Brian Barnett | Ribnax
@brianbarnett.bsky.social
He/Him Co-Founder & Editor-at-Large @skyboxcritics.com SkyboxCritics.com https://www.patreon.com/skyboxcritics Writer @ IGN, GameSpot, Kotaku, etc. Podcaster | Singer | Drummer http://linktr.ee/ribnax | Inquiries: brian@skyboxcritics.com
The vanishing art of disability reporting by @supercrip1994.bsky.social "For seven years, I’ve watched us receive nothing but likes and shares across varying social media platforms. And I’ve watched as this industry quickly moves on to the next thing that jingles its keys" Read on:
The vanishing art of disability reporting
As the games industry contracts, disability reporting is facing an extinction-level crisis.
skyboxcritics.com
Play old games: They’re good and good for you by @marcnormandin.bsky.social "There are better ideas for weathering this particular storm than taking financial advice from a company that seemingly buys studios just to close them." Read on:
Play old games: They're good and good for you
With prices skyrocketing and more and more bad news about contemporary video games every day, here's a suggestion: play old games!
skyboxcritics.com
No union employees at Blizzard were impacted by today’s bloodbath—and I sincerely doubt that was because the powers that be think that we’re all vital. Odds are, they wanted easy cuts. Status Quo makes you not easy. The best time to unionize was a year ago. The second best time to unionize is now.
We all work hard to make Skybox possible, & that includes you! Our writers focus on writing, Will & Lucas edit, I record/stream/edit almost all of our shows, Kris handles the beast that is Skydive, & Will works hard to help bridge the financial gap between what we need & what Patreon provides.
Will Borger 🔜 Gamescom@edgarallanbro.bsky.social · last mo.Hey, let's talk about money and @skyboxcritics.com again. Last month, we hit $250 a month! Yay! This month, we're below that again. I'm not shaming anyone; times are hard. But the reality is Skybox operates at a loss that I make up personally, and that's becoming more and more unsustainable. 1/X
IF BUYING ISN'T OWNING PIRACY ISN'T STEALING if piracy is the only way to preserve video games with this "inevitable", unsustainable all digital future so be it. let the companies burn themselves to the ground.
Polygon@polygon.com · 2mo agoSony's decisions surrounding digital games and media on PlayStation products leads to unintended consequences as fans seek jailbreaking options
It's once again time for INTO THE SKYBOX! In this episode @brianbarnett.bsky.social sits down with @joerichardswrites.bsky.social to talk about playing Chrono Trigger for the first time in 2026 It's never too late to play! Enjoy www.patreon.com/SkyboxCritic...
24 - It's Never Too Late To Play Chrono Trigger (with Joe Richards) | Skybox
24 - It's Never Too Late To Play Chrono Trigger (with Joe Richards) by Skybox on Patreon. Join Skybox's community for exclusive content and updates.
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The real question now is, if consoles are just going to be walled garden PCs with inferior hardware and no disc drive, why would you ever buy one? Games run worse and cost more on consoles. Backwards compatibility is iffy. No mods. You pay the manufacturer to use your own internet. So... why?
As the director of a historical video game preservation institution, and someone who has dedicated his entire adult life to this cause, this is accurate. We have attempted to work with the industry's trade organization to find a legal path forward, but they refuse to offer a meaningful alternative.
Chloe "in ✈️ at home" Adams@addamschloe.bsky.social · 2mo agopiracy is the only extant form of media preservation that exists in games right now, you might find it morally reprehensible but there is literally no other institution that will keep games alive in 25, 50 years' time
Skybox is worker-owned and reader-supported! If you like pieces like this, support us at www.patreon.com/skyboxcritics and help us elevate games media.
Get more from Skybox on Patreon
Get more from Skybox on Patreon. Join for free or become a member for just $1/month. SkyboxCritics.comSkybox was started to be a place for everything we…
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It’s Never Too Late To Play… Stardew Valley by @joerichardswrites.bsky.social "Worse than not understanding it, Stardew Valley stresses me out. It stresses me out in ways I can’t explain without oversharing." Read on:
It’s Never Too Late To Play… Stardew Valley
After avoiding it on purpose for years, Joe dives into why Stardew Valley feels like the opposite of cozy.
skyboxcritics.com
my wife went out to shop with my daughter they came home and then i, the family cook, found this in my cabinet
Worth noting that the last two studios shut down by Xbox were coming off of prestigious award wins. 2024 - Tango Gameworks shut down after winnning BAFTA for Best Animation 2026 - Compulsion shut down after winnning Peabody Award Probably the two biggest awards Xbox-owned studios have earned.
there is a special place in hell for that leadership team. they scooped up several studios wanting to tell diverse, progressive, and unique stories only to discard them regardless of how hard the devs worked, how much they succeeded. a fucking Peabody award winner, man!!
