Robert Carlson
@robertcarlson.bsky.social
Professional programmer, aspiring writer, and sometimes solo game developer. Designer of "The Amateur Deity Society": https://store.steampowered.com/app/3241070/The_Amateur_Deity_Society/
speaking of being insane, after two years of work, my friends and I just co-lauched our very first podcast- a Digimon Actual Play podcast powered by Digidice called 00 (Zero Zero)! Seriously, go check this shit out, it's real! zerozeropod.libsyn.com/site (and follow @zerozeropod.bsky.social!)
Zero Zero: A Digidice Actual Play Podcast
Zero Zero is a Digidice TTRPG Actual Play Podcast, based on the Digimon franchise.
zerozeropod.libsyn.com
It's that time of the year! Happy Odaiba Memorial Day! #Digimon #デジモン #お台場メモリアル #お台場メモリアル2026
I'm going to stop calling generative AI a solution in search of a problem because "a problem in search of increasingly bigger problems" feels more accurate. bbc.com/news/article...
Google withdraws Earth AI tool after misinformation warnings
Experts told BBC Verify Google's new feature which let people generate fake satellite images could be misused.
bbc.com
I did a new Yellow playthrough from scratch for my Mew trick article’s screenshots/additional research and I just love this game so much. Modern QoL is nice and all but genuinely, the originals are so worth playing. There’s a reason they rewrote all our brains.
ayano 🏳️🌈@mew.bluemoonfalls.com · 6d agothis is just a personal thing and isn’t that deep but i just don’t understand why so few people can engage with red and blue as normal video games. they’re good RPGs on their own merits. they’re not only worth playing for their glitch potential or as weird upscaled/“modernized” projects
"this stuff actually IS valuable. if it wasn't, people wouldn't be stealing it. rewatching hbomberguy's plagiarism video and just having to pause at the obvious but easily forgotten point that I needed to feel with my whole soul at this moment.
News from Mojo: Ron announces Thimbleweed Park 2
Ron announces Thimbleweed Park 2
Coming your way 2028.
mixnmojo.com
Indie game devs, what is something your game does that is way harder than people think? For me, it's that my card game is stack based. Most people don't realize that instant speed interaction in a card game makes everything 1000x more complicated and difficult. This is exactly why nobody copies MTG
To every indie game dev waiting to make their Steam page, just make it. You don't need to look good, you don't need a demo. My game still has no demo and temporary art in a lot of the screenshots, and I have 1429 wishlists. You could miss out on a lot by not making it ASAP.
I turn the TV off during the Super Bowl halftime show, and I'm doing the same for the World Cup. Football halftime shows are supposed to be the best way to give the school band an audience. They were never supposed to devolve into these embarrassing, over-produced ratings grabs.
CALLING ALL LOW BUDGET INDIE GAMES‼️ We're gathering games interested in participating in a "Low Budget, Big Heart" Steam Festival! 💰Self Published, Self Funded 🤏Under ~50k budget 🚫NO AI if you're interested in the festival sign up here: forms.gle/cndDrEf4rxiL... rts appreciated :)
Low Budget, Big Heart Steam Festival interest form
We're looking for interested developers of low budget games to participate in our potential steam festival! Self published/self funded games are also welcome. If your game had a development budget ov...
forms.gle
I've just set up the pre-launch page for a potential KS campaign for my little RPG. Any 'Notify me on launch' clicks are deeply appreciated. \o/ Link: www.kickstarter.com/projects/pit...
Just backed Robot Rhapsody. Already looks really promising, dev has a good track record, and the world could always use another turn-based sci-fi JRPG. :) www.kickstarter.com/projects/rap...
Robot Rhapsody
Pixel JRPG fairytale of AI cults, rebels, & robotic bards.
kickstarter.com
I am deeply sorry for any bad luck I may have inflicted on Norway's team.
Robert Carlson@robertcarlson.bsky.social · 4w agoTwo Norwegians have bought my game in the last two days, which I'm certain is a record for my game in Norway. I think this officially makes me rooting for Norway in the World Cup.
