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xpmnms.bsky.social
Mike Mamon
@xpmnms.bsky.social
1.4K followers 200 following 140 posts
🇵🇭 🇺🇸 | He/Him
@IGN Syndication and Digital Strategist |
Crunchyroll Anime Awards Judge | http://twitch.tv/xpmnms
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xpmnms.bsky.social
Mike Mamon @xpmnms.bsky.social · Jan 15
I’m going to try to work on my game backlog this year. I missed too many big games. First one done recently is Nier Automata. Great game! I had high expectations but still enjoyed the heck out of it. Loved the music, story and gameplay 🔥
a woman is kneeling down next to a man in a video game and holding his hand .
ALT: a woman is kneeling down next to a man in a video game and holding his hand .
media.tenor.com
Reposted by Mike Mamon
bgmaguid.com
absolutely heartbroken to announce that i was part of the crystal layoffs today 💔

if y’all spot any openings for a soft, dedicated, smiley games writer — please send them my way 💫

i was on the most perfect narrative team on an exciting, ambitious project. i will cherish it all forever. 💖
November 13, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
ign.com
The latest set of the Final Fantasy card game, Journey of Discovery, is almost here!

Here's a look at the full card list:
Final Fantasy TCG: Journey of Discovery - Full Card List
bit.ly
November 5, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
ign.com
The Gargoyles are back! The upcoming Disney Lorcana card game set, Whispers in the Well, is almost here with the release slated for November 7.

Here are our first impressions.
First Impressions of Disney Lorcana: Whispers in the Well TCG’s New Starter Decks
bit.ly
October 28, 2025 at 5:31 AM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
ign.com
Check out these exclusive card reveals from the upcoming Guilty Gear Strive series for the UniVersus card game.

The alternate art variants of Ky Kiske, May, and Nagoriyuki!
October 20, 2025 at 8:46 PM
xpmnms.bsky.social
Another seasonal anime roundup by yours truly. Shoutout to @itsamichael.bsky.social for the clean video edit as always! 🙌🏽
ign.com IGN @ign.com · Oct 18
From the highly anticipated final season of My Hero Academia to Digimon Beatbreak, here's the best new anime to watch this fall.
Best New Anime to Watch (Fall Season 2025)
bit.ly
October 18, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
ign.com
Check out these exclusive card reveals from the upcoming Disney Lorcana card game set, Whispers in the Well. Two new legendary cards with Prince Charming and Cinderella!

Whispers in the Well Booster Box https://zdcs.link/z31qRR
Whispers in the Well Illumineer's Trove https://zdcs.link/zj7n4p
October 15, 2025 at 1:00 PM
xpmnms.bsky.social
So stoked that Digimon Story is back. I spent the initial hours just planning my digivolution lines and making sure I have the ideal rookies from the start 😅
October 5, 2025 at 1:15 AM
xpmnms.bsky.social
Didn’t think I’d ever have the patience to make it to Master Ball in Pokemon TCG Pocket but the new Suicune deck is too much fun to play 😊
September 20, 2025 at 3:42 PM
xpmnms.bsky.social
Demon Slayer Infinity Castle is pretty cool! It did feel long though. Another example of trying to shove a lot into one movie. Guess we saw this coming when these movies were announced.
September 14, 2025 at 12:24 AM
xpmnms.bsky.social
Some of my fave announcements from the direct today. Pokopia especially. It’s be nice to see the fam getting into an animal crossing vibe again
September 12, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
charalanahzard.bsky.social
This fucking rules. Incredibly proud of all of my friends at IGN for taking this very brave stance.
nathangrayson.bsky.social Nathan Grayson @nathangrayson.bsky.social · Aug 27
with each successive round of layoffs and buyouts, IGN staff have found themselves increasingly overworked. so now, in an effort to get laid-off colleagues rehired, they’ve resolved to do their fair share — and no more
August 27, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
aftermath.site
After more layoffs, unionized IGN workers are done picking up the slack

aftermath.site/ign-layoffs-...
a graphic that reads "from now until february 13th, IGN creators guild is going to... DO OUR JOB"
August 27, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
duckvalentine.bsky.social
In the four years I've been at IGN I've watched its staff shrink and shrink, all while those who remain are asked to do more and more. I see colleagues skip lunch, stay late day after day, and burn out.

