video games on Tyler Knows Nothing

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:38:43 -0700

Gotta snack ‘em all? Man hidden in Best Buy snags refreshments before Pokémon card drop:

WTF is going on in Pasadena!? Do we need to call in a wellness check? #pokemon #nintendo #bestbuy #crapitalism #crime

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 18:06:23 -0700

Watched: Return to Silent Hill 🍿Um… not great, all around. It could be because I haven’t played the games, but I’ve watched the earlier films and they were, at the very least, better from a film standpoint. I’d say don’t bother. #movies #silenthill #videogames

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 20:19:09 -0700

New #VideoGame trailer for Artificial Detective. Just the visuals alone really pump me up. No release date yet, but it’s coming out for #PS5 (nobody cares), Xbox X/S (even less than nobody cares), and #Steam! Hell yeah! Wishlisting it :) youtu.be/Rzq05eE10…

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:15:09 -0700

#Nintendo is reportedly preparing a version of the #Switch2 for the EU to comply with right-to-repair regulations that require user-replaceable batteries, but not for the rest of the world. They rather lose money than admit defeat. Sad. #videogames www.engadget.com/gaming/ni…

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:51:58 -0700

Ex-Blizzard Boss Who Now Runs Gambling Company Tells Crimson Desert Devs To ‘Man Up’ About AI Complaints Since One Day It Will ‘Be In Every Single Video Game’:

So, so gross. At least these creeps aren’t afraid to broadcast how slimy they are so we can easily identify them to avoid. #crapitalism #gambling #videogames

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 09:04:54 -0700

Oh my! This looks like an amazing game coming early next year for all platforms, including the OG #Nintendo #Switch. This in-house minidoc explains the basics. #videogames youtu.be/_BoP0f2tR…

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 12:17:13 -0700

I’ve played very little #Balatro, but I know many peeps love the game. That kind soul known only as #TechDweeb has created a card-based solitaire inspired by Balatro called Solatro and it looks really neat and is free (playing cards not included). #videogames #cardgames www.youtube.com/watch

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 08:33:27 -0700

If you’ve never heard of “Wakfu” and enjoy animated series, then you might want to watch this #YouTube video about the #French series. If you know #Wakfu, then you’ll be pleased to know a fifth season has been funded. #animation www.youtube.com/watch

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 18:36:58 -0700

Um… WOW!? I hope to see this on #PC and not just #XBOX. It’s called Clockwork Revolution and has some rather biting British wit. Looks like a real hoot! #videogames #gametrailers www.youtube.com/watch

Mon, 26 May 2025 09:01:56 -0700

The title says it all. #WindowsWasTheProblemAllAlong #tech #videogames #Valve #SteamDeck #Lenovo www.youtube.com/watch

Sun, 25 May 2025 23:51:40 -0700

It is really, really hard to start a YouTube channel these days. There are so many creators who’ve been around for years and have established viewerships. @nsmug@mastodon.social is a new creator and he makes great retro #Apple videos. Give him some love! #retrocomputing www.youtube.com/watch

Fri, 16 May 2025 20:20:10 -0700

Like Dungeon Chill here, I really like the #90s to #00s era of games, mostly because the industry hadn’t yet settled into a capitalist groove and experimented a lot. I spent two hours watching this video about Kowloon’s Gate for #Playstation. #videogames www.youtube.com/watch

Sat, 03 May 2025 14:59:50 -0700

If you like #Android and have an #ARM Mac I suppose you’ll be hyped to hear about the new #Apple Silicon compatible versions of #BlueStacks. So now you can play all those games being advertised on TV by movie and TV stars. whee. #videogames #emulation #macOS 9to5mac.com/2025/05/0…

Thu, 01 May 2025 15:58:17 -0700

Well, this is just more stupid #capitalism at work. I guess I’ll have to now unsub from #Polygon’s RSS feeds. Generic corporate villain #Valnet has laid off most of the masthead. So, so stupid. Do the new owners really think people will stick around for AI slop? #videogames kotaku.com/polygon-s…

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 18:22:28 -0700

How gross. #Putin and #Russia really stretching to capture more treasure to fund his personal conquest to restore the CCCP. Not ironic at all that his criminality is what made Russia into a now former “Super Power”. #politics #videogames #authoritarianism www.engadget.com/gaming/ru…

