Crossplay
@crossplayblog.bsky.social
A newsletter at the intersection of parenting and video games by longtime games reporter and father of two kids, Patrick Klepek. Subscribe now at https://crossplay.news
Roblox's new "Quick Words" feature is a good middle ground for families who ban chatting https://www.crossplay.news/p/what-are-roblox-quick-words
Roblox's New "Quick Words" Feature Is a Good Middle Ground for Families Who Ban Chatting
It's natural for kids to want to chat with the people they're playing with. This might be a safer path.
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A calm before the fall storm, as children head back to school. And once again, Apple Arcade has a great lineup. This is your guide to August's family friendly video games: https://www.crossplay.news/p/video-games-for-kids-and-families-august-2026
Your Guide to August’s Family Friendly Video Games
A calm before the fall storm, as children head back to school. And once again, Apple Arcade has a great lineup.
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You could just give them Roblox! Or you could, step-by-step, walk them into video gaming independence. Here is one parent's (sort of) scientific process of getting their kid into games: www.crossplay.news/p/how-to-get...
The (Sort of) Scientific Process of Getting Our Kid into Video Games
You could just give them Roblox! Or you could, step-by-step, walk them into video gaming independence.
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A nine-year-old’s first R-rated movie, aka, yes, @patrickklepek.bsky.social took his oldest daughter to see The Backrooms www.crossplay.news/p/taking-a-k...
My Nine-Year-Old’s First R-Rated Movie
Yes, I took her to see The Backrooms.
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Do you want to say goodbye to Salish Matters? Here's how to block the YouTube shows invading Netflix and other streamers www.crossplay.news/p/how-to-blo...
How to Block the YouTube Shows Invading Netflix And Other Streamers
You'll have options with Netflix and Amazon Prime, but fewer options with others.
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We have a strict "no YouTube on TV" policy that's been tested by new trends on Netflix and Disney+ www.crossplay.news/p/youtube-sh...
YouTube Has Come to Netflix And I'm Losing My Mind
We have a strict "no YouTube on TV" policy that's been tested by new trends on Netflix and Disney+.
crossplay.news
A month positively full of video games from Nintendo, Apple, and everything in-between. Here's your guide to the family friendly video games arriving in July www.crossplay.news/p/family-fri...
Your Guide to July's Family Friendly Video Games
A month positively full of video games from Nintendo, Apple, and everything in-between.
crossplay.news
Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen now include full voice acting, which means young children are no longer punished for not being able to read yet www.crossplay.news/p/bluey-vide...
Bluey's Good Video Game Is Now Even Better
Quest for the Gold Pen now include full voice acting, which means young children are no longer punished for not being able to read yet.
crossplay.news
Grounded is popular with hardcore gamers and casual gamers, partially because its developers decided to let the audience decide their own path www.crossplay.news/p/why-ground...
Why Grounded Went All-In on Letting Players Remove Friction From Their Survival Game
Grounded is popular with hardcore gamers and casual gamers, partially because its developers decided to let the audience decide their own path.
crossplay.news
A big part of Tyler's childhood, and time with his dad, was a dark little alcove in a destroyed building. This is the story of how camping in Medal of Honor became family bonding www.crossplay.news/p/my-dad-cam...
My Dad Camped in Medal of Honor
A big part of my childhood, and time with my dad, was a dark little alcove in a destroyed building.
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All told, Apple's newly announced parental control changes are a mixed bag. Some of the new changes are great, but the family friendly company could be doing more www.crossplay.news/p/new-iphone...
Apple's New Parental Control Changes Are a Mixed Bag
Some of the new changes are great, but the family friendly company could be doing more.
crossplay.news
In an era of Roblox, the little "E" or "T" simply doesn't cut it—video game ratings icons aren't enough anymore www.crossplay.news/p/video-game...
Video Game Ratings Icons Aren't Enough Anymore
In an era of Roblox, the little "E" or "T" simply doesn't cut it.
crossplay.news
The popular edutainment sports franchise is coming back, but it's trying to keep that same look, feel, and inclusive joy that made it a classic www.crossplay.news/p/the-return...
The Long Awaited Return of Backyard Baseball
The popular edutainment sports franchise is coming back, but it's trying to keep that same look, feel, and inclusive joy that made it a classic.
crossplay.news
It's rare for us to watch something collectively as a family and have everyone enjoy it. Now, we're on the hunt for a replacement www.crossplay.news/p/what-to-wa...
My Family Is So Sad That Stranger Things Is Finally Over
It's rare for us to watch something collectively as a family and have everyone enjoy it. Now, we're on the hunt for a replacement.
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The line between parental oversight and privacy is tricky in an era of tracking your children, as represented by a pulsing blue dot www.crossplay.news/p/our-child-...
