iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Me: Tuning into the local news for the first time in forever because, why not. See what's up. Local news: A story about a failed lawsuit over a peanut butter cup not having a pumpkin face carved into it like it does on the wrapper. Feeling very informed right now.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

But there's nothing inherently cool about that because a PC can do the same thing. Where's the community stuff that's tough to do anywhere else? Where are the built-in features developers can use for leaderboards, for leagues? It can't just be exclusive games. What makes the experience more unique?

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I think Xbox killing that name was incredibly shortsighted but it aligned with all they aspired to be, which is.. a box to play video games. All PlayStation aspires to be is a box to play video games. Which serves a lot of people, no doubt. PS numbers, Switch numbers prove it.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Something the platform holders are missing now -- and I think why PC has grown the way it has -- is because community became less of a focus. They stopped innovating here. No one's DYING to jump on PSN. Xbox Live isn't even a thing anymore. Do you jump on... Game Pass? That sounds silly.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

“Resonate is a cool word, what if we have some form of that in the title”

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I only just now watched the Zelda direct and like… I think I was expecting to be underwhelmed. But I was not. They went hard.

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Reposted by Shawn Farner

XPA Watch @xpawatch.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Baldur's Gate 3 gained Xbox Play Anywhere support.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

I think it's intended more as a warning shot, but yeah, I don't envision a scenario where Sony is like, "Wow, you gave us a small taste of your power and we're terrified. Discs are back baby." What's needed is Game Pass exodus-levels of revenue loss over a period of time.

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Reposted by Shawn Farner

XPA Watch @xpawatch.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Zenless Zone Zero gained Xbox Play Anywhere support.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Xbox kills me. How does a game get onto the store, into Game Pass, no less, without a published release date on its store page? Data me is quite bothered by the lack of upkeep happening here.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

I generally keep things because the process of selling them to other people is so excruciating.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

If you move to PC, every game is Play Anywhere.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

We need more private companies run by people who'd rather be crushed by a meteor than sell out.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

A lot people will focus on the hands-off approach to studio management, or games landing in the 7s, 8s, etc. But there've been some hits in there, too, and to me, Xbox marketing has been pretty poor dating back to the Xbox One era. At that level, being a great game only gets you so far on its own.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

We will not run from hard truths. That's why we at Xbox want to remind you that you're hurtling through time toward your inevitable demise. We had a great showcase and we're truly proud of the work our teams are doing to deliver amazing experiences to our players. But again, remember, death.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Convinced Xbox has a command center that tracks sentiment. If it reaches the line marked "too positive," they send someone out to say or do something completely awful.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

I can't say that, given the opportunity, I would not also be doing something similar. I'd think it was hilarious but someone playing the game would be like, "Is Bond... humming an Ace of Base song?" Wouldn't stick the landing as well I imagine.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Weird territory to be entering, especially when you consider that these OEMs are accustomed to iterating on and releasing new products year after year. Can't wait for the performance coverage of PS6, Switch 2 and -Xbox Helix -ASUS ROG Xbox H (2028) -ASUS ROG Xbox H (2027) -Alienware Xbox 51 (2028)

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Min spec would make sense. I suppose I'm thinking what would make what ASUS puts out different from what HP puts out, or Razer puts out, etc. Has to be one of these AMD chipsets but, wiggle room on RAM, storage?

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Sounds like the Windows and Surface strategy, essentially. So let's say there's a $300 budget Xbox from HP -- how well does it play next-gen games and what prevents developers from landing right back in the same spot they're in with the Series S? Or, if power's the same, where are the sacrifices?

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Last year was Tomb Raider 2013, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Journey, Inside. Right now is FF7 Remake, and I cannot stop gushing about what stupid silly fun this game is, again.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

I started a thing last year where I go back to games I last played maybe 5-10 years ago because, at that point, I can't remember much of them outside of the big moments. Perk being I know what I rated them so I know I'm already going to like them.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Nintendo kinda brought it. I am a little sad frisbee golf isn't coming back to this Resort game, though. I lost so, so, so many hours playing frisbee golf. But I recognize I may be the only person who cared for it.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

This is the meme of putting the stick in the bike spokes. Finally have steady game output only to get to a point where they ask, "Why aren't people buying Xboxes?"

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Such a baffling way to do it. Exclusivity needs to serve to justify the investment. "If I buy this thing for $650, I get access to these 10 new games I can't get on PS5." They picked the two that'll hurt the least. From that perspective, took the show from "they're back" to "they're confused."

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Truly is wild. Makes me happy to not be in any sort of media space anymore. I just get to see it, go “Cool, the studio that made the games I like is making another game” and then not think about it again until it’s closer to coming out.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

There is a siren outside that sounds like zooming the camera in Super Mario 64

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

What do you mean other people, Dan? IGN is one person -- IGN Smith. I went to high school with them. Never knew them to like different things and hold different opinions in such a random way back then, but lately... It's like some sort of split personality thing happening.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

This type of targeted advertising is legitimately hilarious.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

I laughed at this for a solid five minutes.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

You ever have a day that sucked already, then another stupidly bad thing happens and you just laugh hysterically? This was me finding out the new Star Fox game is ANOTHER REMAKE ahahaha. Like who needs a new one really when I can get new versions of this from my single digit years til the day I die

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Glad I hoarded this. I maintain this is a cool game.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Glad to see good Pragmata reviews. I wish new IP popping up was the norm rather than the exception.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

See though the business needs to be saved - now excuse me while I stand on the announce table and do the yeet thing

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Reposted by Shawn Farner

WeRateDogs @weratedogs.com · 25/03/2026

A viral dog rescue from 2016 is now immortalized with a statue in Kazakhstan. When a dog fell into the Sayran reservoir, bystanders formed a human chain to pull him to safety. The statue is a reminder of the value of unity, solidarity and collective action. 14/10 for all

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Something about this cracks me up because there are levels to it

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

I’ve found some legit neat uses for AI. It’s just a shame the grift ecosystem around it is so out of control. DM for a link to my free course

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

"One time I made a pie and only used some of the ingredients. Then the next time I only baked it for 15 minutes instead of 40. I keep getting bad results! This is damaging my brand!"

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

I wish there was an 11-inch variant, but once you're down at $600, probably tough to employ the typical Apple price staggering in a way that makes any sense.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

And we shall start calling seasons parts, for we must always show disdain for our readers

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 28/02/2026

The real test will be if, in a year and a half, Ghost of Yotei is not on PC and there are no signs it'll come. Which would be silly, because there are people in this world who will not buy a console. And you can either have a few billion more dollars or not have a few billion more dollars.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 28/02/2026

Sony "pulling back from PC" is funny because... to hold games back from a platform, you have to release them first. "Sony hasn't put a game on PC in a while." Sony proper has put out few games in the past year to even *consider* for PC. And their big hitters (like Ghost) are never day-and-date.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

I just took a stroll through Google Discover for the first time in a while. Scroll, scroll, scroll. For like two minutes, searching. There are some sites in here that used to be regulars that I do not see anymore. Concerning.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

As an Eagles fan, I'm getting "Juan Castillo" vibes. There was a year where the Eagles let go of their defensive coordinator and made the *offensive line coach* the defensive coordinator. It went about as well as you'd expect.

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

HFW being four years old already... hurts. Probably more than anything on this list, because how's it been that many years already?

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Shawn Farner @pixelquips.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

"There's a new Final Fantasy 9 coming!" me: *clicks* "HAHAHAHA you IDIOT IT'S A BOOK" I don't want to wish ill on anyone but I will make an exception for whoever is pushing these headlines

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