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Keith Stuart

@keefstuart.bsky.social
7.6K followers 743 following 825 posts

Novelist. Video game correspondent for The Guardian. He/him 💖

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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
As a Man City supporter since 1981, this is the most Man City thing that’s ever happened. It is the ultimate expression of Man City-ness. We were never really here www.theguardian.com/football/202...
theguardian.com
Manchester City verdict: what happens next, will club appeal and could they be relegated?
We analyse what City must do to appeal, why even that might not be the end of the legal wrangling, and the penalties that could await if the verdict is upheld
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I saw Resident Evil! (Maybe spoilers coming but I don’t think so?) What I enjoyed most about it was that although there were no explicit references to the games (apart from a few Easter eggs) it completely nails their structure, dialogue tropes and visual language. Also Zach Cherry is in it!
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Keza + Nintendo = 🪎
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
I reviewed Wolverine - it was… ok. It reminded me of that Philip Larkin line, "A sense of falling, like an arrow-shower, Sent out of sight, somewhere becoming rain." But I didn’t put that in the review because I didn’t want to end up in Pseud’s Corner again www.theguardian.com/games/2026/s...?
theguardian.com
Marvel’s Wolverine review – a gloriously conflicted lead is let down by crude, boring battling
Logan is well realised by Liam McIntyre and some exquisite character art, but there are lapses in narrative and emotional arcs and some of the combat feels like a chore
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
If you enjoyed the brilliant folk horror game The Excavation of Hob's Barrow, I’m *begging* you to watch Penda’s Fen, a fascinating and disorientating TV play from the 70s - and this is the perfect way to discover it!
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
You should read Keza’s piece on those revolting, fascistic White House “video games”. I hope Sega and the Tetris Company sue www.theguardian.com/games/2026/s...
theguardian.com
The Trump White House’s fetish for gamer culture has moved up a level with new arcade
A string of distractions on the US government’s own website invite you to catch pixelated migrants – showing gaming’s potential to be nastily weaponised
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
GTA 6 is coming and I am NOT looking forward to the TV and radio news coverage www.theguardian.com/games/2026/s...
theguardian.com
Grand Theft Auto VI is a phenomenon – but there is much more to the gaming world
As Rockstar’s blockbuster prepares to dominate the headlines, it’s time for the mainstream media to stop treating video games as a novelty that needs explaining
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emilio g @emiliog.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
thanks to Keith and The Guardian for sharing the tangible impact these decisions have had. and, woah, i took that photo! does that make me a... published photographer?! (these were provided by CWA and used with permission.)
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Keza MacDonald @mackeza.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Our summer games preview series wrapped up today. It is well worth a look - every year our writers pick out games that go on to be underground hits (alongside the obvious big games that people also like to read about) www.theguardian.com/games/series...
theguardian.com
Summer games previews | The Guardian
<p>We profile the most interesting upcoming video games, and the people making them</p>
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Hi I spoke to staff affected by the recent Xbox lay-offs about their shock, confusion and fears for themselves, their colleagues and the industry www.theguardian.com/games/2026/s...
theguardian.com
‘I feel like I’m grieving’: staff on the devastating fallout of widespread layoffs at Xbox
Last month, Microsoft’s gaming division told its workforce it was cutting 3,200 jobs, which some say will have big ramifications for game development – as well as taking a huge personal toll
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
The biggest games of the autumn as chosen by @jericawebber.com and me!
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
This is something I have come up against sooooo many times in my career - TV and radio programme producers saying “sorry but we covered games last month”. Can you imagine them saying that about films, books or music? And it’s STILL happening
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Hello! Keza and I decided to liveblog the GTA 6 thing on Netflix if you would like to join us! www.theguardian.com/games/live/2...
theguardian.com
Grand Theft Auto VI’s long-overdue gameplay reveal – as it happens
Under some strange circumstances, Rockstar is broadcasting the first (official) gameplay footage of Grand Theft Auto VI, the most-anticipated game of the year. Follow along for everything you need to ...
