iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 06/10/2026

Hey cool folks heading to #MIGW this year! I’m going to be in town from tomorrow (Wed Oct 7) until Friday night. Would love help looking for my next home! Production. Marketing. Narrative. Operations. Let’s chat and if you have leads, please send them my way! #indiedev

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 08/09/2026

All the cool people heading to #MIGW this year! I am in town and will be loitering around the convention centre on Oct 7 - 9 to hopefully meet with prospective employers, or small teams looking for some production/narrative/bizdev consulting. If you know someone where I would be a good fit, DM me!

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 21/08/2026

I am excited to be heading along to Melbourne International Games Week this year after many years abroad. If you're going to be at #MIGW this year, I am looking to: 👏 Talk about job opportunities 💵 Explore funding opps for cool devs in Kyoto ☕ Catch up with old friends and meet new #indiedevs

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 11/08/2026

Train Drivers in Japan were hardcore. Standard issue blades?

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 08/08/2026

I just got back into comics again after about 9 years out of the hobby. Moving to Japan I sold all my stuff, and they are hard to find and expensive to come by here, so I’m all in on digital. Starting on this one tonight thanks to @sweetshop.app. I’ve heard good things.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 04/06/2026

So I thought that running Steam games on your retro handheld was a complicated affair, so I never looked into it. When Mina came out, I decided to give it a shot. GameNative for the most part... just works! Now I can easily commute playing classics AND small indies!

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 24/05/2026

@allymobbs.bsky.social who put in an insane number of hours with me to get the booth logistics organised pre-show. An endless source of creative inspiration, he is a treasure.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 24/05/2026

Massively privileged to have spent the week/weekend with @haleyfax.bsky.social and @sarahpodz.bsky.social. Two real humans who are insanely good at their jobs, have infinite wisdom, and are just as genuine off the mics as they are in @minnmax.com’s content. I never got a photo so here’s a stand in.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 24/05/2026

Last day of #BitSummit and I wanted to do some shout outs. Huge thanks to @sheegoggery.bsky.social and Lisa for being the endless well of support and positivity, the givers of street chicken, and coffee. Without you folks I don’t think I could have survived.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 24/03/2026

Played a few rounds of BIN CHICKEN, which was the Player’s Choice winner at #TGX2026. @sheegoggery.bsky.social married @allymobbs.bsky.social and was divorced at the last moment to have his precious food stolen away. Pretty fun little card game. #tabletop #indiegame

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 20/03/2026

Quick little jaunt back home to #Melbourne for TGX. It was kinda weird being “home” after 7 long years, but had a blast catching up with old mates, and making new ones along the way. I’ll be heading back in October for #MIGW so I’ll get to do it all again! #photography

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 22/01/2026

Woke up to find a tonne of snow. Literally going to be walking 3kms in the snow to work today. I really love living in Shiga. Tokyo was fun but this area just has a slower pace and is so close to Kyoto and Osaka.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 11/12/2025

Locked out of my house and the only vendo nearby has some choices I’ve never seen. Do I get the Hokusai “very Japan, such wow” soda, or whatever the hell JUNGLEMAN is?

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 11/12/2025

OK, the king of all cosmos being a depressed streamer is a pretty great setup for the mobile Katamari game. Loving it so far.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 03/12/2025

I was already loving Dispatch, but the second I heard Future Islands playing, that’s when it truly won my heart.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 22/11/2025

Drifting into the upside down. Shot on my way to the Australian consulate last week. Love how weird and fever dreamy it makes me feel. #photography

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 18/10/2025

… what else do you do with ‘em?!?

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 17/10/2025

Spinning one of Australia’s finest this morning. I love all of RBCF’s albums, but this one just has a collection of great indie moments. The French Press EP is still better though. #music #vinyl #spanglejangle

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 12/10/2025

Look what I stumbled across in Kobe this morning @frankhowley.bsky.social

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 08/10/2025

Spinning some zen this morning. Nujabes has been a part of my soul for a very long time now. Every album is a banger, and I wish I had the chance to see the master at work. #music #vinyl

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 18/09/2025

happysad is just one of those albums that will instantly make your day better. I really love all of kiefer’s releases, but this was my first and will always be my favourite. #music #vinylcollection

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 24/08/2025

Haven’t listened to Tycho in a long while, but it’s hitting just right today on this hot, rainy summer day. Weather isn’t my favourite album from them, but it’s pretty solid listen as Tycho tries to add vocals to their hypnotic soundscapes. #vinyl #music

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 21/08/2025

Deep in the AFI catalog today and The Art of Drowning still commands so much attention. 13 punk anthems that have the final gasps of the snotty-nosed brash energy of their early era, before the transformed to Sing the Sorrow, then into the Miss Murder bullshit, and back to cool band with vibes.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 16/08/2025

Spinning one of my favourite Lo-Fi albums this morning. Neon Impasse by City Girl feels like a warm summer night, the breeze on your face as you gaze out at a city filled with possibilities. I love it. city-girl.bandcamp.com/album/neon-i... #music #vinyl