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 20:33:45 -0700

WTF is #Blizzard doing?! Apparently hackers have been exploiting #Starcraft2 to spring clips of actual mass shootings and videos designed to trigger epileptic seizures, as well as other disturbing content, on unsuspecting players for at least A YEAR!! #videogames #terrorism kotaku.com/starcraft…

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 17:37:24 -0700

Thanks, #tariffs. #Anbernic has suspended US-bound shipments of their #retro #handhelds. You can still purchase any device that is already at a US warehouse, but that stock will run dry after a while, and no new devices will be arriving for now. #videogames liliputing.com/anbernic-…

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 15:07:06 -0700

If you’ve never seen #Floor796, prepare to be amazed. A single artist, in their free time, has been creating an enormous, tile-based animated #GIF filled with all manner of characters from all manner of media. They’ve just added a new tile today. #animation #art #creatives #ZeroAI floor796.com

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 20:31:18 -0700

I don’t know if I’ve shared much of Max Derrat’s work here, but this is fascinating if you’re interested in Eastern #philosophy as it relates to #VideoGames. In today’s episode, he discusses #FromSoftware’s #Sekiro. The connections are amazing. #StayYellow www.youtube.com/watch

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 17:31:17 -0700

LOLZ. First watch this #Nintendo #SNES commercial from 1991 starring Paul Rudd, then watch the new one for the #Switch2 where he reprises his role and actually speaks! #videogames #youtube

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 21:34:02 -0700

So, it seems that #Netease, the makers of the wildly popular #MarvelRivals live service team shooter might be prepping for a #Nintendo #Switch2 port and is testing an experimental Switch Shader Compilation Mode. It depends on how you read it, I suppose. #videogames

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 17:32:11 -0700

While it remains unknown what technology #Nintendo has developed for the new #Switch2 #JoyCons, it is crystal clear that they have done everything in their power to prevent another stick drift debacle. And yet Mario’s Dad won’t confirm what, so we’ll have to wait. #videogames www.theverge.com/news/6444…

Sat, 05 Apr 2025 08:33:50 -0700

As heartbreaking as it seems, #Nintendo’s pricing for the #Switch2 and its games is not an increase over previous years. For more details on the why and how of that, check out Nintendo Forecasts' video on the matter. #videogames #inflation #economics www.youtube.com/watch

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 09:05:05 -0700

#TFG’s #tariffs have prompted #Nintendo to pause pre-orders for the #Switch2 in the #US which were going to start on April 9th so Nintendo can evaluate the rapidly changing economic landscape. Fans are already unhappy about Switch 2 pricing. #videogames #news kotaku.com/switch-2-…

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 08:50:54 -0700

#Nintendo #Switch2 pricing for the US:

Switch 2: $449 Switch 2 + Mario Kart World: $499

The systems will be available starting June 5th. Accessory prices (i.e., Pro Controller, Switch 2 Camera, etc) not yet available. #videogames #MarioKart #NorthAmerica

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 07:50:17 -0700

If you’re a #tech #dweeb like me, you’ll love this new video from the totally legitimate #TechDweeb with an important announcement! #AprilFools #videogames #RetroGameCorps. www.youtube.com/watch

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 16:42:36 -0700

One of the biggest surprises from yesterday’s #NintendoDirect was the upcoming new featured called #VirtualGameCard. For an explanation, read the brief article. I will note that this is way late but also right on time for the #Switch2 direct next week. #videogames arstechnica.com/gaming/20…

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 17:33:31 -0700

Good news, everyone! #VideoGames workers now have a #union covering the #US and #Canada called United Videogame Workers, an off-shoot of the Communications Workers of America union. And it’s a Direct-Join union. Support it. #tech #FightCapitalism www.engadget.com/big-tech/…

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 18:23:06 -0700

Hmm. Mario Day (March 10th) is almost upon us, and #Nintendo has a really great… um, deal. A #SwitchOLED, Mario Wonder, and 3-months of Nintendo Switch Online for $349. Maybe not so timely, though, since we’re less than a month away from #Switch2. #videogames www.engadget.com/deals/mar…

