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Kirk McKeand

@mckkirk.bsky.social
4.6K followers 1.5K following 774 posts

Microplastics, they’re fantastic. Content Director @ GLHF. Consultancy, mock reviews. Did some writing for a video game called The Axis Unseen.

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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 3h
God, this. I’ve been shopping an interview with a huge name, tied to a viral subject that’s getting millions of views on social, and I can’t sell it anywhere. A couple of years ago it would have been the easiest pitch of my life.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I’d love to know the context here. I’ve been snuffling and there’s nothing anywhere.
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Mikhail Klimentov @leadergrev.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
For nearly two years, I've been investigating a pattern of ominous legal letters sent to journalists by defamation counsel representing Bobby Kotick. That investigation is finally live. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKwp...
youtube.com
Inside Bobby Kotick's Campaign Against the Press
YouTube video by People Make Games
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Silent Hill: Townfall is one of the best games of the year. www.thebiglead.com/silent-hill-...
thebiglead.com
Silent Hill: Townfall review – an instant horror classic
Silent Hill isn’t just a town anymore, it’s an idea that wriggles in your mind like writhing maggots on a mouldy steak, forcing you to reckon with the rotting meat of your past, wherever you are. In S...
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Silent Hill: Townfall is one of the best games of the year. www.thebiglead.com/silent-hill-...
thebiglead.com
Silent Hill: Townfall review – an instant horror classic
Silent Hill isn’t just a town anymore, it’s an idea that wriggles in your mind like writhing maggots on a mouldy steak, forcing you to reckon with the rotting meat of your past, wherever you are. In S...
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Josh Mathews @vandalheart.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Never thought I’d have to do something like this so I apologise in advance. Some of you might know my uncle went into cardiac arrest recently and was rushed to hospital - we have been told he will have lasting brain damage. We are heartbroken. Please take a second to read: gofund.me/20dfa1ce9
gofund.me
Donate to Support for our Uncle after his Cardiac arrest., organized by Joshua Mathews
Our family has recently been faced with something we never expected. … Joshua Mathews needs your support for Support for our Uncle after his Cardiac arrest.
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Mike Bithell @mikebithell.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Kirk got me talking about some of the bad experiences I had early on in games, which… yeah, I tend not to do that. Bloody game journalists.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
I forgot to share this when it was posted, but the final interview for Firezide was with the lovely @mikebithell.bsky.social www.gaming.firezidechat.com/p/firezide-c...
gaming.firezidechat.com
Firezide Chat with Mike Bithell
Before indie success, the Thomas Was Alone creator faced workplace bullies.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Here’s my Dawnwalker review. report.wand.com/reviews/the-...
report.wand.com
The Blood of Dawnwalker Review - The Wand Report
Former Witcher 3 developers drop the best RPG of the year.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
I’ve compiled so many goddamn shaders these past few weeks.
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Andy Robinson @andyrobinson.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Kirk and I chuckled about this anecdote in the From Software toilets… not realising Miyazaki-San was in the cubicle
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Respec @respec.net · 04/09/2026
Podcast time! This week: Sony's disappointing State of Play, reviewing Onimusha, Dawnwalker, & Orbitals, plus Kirk's game preview trip that involved a toilet chaperone: www.respec.net/podcast/189-sonys-di…
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
A bunch of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 actors are teaming up to make a found-footage horror movie. www.thebiglead.com/kcd-2s-hans-...
thebiglead.com
KCD 2’s Hans Capon and Stalker 2’s Skiff actors to star in found-footage horror movie
Luke Dale and Alex Montyro – who play major characters in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and Stalker 2, respectively – are set to star in a found footage horror movie about “a group of four estranged fri...
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Last month I went to Japan and spent an hour with FromSoftware’s Hidetaka Miyazaki, in an attempt to understand why he makes games the way he does. He also told me he doesn’t have a foot fetish. www.theguardian.com/games/2026/s...