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Hi I wrote about an intriguing new horror adventure/life-sim with trains in it! TrainWatch is sort of Papers,l Please meets Firewatch with a bit of Grunn mixed in maybe? Take a look! www.theguardian.com/games/2026/a...
theguardian.com
Trainwatch – alone with your thoughts on a railway line to nowhere
The flat routines of a dead end railway job screen out an approaching menace in a quietly intriguing game from the indie developer of Cat Lady and Lorelai
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Hi I played the #MW4 early access beta then came up with a phrase for the headline that is impossible to say quickly three times www.theguardian.com/games/2026/a...
theguardian.com
‘A cognitive cacophony’: hands-on with the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 beta test
Players will get what they expect from the new CoD title: boots-on-the-ground military action with a slight tactical edge. But what’s with all the distractions?
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Hi I spoke to Sega’s Takashi Iizuka and Ivo Gerscovich about Sonic the Hedgehog at 35. *stands with arms folded, tapping foot, waiting for you to follow the link* www.theguardian.com/games/2026/a...
theguardian.com
‘The ultimate gamers’ mascot’: Sonic the Hedgehog at 35 – from 2D to 3D to a billion-dollar film franchise
Sonic’s creators explain how the speedy scamp has kept on running through generations as an enduring avatar of ‘attitude in the face of adversity’
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George E. Osborn @georgeosborn.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
I joined @theguardian.com's Today in Focus podcast to talk about the Public Investment Fund's acquisition of EA and wider efforts by states to manipulate games for political ends. Listen below, with added @keefstuart.bsky.social. www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2...
theguardian.com
Why did Saudi Arabia just spend billions on a video games company? – podcast
Last week Saudi Arabia’s wealth fund and a group of investors spent $55 billion on Electronic Arts, the video games company behind the Sims, Madden NFL and Battlefield. Keith Stuart and George Osborn ...
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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Thanks @keefstuart.bsky.social for the lil mention of Aliens: The Video Games in last week's Pushing Buttons. Read that here: www.theguardian.com/games/2026/j... It's release month! Pre-order Aliens: The Video Games: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Aliens-The-V... (Digital review copies available.)
Pushing Buttons newsletter on the Guardian with a focus on Aliens.The cover of my book Aliens: The Video Games, which comes out on August 30.
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Today I also wrote a preview of Clean Start, a cosy home-sorting puzzler that also looks into immigration and domestic service www.theguardian.com/games/2026/j...
theguardian.com
‘A universal human story’: Clean Start’s thought-provoking tidying sim tells immigrant’s tale
Playing as recent arrival Lena, your challenges include learning a new language and uncovering family secrets – its developer hopes it will spread ‘a little more compassion’
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Hello, this spring I visited charity shops all over the England to see what video games they had on the shelves. It was… educational. Please come and see what I discovered and add your own finds in the comments! www.theguardian.com/games/2026/j...
theguardian.com
SingStar Take That anyone? The strange joy of charity shop video games
Hidden gems can be unearthed, but you have to dig deep into the bargain bins of countless outdated Fifas, Wii Fits without the controllers and partially finished quizshow games
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Hello, I wrote about intriguing space mining visual novel A Line Held Tight from Humble Grove and spoke to the team about games, unions and folk music www.theguardian.com/games/2026/j...
theguardian.com
A Line Held Tight – miners, mechs and mismanagement on a distant planet
Deep underground the player joins a colony of ruthlessly exploited pit workers who could be taking on the bosses. How things play out will depend on you
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
I am disappointed that no Pushing Buttons readers have noticed that the image I used for this week’s reader question - “is there an accepted canon of the best games ever” - featured only Sega Saturn titles. I put a lot of effort into my Sega propaganda ffs www.theguardian.com/games/2026/j...
theguardian.com
After 40 years, Aliens is still shaping the way video games are made
James Cameron’s high-octane film sequel is a blueprint for modern action space slashers
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 29/07/2026
Wildfires are raging – and the world has junked 45 climate pledges. Disaster looms, and little wonder | Bill McGuire
theguardian.com
Wildfires are raging – and the world has junked 45 climate pledges. Disaster looms, and little wonder | Bill McGuire
Five years ago, I wrote an open letter asking climate scientists to speak out. Now governments are in retreat, it is surely time to act, says climate professor Bill McGuire
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Hi I played some Townfall and talked to the team about bringing Silent Hill to Scotland… www.theguardian.com/games/2026/j...
theguardian.com
Silent Hill Townfall: the series is coming to Scotland, but what fresh horrors will it bring?