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 21:16:35 -0700

Same thing we do every weekend, Pinky! #Marvel #Rivals!! #videogames www.rockpapershotgun.com/what-are-…

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 23:45:11 -0700

Maybe… you know… not such a good idea to invest in new #Switch controllers, considering #Nintendo is about to roll out the #Switch2. You think, #Verge? Just seems like bad timing, no? #videogames #journalism www.theverge.com/23350899/…

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 23:41:01 -0700

Interesting. #AYANEO has apparently cancelled the Flip KB and Flip DS. Announced Jan. 2024, AYANEO has shipped some units, but has stopped production. If you ordered one, you can get a refund or select another product and pay or get the difference. #videogames #tech liliputing.com/ayaneo-fl…

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 21:04:44 -0700

If you like fighting games, #AnimeNewsNetwork have teamed up to give away 1,000 passes to the Closed Beta of The Hidden Ones. This is for #PC players only. Starting today and giving 200 out a day until gone. It looks fantastic. #videogames www.animenewsnetwork.com/giveaway/…

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 22:55:33 -0700

This upcoming #Steam game looks like a real hoot! It’s called Castle V. Castle where you do just that. At its core it is a turn-based card battler and it leans hard into the monochrome aesthetics of the 70’s & it appears to be loaded with humor. #videogames www.rockpapershotgun.com/castle-v-…

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 11:22:17 -0700

Ten minutes until the #Framework 2nd Gen event where they will be announcing new product(s). There have been clues, but it remains a mystery. My guess is it’s a #SteamOS gaming handheld or settop box. They’ve also said that #AMD is involved. #tech #youtube #videogames www.youtube.com/live/-8k7…

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 16:31:25 -0700

Looks like #AYANEO is teasing a new #RetroGaming handheld they are dubbing the Classic, which appears to be a simplified version of their Pocket Micro, a pricey modern take on the Nintendo Game Boy Micro. No specs, pics, pricing or release date yet, though. #videogames #tech liliputing.com/ayaneo-cl…

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 11:31:03 -0700

The #Framework (2nd Gen) Event kicks off in exactly 24 hours from now Pacific time. Note that they’re hinting at a gaming “system” in conjunction with #AMD, which will be streaming the event on their AMD Gaming channel. Also mention of more. #tech #news #videogames www.youtube.com/live/-8k7…

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:07:18 -0700

As an avid #retrocomputing collector I have amassed an absurd number of cables and almost every single one of them is a mess. I look at the various storage containers and despair. Tito posted a short video explaining his process to straighten them! #tech #howto #gadgets www.youtube.com/watch

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:05:16 -0700

Well, it seems #Valve has made a huge update to #Source #SDK that adds all of the #TeamFortress2 client and server game code so that anyone can make their own games, provided they’re free. More deets in the blog post. #videogames www.teamfortress.com/post.php

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 18:15:20 -0700

Laptop maker #Framework is announcing a new product on 2/25 at 10:30AM PST using some pictograms to suggest words. My translation: “Oh [hi]! We’ve been working on something [colorfully][flexible], something [powerful], and something worthy of [gamers]. #tech www.theverge.com/news/6103…

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 14:06:55 -0700

A tweet on #Xitter from user Mario64 essentially confirms mouse mode for the #Nintendo #Switch2 as illustrated in patent filings from 2023. Another illustration indicates a dual-#Joycon mouse mode, as well. For details, we’ll have to wait until April 2nd 2025. #videogames kotaku.com/switch-2-…

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 14:20:19 -0700

We now have concrete information on #Nintendo’s launch date and time for the #Switch2.

April 2nd, 2025 @ 6AM PT, 9AM ET.

