery keynoting QGCon is a dream come true for me!! so excited to be putting this conference together, it's gonna be incredibly rad 💖
We are thrilled to announce our first keynote for QGCon 2025: Avery Alder!
What makes Avery’s keynote for our 2025 return especially meaningful is that Avery was one of our planned keynotes for QGCon 2020. We are so excited to welcome her to Montreal!
Tickets are available now! Check our bio!
What makes Avery’s keynote for our 2025 return especially meaningful is that Avery was one of our planned keynotes for QGCon 2020. We are so excited to welcome her to Montreal!
Tickets are available now! Check our bio!
June 27, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Avery keynoting QGCon is a dream come true for me!! so excited to be putting this conference together, it's gonna be incredibly rad 💖
targeted and destroyed
April 14, 2025 at 1:53 AM
targeted and destroyed
Reposted by ✨ Kaelan 🔜 GDC ✨
Worried your project isn't up to snuff? Worry not! QGCon has featured wild experiments, unfinished games and concept pieces. The proof isn't in the polish; it's in the heart! 💙🤍🩷 Submit your games, presentations, and research now @ qgcon.org
It's happening!~ QGCon is now accepting submissions for the 2025 conference and we want *you* to apply! We're looking for presentations and games in a whole bunch of different formats this year. Read below for more ✨⬇️⬇️⬇️✨
April 6, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Worried your project isn't up to snuff? Worry not! QGCon has featured wild experiments, unfinished games and concept pieces. The proof isn't in the polish; it's in the heart! 💙🤍🩷 Submit your games, presentations, and research now @ qgcon.org
Happy Trans Day of Visibility!
I feel weird abt visibility - people read me as a butch woman, some flavour of trans, or a cis man, in equal measure, almost randomly. Now visibility is frightening, esp as someone who crosses borders a lot. But fundamentally, it feels good to be seen. So here I am 🏳️⚧️
I feel weird abt visibility - people read me as a butch woman, some flavour of trans, or a cis man, in equal measure, almost randomly. Now visibility is frightening, esp as someone who crosses borders a lot. But fundamentally, it feels good to be seen. So here I am 🏳️⚧️
March 31, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Happy Trans Day of Visibility!
I feel weird abt visibility - people read me as a butch woman, some flavour of trans, or a cis man, in equal measure, almost randomly. Now visibility is frightening, esp as someone who crosses borders a lot. But fundamentally, it feels good to be seen. So here I am 🏳️⚧️
I feel weird abt visibility - people read me as a butch woman, some flavour of trans, or a cis man, in equal measure, almost randomly. Now visibility is frightening, esp as someone who crosses borders a lot. But fundamentally, it feels good to be seen. So here I am 🏳️⚧️
Reposted by ✨ Kaelan 🔜 GDC ✨
love to everyone effected by the ongoing murder of the video game industry
February 25, 2025 at 7:14 PM
love to everyone effected by the ongoing murder of the video game industry
me trying to schedule GDC chats while the game industry is in active collapse
February 25, 2025 at 10:28 PM
me trying to schedule GDC chats while the game industry is in active collapse
I'm part of this year's Pixelles cohort to GDC! if you're doing weird stuff with narrative systems/worldbuilding, OR if you're a queer game dev, I'll be around all week & would love to meet you 👀
pixelles.ca#gdcensemble-...
pixelles.ca#gdcensemble-...
Pixelles (Montréal)
Pixelles is a non-profit organization committed to empowering more women & everyone in game development. We host online and in-person programs, based in Montréal (Canada).
pixelles.ca
February 24, 2025 at 11:57 PM
I'm part of this year's Pixelles cohort to GDC! if you're doing weird stuff with narrative systems/worldbuilding, OR if you're a queer game dev, I'll be around all week & would love to meet you 👀
pixelles.ca#gdcensemble-...
pixelles.ca#gdcensemble-...
i got a very long negative review on The Archipelago, mostly complaining abt visual novels
which is fine, like go off ig
but I went to this guy's profile, he's written 15,000 reviews & it seems ALL of them are negative? he has a TEMPLATE for VNs??
i kinda envy his dedication lmao 🙈🙈
which is fine, like go off ig
but I went to this guy's profile, he's written 15,000 reviews & it seems ALL of them are negative? he has a TEMPLATE for VNs??
i kinda envy his dedication lmao 🙈🙈
February 14, 2025 at 5:48 PM
i got a very long negative review on The Archipelago, mostly complaining abt visual novels
which is fine, like go off ig
but I went to this guy's profile, he's written 15,000 reviews & it seems ALL of them are negative? he has a TEMPLATE for VNs??
i kinda envy his dedication lmao 🙈🙈
which is fine, like go off ig
but I went to this guy's profile, he's written 15,000 reviews & it seems ALL of them are negative? he has a TEMPLATE for VNs??
i kinda envy his dedication lmao 🙈🙈
I've revived my substack to write about the toxic fantasy of narrative closure while the world burns.
"I’m sure we’ve all reveled in moments of comeuppance. But I’m sick and tired of waiting for justice to be dispensed by the cataclysm."
kaelan.substack.com/p/the-toxici...