Our Child Wanted More Freedom. We Decided to Buy an Apple Watch
The line between parental oversight and privacy is tricky in an era of tracking your children, as represented by a pulsing blue dot.
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Not only are we sending more time as a family together, our kids are learning valuable life lessons, too. www.crossplay.news/p/stardew-va...
Why Stardew Valley Became Our Perfect Family Game
Not only are we sending more time as a family together, our kids are learning valuable life lessons, too.
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"Nagging thoughts triggered empty productivity spirals and derailed much of the joy I once found in play. I convinced myself I didn’t deserve time to myself—that I should devote every hour to the altar of caregiver-dom." www.crossplay.news/p/how-clair-...
How Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Helped Me Become a Better Caregiver
Playing is caring, it turns out.
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I used the @crossplayblog.bsky.social review form to capture my dino-obsessed seven year old's thoughts on Primal Planet. When I asked him why he wouldn't recommend it he said "because I want it to be just our thing" and I had to explain that other people enjoying something doesn't take it from us 😅
Nintendo takes another swing with Yoshi, Batman arrives on the scene, but otherwise it's a quiet month ahead of summer. Here's what video games are coming in the next month for families www.crossplay.news/p/video-game...
Your Guide to May's Family Friendly Video Games
Nintendo takes another swing with Yoshi, Batman arrives on the scene, but otherwise it's a quiet month ahead of summer.
crossplay.news
We asked your kids to turn into video game reviewers. The results are adorable. www.crossplay.news/p/kids-revie...
Four Children With Four Video Game Reviews, From Minecraft to Teardown
I asked your kids to turn into video game reviewers. The results are adorable.
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Could you handle your kid working for you? This hypothetical became reality for the creative director of Dosa Divas, a flashy new video game about fighting and food. www.crossplay.news/p/could-you-...
Could You Handle Your Kid Working For You?
This hypothetical became reality for the creative director of a flashy new video game about fighting and food, Dosa Divas.
crossplay.news
Eu tenho muito medo de como o estado do mercado de hardware vai estar quando o Neno precisar de um upgrade. Eu passei a vida inteira com setups medianos, segurando eles até virarem low end. Só fazia upgrade quando ficasse crítico, e olhe lá. Não queria que ele tivesse que passar por isso
Crossplay@crossplayblog.bsky.social · 4mo agoWhat it means to play games with your kid when you both have potato PCs www.crossplay.news/p/buying-a-g...
What it means to play games with your kid when you both have potato PCs www.crossplay.news/p/buying-a-g...
How I Got Around Not Being Able to Afford a Good Gaming PC For My Kid
What it means to play games with your kid when you both have potato PCs.
crossplay.news
Among other changes, Roblox is now curating what games kids can play, including removing games featuring "sensitive issues." www.crossplay.news/p/what-are-r...
What Parents Need to Know About Roblox’s New “Child Accounts”
Among other changes, Roblox is now curating what games kids can play, including removing games featuring "sensitive issues."
crossplay.news
When did we turn arcades into mini versions of Las Vegas? www.crossplay.news/p/most-arcad...
Most Arcades Feel Like Total Scams These Days
When did we turn arcades into mini versions of Las Vegas?
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Sometimes, you need to recruit an eight-year-old to take down a nasty fight, you know? www.crossplay.news/p/my-kids-fi...
My Kids Fight My Bosses
Sometimes, you need to recruit an eight-year-old to take down a nasty fight, you know?
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My first Crossplay piece was published today! I don't often get to write about my kids and because @crossplayblog.bsky.social is a community at the intersection of parenting and games, it's such a lovely way to blend my personal and professional life. www.crossplay.news/p/my-kids-fi...
My Kids Fight My Bosses
Sometimes, you need to recruit an eight-year-old to take down a nasty fight, you know?
crossplay.news
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie feels like exactly the movie Nintendo wanted to make, a cinematic reflection of their approach to game design www.crossplay.news/p/the-super-...
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Is a Hollow Sugar Rush, But...
It also feels like exactly the movie Nintendo wanted to make, a cinematic reflection of their approach to game design.
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Some family thoughts on Nintendo's family friendly update to a wonderful 2D Mario game. www.crossplay.news/p/super-mari...
A Dad, a Nine-Year-Old, And a Five-Year-Old Review Super Mario Bros. Wonder for Switch 2
Some family thoughts on Nintendo's family friendly update to a wonderful 2D Mario game.
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A big question with, perhaps, some simple answers: kids like to be scared. But, of course, there's a lot more going on. www.crossplay.news/p/why-do-kid...
Why Do So Many Children Love the Delightful Horror of Poppy's Playtime?
A big question with, perhaps, some simple answers: kids like to be scared. But, of course, there's a lot more going on.
crossplay.news