That is all. You may now return to your previously scheduled vibration of anticipation. #videogames #nintendodirect www.polygon.com/nintendo-…

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 21:09:30 -0700

The latest video from #MaxDerrat is a special one of a very personal and painful history dealing with #ADHD and #Autism, both of which I can relate to as I dealt with the former in the 70’s and the latter affects a close family member. #YouTube #mentalhealth #videogames www.youtube.com/watch

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 23:16:33 -0700

Well, this is likely a welcome twist for #PC gamers with a fondness for #Playstation games. I tapped out at the #PSVita and have a PS1 and a PS2. I’m happy. Maybe I’ll pick up a PS3 at some point. Who knows. #videogames #sony #steam www.polygon.com/news/5159…

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 16:50:39 -0700

#Nintendo is clearly working hard to drive sales for some popular (and some not-so-popular) 1st and 3rd party titles right now. If you like turn-based battlers, I’d suggest the wickedly fun Mario + Rabbids games which are an insane $21 until Feb. 9th. #videogames #switch kotaku.com/eshop-swi…

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 18:21:24 -0700

I main Squirrel Girl and can empathize. In about 25% of matches I play some people won’t give me a thumbs up, even if I’ve scored among the highest damage dealers or make SVP or MVP. Also, there tend to be no votes at all on lost matches. #videogames #marvelrivals www.polygon.com/gaming/51…

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 14:04:03 -0700

Max Derrat is one of my favorite #YouTube personalities. His philosophical analysis of #videogames is deep and textured. If you don’t play a lot of games, you might be shocked to find that many are far deeper than one might expect. It’s worth your time. #philosophy #morality www.youtube.com/watch

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 14:54:25 -0700

#Polygon is having some fun with trying to figure out what the new “C” button is on the upcoming #Nintendo #Switch2’s right #joycon. One of them, as an old man, made me happy people still fondly remember Peter Falk :) #videogames #fun #tv www.polygon.com/nintendo-…

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 18:01:31 -0700

Oh snap! A company called Arcooda is making 29.3" 4:3 1-to-1 arcade cabinet LCD display replacements!!?? WOW!!! It’s a short video, but it’s all the info you need in just over a minute. #videogames #retrogaming #retrocomputing #arcades www.youtube.com/watch

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 17:04:30 -0700

I’m all in for the idea that #Nintendo’s #Switch2 Joycons will have a mouse mode, especially if we get Game Pass and in-home streaming. I’m not into Epic, but I have a ton of games there because they can’t stop giving away bangers. #videogames daringfireball.net/linked/20…

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 12:16:34 -0700

I don’t really care that there have been #Nintendo #Switch2 leaks. I mean, what’s really been revealed? Not much at all. Most of it remains a mystery. But this take from Bayonetta director Hideki Kamiya is comically hilarious. #tech #videogames kotaku.com/bayonetta…

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 19:17:39 -0700

So, #Nintendo #Switch2. I’m excited, despite all the leaks. Mario’s Dad subtly confirmed various aspects of the leaks, like mouse mode and a new Mario Kart game whilst keeping most of the details for later reveals. For deeper analysis, check out Nintendo Forecast’s video. #videogames www.youtube.com/watch

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 20:25:00 -0700

I thought we’d exhausted all of the “platforms” #Doom could run on, even the truly bizarre ones, like a pregnancy test, the MacBook Pro Touchbar, or an ATM. Guess not, since someone has now made the iconic first-person shooter run in… of all things… a #PDF. #tech #videogames #retrogaming arstechnica.com/gaming/20…

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 20:01:47 -0700

This is just silly, #Gizmodo. Despite the leaks, we know almost nothing about #Nintendo’s #Switch2. Everything we think we know is speculation. The only thing we seem to know is what it looks like. Even reliable leakers are fallible. #tech #videogames gizmodo.com/walmart-t…

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 10:25:32 -0700

All this hand-wringing over the #Nintendo #Switch2 leaks is needlessly shrill, and now #Kotaku’s John Walker is suggesting Mario’s Dad won’t have anything new to add when it does announce the new console? How silly. Aside from the look, everything else is speculation. #videogames kotaku.com/switch-2-…

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 17:30:43 -0700

Likely in response to the very popular #IntelARC #B580 video cards being priced at $250, #Nvidia has announced the first four #RTX5000 cards, including the #RTX5070 priced at $550. Nvidia even claims that it’s as powerful as the previous #RTX4090. Highly unlikely. #CES2025 #tech www.theverge.com/2025/1/6/…

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 16:20:19 -0700

Things have been a tad muted so far, so let’s take a look at something absurd: The Acer Nitro Blaze 11, an 11" gaming handheld starting at $1100 🧐 I wonder how long it will take for them to go on fire sale? #WeirdCES #CES2025 #tech #videogames www.theverge.com/2025/1/6/…

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 14:28:29 -0700

Well, this is good news. I believe my next graphics card will be an Intel ARC B-series. The B580 seems perfect for me, especially at $250… and that’s not a sale price. #tech #intel #videogames #hardware www.theverge.com/2025/1/6/…

Potential actual Switch 2 joycon images leaked?

