Will Freeman
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spadgy.bsky.social
Will Freeman
@spadgy.bsky.social
1.8K followers 1K following 690 posts
Head fulla noise, toys, & hobbies.
🕹️🪀🛹
Freelance game journalist, copywriter, events, mock reviewer, etc. Edge, The Guardian, Eurogamer, BAFTA, PC Gamer, GI, Bitmap Books, etc.

Arcade/shmup/retro player. Yo-yoer.

https://linktr.ee/willfreeman_spadgy
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spadgy.bsky.social
My other favourite cosplay at MCM Comic Con? Hideo Kojima, who I kept seeing with different Solid Snakes!

#MetalGear #MCMComicCon
Two men posing in the large interior hallway of an expo venue. The man on the left is cosplaying the video game character Solid Snake, from the Metal Gear series. The man on the left is cosplaying Hideo Kojima, creator of the Metal Gear series.
October 28, 2025 at 2:31 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
My favourite cosplays at MCM Comic Con?

Firstly, this guy that ‘transformed’ into a D&D game, complete with detailed charcater sheets, snacks, figures, the table, and his mate as DM!

#DnD #DandD #MCMComicCon
The front view of a man wearing black, standing amidst the crowds at a large indoor expo venue, with a table strapped to his back, and his arms up holding the table. Two bewildered, delighted onlookers are eagerly watching. In the same indoor expo venue hall, the man in the other photo shared with this social media post is now bent over, out of sight, and the table on his back is now in the conventional position, with a game of Dungeons and Dragons mid-way through arranged on the table, including painted figurines, character sheets, snacks, dice, and so on. Behind the table another man is posing to suggest he is the game’s Dungeon Master.
October 28, 2025 at 2:25 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
What a pleasure to interview the Creative Director of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Axel Torvenius, to kick off the @gamerepublic.bsky.social's awesome New Horizon's event.

Full video soon. Lots of chat about game design and old skool practical movie effects. I will share!

#GRNewHorizons
Two seasted speakers sit on a small stage, the backs of some of the audiences' heads and shoulders visible in the foreground. On the left and right of the stage, a pair of screens on stands show artwork and the logo from the video game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
October 22, 2025 at 3:02 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
I popped downstairs to find this one in my living room!

She didn’t even dash off. Sat there chilling, and watched us a while. 💚
A young adult fox, likely female, sitting inside a living room just a few inches from an open door leading outside. The fox appears to be looking directly to the camera.
October 11, 2025 at 1:35 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
Notepads for work lists and doodling? Pah!

It’s my desk for me. Anyone else!?😁
A physical desktop covered in drawing, to-do lists, doodles, tests of pens, ink spillages, and so on, all drawn directly onto the desk.
October 7, 2025 at 11:51 AM
spadgy.bsky.social
And here's the first Psyvariar 3 trailer/teaser.

(We got Psyvariar Delta in 2018. Very ace, but a remix of the first Psyvariars. Psyvariar 3 appears entirely new.)
September 25, 2025 at 2:19 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
Psyvariar isn't just one of my favourite shmup series - it's one of my favourite game series.

22 years after Psyvariar 2, Psyvariar 3 just got revealed! First screens! 👀

'Buzz' and 'Roll' systems remain. Arcade, arrange, caravan, and more modes. And a Cotton cameo!? PS5/Switch 1 & 2.

#shmups
A screenshot from the newly announced shmup video game Psyvariar 3, showing a small spacecraft dodging bullets and firing on enemies. A screenshot from the newly announced shmup video game Psyvariar 3, showing a small spacecraft dodging bullets and firing on enemies. A screenshot from the newly announced shmup video game Psyvariar 3, showing the character select screen, with a reinterpretted version of the lead charcater from the Cotton shmups on screen.
September 25, 2025 at 2:07 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
Snagged the EP of a load of dot-matrix printers making ‘music’ together. Works lovely for my ears/brain.

Love the vinyl sleeve with the floppy-style slots!

Here’s the tunes/noises: staalplaatlabel.bandcamp.com/album/sympho...
A hand holding up a 12 record im a black sleeve, in front of a hedge/bushes. The record has a small label as seen on floppy disk, with the text ‘The User’ most visible.
September 15, 2025 at 12:21 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
Generous dog turd bin!

(Definitely wasn’t me. 😁)
August 20, 2025 at 9:30 AM
spadgy.bsky.social
Stumbled upon this absolute unit!

I think it’s an elephant hawk moth caterpillar! Away from my moth books. Either way, and utter fitty!
A very large brown caterpillar crawling across a stone wall, with a human finger pointing at it for scale.
August 6, 2025 at 1:52 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
Got the old wedding invite framed still.

A3 size. Made by me with felt tip pens, a photocopier, and Microsoft Word. Opulent vibes!

(And in hindsight, only calling cars ‘newfangled combustion motorhorses’ caused a lot of guest confusion about parking! 👌🏼)
A photograph of a large back and white wedding invite, mounted on a wall and surrounded by multicoloured fabric. A monochrome wedding invite with the words ‘newfangled combustion motorhorses’ underlined with a pink line.
August 4, 2025 at 2:49 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
18th wedding anniversary today!

