iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Me mollywhopping Dylan in Control: Resonant so he can get his ass in the Gap for those sweet sweet upgrades.

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Great time talking with Sharpie and I hope everyone enjoyed the narrative insights. Always a pleasure :)

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Game Devs of Color Expo @gdocexpo.com · 23/09/2026

Our host Sharpie @sharpiepls.com sat down with Zaire Lanier @zeestermeester.bsky.social to talk about their work on games like Unknown Worlds' Subnautica: Below Zero and Compulsion Games' South of Midnight. #gamedev #GDocExpo2026

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Hey, about three months later I am still looking for work. I have done senior level work, I’m comfortable owning zones, writing cutscenes, and environmental narrative. Open to working in other mediums as well.

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Jarrett P. @notcrucial.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

My novel is fully released! You can grab a copy of PolyCorpse from Amazon or your favorite brick and mortar bookshop. www.amazon.com/-/zh_TW/Jarr...

Shows the cover of the novel PolyCorpse by Jarrett Poole on both digital and physical copies. Text reads "Out now. Amazon, Bookstores, Paperback, eBook.:

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Jordan Minor @jordanwminor.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

So for this Juneteenth, I went back and updated my feature on the need to incorporate more Blackness into your gaming perspective, more relevant now than when I wrote it years ago. Check it out on @pcmag.com www.pcmag.com/opinions/cel...

pcmag.com

Celebrate Juneteenth by Supporting These Brilliant Black Game Developers

From developers to esports stars to visionaries, Black excellence exists at every gaming level, so you have no excuse not to show support.

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Dianna 🇩🇴 @grlpants.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

And what's hilarious is that Game Companies ™️ are still requiring folks to move to work at their studio. Lol absolutely not. No no no. Don't do it. Not worth it.

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Lis @thewritegame.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

South of Midnight’s dialogue is a masterclass in laying down words that leave you raw but opens up the world in return. @zeestermeester.bsky.social and @epistellar.bsky.social helped make that happen. Follow their work and hire their expertise. You’ll receive an evocative story as a result.

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Cee • Artsy Black DrPH Student • MPH, MCHES 💖 @theprojectc7.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

South of Midnight is one of my favorite games of all time and is helping me grieve my late grandmother right now because of its roots in what story it was trying to tell. Sending abundance and love to everybody at Compulsion Games something serious. Whew.

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Kevin Snow @bravemule.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Zaire wrote the heart and the truth in those scripts.

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Kate Sánchez @ohmymithrandir.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

South of Midnight was the first time I saw my peers talk about the South as something beautiful and worth seeing. That game did something I didn't think was possible; it was a love letter to a region I believe we should fight for, and for once, my peers got to see the beauty and magic that I see.

butwhytho.net

REVIEW: 'South Of Midnight' Is A Love Letter To An Overlooked Community - But Why Tho?

Compulsion Games has created a love letter to the South, to its beauty and its stories in South of Midnight.

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Ash Parrish, Kotaku's LeBron James @adashtra.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Shut up. Sit down And go fucking play south of midnight right now and I'm not asking www.theverge.com/games-review...

theverge.com

South of Midnight is a game worth hollerin’ about

A game worth praise dancing for.

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

If anyone is looking to hire a Peabody and BAFTA winning senior writer, I am looking for work. I’ve got six years experience in games. Everything from indie to AAA. I am not married to staying in games. I am hoping to relocate to the Bay Area. I am keeping my ears to the ground.

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allsee @allsees.online · 07/06/2026

if you ever wanted silent hill but with Indonesian folklore, you'll love Agni: Village of Calamity, where an unauthorized investigation in a remote village turns into brutal body horror

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Man, the end of an era. I will never forget the late nights with friends while I was going through rough transitions in life. The terrible and rewarding raids I got tricked into. Doing Final Shape and hollering at the screen. Telesto breaking shit. The community mourning Lance Reddick Truly a game

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

We acted out our scripts a ton and did so many passes for flow. It was a really fascinating process to make the dialogue feel as natural as possible. The writing, mocap, and VA all came together so well. Hazel’s voice and being felt real.

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Bruh. Congrats to the team and to the wonderful people on narrative. Holy shit.

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

😭😭😭 so proud of the team!

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Compulsion Games @compulsiongames.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

Tonight, South of Midnight was recognized with a BAFTA for New Intellectual Property. ✨🏆 Rooted in the stories, the sounds, and the beauty of the Deep South, this is a game built with compassion and wonder. What a moment. What a team. What a journey. Thank you to all our players.

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Don’t want to thank everyone individually and inundate the feed, but thank you all for your well-wishes and support. We worked so hard on Midnight!

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John Ryan @johnryanwrites.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

When I talk about how the coming-up generation of devs are going to develop gaming into its own unique language (separate from other media) and elevate gaming itself, this is what I mean. The kids are alright and they are making amazing games.

Art for South of Midnight, nominated for a Peabody

A screenshot for sunset visitor's next game, Prove You're Human

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

I have no words. Other than I am honored and humbled to be nominated alongside such meaningful stories. So proud of the team and the work we did 😭.