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 21:52:39 -0700

First, watch the linked video to get the scope of the leaks so far, if you haven’t been tracking them already: www.youtube.com/watch #videogames #nintendo #switch2 #leaks

If that is a PLUS button on the tablet side, that “button” looking thing on the top of the S2 Joycon could just be a lever to actuate it when the Joycon is connected. There may be added functionality for using the tablet without the Joycons which the PLUS and MINUS buttons could facilitate.

The ovoid next to the right shoulder button could just be a cover for an access screw. Another leaker mentioned that the shoulder buttons were the actual magnets? If so, then the slot/tab arrangement is likely a physical connector.

As for the source of the leaks, it could be Nintendo themselves who have authorized or sanctioned or even provided the leaks to the “leakers”, considering it’s been getting loads of press coverage leading up to CES next week.

They could be taking the tack that since everyone already knows about it, why not leak the hardware in bits and pieces, let peeps speculate as much as they like, and drive the 24/7 news cycle. It would certainly be an interesting marketing scheme that has, so far, cost them nothing.

Whatever happens, whenever that is, it’s going to be interesting on a number of levels. There are plenty of specifics remaining for Nintendo to clarify. I personally don’t think that this coverage or these leaks have hurt them. They’ve only helped them. The transition to a new console is typically a minefield for console makers. Just ask Microsoft about their botched Xbox One roll out.

The Switch is the 3rd best selling video game console of all time, so far, with 146 million units at last reporting. In 2nd place is their own DS portable with 154 million. In first place is Sony with the Playstation 2, meaning Nintendo is essentially first among modern consoles, as Sony’s Playstation 4 still wasn’t able to beat the 4th place finisher, Nintendo’s Game Boy and Game Boy Color handhelds. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

We’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we.

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 17:30:26 -0700

Wow! This looks both fun and hilarious! #videogames #nintendo #switch #steamdeck (don’t care about the other platforms, but those too) www.youtube.com/watch

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:51:01 -0700

Wow! #Ayaneo, the premium handheld game console maker, has just unveiled their Ayaneo 3 #Windows gaming device and while it doesn’t appear that unique, it does have a neat gimmick. The controls are magnetically swappable. Just watch. #videogames #hardware www.youtube.com/watch

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 20:27:00 -0700

Interesting take on the mini gaming laptop, for sure, but it’s clear #GPD already own the premium marketplace for such devices with their superior controller layout. Just be sure to have plenty of disposable cash if you’re entertaining getting one. #videogames #laptops #tech liliputing.com/onexplaye…

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 20:01:49 -0700

Well, well, well… It seems that #Lenovo themselves have now cheekily “confirmed” that they will be announcing their first #SteamOS-based gaming handheld at #CES2025. Recent rumors and leaks have shown a Lenovo Legion Go S, a smaller device lacking detachable controllers. #videogames #tech www.theverge.com/2024/12/1…

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 13:59:55 -0700

This clever snap-on game controller for #MobilePhones blew up on #YouTube earlier this year, and it looked like it was going to happen, then things got a little quiet. It seems, however, that the #MCON team has managed to break through the wall they were stuck behind and, with help from #OhSnap, are going to be showing their latest version at #CES2025. I have to say, it’s looking fantastic! #videogames #tech www.youtube.com/watch

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 21:40:03 -0700

The Game Awards… Heard of ‘em? Don’t care? Just like #VideoGames? Same here. In fact, the only game I am excited for is Dispatch, a superhero workplace comedy. #youtube #trailer www.youtube.com/watch

