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Phantom Rowboat

@phantomrowboat.bsky.social
48 followers 54 following 24 posts

A small, friendly game studio, quietly underway. Original Games | Contract Work | Talks Located in Halifax, Nova Scotia phantomrowboat.com

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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
We're thrilled to announce that we are partnering with YouTuber, streamer, and fellow Canadian Mtashed on an exciting upcoming project! More details coming soon. Follow @phantomrowboat.bsky.social and @Mtashed to stay up to date on development.
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Jon Huffman @straighthogglin.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Have you heard of Kiln? In it you play a little spirit that makes pottery with it's butt and then inhabits it to partake in glorious 4v4 combat! Fantastically fun game from Double Fine. store.steampowered.com/app/1165990/...
store.steampowered.com
Kiln on Steam
An online, multiplayer, pottery party brawler from Double Fine Productions. Grab your friends to assemble a team of colorful spirits, then sculpt ceramic battle armor on a pottery wheel. The size and ...
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
There are tons of games that shaped us over the years. One of @straighthogglin.bsky.social's favourites is Brutal Legend. I'm honor of Tim Curry the Double Fine folks are giving it away for the next few hours. If you haven't played it, take the time to experience this gem. itch.io/s/199277/the...
itch.io
Brütal Legend | The Tainted Coil shall rule forever! by Double Fine Productions
A sale by Double Fine Productions, 100% off Brütal Legend
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Adam Hartling @xenosns.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Hey, make a dev's birthday by buying their game! store.steampowered.com/app/2643830/...
store.steampowered.com
The Unlife of Gorlak on Steam
Play as a Gorlak, a recently resurrected dragon in this raising sim JRPG adventure! Featuring deep combat and multiple endings. Become the dragon you want to be!
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RPG Trader @rpgtrader.com · 19/08/2026
Random RPG thought: there is something really awesome about someone having a weird little idea, turning it into a game, and putting it out into the world for other people to play. ❤️🎲
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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
some out of context screenshots of a horror game idea i've been (very casually) pocking at over the weekends, because the concept really intrigues me (to use episodes with the sleep paralysis demon as inspiration). i'm making all my own assets so it is entirely original too! :D #GameDev #GameArt
a screenshot of a desk surrounded by darkness, dimply lit by blue lighta broader screenshot of the desk with monitor and chair. the space is dimly lit.stepping away the desk is surrounded by darka giant dark office space with only one desk
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Was a pleasure to speak with Jonathan for this article. There is a lot of change going on in our industry right now!
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Congrats to our former colleague from Barcelona and the founding of Dark Ritual Studios! We're looking forward to your first game and we're rooting for you! #exUbisoft #gamedev
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
aftermath.site/most-video-g... Phantom Rowboat policy is that all devs, be it art, design, programming, whatever, are allowed to use their work in portfolios for job-seeking purposes. All we ask is that they do their best to secure the material and not share it with the public in general. #gamedev
aftermath.site
Most Video Game Artwork Will Never Be Seen - Aftermath
NDAs and contracts keep most artist's work uncredited and locked away, forever
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Ten | "Hold On, Let Me Save" @theletterten.lol · 28/07/2026
Shout-out to the devs who put out demos to their games. You're the real heroes of gaming.
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Saleem @seemo.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
I have a special place in my heart for Double Fine. The first (and only) company to publish one of our games and opened so many doors for us. I know all the people there are doing their best and I love em to bits. My heart goes out to the folks laid off.
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Adam Hartling @xenosns.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Videos from yesterday's Halifax Indie Devs Play & Tell event are now online! Projects from @direbee.bsky.social , @phantomrowboat.bsky.social , @yarncatgames.com and Trent Baker were presented. www.youtube.com/playlist?lis... #novascotia #halifax #gamedev
youtube playlist with 4 videos listed
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
At Phantom Rowboat we're building a studio with lasting institutional knowledge. We're Senior Devs that have made it (well) past that 6 year cliff and we aim to keep at it. The goal is stable, sustainable, development. If you ever need experienced Game Dev support, let us know! #GameDev
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Excited to see this indie title out of Halifax hit the stores! #newgame #indiedev
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
New blog post! This time is an analysis of Marvel's Midnight Suns by Firaxis, a well-reviewed game that failed to resonate with players. phantomrowboat.com/log/2026-07-... #GameDesign #BlogPost
phantomrowboat.com
Midnight Suns: An Analysis — The Log — Phantom Rowboat