A few hours left of #SteamSummerSale, so here's one last pitch for The Amateur Deity Society: If a game with (as of yet, stay tuned) no music and barely any visuals has 20/20 positive player reviews on Steam, you know what it HAS got is pretty good! store.steampowered.com/app/3241070/...
Save 40% on The Amateur Deity Society on Steam
A point-and-click interactive fiction game. Navigate cryptic dreams, hide your insanity from your classmates, and try not to break the school computer.
store.steampowered.com
Congratulations to one of the best things about gaming today... and for the last 20 years. If you've ever uttered the words "adventure games are dead", I give you a hearty slap with a rubber ducky and direct you to immediately explore Wadjet Eye's now-pretty-substantial back catalogue of games.
Dave Gilbert@wadjeteyegames.com · 4w agoWADJET EYE IS 20 YEARS OLD!! Which means it’s time to celebrate with another group photo. It’s frankly ridiculous that the universe has allowed me to continue doing this for so long. I’m grateful for it every day. Thank you all.
WADJET EYE IS 20 YEARS OLD!! Which means it’s time to celebrate with another group photo. It’s frankly ridiculous that the universe has allowed me to continue doing this for so long. I’m grateful for it every day. Thank you all.
I see I need to make a clearer point. Framing things this way puts the blame on the consumer - the consumer that spends hundreds of millions of dollars on subs every month - as though it is their fault for freeloading. But is it the consumer's fault that the model was built the way it was? No.
Mat Piscatella@matpiscatella.bsky.social · 4w agoWhoa. I didn't know Xbox Game Pass was free. Weird. What is this. "The problem with it was that (DOOM: The Dark Ages) was played by millions of fans, but many played it for free on Game Pass."
Two Norwegians have bought my game in the last two days, which I'm certain is a record for my game in Norway. I think this officially makes me rooting for Norway in the World Cup.
ultra hot take I know but personally I think success in game dev is "making enough money to keep making games" and not "making all of the money". god I hate this dumbass fucking infinite growth bullshit so much just let people make art and let people buy that art we could all be so much happier
🎉 My adventure games are now on Summer Sale. Dive in and enjoy the discount while it’s still around. 🥳 Midnight Saturn, Neon Hearts City, Devil's Hideout, and more! Get them right here 👇 store.steampowered.com/curator/4517... #indiegame #indiedev #adventuregame #pointandclick
And here is the second batch of Indie-Penance games! kotaku.com/indie-penanc... Thank you so much for sending in games - the selection has been the best ever - and I'm so sorry to everyone I couldn't include. This is the most eclectic, original bunch of brilliant ideas. Please do repost this!
kotaku.com
First batch is up! Ten fantastic-looking new or upcoming indie games you'll very probably want to stick on your Wishlist asap: kotaku.com/indie-penanc... Please repost this to get these games as much attention as possible. Especially *you*, person with a squillion followers.
It's Indie-Penance Day! Have 10 Incredible Indie Games To Wishlist
Video games are amazing! Here's a lot of proof
kotaku.com
The upcoming discontinuation of physical PlayStation discs is disappointing, but I'd be more disappointed if new game discs hadn't already lost most of their game preservation value. I have e.g. FFXV on disc, and that disc has never contained an adequately complete and stable version of FFXV.
Hey indie peeps. I'm going to be doing Kotaku's Indie Penance Day on Friday July 3 this year. If you have an upcoming or recently released game that deserves eyes, please email me at jwalker@kotaku.com with the subject "INDIE PENANCE 2026", and include a store link and YouTube video. Rules follow.
My game isn't available on physical media and is unlikely ever to be, but it's got the next-best thing: a DRM-free release. And it's on sale for just $3! #adventuregames #interactivefiction robertcarlson.itch.io/the-amateur-...
The Amateur Deity Society by Robert Carlson
Available for Windows, Linux
robertcarlson.itch.io