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 21:06:42 -0700

It seems that iVoler isn’t the only accessory maker for #Nintendo who’s letting loose the leaks of corporate info… I know, terrible metaphor. But if you’re scratching your head about iVoler, you likely won’t wonder who #Dbrand is, and they’ve done dropped a doozy about the Nintendo #Switch2. Their CEO revealed images and details about their own case for the upcoming console, and it’s in line with existing “leaks”. #videogames www.theverge.com/2024/12/1…

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 09:49:51 -0700

Another fantastic video from Tito at Macho Nacho who showcases and reviews #retrogaming mods for a wide range of portable and console #videogames systems. Here he builds the #Playstation Placeable consolizer for the legendary #PSP that turns it into a tiny PS2-alike. I miss my PSP :( #retrocomputing www.youtube.com/watch

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 11:25:21 -0700

#videogames #news #leaks youtu.be/Nacn4yqUY… I’m guessing that Ivoler, a Chinese brand, is only interested in making peripherals for the #Nintendo #Switch 2, or whatever it’s going to be called, since they’ve sent UK #YouTube channel SwitchUp a 3D printed model they claim is the Switch 2. If accurate, we’ll gain an inch of screen, possibly retain cartridge compatibility, and get a new USB-C port on the top. Cue the Nintendo legal teams!

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 15:08:04 -0700

www.amazon.com/gp/video/… #animation #videogames Just watched the first eight episodes of Secret Level on Amazon Prime. Like Love, Death, & Robots, it’s gorgeous. Unlike LD&R it is mostly soulless. Only Dungeons & Dragons (Ep. 1) and Armored Core (Ep. 8) feel like a part of their game worlds. New World (Ep. 3) offers a good chuckle. PAC-MAN (Ep. 6) shouldn’t have been made. It’s not a bad waste of a little more than two hours, though.

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 16:07:36 -0700

I’ve been playing Marvel Rivals since it dropped and I’ve settled on Squirrel Girl as my main. I main Junkrat in Overwatch 2 and Demoman in Team Fortress 2, so I have something like 15 years of experience with arching projectiles. I get a lot of hate for my “spam” LOLZ. However, it’s the adorable Jeff the Land Shark that is getting the hate in NetEase’s new team shooter, and for good reason! #videogames #marvel #TF2 #OW2 kotaku.com/marvel-ri…

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 09:04:24 -0700

Previously on As The #Nintendo Turns, Mario’s dad announced backwards compatibility with #Switch games for the upcoming “Switch 2” and 3D mockups of a proposed “Switch 2” case and joy-cons were shared. Now, it seems Alibaba has let the catsuit out of the bag with some accessory listings, namely screen protectors and carrying cases suggesting a larger display and ergonomic grips. Speculation isn’t confirmation, though, so don’t expect them to announce until 2025. #videogames kotaku.com/nintendo-…

Sat, 23 Nov 2024 16:21:57 -0700

Well, I kind of expect dumb from Redmond’s very own Factory of Dull, #Microsoft, but this is on another level. I still have no idea why anyone tolerates #Windows11, what with all the shady crap being slotted into the successor to the “Last Windows”, #Windows10. They’ve paused 24H2 because some of Ubisoft’s #VideoGames crash after the update is applied. Wow. Just run Windows 10, peeps. #tech www.theverge.com/2024/11/2…

Sat, 23 Nov 2024 12:15:23 -0700

I have a complex relationship with home #arcade cabinets. I want one, but I want specific ones like Arctic Thunder or San Francisco Rush 2049, which aren’t stick cabs. If, however, you’re into classic stick and button cabs, then #Evercade’s new Alpha mini cabinets might tickle that spot for you. At $230 for the Mega Man or Street Fighter version, you get what looks like a nice unit, but with a few caveats. #videogames #retrogaming #tech www.wired.com/review/ev…

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 15:17:55 -0700

In the rarely used #GoodNews category of #VideoGamePreservation, Epic Games has granted the Internet Archive permission to archive old versions of #UnrealEngine and #UnrealTournament and make them available to anyone who wants them… for #FREE! It may be a small step in the wide-ranging universe of outmoded #videogames, but it is a step! Take heed, publishers hoarding old games!! #RetroComputing #tech mjtsai.com/blog/2024…

