Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 6hA lot of well-earned criticism of that NYT Xbox article, but on the news front this comment really stood out to me. It really seems like Xbox wants to embrace playbor and UGC rather than developer made games next-gen. Don't think "do the work for us after we laid off thousands" is a good strategy. 020
Reposted by Tomas FranzeseAndy Robinson @andyrobinson.bsky.social · 9hGames media cuts have felt unending for a while, but the mood feels especially grim among indie outlets with the latest wave of layoffs. More than ever, if the game industry values its media, it needs to support them. Buy some advertising, sponsor content, purchase subs. It makes a big difference. 219350
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 28/09/2026I'm very excited to share that I reviewed Minecraft Dungeons II for @gameinformer.com ! This is a very big deal for me. Game Informer was the gaming magazine I read growing up, and I've always wanted to be published there. gameinformer.com/review/minec...gameinformer.comMinecraft Dungeons II Review: Built Better Than BeforeMinecraft Dungeons II (Xbox Series X/S) Review – 7.25/10: Minecraft Dungeons II is a straightforward, entry-level action-RPG that proves this spin-off franchise can stand on its own and improve with s... 3568
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 27/09/2026One final BlizzCon story from me on @polygon.com. I asked CD Projekt Red if it'd ever add Diablo-themed content to a Witcher game, and got a surprisingly thoughtful response as to why the studio doesn't like crossover/collab content in its own games: www.polygon.com/the-witcher-...polygon.comWitcher Dev Reveals Why CD Projekt Red Doesn't Do Crossovers In Its Own GamesA Geralt-inspired skin is coming to Diablo 4, but don't expect Diablo characters in The Witcher 3 Remastered 010
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 24/09/2026A good Remastered this week! First, a Q&A with Commodore and Antstream about Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection, which launches today. I learned more about why neo-Commodore is getting into game publishing and confirmed no AI was used in the collection. www.remastered.blog/commodore-sa...remastered.blogCommodore Says Publishing Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection Wasn't About The MoneyJim Squires revealed why the newly revived Commodore got back into game publishing with Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collecton. 210
Reposted by Tomas FranzesePatrick Klepek @patrickklepek.bsky.social · 20/09/2026static.klipy.comSad Nub Cat in the RainALT: Sad Nub Cat in the Rain 121365
Reposted by Tomas FranzeseCJ Fogler @cjzero.bsky.social · 20/09/2026holy shit Caleb, that stop on the sideline was hilarious 922036
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 17/09/2026I haven't been able to stop thinking about @amphibiangame.bsky.social since it was unveiled at Gamescom, so I interviewed its developer for Remastered! It was a great conversation that touched on both how "frog-accurate" the game is and its retro inspirations! www.remastered.blog/amphibian-in...remastered.blogThis "Frog-Accurate" RPG Pays Tribute To Final Fantasy, Fire Emblem, And MoreAmphibian developer Greg Alexandropoulos reveals what makes his "frog-accurate" game special in a sea of retro-inspired RPGs. 240
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 16/09/2026My last big story from BlizzCon: A feature about Heroes of the Storm's return, and how a small team at Blizzard has quietly been working towards this moment since 2022: www.polygon.com/heroes-of-th...polygon.comHow Blizzard Quietly Revived Heroes of the StormBlizzard breaks down the 4-year road of development that led to Heroes of the Storm’s grand BlizzCon return 020
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 15/09/2026My latest BlizzCon story is about Diablo 5's procedural generation! The devs were pretty open about the fact that Diablo 4's static open world missed the mark and don't seem concerned that going back to procedural generation will make the game too repetitive: www.polygon.com/diablo-5-no-...polygon.comBlizzard Explains How Diablo 5 Avoids Diablo 4's Open-World ProblemOverlay maps will also be in Diablo 5 from day one 040
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 14/09/2026Shout out to the guy at the Denver airport that is mad he got served ramen at the ramen restaurant there. 140
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 14/09/2026I spoke to CDPR about their upcoming Diablo and Overwatch collaborations, getting into the weeds about why certain choices, like making the D4 Geralt skin just for Barbarian class, were made: www.polygon.com/cd-projekt-r...polygon.comDiablo 4’s Witcher Collab Could Literally Only Work for One Class, Says CDPRDevelopers also reveal why Overwatch is collaborating with Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and not Cyberpunk 2077 111
