Hayes Madsen
@solfleet.bsky.social
Video Game Trends Writer at Inverse.com Freelance Reporter. Words at CGMagOnline, IGN, Rolling Stone, and more. RPG aficionado. Bisexual.He/they. madsenhayes@Gmail.com. Signal: HayesM.26
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Hayes Madsen
@solfleet.bsky.social
· May 21
Know things aren't great right now, but after dealing with a family event, I'm officially looking for freelance work again. Made a new portfolio selection, focusing on what I think I do best - interviews.
Please reach out if you want to talk or are open to pitches. www.clippings.me/users/hayesm...
Please reach out if you want to talk or are open to pitches. www.clippings.me/users/hayesm...
Reposted by Hayes Madsen
this one was crazy
November 12, 2025 at 12:28 AM
this one was crazy
The man baby mafia brothers are one of my favorite things Only Murders has done. Every scene with them is just incredible
November 12, 2025 at 4:19 AM
The man baby mafia brothers are one of my favorite things Only Murders has done. Every scene with them is just incredible
Reposted by Hayes Madsen
We don’t use generative AI at Strange Scaffold and I can confirm that a *lot* of other studios are not—whether indie or AAA.
Get outta here with this normalization bullshit.
Get outta here with this normalization bullshit.
“It’s important to assume every game company is now using AI.” Nexon CEO comments on role of human creativity as AI tools become the norm
automaton-media.com/en/news/its-...
automaton-media.com/en/news/its-...
“It’s important to assume every game company is now using AI.” Nexon CEO comments on role of human creativity as AI tools become the norm - AUTOMATON WEST
In an interview following the launch of ARC Raiders, the CEO of Embark Studios' parent company Nexon shares his views on AI.
automaton-media.com
November 12, 2025 at 3:25 AM
We don’t use generative AI at Strange Scaffold and I can confirm that a *lot* of other studios are not—whether indie or AAA.
Get outta here with this normalization bullshit.
Get outta here with this normalization bullshit.
Extremely cool and extremely rare opportunity to see the borealis from Colorado tonight
November 12, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Extremely cool and extremely rare opportunity to see the borealis from Colorado tonight
At least we have the, uh, Mario Galaxy Movie Direct tomorrow. Right?
November 11, 2025 at 10:44 PM
At least we have the, uh, Mario Galaxy Movie Direct tomorrow. Right?
The Bloodborne dream is dead. Long live Elden Ring.
Elden Ring Nightreign DLC - The Forsaken Hollows out Dec 4th, 2025
November 11, 2025 at 10:39 PM
The Bloodborne dream is dead. Long live Elden Ring.
No surprise, this continues to look sick as hell
November 11, 2025 at 10:34 PM
No surprise, this continues to look sick as hell
Reposted by Hayes Madsen
I'm not gonna get too into it, but I'm getting big PSP era Sony from this showcase.
November 11, 2025 at 10:27 PM
I'm not gonna get too into it, but I'm getting big PSP era Sony from this showcase.
Okay, but Metroidvania BlazBlue could actually be a banger
November 11, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Okay, but Metroidvania BlazBlue could actually be a banger
Boy this is sure the DLC State of Play, huh?
November 11, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Boy this is sure the DLC State of Play, huh?
DYNASTY WARRIORS EXPANSION. Fuck yeah dude.
November 11, 2025 at 10:11 PM
DYNASTY WARRIORS EXPANSION. Fuck yeah dude.
Hell yeah, Sean Bean-ass Kiefer in Dragon Quest 7
November 11, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Hell yeah, Sean Bean-ass Kiefer in Dragon Quest 7
Reposted by Hayes Madsen
I went to meet the 'Rockstar 31', the developers who were suddenly fired from their work on GTA 6 for what the studio has described as gross misconduct.
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
The Rockstar Workers Fired Before They Could Finish GTA 6
YouTube video by People Make Games
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:43 PM
I went to meet the 'Rockstar 31', the developers who were suddenly fired from their work on GTA 6 for what the studio has described as gross misconduct.