An amnesiac loner arrives in a remote town for who knows what reason … this may sound familiar but this time we’re on a remote Scottish island and surprises lie in wait
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Hi I wrote about Pokemon Go and discovering the great outdoors. Hope you’re doing ok www.theguardian.com/games/2026/j...
theguardian.com
How Pokémon Go encouraged me to find wonder in the world
These days, I ‘collect’ birdsong and wild flowers, but it all started when my sons and I first set out to find Pikachu and pals• Don’t get Pushing Buttons delivered to your inbox? Sign up here
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Reminder that by this point in yesterday’s match there had been six goals
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Convergence @convergence-gs.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Time travel back to 1995 in Hack '95, a card-based computer hacking voyage where you take down an evil tech startup with the help of an incontinent virtual pug. Featuring a brand new licensed music track by Paul Hartnoll of Orbital and Minesweeper! www.youtube.com/watch?v=_98C...
youtube.com
Hack '95 - Gameplay Trailer
YouTube video by Convergence Games Showcase
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
I went to a brilliant academic games conference at Falmouth university and spoke to @poppywilde.bsky.social and Dr Ewan Kirkland about the meaning of horror www.theguardian.com/games/2026/j...
theguardian.com
Zombies, gore and creepy kids – why we can’t stop playing horror games
As global anxieties multiply, ​v​ideo games from Resident Evil to Mouthwashing are providing rich source material to help decode society’s problems
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Lost In Cult @lostincult.co.uk · 13/07/2026
We got a mention in @keefstuart.bsky.social's newsletter for @theguardian.com (which is a VERY worthwhile sign up)🎮 Physical editions are vital for a healthy games ecosystem and it's an honour to be thought of when it comes to preserving their culture! www.theguardian.com/games/2026/j...
theguardian.com
PlayStation says it will stop making physical games – and that should worry us all
Sony’s announcement spells the end of a whole ecosystem built by superfan collectors – and signals a troubling shift in the industry
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Alex Donaldson @apzonerunner.com · 09/07/2026
Launching a new website about video games today. Meet @respec.net. A sibling to @rpgsite.net, a spiritual successor to VG247, & a brother from another mother to other 100% independent UK media brands like @videogameschronicle.com and @trueachievements.com. www.respec.net/feature/87-w...
respec.net
Welcome to Respec: A word from the Editors | Respec
Welcome to our new little corner of the internet. Why a new video game website, and why now? Allow us to explain...
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
I am here! It’s so fascinating! Love an academic horror gaming conference 👍
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
This week’s pushing buttons newsletter is the only analysis of the games console RAM crisis you’ll read that starts with a Pride and Prejudice misquote. Thanks to @andyrobinson.bsky.social @dringo.bsky.social and @piershr.bsky.social for their expertise www.theguardian.com/games/2026/j...
theguardian.com
No console-flation: how the thirst for AI chips is sending games console prices soaring
AI data centres, memory scarcity and factory capacity are costing consumers –and console makers
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
There’s less than a week left on this and they’re just short of the brilliant third stretch goal which is an unmissable treat for fans of From Software and Edge Magazine
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Hello, do I know any big fans of Sega’s ‘real life career’ games from the late 90s? Crazy Taxi, 18 Wheeler, Brave Fire Fighters?? I would love to speak to you for an article!