IGN staff are passionate and love their work. But we can't keep letting that be exploited.
ignunion.bsky.social IGN Union @ignunion.bsky.social · Aug 25
Ziff Davis and IGN routinely decide that work done by our laid off colleagues is not important. But inevitably, that crucial work falls onto those who remain.

Not this time. Not anymore.
FROM NOW UNTIL FEBRUARY 13TH IGN CREATORS GUILD IS GOING TO... DO OUR JOB! OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, IGN MANAGEMENT HAS GOTTEN AWAY WITH LAYING OFF OUR COWORKERS OVER AND OVER. MEANWHILE, MANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES HAVE LEFT THE COMPANY IN NO SMALL PART DUE TO BUYOUTS, OVERWORK, AND FEELING UNSUPPORTED, EACH TIME, THE COMPANY HAS REFUSED TO BACKFILL MANY ESSENTIAL ROLES, CLAIMING WE'RE ON A HIRING FREEZE, IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET, OR THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO LESS WORK THIS TIME. AS A RESULT, IGNCG MEMBERS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO TAKE ON MORE OF THEIR FORMER COLLEAGUES' WORKLOADS. MANY OF US NOW WORK LONGER HOURS THAN WE USED TO. A LOT OF US RARELY TAKE LUNCH BREAKS. SOME OF US DO NOT TAKE ADEQUATE TIME OFF DUE TO THERE BEING NO ONE TO PICK UP THE SLACK. OTHERS OF US ARE STUCK DOING WORK WE WERE NEVER HIRED TO DO IN THE FIRST PLACE. UP TO THIS POINT, WE'VE ALL ACCEPTED THIS AS NORMAL, BECAUSE WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT IGN AND THE WORK WE DO. BUT WITH SO MANY OF US STRUGGLING MORE AND MORE AS EACH NEW WAVE OF OUR COWORKERS ARE DEPRIVED OF A LIVELIHOOD, THIS CYCLE CAN'T CONTINUE. MANAGEMENT IS UNWILLING TO STOP IT, SO IT FALLS TO US. WITH THE LAYOFFS OF EIGHT OF OUR COWORKERS, IGNCG HAS NEGOTIATED A SIX-MONTH RECALL LIST. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT, FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, IF IGN WANTS TO FILL ANY OF THOSE ELIMINATED ROLES AGAIN, THEY MUST REHIRE OUR LAID-OFF COLLEAGUES. WE WANT THEM TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THEIR JOBS BACK IF THEY WANT THEM, AND IF NOT, WE WANT THOSE ROLES BACKFILLED TO EASE THE BURDEN ON THE REST OF US. SO STARTING TODAY, LENCE MEMBERS ARE COMMITTING TO DO OUR JOBS. NO MORE, NO LESS. WELL SHOW UP TO WORK ON TIME AND LEAVE ON TIME. WE'RE TAKING ALL OF OUR LUNCH TIME, EVERY DAY. IF WE WORK LATE, WE WILL FIRMLY ASK FOR OUR RIGHTFULLY EARNED COMP TIME. AND IF IGN WANTS OUR LAID-OFF COWORKERS' WORK TO GET DONE, THEY'LL HAVE TO REHIRE THEM TO DO IT INSTEAD OF FOISTING IT UPON US. HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT IGNCG IN ALL THIS? SHARE THIS POST, AND TELL IGN MANAGEMENT THAT Y…
August 25, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
ignunion.bsky.social
Ziff Davis and IGN routinely decide that work done by our laid off colleagues is not important. But inevitably, that crucial work falls onto those who remain.