Firaxis built a mechanically brilliant game and surrounded it with enough friction to kill the fun. These are the lessons we gleaned and what we'd do different.
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Jon Huffman @straighthogglin.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
I thoroughly enjoyed my chat with @peternowak.bsky.social. It was great to dig into the larger trend of closures and layoffs in the video games industry. It's a challenging time but video games aren't going anywhere. However it's looking like it may be time to re-evaluate how they're made.
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Adam Hartling @xenosns.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Jon Huffman of @phantomrowboat.bsky.social talks on the Do Not Pass Go podcast about what occurred during the unionization and closure of Ubisoft Halifax, and the broader video game industry challenges today. www.donotpassgo.ca/p/inside-the...
donotpassgo.ca
Video Game Layoffs Fuelling Historic Union Movement
As Microsoft cuts thousands more jobs, Ubisoft Halifax lead organizer Jon Huffman takes us inside his studio’s shutdown and the industry’s growing labour strife
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Co-ops and Cassettes. Back from Toronto Games Week and getting into the swing of things. Check out the notes! phantomrowboat.com/log/2026-06-...
phantomrowboat.com
Structure, Solidarity, and Cassette Tapes: A Toronto Games Week Dispatch — The Log — Phantom Rowboat
Two panels in two days: Notes from a weekend at Toronto Games Week.
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
@straighthogglin.bsky.social is repping the PRB crew in Toronto this weekend! If you'd like to have a chat about the Nova Scotia dev scene, what's growing out of the Ubisoft closure, or about what Phantom Rowboat can do for your team, let us know! #GameDev #TorontoGamesWeek
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
We're fresh out of our first convention and now that we've had some time to decompress here are our thoughts! phantomrowboat.com/log/2026-06-... #XPATL26 #GameDev #indie
phantomrowboat.com
XP Atlantic: First Conference, First Lessons — The Log — Phantom Rowboat
XP Atlantic was one intense day of B2B networking and game dev wisdom sharing. Here's what we took from it.
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Rami Ismail (رامي) @ramiismail.com · 07/06/2026
Question for game devs out there. I am severely overloaded on consultancy work - like, I can't keep up and I feel bad about it. I also notice that a lot of the time, I'm answering the same questions over and over - and I can spend my time, and the developer can spend their cash better. (1/5)
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
So when you throw out reason and jump gung-ho into a new prototype you sometimes make mistakes. This is the story about how we hit the #github LFS limits in a week and how we solved it, rapidly bringing our repository in-house. phantomrowboat.com/log/2026-06-... #devops #gamedev
phantomrowboat.com
We Outgrew GitHub. Here's What We Did About It. — The Log — Phantom Rowboat
GitHub hit us with an LFS bandwidth limit mid-sprint. This is the story of how we moved to a self-hosted GitLab instance on existing home lab hardware, and what it took to do it right.
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Great time at #XPATL26! Let some awesome people, learned plenty, and had fun! #gamedev #halifax
Phantom Rowboat co-founders at their company booth at a games conference Phantom Rowboat co-founder demoing our game prototype
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Guess who's at #XPATL26? (It's us)
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
We've posted before but now it's official: say hello to Phantom Rowboat! 🛶 The newest indie studio in Nova Scotia comes out of the aftermath of the #Ubisoft #Halifax closure. Time to start building something of our own. phantomrowboat.com #indiedev #gamedev
phantomrowboat.com
Phantom Rowboat — Studio
Five game developers, one small boat, one friendly ghost — and a journal kept by lantern light.
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Love the hand-drawn aesthetic!
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
We're going to be at XP Game Connect Atlantic. Swing by and see us amongst the indie pods or feel free to schedule a meeting if you want to chat! app.meettomatch.com/xpatlantic20...
app.meettomatch.com
XP Game Connect Atlantic 2026 | Login
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
There are a lot of roads that lead into Game Development but an important one is Post-Secondary Education. We'd like to share our support in asking the NSCC to reconsider their decision to terminate their Game Development Program. #NSCC #NovaScotia #GameDev
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Phantom Rowboat @phantomrowboat.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Mina looks great! If you enjoyed the classic Zelda games (or the recent Link's Awakening remake) you'll probably love Mina the Hollower. I know we're looking forward to it!
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Chucklefish @chucklefishltd.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
To celebrate Deckbuilders Fest, we're teaming up with the awesome koeda and Shueisha Games' ANTHEM#9, a strategic gem match, rogue-lite , combo battler! 🃏 Big combos and big discounts. 💪 Check 'em out! bit.ly/ANTHEM9_x_Wi...
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Jon Huffman @straighthogglin.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
I had a chance to meet one of the Professors behind this survey. They are looking to find out how AI is affecting the Games industry. If you have 15 minutes, please let your experience! #GameDevelopment #AI #VibeCode #indie
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