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 14/09/2026More BlizzCon stuff from me on @polygon.com! Did you know that a writer that helped shape the original Dragon Age trilogy is working on Diablo 5 as its narrative director, and that her work on Dragon Age is influencing the new game? www.polygon.com/diablo-5-int...polygon.comDiablo 5 Has A Surprising Connection To Dragon Age"My experience with traditional RPGs has definitely been a strength" during Diablo 5's development, Jennifer Hepler told Polygon 100
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 13/09/2026I'm covering BlizzCon for @polygon.com, and we confirmed that the switch support of Diablo 4 will have mouse controls! Revealed that and generally preview the port here: www.polygon.com/diablo-4-nin...polygon.comDiablo 4 On Switch 2: A Very Impressive Port That Supports Mouse ControlsBlizzard confirmed to Polygon that the Switch 2 port we played at BlizzCon will support mouse controls 171
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 10/09/2026For Remastered this week, I used all the discourse around The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Switch 2 to explore how there's now a spectrum of what video game remakes can be, and that there's no wrong way to do one (except for generative AI, I guess): www.remastered.blog/what-does-re...remastered.blogWhat Does "Remake" Mean In 2026?The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2 highlights how every remake approaches revitalizing a classic differently. 041
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 09/09/2026I wrote about everything that shadow-dropped during the Direct today for @gamespot.com. Also just want to say I impressed @jasonfanelli.com with how much I correctly predicted. www.gamespot.com/articles/eve...gamespot.comEvery Nintendo Direct Game That You Can Play Right NowCrisis Core, Meccha Chameleon, and more games shadow-dropped during the September 2026 Nintendo Direct. 030
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 08/09/2026I got to check out Valheim's 1.0 update early for @polygon.com! It cemented Valheim as an all-time survival game for me, not just a pandemic gaming-era fad. www.polygon.com/valheim-laun...polygon.comValheim 1.0 Is Finally The Game It Was Always Meant To BeIf you still haven’t played Valheim, now’s the time to do so 010
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Just beat Zero Company, and it truly is a wonderful game. I hope the impacted devs who made it so amazing have the opportunity to land on their feet and make more great games in the future. 030
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 07/09/2026To help kick off @polygon.com's Fall Preview, I published an exclusive release date reveal and Q&A with the developers of Food Devils! www.polygon.com/food-devils-...polygon.comThis Sexy Fire Emblem-Inspired RPG Mixes Roguelikes, Dating Sims, and Hot DevilsPolygon can exclusively reveal the release date of Studio Daimon's Food Devils 020
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Next weekend, I'm going to be covering BlizzCon in-person for @polygon.com! Don't hesitate to say hi if you see me there. 030
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 03/09/2026No Remastered today! Reviewed Onimusha earlier in the week and was covering the State of Play this morning! It will return on September 10! 100
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 02/09/2026And I've confirmed it. Official statement from CD Projekt Red (full quote in article): "Fool's Theory team is focused mainly on the development of Witcher 3: Songs of the Past, while a relatively small part of their team is supporting the development of The Witcher 4." 000
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 01/09/2026After a recent comment made by CD Projekt's CEO, I did some digging for @gamespot.com. This has gone under the radar despite public statements, but The Witcher Remake's development has stalled as the team waits on "technology dependencies with The Witcher 4." www.gamespot.com/articles/the...gamespot.comThe Witcher Remake Is Waiting On The Witcher 4 To Continue DevelopmentDeveloper Fool's Theory has prioritized work on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's Songs of the Past expansion instead. 130
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 01/09/2026What a shame. This is my GOTY, yet I see so much room for improvement in a sequel (better story presentation, fewer glitches, etc.). It feels like the Mass Effect 1 of what could be an all-time great strategy series. Unfortunately, the industry doesn't let studios survive to do that anymore. 010
