Posts from 2026

Basic Introduction to Japanese Mahjong

Going over most of the basic rules and gameplay of riichi mahjong

Pay Up or Don't Watch! The Curious Case of Capcom Cup 12

Pay-per-view came to fighting game tournaments, and the Capcom Cup community is not happy about it. After 12 years of free access, Capcom wants $10 to watch the finals, or you can watch in-game with no commentary. Is this the future of esports, or the beginning of the end?

Games for Change: Can Video Games Promote Mental Health (Literacy)?

Mario Kart’s Competitive Scene: Real Esport or Utopian Dream?

What happens when Mario Kart players take racing seriously? See how the #community created its own #competitive world. From #fan leagues to the new Mario Kart World updates, no help from #Nintendo required. #Esports #Switch2

The art of trickery and deceiving: An overview of the card game Truco

Do you know how to game a deck of cards to ensuring you draw the cards you would like or are you good at lying and deceiving your opponents? Then Truco might be the game for you.

What I Learnt by Failing at Baldur’s Gate 3’s Honour Mode

Roleplaying (and losing at) Baldur’s Gate 3’s Honour Mode is an excellent way to help you get over your main character syndrome! #BaldursGate3 #LarianStudios #Permadeath

From Tiny Indie Game to Horror Film Hit

What is Iron Lung, and why’s everyone talking about it? #movies #indie

Blame AI for Your Empty Wallet

AI companies are buying up GPUs and memory faster than they can be made, and consumers are stuck with the bill. If your PC upgrade plans feel cursed, you are not imagining it.

File Saved…Continue?

How Savefile almost shut down, and the community that saved it

Labubu – Lots of talk about the plush toy that makes me feel young and trendy again

Vampire Survivors – A humble game that took the video game industry by storm

Since its release, Vampire Survivors has become a phenomenon. But what is exactly Vampire Survivors is and what is the reason behind its appeal? #BulletHeaven #VampireSurvivors #IndieGame

The Indie is king cultural phenomena

The popularity of indie games cannot be overstated, but have they become so popular that they can be considered leaders of the gaming industry? In fact, they have become so popular that many video game fans prefer indie over AAA games.

Why are so many video games about conspiracies?

“Hidden Monsters” by Lars de Wildt has the answers…

Research Highlight: Categorizing Difficulty in Videogames

Pay to Win, Literally. The Culture of Purchasing Game Progress Services

Some players grind for glory- Others just throw money at strangers to do it for them. A look into the baffling world of gamers who pay real cash because playing the game is apparently too much work.

The Lore of Taverna: An Interview with One of the Founders of Finland’s First Board Game Café

The Devil’s Game

All roads lead to Rome, so what other choice does a gambling man have than to head back into the den? We discuss Roulette (a.k.a. The Devil’s Game), the love of my life. How does it work? What kind of experience should you expect when playing it? And, why does it have such an odd epithet?

When Psychology Meets Game Design - The Case of Celeste

This text explores how Celeste combines psychology and game design to make struggle feel meaningful. By drawing on Jung’s ideas and the Hero’s Journey, it looks at how a difficult climb can become a gentle reflection on failure, persistence, and self-acceptance.

Guess, Betray, Repeat: How “word impostor” became last month’s most addictive Guessing Game

One secret word. One unknowing faker. Endless accusations. How this paper-slip party game #WordImpostor infiltrated #TikTok feeds. Learn its simple rules, about the new apps to play, and discover why nothing beats the old-school bowl full of papers. #PartyGames #SocialDeduction

The Beautiful, Deadly Dance of Hollow Knight: Silksong

Eight years in the making, Team Cherry’s follow-up is a worthy – if demanding – sequel #hollow knight #indie games #metroidvania