Pair of silly brains tangled up forever more. Seem to keep having more fun and falling for each other more. YES!

I fucking love what we have. Most exciting person in the world to me!
A relatively close-up shot of a couple sat next to each other, smiling.
August 4, 2025 at 12:35 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
Oops. I did it again!

Definitely going to wait a while before my next NeoGeo Pocket Color pick-up…

…maybe!
A boxed copy of the NeoGeo Pocket Color game Pocket Tennis Color, placed on a green cutting mat, with the manuals, orange registration card, cartridge and cartridge case displayed alongside the box.
August 1, 2025 at 12:33 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
I wrote a six-pager on the making of Toaplan’s iconic shmup Tiger-Heli, and its 2025 ports to the Atari 2600+ and 7800/7800+!

It’s in the new issue of @retrogamermag.bsky.social. Issue 275.

Thanks to original Toaplan staffer Masahiro Yuge for the insights and memories!

#shmups #shmup
July 31, 2025 at 1:54 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
I finally picked up a NeoGeo Pocket Color backlight mod kit!

Now to brave pulling apart my first Pocket Color, which I bought around launch in 1999. 😬 Cannot wait!
A grey NeoGeo Pocket Color handheld games console surrounded by the components of a backlight mod kit, and two red-handled screwdrivers. The items are displayed on a pink cutting mat.
July 31, 2025 at 12:21 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
I spoke with Torben Bakager, the co-creator of the influential Amiga shmups Hybris and Battle Squadron, about the impact of the Amiga launch on game dev 40 years ago.

Such a pleasure… my first computer, an Amiga, made me fall for shmups, and inspired my career choice.
The title screen of the 1989 Amiga shmup Battle Squadron.
July 28, 2025 at 2:50 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
With apologies to my bank balance…
A boxed copy of the Neo Geo Pocket Color video game King of Fighters R-2, placed on a green cutting mat.
July 25, 2025 at 12:12 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
Unnecessary shmup pick-up.

Is it any good? Guess I’ll find out!
A hand holding an Atari Lynx cartridge of the shooting game Zarlor Mercenary. In the background is a wall covered in bright, multicoloured abstract street art.
July 21, 2025 at 12:06 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
In about 1996 my college decided to include me on the cover of their prospectus. I just found a copy.

A very rare peak at my natural, curly hair!

The shirt? Romeo + Juliet had just come out at the cinema! 🤦🏼
A close up of a sixth form college prospectus held up in front of some cluttered shelves. The prospectus has four students visible on its cover. A hand holding up a sixth form college prospectus in front of some cluttered shelves. The prospectus has five students and a picture of the college buildings on its cover.
July 16, 2025 at 1:01 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
One of the best things I stumbled upon at @developconference.com? The mighty @patchmagazine.bsky.social!

And awesome indie game mag with a big voice, distinct design, no ads, and run by an inspiring team.

New to me… but they’ve been smashing it for years!
A hand holding up a copy of indie games magazine Patch, in front of a wall covered in framed arcade flyers.
July 11, 2025 at 1:34 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
Stumbled upon some game dev themed indie wrestling at @developconference.com. Please make this a thing here every year!
A wrestler celebrates their victory at a lo-fi outdoor wrestling event in Brighton.
July 9, 2025 at 5:09 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
I'm at @developconference.com all next week! Whoop!

Editors and publications - let me know of you need anything covered! I can make specific sessions/interviews, sniff out angles, take on features (and news!) etc.

(Not on stage this year; but no hall wanderings pics (for attention!) of me!)
A photo from a few rows back in the audience at the Develop Brighton conference in 2013, with Will Freeman (left, pink cap) and Chris Charla (right, multicoloured cap) in discussion on stage. In the backdrop is a large logo for the conference, an empty lecture, and a projected screen showing a slide.
June 30, 2025 at 11:28 AM
spadgy.bsky.social
I just noticed that the local mobile police station unit is made of…

…1312 recycled bottles!

1312! On a police box! How the hell did the designer get that through!?
June 27, 2025 at 12:14 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
Somebody's selling a Triforce arcade system on Facebook: '£50, free shipping, likely faulty, no game'.

Don't need it. Likely couldn't fix it. But...

It's arcade system made by Nintendo, SEGA, and Namco, based on a tweaked GameCube that works with Sega's GD-ROM system. WANT!

You buy it so I can't.
A photograph of the exterior of a Triforce arcade system - the unit hads a bright blue casing with a yellow safety sticker attached. A photograph of the internals of a Triforce arcade system, showing circuti boards and some wiring.
June 18, 2025 at 1:32 PM
spadgy.bsky.social
Oof... Minishoot' Adventures is a lovely place to spend time!

Really delivers on the 'twin stick shooter x 2D Zelda' set-up. Chilled shmup vibes in a lovely rural world that opens up wonderfully.

Big up the devs SoulGame Studio! Definately go try the demo.
store.steampowered.com/app/1634860/...
June 13, 2025 at 10:01 AM