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Hello I wrote this week’s Pushing Buttons newsletter about bad World Cup football games but also some good ones www.theguardian.com/games/2026/j...
theguardian.com
The history of brilliantly terrible World Cup video games
As football fans revel in the real world tournament, its digital counterparts continue to stumble in capturing the ​hyped up ​atmosphere
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ON games journal @ongamesjournal.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
ON3 Design showcase: Signs and symbols. @keefstuart.bsky.social finds that work can still be fun in gaming by exploring @sega-west.bsky.social job simulators like #CrazyTaxi in ON3. Clock in at on.games/on3 #ON3mag #GamesMagazine #ProjectWeLove @kickstarter.com
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
George Osborn’s book Power Play, about the intersection of video games and global politics, is out NOW and it’s a fascinating, important read!
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Hiiiii, I wrote about life as a Twitch streamer and spoke to Aimsey, Sweet Anita and @merrykish.bsky.social who were all brilliant! www.theguardian.com/games/2026/j...
theguardian.com
‘Streaming gave me a space to be myself’: Twitch creators on what it’s like to grow up on the platform
The world’s most successful gamer content creators, many of whom have spent their entire adult life on the platform, have met up at TwitchCon in Rotterdam
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George E. Osborn @georgeosborn.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Tickets are nearly gone for my chat with @keefstuart.bsky.social about Power Play next Tuesday. I’ll be signing books after, if you feel like saying hello. backstory.london/products/16t...
backstory.london
16th June 7.30pm - George E Osborn in conversation with Keith Stuart, Power Play: Video Games, Politics and the Battle for Global Influence
Please note event tickets are neither exchangeable nor refundable. Tuesday 16th June, 7:30pm Backstory, 71 Balham High Rd, SW12 9AP Leading gaming expert George E Osborn will be in conversation with T...
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Hello I wrote for the Boundless Play newsletter about why adults should play more video games boundlessplay.substack.com/p/play-for-a...
boundlessplay.substack.com
Play For All Ages
Keith Stuart, journalist, author and life-long gamer, on why adults should play more video games.
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Keza and I put together a list of the best video games of 2026 so far. Feel free to add your own faves in the comments but please bear in mind this list is definitive and correct. thanks folks www.theguardian.com/culture/ng-i...
theguardian.com
The best games of 2026 so far
If you fancy roaring around Japan’s open roads, scaling impossible mountains and playing with post-apocalyptic Pokémon, this year’s highlights mean you can do so without leaving your chair
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Saw Obsession and it is an absolute masterpiece. Had this weird thought that it’s basically a darker version of 500 Days of Summer. Does anyone else see that comparison???
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
The 90s computer nerd adventure I’m writing for, Hack 95, now has a demo on steam and a website. Come and play! (And please wishlist on steam if you like the look of it!) 💾👾 hack95.com
hack95.com
Hack '95 on the World Wide Web
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Oh my goodness, yes please
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
The demo for Village Studio’s nostalgic hacking game Hack 95 is out now! I am on the writing team! Come and enter the world of 56k modems, phreaks and tiny FMV windows! #PCGamingShow store.steampowered.com/app/4685250/...
store.steampowered.com
Hack '95 Demo on Steam
Time travel to 1995 in this card-based computer hacking voyage. Take down an evil tech startup and shadowy government agency to become a god to the freaks and geeks of cyberspace. All while being help...
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Worst emotional whiplash EVER
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Will Luton @willluton.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
At 8.03pm BST, Village Studio’s next title, a game I’ve been making since I was 8 years old, will be revealed to the world at #PCGamingShow I think you’re going to love this if you always wanted to be a hacker, but on 56kbps dialup. Watch live here: youtu.be/yv8nZY8auPQ
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Hello, if you’re watching the #PCGamingShow tonight please keep an eye out for the game I’ve been working on with @willluton.bsky.social and Village Studio! It’s called Hack ‘95 and it’s set in the 1995 internet/hacking scene. We’re on just after 8pm BST. Hack the planet! www.pcgamingshow.com
pcgamingshow.com
PC Gaming Show
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Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
More hidden folks!!
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Simon Parkin @simonparkin.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Trial of the Space Invaders: The Case that Changed Video Games The true story of Nintendo’s years-long legal battle to establish who invented video games, and the secret, never-before-revealed settlement that profoundly shaped today’s industry. I cannot wait to share it with you. Coming: Jan 2027
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