iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

This was my interview, thanks for resharing! Here's an additional quote from Eric about Haunted Chocolatier that didn't survive the edit

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

While Resident Evil (2026) was far more tonally consistent than Hope, it lacked any of Hope's initial tension. Cregger's protagonist spewing jokes like a one-liner machine gun simply left no space for eerie silence to fester or any meaningful suspense to take hold. 2/2

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

The first 45 minutes of Hope is the closest a film's come to capturing the essence of a survival horror game in cinema. Brilliantly shot, littered with environmental storytelling, and dripping with tension. ... It's such a shame that the film completely falls off a cliff after you see the creature.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

An additional Chocolatier quote that didn't make the edit:

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Always nice to see something in your interview break out into a news story.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

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alyssa mercante @alyssamerc.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

If you were ever targeted by the Gamergate horde from 2024 onward, I'd love to talk to you briefly for a short section in my book! Reply, DM me, or email me at alyssamerc@gmail.com. Signal boost!!

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

It's to ensure that there's a street brawl outside the screening - a true 4D cinema experience.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Massive congrats, Chris! Looking forward to reading.

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Farrukh @implausibleblog.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Twitter and Instagram are on fire with Brexiters and bots all angry and upset at Andy Burnham saying Russia interfered with the Brexit refereundum. Bluesky, not so much. Make of that what you will.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

That's a banger of a poster

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

...Couldn't not share this blurry pc his manager sent me of baby Barone singing in a band back in the day. The Myspace vibes are strong.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

....So, no crumbs of the Patriot?

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

If the four and a half year journey to Stardew shows anything, it's that I don't think Mr Barone does anything immediately haha

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

If you hadn't already guessed from the five year wait for The Haunted Chocolatier, the 'difficult second album' very much applies to games, too.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

How do you follow up a once-in-a-generation gaming phenomenon? For GQ, I spoke with Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone about creative burnout, returning to isolation for The Haunted Chocolatier, and why the world needs unifying media. www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/a-de...

gq-magazine.co.uk

A decade after Stardew Valley, Eric Barone is still going it alone

10 years after Stardew Valley reinvented “cosy gaming” all by himself, creator Eric Barone tells GQ about the pressures of making its long-awaited follow-up, Haunted Chocolatier

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

This is the path I started with and I'm having an absolute blast so far. Big fan of him and ol' Fabio fish eyes.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Everything about this game just rubs me up the wrong way, it feels so soulless and IP-first in a way that Mario Kart World doesn't. It's a game that seems more concerned with chasing lucrative IP collab and season pass sales than actually having good track designs.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Rockstar dev: "Guys, heavy music is having a real moment, sounding more youthful and exuberant than it has in decades! Which on the pulse metal DJs should we have celebrating that in GTA VI?" Rockstar: "...two 60 year old men?"

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Actual idiocy, why outside of films are people incapable of understanding that indie relates to a work's budget? Even the smallest independent bands and musicians pay PR to help get the word out about single and album releases - that doesn't make them any less indie.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Still can't believe you didn't call the MGS4 pod 'Guns of The Patreon'

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Happy birthday, VGIM! Finally old enough to play a PEGI 3+ release - what a day. It's been a pleasure to contribute, here's to many more VGIM-filled years.

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Andy Robinson @andyrobinson.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Want to back independent games media and promote your business? Then consider supporting VGC’s new Patreon Producer tier. We’re offering businesses & individuals a way to promote themselves via the VGC podcast and support our work during a tough time for the media. www.patreon.com/VideoGamesCh...

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Sarah Thwaites @sarahathwaites.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

🚨 Are you an indie developer who's recently received Government funding for your game? I'd love to speak to you about your experience! My DM's are open, but also feel free to email me: 📩 thwaitesannsarah [at] gmail [dot] com Reposts appreciated!

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Chris Kerr @kerrblimey.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I've been mulling over this for a while, but if you're a game journo who has worked under Valnet and want to confidentially share your views on how the company is managing its publications and treating workers, I am all ears. Signal: kerrblimey.43 Email: chris.kerr@verticalslice.news DMs open

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Thoroughly enjoyed my time with Switch Sports Resort, a game that looks to inject the clinical Sports series with some much-needed personality. www.techradar.com/gaming/ninte...

techradar.com

Playing Nintendo Switch Sports Resort feels like being transported to your dream summer holiday

Switch Sports Resort captures the good-time feel of a summer holiday

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Jane Coaston @janecoaston.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

"I don't trust CNN, but this lady who says every celebrity is trans and has consumed their own children, she checks out"

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Abusers have no place in heavy music. Slipknot became a brand rather than a band a long time ago, but platforming Manson - someone with 12+ SA allegations - when they could have gone with literally any other act truly shows that they stand for nothing. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s...

theguardian.com

Heavy metal is about uplifting the downtrodden. So why is alleged abuse by Marilyn Manson so easily forgotten?