"I’m sure we’ve all reveled in moments of comeuppance. But I’m sick and tired of waiting for justice to be dispensed by the cataclysm."
kaelan.substack.com/p/the-toxici...
The Toxicity of Narrative Closure
half-formed thoughts, justice from the cataclysm, and a playtest request
kaelan.substack.com
February 12, 2025 at 5:11 PM
I've revived my substack to write about the toxic fantasy of narrative closure while the world burns.
"I’m sure we’ve all reveled in moments of comeuppance. But I’m sick and tired of waiting for justice to be dispensed by the cataclysm."
kaelan.substack.com/p/the-toxici...
"I’m sure we’ve all reveled in moments of comeuppance. But I’m sick and tired of waiting for justice to be dispensed by the cataclysm."
kaelan.substack.com/p/the-toxici...
Reposted by ✨ Kaelan 🔜 GDC ✨
This is like watching the tidal wave from 'deep impact' coming right for your beach but instead it's people who don't get jokes
Maddow: If you don't have Bluesky yet, I recommend it. It is a social media network that doesn't make me want to stab myself in the eye with a rusty fork
February 11, 2025 at 3:07 PM
This is like watching the tidal wave from 'deep impact' coming right for your beach but instead it's people who don't get jokes
Reposted by ✨ Kaelan 🔜 GDC ✨
Worried it might be tougher to get to Canada this year than you hoped? Don't let that stop you from applying! Read below for more ✨🔽⬇️🔽✨
February 7, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Worried it might be tougher to get to Canada this year than you hoped? Don't let that stop you from applying! Read below for more ✨🔽⬇️🔽✨
Reposted by ✨ Kaelan 🔜 GDC ✨
I find it quite difficult to concentrate on making art during a Constitutional crisis I can do very little to stop.
January 28, 2025 at 6:32 PM
I find it quite difficult to concentrate on making art during a Constitutional crisis I can do very little to stop.
Reposted by ✨ Kaelan 🔜 GDC ✨
league 💕
|￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣|
A game does not need
to be good
|＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿|
\ (•◡•) /
\ /
——
| |
| |
|￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣|
A game does not need
to be good
|＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿|
\ (•◡•) /
\ /
——
| |
| |
|￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣|
A game does not need
to be difficult to be
good
|＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿|
\ (•◡•) /
\ /
——
| |
| |
A game does not need
to be difficult to be
good
|＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿|
\ (•◡•) /
\ /
——
| |
| |
January 27, 2025 at 12:26 AM
league 💕
|￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣|
A game does not need
to be good
|＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿|
\ (•◡•) /
\ /
——
| |
| |
|￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣|
A game does not need
to be good
|＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿|
\ (•◡•) /
\ /
——
| |
| |
every year I remind myself how to program, and every year I re-experience the joys and sorrows of beginner mistakes.
this attempt to console log a square might be an all-time favourite though
this attempt to console log a square might be an all-time favourite though
January 24, 2025 at 8:02 PM
every year I remind myself how to program, and every year I re-experience the joys and sorrows of beginner mistakes.
this attempt to console log a square might be an all-time favourite though
this attempt to console log a square might be an all-time favourite though
I'm organizing a conference for queer games and you should submit!
It's happening!~ QGCon is now accepting submissions for the 2025 conference and we want *you* to apply! We're looking for presentations and games in a whole bunch of different formats this year. Read below for more ✨⬇️⬇️⬇️✨
January 24, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I'm organizing a conference for queer games and you should submit!
transferring over my twitter followers and realizing that i'm mutuals with the former Prime Minister of Australia. what a weird website
January 22, 2025 at 9:13 PM
transferring over my twitter followers and realizing that i'm mutuals with the former Prime Minister of Australia. what a weird website
Hello Bluesky! I finally made the switch!
while I'm getting settled in, here's a reminder of who I am:
👾 I make games about weird worlds & unexpected alliances
🌏 I'm doing a PhD on playful worldbuilding
🏳️⚧️ I'm a trans guy (he/they)
👔 I make my own clothes & wear cool homemade fits at GDC
while I'm getting settled in, here's a reminder of who I am:
👾 I make games about weird worlds & unexpected alliances
🌏 I'm doing a PhD on playful worldbuilding
🏳️⚧️ I'm a trans guy (he/they)
👔 I make my own clothes & wear cool homemade fits at GDC
January 22, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Hello Bluesky! I finally made the switch!
while I'm getting settled in, here's a reminder of who I am:
👾 I make games about weird worlds & unexpected alliances
🌏 I'm doing a PhD on playful worldbuilding
🏳️⚧️ I'm a trans guy (he/they)
👔 I make my own clothes & wear cool homemade fits at GDC
while I'm getting settled in, here's a reminder of who I am:
👾 I make games about weird worlds & unexpected alliances
🌏 I'm doing a PhD on playful worldbuilding
🏳️⚧️ I'm a trans guy (he/they)
👔 I make my own clothes & wear cool homemade fits at GDC