Not this time. Not anymore.
FROM NOW UNTIL FEBRUARY 13TH IGN CREATORS GUILD IS GOING TO... DO OUR JOB! OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, IGN MANAGEMENT HAS GOTTEN AWAY WITH LAYING OFF OUR COWORKERS OVER AND OVER. MEANWHILE, MANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES HAVE LEFT THE COMPANY IN NO SMALL PART DUE TO BUYOUTS, OVERWORK, AND FEELING UNSUPPORTED, EACH TIME, THE COMPANY HAS REFUSED TO BACKFILL MANY ESSENTIAL ROLES, CLAIMING WE'RE ON A HIRING FREEZE, IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET, OR THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO LESS WORK THIS TIME. AS A RESULT, IGNCG MEMBERS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO TAKE ON MORE OF THEIR FORMER COLLEAGUES' WORKLOADS. MANY OF US NOW WORK LONGER HOURS THAN WE USED TO. A LOT OF US RARELY TAKE LUNCH BREAKS. SOME OF US DO NOT TAKE ADEQUATE TIME OFF DUE TO THERE BEING NO ONE TO PICK UP THE SLACK. OTHERS OF US ARE STUCK DOING WORK WE WERE NEVER HIRED TO DO IN THE FIRST PLACE. UP TO THIS POINT, WE'VE ALL ACCEPTED THIS AS NORMAL, BECAUSE WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT IGN AND THE WORK WE DO. BUT WITH SO MANY OF US STRUGGLING MORE AND MORE AS EACH NEW WAVE OF OUR COWORKERS ARE DEPRIVED OF A LIVELIHOOD, THIS CYCLE CAN'T CONTINUE. MANAGEMENT IS UNWILLING TO STOP IT, SO IT FALLS TO US. WITH THE LAYOFFS OF EIGHT OF OUR COWORKERS, IGNCG HAS NEGOTIATED A SIX-MONTH RECALL LIST. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT, FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, IF IGN WANTS TO FILL ANY OF THOSE ELIMINATED ROLES AGAIN, THEY MUST REHIRE OUR LAID-OFF COLLEAGUES. WE WANT THEM TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THEIR JOBS BACK IF THEY WANT THEM, AND IF NOT, WE WANT THOSE ROLES BACKFILLED TO EASE THE BURDEN ON THE REST OF US. SO STARTING TODAY, LENCE MEMBERS ARE COMMITTING TO DO OUR JOBS. NO MORE, NO LESS. WELL SHOW UP TO WORK ON TIME AND LEAVE ON TIME. WE'RE TAKING ALL OF OUR LUNCH TIME, EVERY DAY. IF WE WORK LATE, WE WILL FIRMLY ASK FOR OUR RIGHTFULLY EARNED COMP TIME. AND IF IGN WANTS OUR LAID-OFF COWORKERS' WORK TO GET DONE, THEY'LL HAVE TO REHIRE THEM TO DO IT INSTEAD OF FOISTING IT UPON US. HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT IGNCG IN ALL THIS? SHARE THIS POST, AND TELL IGN MANAGEMENT THAT Y…
August 25, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
tomrmarks.bsky.social
Back at MagicCon Las Vegas, I had the pleasure of sitting down with @gavinverhey.bsky.social and @wotcmatt.bsky.social to chat about Unknown, the live "playtest" event that has become as popular as it is absurd.

We dug into its origins, how it has grown, and why it gets to break all the rules!
How One Magic: The Gathering Designer Broke All the Rules and Created a Sensation - IGN
Magic's most popular live event puts its players in the shoes of a playtester.
www.ign.com
August 25, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
ign.com
The new League of Legends card game, Riftbound, is releasing globally this October!

Here's a look at the full list of cards:
Riftbound: The League of Legends TCG: Origins - Full Card List
bit.ly
August 22, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
ign.com
The latest set of the Disney Lorcana card game, Fabled, is coming out soon!