theguardian.com
‘Ruin and decay bring a chance of rebirth’: Hidetaka Miyazaki on uniting players in a damaged world
As FromSoftware’s new multiplayer game The Duskbloods nears release, the legendary game director behind Dark Souls talks connection, pessimism and of course, feet
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
The Miyazaki piece also includes some insight from this lovely man.
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Keza MacDonald @mackeza.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Sent @mckkirk.bsky.social to Tokyo to interview Hidetaka Miyazaki. He asked the tough questions. (Read the whole thing, it's a banger) www.theguardian.com/games/2026/s...
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Last month I went to Japan and spent an hour with FromSoftware’s Hidetaka Miyazaki, in an attempt to understand why he makes games the way he does. He also told me he doesn’t have a foot fetish. www.theguardian.com/games/2026/s...
theguardian.com
‘Ruin and decay bring a chance of rebirth’: Hidetaka Miyazaki on uniting players in a damaged world
As FromSoftware’s new multiplayer game The Duskbloods nears release, the legendary game director behind Dark Souls talks connection, pessimism and of course, feet
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Abbey @abbeyarletto.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
This is what living next door to a 30 megawatt data center sounds like.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
You can tell a lot about GTA 6 by its roads. www.thebiglead.com/gta-6-fricti...
thebiglead.com
Vice City’s roads tell you everything you need to know about GTA 6
In GTA 5’s Los Santos, the already wide roads of Los Angeles were stretched to accommodate a car zipping through traffic. You could split lanes like a motorbike, even if you were driving a bus. GTA 6’...
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
I feel like anyone who wrote any variation of “sink your teeth into” in their Blood of Dawnwalker review should lose their review license. At least say it in a new way. Mash your mandibles into it or something.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
I went to Tokyo and played The Duskbloods for two days. I kept winning and the content creators kept clapping me, and it felt like when the servers at a restaurant bring out a cake and sing “happy birthday” to you. www.theguardian.com/games/2026/a...
theguardian.com
The Duskbloods: the best of FromSoftware fights in a frantic multiplayer battleground
The Elden Ring creator is known for epic single-player RPGs, but its new action game is all about multiplayer interactions: fighting, chasing, befriending, even … proposing?
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Edmond Tran @edmondtran.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Between obtaining comments from Saber's CEO and breaking news of mass layoffs at the Invincible Vs studio, we had an *astounding* amount of attention on TWIV last week. Our news reporting is free. The majority of our work is free. None of it happens without reader support. Our sale ends tomorrow.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Blood of the Dawnwalker is shaping up to be a winner. It’s the most refreshing approach to western RPG design we’ve seen in a while. www.theguardian.com/games/2026/a...
theguardian.com
The Blood of Dawnwalker – save your family while becoming what you hate
Human by day, vampire by night, Coen has difficult choices to make – beginning here in the 1300s, his adventure could span centuries in upcoming sequels
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
It’s because they use CrowdTangle and other tools that measure virality on Facebook and suggest trending topics. It’s the same shit Gaming Bible use. They do these headlines to force anger/curiosity clicks from social media platforms. It’s cancer.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Why are all these cunts also pushing some mobile slot machine? Which company is funding this “content”?
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I’m still proud of these interviews so have a read of my latest — it’s Tom Keegan, cutscene director on Wolfenstein and loads more. He’s responsible for Troy Baker as Indy. Might as well share them while I work my notice. www.gaming.firezidechat.com/p/firezide-c...
gaming.firezidechat.com
Firezide Chat with Tom Keegan
A chat about one of the rarest jobs in video games, directing performance capture.
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Chris Kerr @kerrblimey.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
If any developers have thoughts on this situation and specifically the below predicament I'd love to hear them! DMs open. Email in bio. Signal (kerrblimey.43).
A screenshot of a paragraph from the quote posted article that reads:

The move also raises another question: how can video game studios who don't agree with generative AI usage prevent their work being streamed on the platform and subsequently used to train Amazon's models—without, perhaps, hip-firing DMCA takedown requests?
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Nate Purkeypile: Solo Indie Dev🤘🏹🔪 @npurkeypile.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Hire Kirk! He’s great, he did some writing for me on The Axis Unseen.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
It’s my turn now! The newsletter didn’t take off so I’ve been laid off. If you’re looking for someone with 15 years of experience as a writer and editor, please get in touch. I’ve also written dozens of mock reviews and my clients say they’re good.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
It’s my turn now! The newsletter didn’t take off so I’ve been laid off. If you’re looking for someone with 15 years of experience as a writer and editor, please get in touch. I’ve also written dozens of mock reviews and my clients say they’re good.
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Nazih Fares 🔜 Spawn! Angoulême @nazihfares.com · 09/08/2026
You know what kills me about all these Valnet publications, is that they're owned by a group founded and run by two Lebanese Canadian brothers from the Youssef family known for their exploitative values www.thewrap.com/valnet-labor...
thewrap.com
Valnet Blues: How Online Porn Pioneer Hassan Youssef Built a Digital Media 'Sweatshop'
The owner of entertainment websites Screen Rant, Collider, CBR and MovieWeb faces a lawsuit over exploitative work conditions.
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Kami @comutiny.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
No they aren't
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
God, Big Walk was good.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
I really liked the dog game
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Me trying to think of an insult for the European journalist who keeps asking for hard stats in the roundtable interview.
A logo that says “Infomaniak”
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Sorry for the self promo but I literally won’t have a job by the end of the year if enough people don’t subscribe. I think we’re doing good stuff!
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Chris Schilling @schillingc.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Happy Big Walk day to one and all!
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
I had a chat with @harvey1966.bsky.social about growing up poor, dealing with the deaths of his parents, and how those things shaped his outlook on work and life. www.gaming.firezidechat.com/p/firezide-c...
gaming.firezidechat.com
Firezide Chat with Harvey Smith
A chat about deaths of his parents, growing up in poverty, and how those things shaped his outlook on life.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
I had a chat with @harvey1966.bsky.social about growing up poor, dealing with the deaths of his parents, and how those things shaped his outlook on work and life. www.gaming.firezidechat.com/p/firezide-c...
gaming.firezidechat.com
Firezide Chat with Harvey Smith
A chat about deaths of his parents, growing up in poverty, and how those things shaped his outlook on life.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Wheeling out Todd Howard’s head in a jar to distract from laying off 3,000 people.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
This week’s Firezide Chat interview is with @benstarr.bsky.social. We spoke about social anxiety, growing up as a drama kid, and why he’s in his villain era. www.gaming.firezidechat.com/p/firezide-c...
gaming.firezidechat.com
Firezide Chat with Ben Starr
A chat about social anxieties, what it was like wanting to be an actor as a teenager, and why he’s been a bit angry with baristas lately.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
This week’s Firezide Chat interview is with @benstarr.bsky.social. We spoke about social anxiety, growing up as a drama kid, and why he’s in his villain era. www.gaming.firezidechat.com/p/firezide-c...
gaming.firezidechat.com
Firezide Chat with Ben Starr
A chat about social anxieties, what it was like wanting to be an actor as a teenager, and why he’s been a bit angry with baristas lately.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
They say he’s back in his features writing era. I spoke to @harvey1966.bsky.social and @lizardengland.bsky.social and then wrote 1300 words about video game ladders, for Eurogamer. www.eurogamer.net/the-descent-...
eurogamer.net
The Descent - how game devs learned to love ladders
The ups and downs of everyone's favourite bit of video game connective tissue.
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Eurogamer @eurogamer.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
The Descent - how game devs learned to love ladders www.eurogamer.net/the-descent-...
eurogamer.net
The Descent - how game devs learned to love ladders
The ups and downs of everyone's favourite bit of video game connective tissue.
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Kirk McKeand @mckkirk.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
They say he’s back in his features writing era. I spoke to @harvey1966.bsky.social and @lizardengland.bsky.social and then wrote 1300 words about video game ladders, for Eurogamer. www.eurogamer.net/the-descent-...
eurogamer.net
The Descent - how game devs learned to love ladders
The ups and downs of everyone's favourite bit of video game connective tissue.
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United Videogame Workers-CWA @videogameworkers.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Proud to announce our HARDSHIP FUND: uvw-cwa.org/hardship-fun... If you've been recently laid off and need support, we got you.
A red poster with a white logo (a polygonal heart lifted by 2 hands) and the title "United Videogame Workers – Hardship Fund", followed by this copy:

"UVW-CWA stands for every game worker: for those still employed and fighting for union contracts and those who have been callously treated as disposable by executives who've never shipped a title. 

We are proud to announce our launch of a hardship fund for game workers across the US and Canada who have been subjected to layoffs. If you are a game worker in need of support, please apply."

Below the text is a link to the initiative (as in the post) and the UVW-CWA logo.
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Alex Donaldson @apzonerunner.com · 10/07/2026
This week's Respec podcast is out. We talk the Xbox layoffs, launching the site, the fight to keep discs, some retro nostalgia, and as two eras of VG247 collide, it all naturally ends in bullying: www.respec.net/podcast/95-r...
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Tom O @vgtomo.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Big news! @apzonerunner.com and I have launched a new video games website. @respec.net is our attempt to create a highly curated multi-format site that has that club feel you used to get from the best magazines (and frankly, my beloved VideoGamer back in the day) 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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Jeremy Peel @jeremypeel.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
I wrote this for Wall Week. Enjoy!
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Jim Trinca @jimtrinca.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Indie studios and solo devs are constantly talking about how impossible it is for them in this climate, they also need investment, they also need the industry generally to be healthy. So this "who cares about AAA anyway?" crap I keep seeing is as clueless as it is crass.
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