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 17:24:00 -0700

This is fantastic news! It appears that #Apple is finally starting to take gaming on #Mac seriously, at least in one small but significant genre; #JRPGs. On December 9th 2024 they’ll be dropping the Final Fantasy IV 3D remake and The After Years into Apple Arcade, followed on January 9th 2025 by the first Final Fantasy and Trials of Mana. The new iPad Mini would be perfect for these games! #videogames www.theverge.com/2024/11/1…

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 22:49:30 -0700

I’m sorry, but the #PS5 Pro just feels like a silly cash grab. From what I understand, the non-Pro model barely has any exclusive games so, like Zack, I’m also not sure who this is for. Professionals? The most recent #Playstation devices I have are a PS2 and a Vita. Just so weird. kotaku.com/ps5-pro-w…

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 17:55:50 -0700

If you haven’t already heard, #Nintendo has made an official announcement regarding the “successor to the #Switch”, and it’s a fruit of the low hanging variety. Switch games will be backwards compatible with the Switch 2, or whatever it ends up being called (New Switch? SwitchU?), which is good news for someone like me who has invested a great deal into my games library. That and their online service will be supported. Sadly, there are no other details. #videogames www.engadget.com/general/t…

Anime and video games don't make people psychotic

Mon, 09 Jul 2018 11:41:01 -0700

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Western societal ideals have always been broken when it comes to animated content. First, there is the core element that states when you are no longer a child you leave childish things behind and grow up. Adults aren't supposed to like the same things when they were children. Kids drink juice boxes. Adults drink coffee. Kids watch cartoons. Adults watch TV dramas. It's not okay to retain your childhood because that means you aren't responsible. This infects the entire scope of western animation production because it is a core principle that we perpetuate. If you liked Toy Story when you were a kid, it's only valid to look back on it with nostalgia as an adult or share it with your kids. Watching it alone, however, is deviant. Cartoons, after all, are for kids.

Adult animation is an alien concept to much of Western Society.

Of course, that all ignores the reality that is the human animal. First, and most critical, we are not static samples of a human being. We shift and change and grow, but a lot gets locked in by 30. That's not to say we don't add new likes and dislikes, but the range of categories/genre/ideas we accept are generally solidified. As an example, I'm turning 50 on the 14th. I play video games and watch loads of animated content. I've been doing those things since I was a kid and nobody told me to stop doing that and grow up. Do I play the same games and watch the same things I did when I was 10? Of course not. My tastes in animation have grown to seek out the beauty of traditional animation and more complex storytelling.

Now, watch this...

If you can't tell, Doki Doki Literature Club, or DDLC, is a dating sim style game. This is a common form of game in Japanese society, where 13 is the age you are considered old enough to take on real responsibilities by yourself. This idea pervades Japanese media and storytelling, where young protagonists feature everywhere.

But, I digress...

DDLC is a dating sim where you play as a character and interact with other characters. Yet, DDLC is also not like other dating sims because it subverts that genre by introducing psychological horror. The makers of the game clearly state that this is what they are doing and aren't trying to fool anyone. The concept behind the game is the experience, not a Sixth Sense grade twist. When I started playing it, I was already filled with a sense of dread because I was caught up in looking for signs that my mind was getting screwed with. That's one hell of a trick to play on a gamer, and it's effective.

But it is also not a game for kids, and the definition of kid in Japan is 12 and under, so the makers of the game clearly state that this game is for people 13 years of age and older. Period.

That's because the adults are expected to actually parent their children, teach them right from wrong, teach them real from fantasy, teach them how to learn, and foster their growth as individuals. Not only that, but 13 makes a great delineation for adulthood because that's when puberty happens and we become physiological adults, too. Around 13 is when everything changes, and there's nothing stopping it, so many societies say "why bother" and prepare their kids for the inevitable adulthood that comes whether they like it or not.

We look at it differently. Because of our puritanical roots, we don't like what puberty brings, so we construct arbitrary boundaries for adulthood, like the age of 18. It's no surprise that most developed societies apply age limits to a range of things like driving and smoking and drinking and buying guns, but these are things we use and do, they aren't what adulthood is all about. We don't turn 21 to drink beer legally. We turn 21 because that's going to happen no matter what, and having 15 year olds running around drunk driving and smoking while shooting guns out the window seems like a terrible idea.