Here's a look at the full list of cards:
Disney Lorcana: Fabled - Full Card List
bit.ly
August 19, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
thatwitchmia.bsky.social
Guess it’s my turn to say that I was laid off at IGN. Real crummy birthday gift, to be honest, but my union fought like hell on my behalf and people came out of the woodwork to support me. Couldn’t be more moved by my colleagues & friends, and am devastated to lose a job and community I love. (1/3)
August 12, 2025 at 10:26 PM
xpmnms.bsky.social
Final Fantasy TCG release weekend! Picked up packs and going to see what cool stuff I can pull. Wish me luck🤞🏽

www.twitch.tv/xpmnms
August 10, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
ignunion.bsky.social
Ziff Davis just reported their "strongest quarterly revenue growth since 2021," up 9.8% to $352.2M, with gaming and entertainment up 7.5% YOY.

So why were 8 of our members and 23 members of @zdcreatorsguild.bsky.social just laid off? bit.ly/3H0Osvb
SECOND QUARTER 2025 RESULTS Q2 2025 quarterly revenues increased 9.8% to $352.2 million compared to $320.8 million for Q2 2024. Income from operations increased 17.2% to $33.5 million compared to $28.6 million for Q2 2024. Net income (1) decreased to $26.3 million compared to $36.9 million for Q2 2024. Net income per diluted share (1) decreased to $0.62 in Q2 2025 compared to $0.77 for Q2 2024. Adjusted EBITDA (2) for the quarter increased 11.8% to $107.7 million compared to $96.3 million for Q2 2024. Adjusted net income (2) decreased to $51.6 million compared to $53.7 million for Q2 2024. Adjusted net income per diluted share (1)(2) (or “Adjusted diluted EPS”) for the quarter increased 5.1% to $1.24 compared to $1.18 for Q2 2024. Net cash provided by operating activities was $57.1 million in Q2 2025 compared to $50.6 million in Q2 2024. Free cash flow (2) was $26.9 million in Q2 2025 compared to $25.1 million in Q2 2024. Ziff Davis deployed approximately $11.4 million for current and prior year acquisitions during the quarter and $33.9 million related to share repurchases in Q2 2025.
August 7, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
duckvalentine.bsky.social
Shared with permission: my incredible colleague, NVC producer Red Rigos, was impacted by IGN's layoffs yesterday. We're heartbroken: Red is kind, funny, talented, and dedicated and has been a huge part of NVC's growth and success.

Please hire him: www.redrigos.com/ign
IGN | home
www.redrigos.com
August 5, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
robmanuel.bsky.social
*Record Scratch* Freeze Frame. "You're probably wondering how I got here."

I am one of the eight IGN members laid off. During my three years at IGN, I worked for some of the best creators and writers around. I will miss them all dearly.
ignunion.bsky.social IGN Union @ignunion.bsky.social · Aug 4
Today, IGN laid off eight extremely valuable members of our union and workforce via directive from our parent company, Ziff Davis. This, after two incredibly successful live events IGN Live and SDCC, and yet another corporate acquisition.