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AFDS @afdsbm.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

Witchy Storm Commission #storm #marvel #xmen

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

Not my launch PS5 being an appreciating asset!? Get like me brokies. 💸💸

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

There is no amount of failure or success that will warrant reasonable job security in this industry. The human cost of making games or frankly being a creative of any industry in this hellscape is obscene. More blood on the altar for shareholders. Love it.

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

My friends wont let me be great.

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Mike X. Nichols @mikexnichols.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

the video game industry is a mess

“Make bad game? Fired. Make good game? Fired. Make incredibly successful game? Believe it or not, also fired.” Original source of meme is from Parks and Recreation.

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

IM NOT MENTALLY SOUND ENOUGH FOR THESE PUNCH THE MONKEY VIDEOS. SOMEONE HELP HIM!?!? CALL THE UN, CALL THE NATIONAL GUARD, DO SOMETHING????

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nikeotim.bsky.social @nikeotim.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Erin Jackson the first Black Woman to win Olympic Gold Medal in Speed Skating

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Aint nothing I can put in a deeper fryer and tossed in herbs and spices gonna beat me up.

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

THAT’S US, BABY. So excited to be nominated.

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

I used this app and other VR apps during covid and after when I had a back injury that barely allowed me to walk. Supernatural was incredibly accessible with a support community. The median age/demo for Supernatural is 50 year old women, a group oft ignored in games. This really is a loss

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Victoria Song @vicmsong.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Here’s a story I’ve been working on for a few weeks. Over 50 Supernatural fans reached out to share how a VR fitness game changed their lives — and they had choice words about how Mark Zuckerberg and Meta killed the one thing that brought them together. (Gift link) tinyurl.com/4yaftn2s

tinyurl.com

Supernatural was a breakout VR fitness sensation — meet the women furious with Mark Zuckerberg for killing it

‘I despise Meta.’

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alyssa mercante @alyssamerc.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

Finding out /pol/ was likely inspired by an Epstein meeting is further proof the online alt right is not the natural progression of conservatism but a psyop determined to capture, radicalize, and mobilize young men. Book becoming more relevant as I write it!

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Saw “No Other Choice” and “The Testament of Ann Lee.” Gonna run a semi-truck into the Academy for snubbing both these movies in all categories.

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Elizabeth Wrigley-Field @wrigleyfield.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

This is one of the things that I find is most shocking to people outside Minnesota who don’t realize it yet—the scale at which everyone who isn’t white has been forced into a spectrum of hiding. Very good article drawing out the Tahrir Square comparison.

Knutson mentioned in passing that his neighbor had “an adopted brown kid down there; they hid her in the basement yesterday.” This kind of thing no longer sounds weird in Minneapolis. Many people are hiding indoors—so many that, in a city with a substantial minority population, I hardly saw any Black or Latino faces on the street.

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Mark Armstrong @markarms.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

"Liam’s teacher, Ella Sullivan, teared up when thinking about Liam. 'He’s a bright young student,' she said, 'and he’s so kind and loving. His classmates miss him.'" www.startribune.com/preschooler-...

startribune.com

Preschooler and three other students detained by ICE, school district leader says

The detentions of Columbia Heights students come after weeks of heightened concern and enforcement presence near and on Twin Cities school property.

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Really feeling this lately. Especially as a Black queer woman.

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Allie B. - write the infinite @madpierrot.design · 21/01/2026

Truly the thought at THEE top of my mind every time I see people spout about how all Americans are responsible and must be held accountable for the sins of America (governmental body we as citizens clearly have no control over because we're here currently).

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Being a bootlicking ICE Agent from any Southern state with 32 seconda of training and coming to the Midwest where we tank negative degree temps with a smile must be insane. The US equivalent of don’t invade Russia in winter Minnesotans were throwing water ballons at ICE.

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

It was amaaaazing. Congrats to the @compulsiongames.bsky.social audio team for winning best music at the New York Game Awards! I was honored to accept the award on their behalf. They captured the sounds of the South beautifully and the award is so deserved!

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Bruno Dias @brunodias.dev · 14/01/2026

Burnout is genuinely life-destroying and I really can't say, on this website, what I think should happen to managers who not only let it happen to one individual worker but who systemically make it happen on large groups of workers.

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

Bus Driver today was playing Adele’s 30 album the whole bus ride and looked near tears the whole time. Like damn shawty, you ok? Ça va??

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morbius @jazzpomegranate.com · 14/01/2026

yes, all this shit is very much like the fugitive slave act and other instances of homegrown evil but modern republicans literally don't remember any of that, what they do remember is how cool the bad guys in indiana jones looked

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morbius @jazzpomegranate.com · 14/01/2026

i do think it's worth noting and meditating on the fact that a lot of black organizers just straight up have a longer historical memory of this shit than our white oppressors.

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Zaire @zeestermeester.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Erect a statue in his honor and I am not joking.

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