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
Reposted by Hayes Madsen
Reminder that I have a Starter Pack of all current and former Game Informer staff if you’re interested in following us. I don’t think I missed anyone, but let me know if I did, because I want to be all-inclusive and not leave anyone left out. go.bsky.app/Ea2R4VT
November 11, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Reminder that I have a Starter Pack of all current and former Game Informer staff if you’re interested in following us. I don’t think I missed anyone, but let me know if I did, because I want to be all-inclusive and not leave anyone left out. go.bsky.app/Ea2R4VT
This is the most demonstrable lie I've seen yet. Open DoorDash right now and look at the prices, and then tell me if you take this seriously lmao
November 11, 2025 at 8:39 PM
This is the most demonstrable lie I've seen yet. Open DoorDash right now and look at the prices, and then tell me if you take this seriously lmao
At some point, whether they want to or not, The Game Awards is going to have to reckon with the role it's played in the rampant corporitization of video games - and everything that's led to. And crucially, how the show and people behind it have failed to step up when it mattered.
November 11, 2025 at 7:51 PM
At some point, whether they want to or not, The Game Awards is going to have to reckon with the role it's played in the rampant corporitization of video games - and everything that's led to. And crucially, how the show and people behind it have failed to step up when it mattered.
Oh my god he looks incredible
November 11, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Oh my god he looks incredible
Floating this back up! I won't be at the actual show, like the last few years, but I'll be in town for adjacent stuff.
I’ll officially be in LA for The Game Awards, December 10-12. Feel free to reach out if you have a story, something to see, or want to buy a guy a coffee
November 11, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Floating this back up! I won't be at the actual show, like the last few years, but I'll be in town for adjacent stuff.
Literally every person who worked on it in the credits
November 11, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Literally every person who worked on it in the credits
Strategist Gambit, holy shit. I picked the perfect time to get back into this game
November 11, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Strategist Gambit, holy shit. I picked the perfect time to get back into this game
Reposted by Hayes Madsen
I continue to believe very strongly that a person's reaction to generative AI is directly correlated to whether it presents any existential risks to your craft. This is why senior engineers and CEOs are so psyched about it, and artists and writers are rallying against it.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has defended AI following Eurogamer's 2/5 Arc Raiders review, which criticised the game's use use of AI voice generation. "AI dialog generation + human personality and tuning could totally transform gaming," Sweeney said.
www.gamesindustry.biz/epics-tim-sw...
www.gamesindustry.biz/epics-tim-sw...
Epic's Tim Sweeney wades into the Arc Raiders AI row
"This technology increases human productivity in some areas by integer multiples"
www.gamesindustry.biz
November 11, 2025 at 5:01 PM
I continue to believe very strongly that a person's reaction to generative AI is directly correlated to whether it presents any existential risks to your craft. This is why senior engineers and CEOs are so psyched about it, and artists and writers are rallying against it.
I've been on other game duty, but Robin has a really great write-up about Ambrosia Sky's first act - which I also really, really enjoyed.
'Ambrosia Sky: Act One' sets the stage for a compelling story about grief, with a lot to enjoy in its doomed world already. www.inverse.com/gaming/ambro...
The Most Exciting New Sci-Fi Game On Steam Is A Job Simulator About Death
'Ambrosia Sky: Act One' sets the stage for a compelling story about grief, with a lot to enjoy in its doomed world already.
www.inverse.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:59 PM
I've been on other game duty, but Robin has a really great write-up about Ambrosia Sky's first act - which I also really, really enjoyed.
Okay, my big RPG gap for this year is Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. People who know it - can I play this without the first game (I've played a bit of it, just keep getting busy with other stuff). I'd like to have knowledge of Deliverance 2, but sometimes I'm a stickler for playing the first game
November 11, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Okay, my big RPG gap for this year is Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. People who know it - can I play this without the first game (I've played a bit of it, just keep getting busy with other stuff). I'd like to have knowledge of Deliverance 2, but sometimes I'm a stickler for playing the first game
Reposted by Hayes Madsen
The top 3 achievements we're proudest of as a game studio, in order of importance ✨
And yes of course we had to put that masterpiece in a frame!
And yes of course we had to put that masterpiece in a frame!
November 11, 2025 at 4:06 PM
The top 3 achievements we're proudest of as a game studio, in order of importance ✨
And yes of course we had to put that masterpiece in a frame!
And yes of course we had to put that masterpiece in a frame!
I told my friend this weekend that I honestly think there are only two things I need in life to be happy - enough money to comfortably pay my bills and a house with a LEGO room.
November 11, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I told my friend this weekend that I honestly think there are only two things I need in life to be happy - enough money to comfortably pay my bills and a house with a LEGO room.