Please take a moment to read and share our full statement:
Today, IGN Entertainment announced that it would be laying off eight members of the IGN Creators Guild. This is 12% of our bargaining unit, and comes just days after our sister union, the Ziff Davis Creators Guild, underwent similar layoffs impacting 15% of their members. It also comes just months after our multibillion-dollar parent company, Ziff Davis, instituted a company-wide buyout that shrunk our unit numbers, with the express intent of avoiding future layoffs. And it comes just a little over one year after three of our members were laid off almost immediately after our union went public. The company has told us that the reason for this layoff stems from a Ziff Davis-mandate to cut costs despite several quarters in a row of year-over-year revenue increases, to which IGN Entertainment responded by coming for our members' jobs. This is perplexing to us, as we are told again and again that IGN Entertainment has had a tremendously successful year thus far thanks to their hard work. In just the last few months, our members have been absolutely essential to major events and livestreams, including San Diego ComicCon, Summer of Gaming, and IGN Live. Every single person impacted today was involved in and critical to the success of those events. Meanwhile, IGN Entertainment continues to spend money on costly acquisitions, only to turn around and gut those companies in the same way it is cutting away at IGN itself. For instance, last year, it acquired Gamer Network, and almost immediately laid off a number of staff critical to making those sites successful. The company has not responded to the union's questions about whether its budget for future acquisitions is being reconsidered as a cost-saving measure alongside these other apparently necessary personnel cuts. At a time when it is more necessary than ever to support its creators, IGN Entertainment is choosing to eliminate the individuals who ensure IGN remains competitive as generative AI threatens our reach. We have been told that expert opinion pieces, original interviews, and work that leverages our staff's deep knowledge of gaming, tech, and entertainment are all essential to combating AI summarization and regurgitation of our work. Management has responded by cutting several individuals who do that exact work, as well as others whose job it is to ensure that these written and video pieces are published in a speedy manner — another component of combating AI we're told is critical. This continued cycle of repeated, aggressive cuts to our staff and being asked to do more with less, only for management to continue to spend on new business it isn't interested in sustaining cannot continue. We will enforce our interim agreement that guarantees better severance and other protections to laid off members, as well as demand additional support for those impacted. We will continue to bargain over our first contract with the aim of enshrining even better protections against further layoffs, working conditions continuously degraded by understaffing, and the encroachment of generative AI. And we won't stop fighting to ensure IGN remains the best destination for trustworthy, original, exciting, and creative work covering video games, entertainment, and tech. While IGN Entertainment management may not value us, we value one another and the incredible work we can do together. Behind the articles, videos, social posts, playlists, and maps of IGN are human beings, not just numbers on a spreadsheet to be pushed around when some number at the top isn't big enough. Without us, there is no IGN.
August 4, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
erikadams.bsky.social
I am, unfortunately, one of these eight members.
ignunion.bsky.social IGN Union @ignunion.bsky.social · Aug 4
Today, IGN laid off eight extremely valuable members of our union and workforce via directive from our parent company, Ziff Davis. This, after two incredibly successful live events IGN Live and SDCC, and yet another corporate acquisition.

Please take a moment to read and share our full statement:
Today, IGN Entertainment announced that it would be laying off eight members of the IGN Creators Guild. This is 12% of our bargaining unit, and comes just days after our sister union, the Ziff Davis Creators Guild, underwent similar layoffs impacting 15% of their members. It also comes just months after our multibillion-dollar parent company, Ziff Davis, instituted a company-wide buyout that shrunk our unit numbers, with the express intent of avoiding future layoffs. And it comes just a little over one year after three of our members were laid off almost immediately after our union went public. The company has told us that the reason for this layoff stems from a Ziff Davis-mandate to cut costs despite several quarters in a row of year-over-year revenue increases, to which IGN Entertainment responded by coming for our members' jobs. This is perplexing to us, as we are told again and again that IGN Entertainment has had a tremendously successful year thus far thanks to their hard work. In just the last few months, our members have been absolutely essential to major events and livestreams, including San Diego ComicCon, Summer of Gaming, and IGN Live. Every single person impacted today was involved in and critical to the success of those events. Meanwhile, IGN Entertainment continues to spend money on costly acquisitions, only to turn around and gut those companies in the same way it is cutting away at IGN itself. For instance, last year, it acquired Gamer Network, and almost immediately laid off a number of staff critical to making those sites successful. The company has not responded to the union's questions about whether its budget for future acquisitions is being reconsidered as a cost-saving measure alongside these other apparently necessary personnel cuts. At a time when it is more necessary than ever to support its creators, IGN Entertainment is choosing to eliminate the individuals who ensure IGN remains competitive as generative AI threatens our reach. We have been told that expert opinion pieces, original interviews, and work that leverages our staff's deep knowledge of gaming, tech, and entertainment are all essential to combating AI summarization and regurgitation of our work. Management has responded by cutting several individuals who do that exact work, as well as others whose job it is to ensure that these written and video pieces are published in a speedy manner — another component of combating AI we're told is critical. This continued cycle of repeated, aggressive cuts to our staff and being asked to do more with less, only for management to continue to spend on new business it isn't interested in sustaining cannot continue. We will enforce our interim agreement that guarantees better severance and other protections to laid off members, as well as demand additional support for those impacted. We will continue to bargain over our first contract with the aim of enshrining even better protections against further layoffs, working conditions continuously degraded by understaffing, and the encroachment of generative AI. And we won't stop fighting to ensure IGN remains the best destination for trustworthy, original, exciting, and creative work covering video games, entertainment, and tech. While IGN Entertainment management may not value us, we value one another and the incredible work we can do together. Behind the articles, videos, social posts, playlists, and maps of IGN are human beings, not just numbers on a spreadsheet to be pushed around when some number at the top isn't big enough. Without us, there is no IGN.
August 4, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Reposted by Mike Mamon
duckvalentine.bsky.social
devastated for my colleagues today. they, and we, deserve so, so much better than this.
ignunion.bsky.social IGN Union @ignunion.bsky.social · Aug 4
Today, IGN laid off eight extremely valuable members of our union and workforce via directive from our parent company, Ziff Davis. This, after two incredibly successful live events IGN Live and SDCC, and yet another corporate acquisition.