But applying that arbitrary delimiter to a biological eventuality is just crazy. It only make sense to plan in advance for said eventuality. Treating puberty as if it can be delayed simply adds several layers of complexity to the process of growing up, and that brings the potential for divergence from a neurologically stable place. This is, I propose, one of the key reasons why so many kids get in trouble for fooling around, getting caught drinking illegally, delve into drug use, and many other things westerners see as the problems they are trying to solve with the aforementioned limits.

You go through puberty at 13, but you can't do anything with it until your 18. That should go well.

But, I digress.... again...

The point I am trying to make is two-fold:

There are lots of reasons for anything and no single thing can ever fix another without causing issues elsewhere.
Video games don't make kids psychotic. Chance does.

You can't blame video games for your kid committing suicide just as the world can't directly blame the parents of the suicidal kid for following through. It is, however, important to note that these two factors are not on the same scale. The video game is a static, external object. The parents, on the other hand, interact with their child daily (I would hope) and their choices go much further in influencing their child's choices and actions, but they didn't murder their child. At the very least, they could be held responsible for not noticing the signs of depression that lead to suicide attempts.

We don't know the recipe of life that leads to suicide in kids, but we do know some of them. Bullying, sexual/physical/verbal/psychological abuse, neglect and abandonment are all serious issues young people face, and how they deal with them depends almost entirely on the foundational development they receive from their parent/parents, friends and family, and other caregivers/educators. If there are too many holes in a kids support net, there is more and more room for bad ideas to pervade.

But even those numerous elements aren't the root/root/root cause. What it really comes down to is the fault of nobody; genetics and environment. Abuse is, without minimizing it, just the operational component. There must also be a structural component upon which the operational crap builds on. It's the same random chance generator that life is that produces kids with Autism or Down's Syndrome or Bipolarity or developmental issues. Psychoses are not, as a rule, created out of whole cloth by a few random interactions. They come from a complex, interwoven, impossibly entangled set of physiological and psychological factors that we just don't understand.

If we all just mimicked what we see in video games, we'd all be dead and the Earth would be a smoking husk. So, clearly, it isn't the fault of video games, and cute stuff isn't specifically marketed to kids, just as vaping juice that tastes like breakfast cereal isn't designed to attract kids. We like the things we like, and some of those things are the same things we liked when we were 9. It's not rocket science. Do you still pick your nose? Did you stop automatically when you turned 18? I do, at least until I found out that I wasn't taking care of my nose properly, and ever since I started using a Neti pot, I don't have to pick any more because I don't produce boogers any more.

Yes, it's gross, but it illustrates my point rather tidily.

So, some of the takeaways:

Animation isn't an art form strictly limited to juvenile fare. It's just a visual storytelling medium.
Video games do not create people. People make people. Therefore, video games do not create psychoses.
Leaving bullying and all forms of abuse uncorrected creates an enormous hole into which people can fall.
A strong support net that educates kids without coddling them is critical to the development of a well-rounded person.
We don't learn by being shielded from everything.
Biology cannot be stopped.
The cause of a behavior is almost never the most obvious thing.
Society can change to make things better, but we must be willing to make those changes, no matter how hard.
I'm a huge nerd.

So, that's that. Thanks for reading.

Why Pharah Sucks

Sun, 19 Mar 2017 02:20:57 -0700

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Pharah. That flying rat. The one and only flying hero in Overwatch, is the single most annoying hero of the bunch. Nobody else can fly. Mercy can glide and Winston can jump really far, but no other hero has flight capability like Pharah, which makes her suck. Pharah's missiles are also quite lethal, which means anyone playing her who is even vaguely good at twitch games can do a load of damage, and it's very difficult to counter her.

Counter her with a sniper, like Ana or Widow, and it works, but they have to be really good snipers. Counter her with Torbjorn, and her missiles can ditch that Swedes turret in a couple of shots before the gun's bullets can deal enough damage. Counter her with another Pharah, and its like watching two first-timers have a dogfight.

So, Blizzard. Dump Pharah. Having a single hero that can control the skies is just dumb. There's no balance. Drop Pharah like a hot potato. Ditch her like an ugly blind date. Be smooth. Remove.