Kotaku@kotaku.com · 2mo agoXbox Is Planning To Shutter Peabody Award-Winning Compulsion Games https://kotaku.com/xbox-shuttering-south-of-midnight-peabody-award-compulsion-games-2000706065
If you serve me ads in a game I spent money on I will never buy your stuff again If you serve me ads in a game I didn't spend money on I will strongly consider never downloading your stuff again Sell me a game, then let me enjoy it
Scorsese: Marvel movies aren't cinema Also Scorsese: Plagiarized art, not even made by humans, is cinema Man, you got some dumbass takes
Rob Pilkington@robpilk.com · 3mo agoevery day, i awake to new horrors www.nytimes.com/2026/06/02/b...
A brand new episode of The Skybox Podcast is live! In it, @brianbarnett.bsky.social @hokutolucas.bsky.social and @kriscornelisse.bsky.social talk about the new Guilty Gear character; Jam. They also talk about Starfox (and Zero), pre-release bugs, & more Enjoy! open.spotify.com/episode/7w60...
28 - BEEEEEEEEEEEEES!!!
The Skybox Podcast · Episode
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What's The Red Skull's favorite Nazi soft drink? ... ... ... ... ... Arnim Cola
Part of being an AI user in creative works is convincing yourself that everyone ELSE uses it too, because otherwise you have to confront the reality that you're a faker and a fraud
Jonathan Bernstein@jonbern.bsky.social · 3mo agothis is not true, and this guy doesn't speak for me! nymag.com/intelligence...
Episode 27 of The Skybox Podcast is live! Enjoy. open.spotify.com/episode/3965...
27 - The Sun Is A Human Invention That Uses Light To Turn People Servile
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We talk Super Metroid! The weirdness of emulation, and all kinds of other stuff! I also get interrupted by my father, AGAIN! Will we ever get through one of these without me being interrupted? Tune in to find out!
Brian Barnett | Ribnax@brianbarnett.bsky.social · 3mo agoI sat down with @joerichardswrites.bsky.social to talk about Super Metroid, quite simply one of the finest video games ever made Enjoy! And back us on Patreon to get access to our biggest shows. www.patreon.com/posts/23-its...
Skybox is now $7 a month away from hitting this goal, which means a week of themed pieces from our writers and a column from me. For a nominal fee, you can read some great work and make sure I suffer more and sleep less. $1 a month helps, but $5 gets you into our Discord, and $10 gets you Skydive.
Will Borger 🔜 Gamescom@edgarallanbro.bsky.social · 5mo agoSkybox has a new goal: $250 a month in subs. We're at $185 now, thanks to a few $1 heroes who saw this thread and subscribed. Bless y'all. I believe we can do $65 more a month. If we get there, I will start a monthly column and we'll put together a week of themed pieces for y'all. Sound good?
I sat down with @joerichardswrites.bsky.social to talk about Super Metroid, quite simply one of the finest video games ever made Enjoy! And back us on Patreon to get access to our biggest shows. www.patreon.com/posts/23-its...
23 - It's Never Too Late To Play Super Metroid (with Joe Richards) | Skybox
23 - It's Never Too Late To Play Super Metroid (with Joe Richards) by Skybox on Patreon. Join Skybox's community for exclusive content and updates.
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The State of the Art: Celebrating one year of Skybox and reflecting on the business by @edgarallanbro.bsky.social Skybox launched one year ago today. Here are some words from our Editor-in-Chief about the state of the site, the space, and what's next. Thanks for the support so far, and read on:
The State of the Art: Celebrating one year of Skybox and reflecting on the business
Skybox has been around for a year! Here's a word from our EiC on how things have gone and what's next.
skyboxcritics.com
People should consider that a consensus around treating diversity as “bullshit” contributed to an environment in which the court is comfortable doing this politically. Maybe.
The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 4mo agoThere it is. Any questions?
It's finally here. Part one of our Xenogears Skydive, in which we go beat by beat (and beyond) through one of the most absurdly dense RPGs ever made, is ready for our subscribers. Check out the pre-flight check from @kriscornelisse.bsky.social to get started:
Skydive Pre-Flight Check - Xenogears
Skydive continues with part one of a massive, three part Xenogears deep dive. Here's your starting point.
skyboxcritics.com
Join us at Skybox. We are a worker-owned site, and we love our writers. ❤️
Will Borger 🔜 Gamescom@edgarallanbro.bsky.social · 4mo agoIf you had anything you were working on for Paste that needs a home, please reach out to @skyboxcritics.com It's lousy that we have to say this every couple of months, but we'll do what we can to help out as many people as we can.
(to the tune of The Piano Man) "twas an ominous feat of which I'll be discreet when I stole the other mans bones"
these sorts of moves are always STATED to be to save money but if you know what it takes to find good people who know what they're doing, train them up, & get them experience, you'll know EXACTLY why 'talent retention' is ALWAYS better for your bottom line in the long run 'shortsighted' is dead on
Matt Patches@misterpatches.bsky.social · 4mo ago"I do know that a lot of these different departments, specifically costume design, didn't like having us around." www.polygon.com/marvel-studi...