Please take a moment to read and share our full statement:
Today, IGN Entertainment announced that it would be laying off eight members of the IGN Creators Guild. This is 12% of our bargaining unit, and comes just days after our sister union, the Ziff Davis Creators Guild, underwent similar layoffs impacting 15% of their members. It also comes just months after our multibillion-dollar parent company, Ziff Davis, instituted a company-wide buyout that shrunk our unit numbers, with the express intent of avoiding future layoffs. And it comes just a little over one year after three of our members were laid off almost immediately after our union went public. The company has told us that the reason for this layoff stems from a Ziff Davis-mandate to cut costs despite several quarters in a row of year-over-year revenue increases, to which IGN Entertainment responded by coming for our members' jobs. This is perplexing to us, as we are told again and again that IGN Entertainment has had a tremendously successful year thus far thanks to their hard work. In just the last few months, our members have been absolutely essential to major events and livestreams, including San Diego ComicCon, Summer of Gaming, and IGN Live. Every single person impacted today was involved in and critical to the success of those events. Meanwhile, IGN Entertainment continues to spend money on costly acquisitions, only to turn around and gut those companies in the same way it is cutting away at IGN itself. For instance, last year, it acquired Gamer Network, and almost immediately laid off a number of staff critical to making those sites successful. The company has not responded to the union's questions about whether its budget for future acquisitions is being reconsidered as a cost-saving measure alongside these other apparently necessary personnel cuts. At a time when it is more necessary than ever to support its creators, IGN Entertainment is choosing to eliminate the individuals who ensure IGN remains competitive as generative AI threatens our reach. We have been told that expert opinion pieces, original interviews, and work that leverages our staff's deep knowledge of gaming, tech, and entertainment are all essential to combating AI summarization and regurgitation of our work. Management has responded by cutting several individuals who do that exact work, as well as others whose job it is to ensure that these written and video pieces are published in a speedy manner — another component of combating AI we're told is critical. This continued cycle of repeated, aggressive cuts to our staff and being asked to do more with less, only for management to continue to spend on new business it isn't interested in sustaining cannot continue. We will enforce our interim agreement that guarantees better severance and other protections to laid off members, as well as demand additional support for those impacted. We will continue to bargain over our first contract with the aim of enshrining even better protections against further layoffs, working conditions continuously degraded by understaffing, and the encroachment of generative AI. And we won't stop fighting to ensure IGN remains the best destination for trustworthy, original, exciting, and creative work covering video games, entertainment, and tech. While IGN Entertainment management may not value us, we value one another and the incredible work we can do together. Behind the articles, videos, social posts, playlists, and maps of IGN are human beings, not just numbers on a spreadsheet to be pushed around when some number at the top isn't big enough. Without us, there is no IGN.
August 4, 2025 at 9:24 PM