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 29/07/2025

Spinning one of my favourite Japanese bands this morning, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs. This album has a bit of everything, and is often my study buddy when I have the motivation to learn Japanese. #vinyl #music

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 28/07/2025

Some more time with Wheel World, and it is such a nice vibe. The areas are neat and I like cruising though the hills. The AI though… needs some work, and the races are far too easy. I’m still loving my time with it though. Racing a Weiner bike is pretty rad and the biker gang chatter is great.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 28/07/2025

Started Wheel World last night from @messhof.bsky.social, and it’s seriously great! I’ll keep adding to the thread as I get deeper but so far: - Skully is a great character with charm - Some commentary on the fixation on new gear from the cycling community - Surprisingly deep lore #indiegames

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 17/07/2025

Hanging out with my goblin friends. See you at BitSummit tomorrow on the @17-bit.bsky.social booth.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 15/07/2025

Spinning absolute bliss this morning before work. Nujabes has got me through some great times. Some bad times. His beats always keep me in good spirits. One of the first records I bought when I moved to Japan. They were hard to find while I was living in Aus.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 06/07/2025

Chilling out with what I feel is an under appreciated release from #KGATLW. I love the stripped down tracks and smooth clarinets. #vinyl #music

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 04/07/2025

Ok, ok, this game is very much hitting my vibes so hard right now. Murder on the Mario Express? I wish I had a GameCube growing up, this is amazing.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 04/07/2025

Trying to relax on my lunch break. Landmark by Hippo Campus always feels like a comfortable chair, a quiet room, a warm sip of whisky. #vinyl #music

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 30/06/2025

Not the worst way to start the morning! Spinning the Paradise Killer OST with a coffee and nursing a head cold before work. I feel like @b34ns.bsky.social would approve. #vinyl

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 25/06/2025

The death of print media and the need to start taking renewable energy seriously. I’m so impressed that I’m skipping over the depression. This game slaps and I am so sad it’s taken me this long to get to it.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 24/06/2025

A little further into my Paper Mario playthrough and yeah, everyone is like, super horny for Mario, huh?!

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 23/06/2025

Based on @kosmologyb.bsky.social and @jamiegalea.bsky.social’s Switch 2 presence, I picked up Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo. This game SLAPS! I’ll admit, at first the combat wasn’t clicking with me, but last night I just fell into it and now I’m hooked. Check it out. This #indiegame needs love.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 19/06/2025

I feel like I didn’t hear a lot of folks talk about Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip. I finally got around to checking it out and it’s a super chill, fun, collect-a-thon with really funny writing. More people should play this game!

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 17/06/2025

Oookay so Paper Mario is a little horny? Was not expecting this kind of character in this. Her body slam is seriously awesome though!

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 16/06/2025

I continue my quest to play games that feel as though @kosmologyb.bsky.social would like them. This time it's Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. This game is genuinely funny. And charming. And it has some really weird stuff for a Mario game in here. I like it a lot.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 15/06/2025

I love bands that can reinvent their sound. If you told me that the band who wrote You Look Good On The Dance Floor would go on to write a song like Star Treatment, at the time I would have thought you were kidding. Great album from a great band. Arctic Monkeys are a bit of alright.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 25/05/2025

Another episode of unfortunately named products during my daily life in Japan. This time we have the Black Government.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 22/05/2025

Riding to the station this morning I realised that I am not ready for another Japanese summer. The humidity is literally rolling down the hills this morning.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 16/05/2025

Oh, you mean this one, that I already ordered?

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 16/05/2025

My recently discovered love of Katamari is taking hold. Sourced a PS2 and a few games to play on the CRT this weekend. @kosmologyb.bsky.social start sending me other games you love that I probably haven’t played. Between this and Ghost Trick you’ve awakened something in me.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 02/05/2025

Walking to the last day of our big beta build push. It’s drizzling, Lake Biwa is sloshing in the breeze, and Future Islands are dancing in my ears. It’s pretty rare you can say this, but I feel so content right now. Love my job, my family, my life.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 30/04/2025

How the hell did I sleep on this game. @kosmologyb.bsky.social I am sorry.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 26/03/2025

Now that I’m commuting daily, I grabbed a writerdeck to make sure I’m doing some kind of writing every day. I think this is peak hipster, even for me.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 03/03/2025

This was one way to be reminded that it’s been 10 years since Hacknet shipped. Even small teams should put the time into their communities. Maybe a decade later you too will get a nice email like this. Name removed for privacy. @surprisingchris.bsky.social thanks for sending this, made my day.

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Steve Heller @hellerphant.hellergood.co · 28/02/2025

Incredibly excited to start next week at @17-bit.bsky.social as a producer! Such a talented team who is working on some really good stuff, and now I get to be part of it. Huge thanks to @jkooza.bsky.social & @potatodonkey.bsky.social for all the support. Can't wait to share what we're cooking up.

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