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Tomorrow! Good news: it's gonna be a very fun time. Bad news: I still don't have any books... fingers crossed they come tomorrow or this is gonna be a book launch where you can't buy the book, which would be hilarious(ly bad for me who desperately needs to sell some books at this thing).

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 7h

Appreciate I've an Aliens book to sell, but my *beautiful* book about 1970s/80s electronic tabletop games (SEGA, Nintendo, etc) is currently 40% off at the big online bookshop. I thought it'd totally sold out online, so when it says 5 copies left, that might be it. www.amazon.co.uk/Coin-Ops-Tab...

From Coin-Ops to Table-Tops: The Essential Electronic Games Guide book cover. It's a book all about wonderful little toys by SEGA and Nintendo and Konami and Grandstand and Tomy, etc. Ones we grew up with (well, if you're about my age). The photos are gorgeous. £24 quid for this is a steal.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 11h

About to get a 10/10 for being a dorky robot toy guy but Stranger Things season 3 shows the Transformers toy of Ultra Magnus (albeit modified with a motor) in its opening moments. The season is set in 1985. That toy came out in 1986, alongside the Movie.

Ultra Magnus toy in Stranger Things season 3.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 22h

Crossing fingers that my book stock arrives in time, cos if I don't sell a few of those it's gonna be another event where I come away losing money. Love that, for me. (Your advance ticket = price of a cocktail on arrival so the staff get paid, and a small admin fee.)

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 22h

Just a few (six, to be exact) tickets left for this before it reaches its cap - but there should be space for some walk-ups. If you do wanna come and be certain of a seat, please do register in advance... I'll try not to be full of cold. luma.com/p4pjgibd

luma.com

Aliens: The Video Games: In Conversation · Luma

Join author Mike Diver in conversation with Steve Collett (Alien 3, 1993) and Howard Rayner (Alien: Isolation, 2014), for an insightful chat about making Alien…

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 22h

My Red is Perma Minor Injuried.

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Reposted by Mike Diver

Joey X-Scares 👻 @joeyxhairs.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

POV: You just told Steve Coogan about Optimus Prime's name in Japan

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Thanks Luke! This should be a good one. Some in-depth chat, anecdotes and such, games to play, books to buy (assuming stock reaches me in time!). The in conversation part should start by 8.30; I've listed the event as starting from 7.30 but you can arrive beforehand for drinks and/or grub.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Soundtrack also great to work to, turns out. Smashing little game. Do give it a look.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Was verified there (before you had to buy that), which has never happened here. I applied but clearly I'm not important enough (I mean, I have enough family who remind me of that, on the regular). Twitter was good, for a bit. If you're active there now, yes, I do think less of you.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

I feel seen. 14k+ followers over there. Useful, when you've books (and book events) to plug. Never managed such engagement here. Never will. But once I knew I had to kill it, that was that. I don't have an account, and only incredibly rarely look, when not logged in, for day-job purposes.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

A lot of (late) teen memories all wrapped up in this particular banger. Roadtrips, rogue trips, weird twits, a lot.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Why not make it harder for ourselves? As a treat. #saintsfc

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Silver Pines has a real mid-90s Amiga-era feel. Not in look or sounds, exactly, but its Resi-via-Flashback moment-to-moment play has a real clunky but purposefully so momentum to it. I like it. Also I just died horribly to a monster in a tunnel.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Also in that dance-adjacent space, try Real Lies (latest album is We Will Annihilate Our Enemies). Rock/metal/noise - can't go wrong with Flenser label big hitters atm, Chat Pile, Agriculture, Crippling Alcoholism. Or for something more hyperactive, go Callous Daoboys. UK based? I like Knives atm.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Do you already listen to Daniel Avery? His Tremors album of last year, one of my faves in that dance (but not) niche. A lot of guests, more 'live band' vibes than earlier work. Almost like the good side of UNKLE. And one of said guests, Art School Girlfriend, is great in an XX-ish downtempo style.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

I've said before how it'd be rad (but in all likelihood impossible) for someone like Evercade to get a Mindscape compilation together - with four-player Moonstone at the middle of it. But now I think more about what's coming Monday, the more I worry it'll be some AI-powered cobblers.

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

I'm not easily excited by new old games news. But this? I bloody love(d) Moonstone.

A Facebook post from the Moonstone account saying that something is coming on Monday.

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

Have 100 new games I could be playing. And yet...

I've just been having a lovely time with Rygar The Legendary Adventure on PS2.

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

We've sold well over half the 'allocation' for this now, in advance, but there are still some tickets remaining. Fewer than 10 but more than 5, let's say. Let's. On-the-night walkups should be OK as long as you know you still need to pay (the price of a cocktail) to stay for the chat, etc.

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

You, me, and AvP on this, on Wednesday? luma.com/p4pjgibd

The Capcom Home Arcade, which has Alien Versus Predator on it.

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Reposted by Mike Diver

Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

A wee bump for an event I won't stop bumping til it's done. Appreciate you're mostly seeing 'come to this thing in Brighton' for the nth time but I gotta stick at it for that one person who's only seeing it now and thinks: yeah, maybe.