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 31/08/2026This week's Remastered is the newsletter's first AAA game review! I really enjoyed Onimusha: Way of the Sword. The back half of the game can get repetitive, but overall I found it does a fantastic job of modernizing Onimusha while maintaining the series' soul: www.remastered.blog/onimusha-way...remastered.blogOnimusha: Way of the Sword Modernizes A Classic Franchise While Retaining Its SoulOnimusha: Way of the Sword is the best action game of 2026 and an amazing retro revival. 110
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 31/08/2026We're probably going to learn more about the Manhunters on today's episode of Lanterns, so why don't you read more about the time Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern fought them: www.polygon.com/green-lanter...polygon.comNobody Remembers The DC Video Game That Introduced Lanterns' VillainsRemember that time Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern fought the Manhunters? Probably not. 210
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 30/08/2026Thanks to Ford James' on-the-ground reporting at Gamescom, I can confirm for @polygon.com that Fable will take 20 hours to beat. The developers did note that engaging with the sidequests and Fable's emergent game systems can double your play time, though: www.polygon.com/fable-game-l...polygon.comFable Will Officially Be 20 Hours Long, Xbox Confirms In New InterviewBut you can 'literally play it forever' if you want 020
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 29/08/2026A feature about something I've tracked for a year is live on @gamespot.com! When raising the price of Xbox Game Pass in 2025, Xbox promised to add 75+ day-one releases to the service over the next year. While a lot changed at Xbox since then, it did accomplish that: www.gamespot.com/articles/xbo...gamespot.comXbox Kept At Least One Big Promise In Its Most Tumultuous Year EverXbox promised that Game Pass would have over 75 day-one releases this past year. It delivered on that despite all of the other changes at Xbox. 000
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 27/08/2026GTA 6 certainly looks like one of the video games of all time. 000
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 27/08/2026This week's Remastered is more bloggy, as I muse over why the new games being shown during showcases like Gamescom Opening Night Live are getting less and less interesting to me: www.remastered.blog/gamescom-ope...remastered.blogWhy Are Video Game Showcases So Boring Now?I explore why so few of Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026's announcements excited me. 000
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Found Gamescom Opening Night Live pretty boring and disappointing overall, but Lego Skylines was the highlight for me! www.gamespot.com/articles/leg...gamespot.comLego Skylines Is A Genius Idea For A Cities: Skylines Spin-OffA Cities: Skylines spin-off where everything is made of Lego is in the works. 000
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 20/08/2026New byline! I shared some quick thoughts on 2XKO's recent end-of-development announcement on @gametyrant.bsky.social: gametyrant.com/news/2xkos-s...gametyrant.com2XKO's Demise Is Disappointing But Not Shocking — GameTyrantWhile I was saddened when Riot Games announced the end of development for 2XKO , I was not surprised. Released less than a year ago after over a decade of development, even Riot Games admits that 2X... 020
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 20/08/2026There seems to have been an email issue, so the latest Remastered newsletter featuring my Theropods interview with @losttoken.bsky.social didn't go out to all subscribers. Please check it out if you think you missed it this morning, I'm really happy with how it turned out. 053
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 20/08/2026This week's Remastered is a good one! I have an interview with the developers of Theropods, where Lost Token breaks down how it made an amazing point-and-click adventure game that lacked dialogue and sports beautiful pixel art: www.remastered.blog/theropods-in...remastered.blogTheropods Honors The Legacy Of Adventure Games Without Muttering A Single WordLost Token explains how it created one of the best point-and-click adventure games in years. 130
Reposted by Tomas FranzeseSam Hill @samahill.bsky.social · 14/08/2026belated announcement but I'm writing news over at @polygon.com now 😎 lots of stories about unexpected steaming hits, video game deals and, most importantly, the upcoming ACOTAR board game all the stories here: www.polygon.com/author/sam-h... www.polygon.com/acotar-board...polygon.comOne of Romantasy’s Biggest Series Is Coming for Your Board Game ShelfOne of romantasy’s biggest series is becoming a strategy board game built around alliances, rivalries, and the seven Courts of Prythian. 131
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 16/08/2026Kingdom Hearts fans will really see a random anime boy in a trailer and go "This is the greatest game trailer of all time! Nomura hasn't lost it!" 110
