I'm hardly an impartial observer (and am even name-checked in the article), but this article does a good job summing up the utter senselessness of the recent carnage at ZeniMax Online. Again, my heart goes out to everyone impacted, it is just so cruel and unnecessary www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/th...

The Elder Scrolls Online's developer deserved better than to get sucker-punched by Microsoft twice in two years

$2 billion over 10 years can't save you from Xbox.

pcgamer.com

I am unbelievably shattered and heartbroken with the news coming out of ZenMax Online and Xbox in general today. The team at ZOS is made up of amazing, dedicated, smart - and above all, awesome humans. To see so many of them laid off today - and last year at this time - is just awful

This was a fun interview: reminisce about the "old days" of MMOG development, talk about some lessons learned, and what's happening right now in live service game development. Thanks to the guys at 80.lv for putting this together! 80.lv/articles/mat...

40 Years of MMO Design Lessons From ESO’s Founding Director

The founder of ZeniMax Online Studios shares insights from decades of MMO development, covering ESO’s evolution, live service challenges, and what makes online worlds succeed long-term.

80.lv

I caught up with Ben Hanson from MinnMax for a chat about what I've been up to, and go over some recent and ancient history from my game dev career, including Dark Age of Camelot, Elder Scrolls Online, and the recently canceled ZOS "next" project. Thanks Ben and MinnMax! youtu.be/42I1imOrcfg?...

Westminster MD shows up again! We’ll keep doing this as long as needed. #NoKings!

This is unacceptable and must be denounced by every politician serving in office. The White House is already trying out excuses: "it's a meme!" "it's just a Lion King parody"! He knows he is failing and is becoming more and more erratic

Adam Serwer@adamserwer.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Pour one out for every professional political pundit, writer, consultant whatever that has spent the last decade trying to pretend that the Trump phenomenon was about trade or opiates and not a big chunk of white america losing its mind over having a black president bsky.app/profile/kyle...

Add this to my list of "this is unacceptable" actions by the current administration. Crude intimidation tactics made to play to the MAGA base to generate headlines to make it seem like the Admin is tough and in charge - when all they are doing is showing how weak and afraid they are

NPR@npr.org · 6mo ago

Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy awards, his attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement posted on social media. n.pr/4qIxx1Q

If this is not grounds for impeachment, what is? The President is not well, and this is unacceptable

The New York Times@nytimes.com · 7mo ago

Breaking News: President Trump told Norway’s prime minister that one reason he’s pushing to acquire Greenland is because he didn’t win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Now is one of the most important times in the history of this country to stand up for the rule of law, and to stand against blatant misuse of power. I stand with Chairman Powell.

George Conway ⚖️🇺🇸@gtconway.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Let us all stand with Chairman Powell.

Let us all stand with Chairman Powell.

This unacceptable

Happy New Year everyone. I’ve been pretty quiet the last six months, but I posted this message on LinkedIn late yesterday just to give everyone an update. I’ll put it here just to make sure it gets around

The world was a better place with Vince in it. Just devastating news. Our paths crossed a few times, mostly socially, but he was very close friends with many people I hold dear, and my thoughts are with them and his family.

#nokings Westminster Maryland says NO KINGS - even more here now than in the last video from 30 minutes ago

One again Westminster Maryland says NO KINGS! Turnout about 2X the size of the last protest - so happy to be out here representing sanity with so many others!

Very sad to hear the news that Julian LeFay has passed. As one of the original creators of The Elder Scrolls series he was the lead developer on Arena and Daggerfall. I only met him once, and that was just in passing, so I didn't know him. His creation has had a profound impact on my career and life

No Kings! So says Westminster Maryland. Great to see so many people out for the rally

"I look into my phone, where they store the horrors....." Fortunately the phone is also where they store Alexandra Petri - so glad to have her back on the job, but I wish she wasn't so on the nose about .... everything....

So, What Did I Miss?

“How much can possibly happen when I’m on parental leave?” I said five months ago.

theatlantic.com

It's Friday! That means the next in the series of Elder Scrolls Online's development history hosted by the guys at Kinda Funny. Hear about how we set up Tamriel in the early days of the project and much, much more www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRED...

The Elder Scrolls Online Podcast - A Kinda Funny Gamescast Limited Series - Episode 3

YouTube video by Bethesda Softworks

youtube.com

It's been two weeks which means Ep. 2 of Kinda Funny's deep dive into Elder Scrolls Online's development history - in this one we talk about revenue models, server stability and much more. As always thanks to @gameovergreggy.bsky.social and the gang at Kinda Funny! www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfct...

The Elder Scrolls Online Podcast - A Kinda Funny Gamescast Limited Series - Episode 2

YouTube video by Bethesda Softworks

youtube.com

I think it’s time to come to grips with the fact that we (Americans) have constructed an information firewall far more effective than the Chinese in keeping information we don’t want to see away from our screens. At least 50% of us have outsourced our firewall duties to Fox News, et al

Axios@axios.com · last yr.

America's obsession with countering mis- and disinformation has withered as society grows skeptical of institutions once trusted with facts.

If you’ve ever wondered how a giant game like Elder Scrolls Online is designed and developed, here’s the first episode in a limited podcast series from Kinda Funny all about ESO. Thanks to @gameovergreggy.bsky.social and the gang at KF for this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye5XI3YlJ4A

No more monkeying around! 🐒 Today's the day! Tune in today at 3:00 PM ET/8:00 PM BST for the #ESODirect2025 at twitch.tv/bethesda.

Apropos of nothing in particular, here is a really good succinct lesson on dictatorship/authoritarian history and characteristics. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK6f...

History Professor Answers Dictator Questions | Tech Support | WIRED

YouTube video by WIRED

youtube.com

The Video Games Industry Memo is a gem and should be subscribed to by everyone interested in game business and development. I had a great chat with George Osborn about live service games in general and Elder Scrolls Online - check it out here www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/still-aliv...

Listen to your Elder Scrolls, 13/03/2025

Matt Firor, Studio Director at ZeniMax Online Studios, provides some optimism for live service game developers

videogamesindustrymemo.com

We are in uncharted treacherous waters leading towards a world calamity. Appeasing Russia will only kick the can down the road (and condemning Ukraine to the sword as payment) - and in months or years we will be back in the same place with far higher stakes (Poland, Hungary, Finland)

I can't express just how much today's display of stupidity, cowardice and treason in the Oval Office goes against nearly everything I've believed in my entire life. I remember when America stood for something other than/in addition to making a few people rich.

Donald Trump is a disgrace to this nation, and at this point, to the world. His dogged adherence to Putin is putting all of us in danger - Europe, North America, and the world. We have small-minded arrogantly ignorant individuals in charge and we are all going to pay the price

In this, the last hour of sanity we will know for years, an interesting take on Tolkien's understanding of what a LOTR sequel meant: it rendered all the heroics of the trilogy moot. A lesson for us all today. Apologies for paywall, but it's a Post exclusive www.washingtonpost.com/books/2025/0...

Review | The lesson of J.R.R. Tolkien’s abandoned Lord of the Rings sequel

‘The New Shadow,’ which Tolkien left unfinished at his death, has a chilling warning about the dangers of historical amnesia and peacetime rot.

washingtonpost.com