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

Brighton Aliens event update. Walk-ups on the night should be fine, but you'll (probably) have to buy a drink to the same value as an advance ticket. Basically, if the spend is the same, please stay for some chat. Tickets still on sale: luma.com/p4pjgib Books on the night / games to play / etc

luma.com

Aliens: The Video Games: In Conversation · Luma

Join author Mike Diver in conversation with Steve Collett (Alien 3, 1993) and Howard Rayner (Alien: Isolation, 2014), for an insightful chat about making Alien…

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

As I said: bsky.app/profile/mike...

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

What are we saying? Five stars?

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Me: staunchly defending the BBC and the License Fee. Me, but listing to Nick Robinson: actually...

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

My jaw just made a noise like popping candy chat is that good?

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

What's another bump, between friends? We've sold some tickets for this, which is great, I massively appreciate everyone who's put their money down to come along, in this economy. If we can get, like, five more bums on seats before Wednesday, that'd be *amazing*. luma.com/p4pjgibd

luma.com

Aliens: The Video Games: In Conversation · Luma

Join author Mike Diver in conversation with Steve Collett (Alien 3, 1993) and Howard Rayner (Alien: Isolation, 2014), for an insightful chat about making Alien…

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Absolutely bizarro-world logic for anyone in the press to see the Greens result in London and press the Disaster/Crisis button.

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Reposted by Mike Diver

Chris Marron @sonofhal.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

The press seems to see a 22 pt gain for the Greens in a by-election as a failure/crisis for the party, but a similar result for Reform as a threat to the government and could see them in power.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Strongly reminiscent of Gamate copy. Most of the games here have terrifically strange descriptions. Some obvs poor translations, others just odd. I'll retake some snaps if yr curious as all I can immediately find is this front cover group shot. bsky.app/profile/mike...

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Spiky and snarling and sassy and sometimes (quite a lot of times) a bit sad.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Continuing the music posts: not nearly enough of you have Nature Creates Freaks by Cay. But a lil check of Amazon shows me you can own this on compact disc for less than four quid. So good. Get it into you. (Unless you already did in the very late 90s, when it peaked at 197 on the album chart.)

The cover of Nature Creates Freaks by Cay.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I am very invested in introducing this record to other folks. Cos god damn. Someone pay me to write 500 words about it and they'll get the best damn 3,700 words they've had on their blog or website or newsletter or periodical or fanzine or occasional instagram post this wretched, rotten H2.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I am, once again, asking: have you listened to CAMGIRL by Crippling Alcoholism? Cos it's especially GOOD.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

How do I block Screengrabs Of Blue Tick AI Bros On The Bird Site Saying The Dumbest Shit on here?

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Happy 12th anniversary to Alien: Isolation, released this day in 2014. Come hear about how the game was made, from its lead VFX artist Howard Rayner, at Loading Bar, Brighton, on October 14: luma.com/p4pjgibd

Alien: Isolation on PS4 plus a copy of Aliens: The Video Games

Alien: Isolation cover art showing Amanda Ripley

The alien from Alien: Isolation, about to eat your face

Information for the October 14 event. Please check the link in the post for tickets.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

If you're yet to grab it, heck, it's Spooky Season, so why not treat yourself? It's still discounted at the publisher @penandswordbooks.bsky.social and elsewhere online. Not least of all the aforementioned big book shop. I will also be selling copies on Oct 14 in Brighton: luma.com/p4pjgibd

luma.com

Aliens: The Video Games: In Conversation · Luma

Join author Mike Diver in conversation with Steve Collett (Alien 3, 1993) and Howard Rayner (Alien: Isolation, 2014), for an insightful chat about making Alien…

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Aliens: The Video Games has been out for a month or so. If you've picked it up, thank you! I've had several messages from folks saying they have enjoyed it. It's a huge, massive, incredible help to me, if you like the book, if you can leave a review on Amazon. www.amazon.co.uk/Aliens-Video...

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I have managed about 45 mins of all of these, mind, on average.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Absolutely spoiled for good games, right now. How grand is it, to have a great new Silent Hill, Control and Star Wars out? And The Witcher 3 again and a great Witcher-like with Dawnwalker? And Onimusha and 007. And Well Dweller and Denshattack and Mina and Mewgenics. It's GOOD, I think.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

That's neat, love the little hot dog guy detail.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Anyway please buy my book/s so I can afford to go to Primavera next year for the first time since idk 2008 I think, when I stayed at the Princess with Flavor Flav* and DJed the festival afterparty and saw a genuine gangster movie size pile of coke and goddamn I am so, so very old, now. (*sort of)

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Alien 3: The Gun is detailed in Aliens: The Video Games, albeit in the shortest chapter of the four Alien 3 games. Speaking of: why not come along to a chat with Steve Collett, who worked on Alien 3 for SNES, on Oct 14, also starring Howard Rayner who worked on Alien: Isolation. luma.com/p4pjgibd

luma.com

Aliens: The Video Games: In Conversation · Luma

Join author Mike Diver in conversation with Steve Collett (Alien 3, 1993) and Howard Rayner (Alien: Isolation, 2014), for an insightful chat about making Alien…

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Here's me talking ever so slightly about encountering Alien 3: The Gun in the wild, in a Southampton shopping centre (long since demolished). youtube.com/shorts/AVuZv...

youtube.com

Mike Diver on how he discovered the lightgun shooter Alien 3 The Gun (1993) by SEGA

YouTube video by Coin-Op Conversations

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