Slipknot sharing their stage with a man accused of wrongdoing by more than a dozen women is the antithesis of everything the genre should stand for, even if he denies it

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Tickets are moving *slowly* for this. Which is fine. I'm not expecting it to sell out. But it'd be really nice to get a few more bums on seats between now and Oct 14. It'll be good, promise! Brighton game likers/devs, please share, tell yr pals, think positive thoughts, thank you.

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Andy Robinson @andyrobinson.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Games media cuts have felt unending for a while, but the mood feels especially grim among indie outlets with the latest wave of layoffs. More than ever, if the game industry values its media, it needs to support them. Buy some advertising, sponsor content, purchase subs. It makes a big difference.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Massive congratulations on such a brilliant run. I have no doubt that your journalism and insights will continue to help shape our industry. Looking forward to seeing what you do next!

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Keza MacDonald @mackeza.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The Guardian is doing some major hiring right now! If you have 2-3 years' experience in journalism, media and/or content creation, you can apply for the Digital Journalism Scheme - full time roles including 20% training time, £48k pa workwithus.theguardian.com/digital-jour...

workwithus.theguardian.com

Digital Journalist Scheme

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Congrats, Michael! I enjoyed your Fire Emblem post review chat

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I'm very sorry to hear this, Vic. Since I was laid off in 2020, I've seen a lot of reliable revenue streams vanish, with the last few years seeing outlets close or Freelance budget simply disappear. There is work out there but it's undoubtedly more competitive. DM me if you ever want to chat

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

I wasn't sure what to expect from Tom Cruise after that bizarre GQ interview clip currently doing the rounds, but tonight he came across as a passionate workaholic who lives and breathes cinema. He definitely loves to talk, but I came away endeared by Tom Cruise the slightly hyperactive film nerd

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

*me aged 94, feebly croaking* actually it's prounced REE-Gun, not RAY-Gu- *dies*

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Really sorry to hear this, Danielle. You've done incredible work and games journalism is undoubtedly a poorer field without you. Best of luck with whatever comes next, and hopefully I'll read your words again somewhere else in the near future.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Laying off big named hosts and valuable writers during the busiest time of the year is as baffling as it is disheartening. Solidarity with both those who've lost their jobs and the people still there currently dealing with the stresses of job insecurity.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

From Ferraris to fairy tales, I spoke to Playground Games co-founder Ralph Fulton about their decade-long journey to revive Fable - and why he thinks its naturalistic script and memorable player choices will change how we think about video games. www.theguardian.com/games/2026/s...

theguardian.com

‘We were bored of traditional fantasy cliches’: inside Playground Games’ 10-year effort to revive Fable

The distinctively British RPG is returning courtesy of the makers of Forza Horizon – with comedy talent such as Richard Ayoade and Natasia Demetriou voicing sweary characters. We had our first play an...

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Jason Schreier @jasonschreier.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

This week, PlayStation announced that it had pulled out of publishing Hideo Kojima's next game, Physint. But the company didn't give a reason. So I made some calls. Here's why PlayStation bailed and why Xbox snapped Kojima right up: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

bloomberg.com

PlayStation Ditched Hideo Kojima’s ‘Physint’ on Budget Concerns, Missed Deadlines

The legendary Japanese creator of ‘Death Stranding’ will take his new game to Xbox

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

The most important caveat is that his answers were of course given via a translator, and there is every possibility that some of the nuance there was very literally lost in translation.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I think this is a fair read of what he said, and ultimately it is about his interpretation of the original game. I think the only thing that came across badly was him saying he didn't want to inject modern issues into the game while praising the original for being brave by tackling modern themes.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Matthew seething with rage over people modding Dawnwalker had me cackling. Truly awakened the Castle Kraken.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

If they have the option for a 'classic' mode that turns off all the unnecessary nonsense, it could still be good. We shall see!

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

This remake is stunning, and mine and Lara's reunion gets off to an auspicious start. Yet a slew of new mechanics soon leave me concerned. It feels like reconnecting with an old friend at the pub, only for them to begin spouting conspiracy theories two pints in www.theguardian.com/games/2026/s...

theguardian.com

Raiding the past: Lara Croft relives her first adventure in Legacy of Atlantis

We have a first play of the forthcoming Tomb Raider remake and speak with its developers. Can they improve on the gameplay without losing what made the 1996 original such a classic?

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Crisppyboat @crisppyboat.ca · 09/09/2026

The World Beyond

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