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 15/08/2026Not surprised to see Disney flaunting Kingdom Hearts as it tries to get back into gaming. It's basically free theme park-like advertising for whatever IP they want to promote. Everyone talks about the wild lore, but that's the real reason the franchise has stayed around so long. 011
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 13/08/2026Spiritual successors are the theme of this week's Remastered. It features a Q&A with Replicant D6, the solo dev behind the GoldenEye 007-inspired Agent 64. It also features my thoughts on Wild Blue Skies, an underwhelming Star Fox spiritual successor. www.remastered.blog/agent-64-int...remastered.blogAgent 64 Is GoldenEye For The Modern EyeAgent 64: Spies Never Die developer Replicant D6 reveals how their great GoldenEye 007 spiritual successor came to be. 020
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 12/08/2026Remastered is going live at 1 p.m. tomorrow because of an embargo! 010
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 11/08/2026All the glowing Star Wars: Zero Company previews are getting me more excited for that game than any other game in recent memory. I've always wanted XCOM-like strategy games based on Star Wars and the Suicide Squad, and ZCOM seems like it is fully delivering the former. 141
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 06/08/2026For this week's Remastered, I used Beast of Reincarnation to reflect on Game Freak's Gear Project titles and how they reveal more about the developers at Game Freak than Pokémon does. Plus, a giveaway for Montabi, a new Pokémon-inspired roguelike: www.remastered.blog/beast-of-rei...remastered.blogBeast Of Reincarnation Reveals More About Game Freak Than PokémonLike other Gear Project games, Beast of Reincarnation shows what the Pokémon developers at Game Freak are truly passionate about. 071
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 06/08/2026This is kind of the late-stage capitalism end point for both video game showcases and content-driven subscription services. Paying a company a subscription fee to watch an ad is considered a viable business model now. 040
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 31/07/2026I would like to say that the level of dopamine I've been getting from interacting with @marioprime.bsky.social is not healthy for me. 240
Reposted by Tomas FranzeseMaddy Myers 🏳️🌈 @midimyers.com · 31/07/2026it's actually sad as hell to use AI for research when research is the fun part. you can just email people and call them on the phone and ask them questions about the thing that they have expertise in. you can read documents & learn cool shit. ok now i'm just talking about how being a reporter is fun 191231190
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 30/07/2026Thank you to @maxfrequency.net for inviting me back on his podcast. I was a really great discussion about the *waves hands at everything* what's going on with the game industry right now! 000
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 28/07/2026Remastered is back! Based on interviews conducted during and after Summer Game Fest, I wrote about how @everquestlegends.bsky.social is taking a much different approach to the "classic" reimagining that a lot of long-running multiplayer games have received: www.remastered.blog/everquest-le...remastered.blogEverQuest Legends Is More Than A Novelty ThrowbackExecutive Producer David Youssefi breaks down how EverQuest Legends is more than a throwback to the MMO's launch days. 010
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 24/07/2026Had heard the new He-Man movie was low key pretty good, but that was by far the worst thing I watched this year. Terrible, repetitive script that makes fun of the source material in really annoying ways. If the movie itself doesn't seem to like the source material, why should I like the movie? 040
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 23/07/2026For @gamespot.com, I wrote about how Xbox's ad-supporting game streaming announcement crosses a line the video game industry has been inching toward for years: www.gamespot.com/articles/xbo...gamespot.comXbox Is Putting Ads Before Games, And It Feels GrossAlthough advertising is commonplace in video games nowadays, something about Xbox’s ad-supported cloud gaming announcement is particularly infuriating. 030
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 23/07/2026No Remastered tomorrow morning. I just did a great interview that'll be at the center of the newsletter, but it would come in a little too hot if I rushed to meet tomorrow's 11 a.m. deadline. Expect it before next Tuesday, though, as it's about a game launching next week! 000
Tomas Franzese @tomasfranzese.bsky.social · 21/07/2026Just watched High Fidelity, and it's pretty wild how Mixtape just rips off its whole conceited character talking to the camera about music schtick. Both are also a little too forgiving to their terrible main characters. 130