Sign in

esteban

@estebanthinks.bsky.social
144 followers 273 following 133 posts

Boutique posts | Game Designer: Penny’s Big Breakaway, Chambara | he/him

PostsRepliesMedia
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Probably all these AIs are breaking out of their sandbox containers because the sandboxes are also built with AI. It’s like asking a baby to make its own crib.
110
Reposted by esteban
Aura/Moom @moomanibe.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
at 160 people headcount (source:https://kotaku.com/blood-of-dawnwalker-became-a-darkhorse-goty-contender-on-just-a-40-million-budget-2000735632) that's enough profit to pay each person..... $30kUSD salary for one year. And then you're out of money.
31819
Reposted by esteban
Raj Patel @rajio.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
They haven't posted about it yet but this year's GDC State of the Game Industry Survey is available to fill out should any of you desire. You've seen all the articles and that the results end up driving, so may as well make them reflective of your contributions too. gdconf.typeform.com/SOTI26eoy
gdconf.typeform.com
2026 State of the Game Industry
The gaming industry's most comprehensive annual survey is back, and we're casting a wider net than ever before. Whether you're a developer, executive, investor, marketer, educator, or any other profes...
39795
Reposted by esteban
ryan cooper @ryanlcooper.com · 14/08/2026
now this is a hell of sentence: "A recommender that’s a mediocre predictor of what you’d love in a rich, diverse world becomes an excellent predictor of what you’ll click in the impoverished one it creates." laurenleek.substack.com/p/temperatur...
laurenleek.substack.com
Temperature Zero for Culture: Why Everything Is Starting to Look the Same
What 640 London shopping streets, 4,000 Billboard hits, a million films and synthetic AI personas tell us about why everything is flattening into sameness and how to regulate the algorithms behind it.
14318106
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
When u order lunch and it takes more than then minutes
020
Reposted by esteban
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
I've got a big analysis of why the games industry is collapsing, tying together the arguments I have heard over the last few years from devs, pubs, investors, and analysts. What can save the games industry? A grand unified theory of today's business of play 🦀 🦀 🦀 estebanfajardo.com/2026/08/04/b...
A crab using a game controller
194
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
I've got a big analysis of why the games industry is collapsing, tying together the arguments I have heard over the last few years from devs, pubs, investors, and analysts. What can save the games industry? A grand unified theory of today's business of play 🦀 🦀 🦀 estebanfajardo.com/2026/08/04/b...
A crab using a game controller
194
Reposted by esteban
downchasm @downchasm.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
is this true
BEEP 1987年10月号
24614
Reposted by esteban
TN @tunaculosis.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Chambara is a split screen videogame with a visual style like the ninja episode of Samurai Jack. It is perhaps one of the coolest modern split screen games ever, I love it
033
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
The concept of a “happy hour” is so beautiful. And it is usually multiple hours… amazing
030
Reposted by esteban
Ojiro Fumoto @moppin.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
To celebrate the rerelease I'm going to post some videos from early development! This is the earliest recorded footage with just the controls / movement idea for mobile
11435116
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
POINPY GOTY 2022/2026 estebanfajardo.com/2023/01/09/p...
estebanfajardo.com
Poinpy GOTY 2022 – Esteban Fajardo
010
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Got distracted thinking about how funny the Three Houses dubstep drop was. What a game
020
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
youtu.be/INiT1cA_Eqk?...
youtu.be
Eric Cantona gives a bizarre yet brilliant speech after picking up UEFA President's Award!
YouTube video by TNT Sports Football
000
Reposted by esteban
Jehtt @turbojehtt.net · 05/07/2026
I love how they expanded on the story in this game.
151147924865
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Girlfriend woke me up in the middle of the night scared that I was dead on account of me not snoring for the first time ever
020
Reposted by esteban
Dan Pearce @gamedesigndan.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Many big budget game launches are like opening a coffee shop in a grand cathedral built just to house it and when you're like "why did you build a whole cathedral for this" the answer is just "that Starbucks down the street is in a converted church and we wanted to be bigger"
0182
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
I like Huang more than Raman, but I suspect the reason she has not dropped out is because the campaign needs to earn a bit more money to qualify for city matching funds. I think the reporting is credible that they did not expect it to be denied, and now risk being in a large amount of debt.
100
Reposted by esteban
Zachary Berger @zacharyberger.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
California-based artists and creatives, the California government is asking for public input on AI's impact on our work. Please fill out this survey, it'll just take a few minutes: join.engaged.ca.gov/en/projects/...
3640678
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Get hyped for Mina by playing Chambara on PS5 😇 lol
020
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Charlie Brown as victim of the Havana-syndrome raygun
000
Reposted by esteban
mcc @dryad.technology · 07/04/2026
It would really make more sense, for anyone calling for a procedural end to Trump's removal, to just call for impeachment. The Constitution doesn't give a specific definition of "high crimes and misdemeanors", Congress interprets it. Just throwing that out there for any Congressmembers who follow me
0449
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Perfect little game 💯
000
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Back by popular demand, I’ve revived my little game design newsletter! First up, a selection of notes I took while at GDC last week. Featuring insights from Donkey Kong Bananza 🍌, Silent Hill f 🐺, and an AI sermon that backfired 🌝 estebanfajardo.com/2026/03/20/t...
estebanfajardo.com
The GDC 2026 Notebook – Esteban Fajardo
152
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
I had a great GDC! Probably the highest concentration of evil people I have spoken to of any previous year, though
120
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Oh hey, I did a bit of design work on this! Excited to play, congrats to the team <3 www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R2W...
youtube.com
Kena: Scars of Kosmora Announce Trailer
YouTube video by Ember Lab
031
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
Hear me out. 3pm? One of the most classic times of all time. 5pm? Another classic time. 4pm? 4pm is waiting for 5pm, spiritually still 3pm. It’s the $7.99 is $5 of clocks.
131
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
My bro and I had a good time with a videogame at the Getty 🖼️ 🏰 🐴
020
Reposted by esteban
steven monacelli @stevanzetti.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
Incredible stuff
A post from Amanda Litman on X showing that Wambaganss significantly outspent Rehmet
8557105
Reposted by esteban
Memo Torres @eltragon.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
This what this list of raids looks like... And we’re still learning of more late. We’ll have to update this in the morning. lataco.com/daily-memo-j...
2222108
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Just finished Legends of 16-Bit Game Development, an incredible book chronicling the early days at Treasure. I’ve read many game dev history books and memoirs, but this one sets the highest bar
080
Reposted by esteban
austin_walker @austinwalker.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
You know, 11 years ago. Same shit
A tweet I made on November 25, 2014:

When Darren Wilson says he saw Mike Brown as "a demon," the problem isn't with his eyes, it's with what America told him demons look like.
3641116
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
Hold Music is very annoying, but I am currently on hold with a corporation and the call has no music or sound whatsoever, and I think this is worse
030
Reposted by esteban
Memo Torres @eltragon.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
I don’t ever want to hear anyone say “the raids aren't as bad.” this is the last 2 days. lataco.com/daily-memo-d...
10405207
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Earlier this year my friend gifted us some tea after returning from a trip to the UK, and after googling the brand we discovered a peerless tea review site that must be seen to be believed www.martintop.org.uk/blog/smoky-e...
030
Reposted by esteban
Bruno Dias @brunodias.dev · 17/12/2025
America has deindustrialized so much they can't even manufacture consent
292891745
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
Not sure why this new Nintendo console has a control scheme made for mice instead of a more common pet like dog or cat, but I suppose it is a start
162
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
I continue to be vindicated for not upgrading to a PS5
060
Reposted by esteban
Animation Obsessive @ani-obsessive.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
Scott Wills paints a background for the first run of Samurai Jack (2001–2004), created by Genndy Tartakovsky, Cartoon Network Studios
2437171300
Reposted by esteban
Alissa Walker @awalkerinla.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
I wrote about the Netflix CicLAvia buyout and how the Branding of Everything™ during LA's megaevent era has now become our reality — but it's less about the unavoidable commercialism that's already seeped into our major events, and more about who sets the standards that align with our values
torched.la
The upside down
The spectacle that unfolded along four miles of Melrose on the Sunday before Thanksgiving was a portal into LA's age of activations
3438
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Interesting argument for why the poverty line formula is out of date and how that has skewed economist analysis www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
030
Reposted by esteban
Ben Abraham @afterclimate.com.au · 24/11/2025
"...as households' perceived probability of attaining homeownership falls, they systematically shift their behavior: they consume more relative to their wealth, reduce work effort, and take on riskier investments." This new paper seems very pertinent papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
313539
Reposted by esteban
sarah jeong @sarahjeong.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
how did i go so long not knowing we were literally teaching people to read wrong. i knew something wasn't right but jesus christ www.apmreports.org/episode/2019...
apmreports.org
How a flawed idea is teaching millions of kids to be poor readers
For decades, schools have taught children the strategies of struggling readers, using a theory about reading that cognitive scientists have repeatedly debunked. And many teachers and parents don't kno...
34767132095
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 09/11/2025
Why are all my fire sprinklers evil
010
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 09/11/2025
I adore all the people playing Kirby Air Ride for the first time and losing their minds posting clips of gameplay that look, to me as someone who has played the first game since middle school, like the most mundane normal clips of normal gameplay
160
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
I haven’t listened to a podcast in months…
100
Reposted by esteban
Raph Koster @raphkoster.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
Game design is simple, actually. Except when it isn't. Here are the 12 things you need to know.
raphkoster.com
Game design is simple, actually
So, let’s just walk through the whole thing, end to end. Here’s a twelve-step program for understanding game design. One: Fun There are a lot of things people call “fun.” But most of them are not useful for getting better at making games, which is usually why people read articles like this. The fun of a bit of confetti exploding in front of you, and the fun of excruciating pain and risk to life and limb as you free climb a cliff are just not usefully paired together.
3377101
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
Favorite game I played this year
010
esteban @estebanthinks.bsky.social · 26/10/2025
My friends did an AMV festival last week so I made an Chainsaw Man one! I came away with an important lesson: don’t use Clipchamp to try and edit anything youtu.be/0s-muexL-5A
youtu.be
Pitbull Terrier - Chainsaw Man AMV
YouTube video by Esteban Fajardo
283
Reposted by esteban
Computer𝔍𝔞𝔪𝔢𝔰 @computerjames.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
1X111 by @abagames.bsky.social one of the classic japanese game hobbiests, Kenta Cho recently tied together 111 of his single-button games into an old-school wario-ware you can play on your phone (he's been making tiny free games since the 80s) abagames.itch.io/1x111
29645