Arthur Gies (he/him)
@aegies.bsky.social
Painter (instagram.com/pragmagic), Supervising Editor at Wirecutter for tech, founder of Polygon dot com and someone who's consulted on lots of games you liked and more you probably didn't. Tech-fixated, compulsively acquiring 4k physical media.
couple quick black friday week things that may be actually relevant to more than just pc players. 1) PCIe gen 5 is overkill for almost everything, and 2) PCIe gen 4 is overkill for non-gaming things (unless you work in 8k video production), and 3) storage prices are going up. shop now if possible.
November 24, 2025 at 6:04 PM
couple quick black friday week things that may be actually relevant to more than just pc players. 1) PCIe gen 5 is overkill for almost everything, and 2) PCIe gen 4 is overkill for non-gaming things (unless you work in 8k video production), and 3) storage prices are going up. shop now if possible.
holy shit.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Judge dismisses cases against James Comey and Letitia James after finding that prosecutor was illegally appointed.
November 24, 2025 at 5:45 PM
holy shit.
Perhaps appropriately given that it’s valve, dota 2 is one of the few games I can think of that didn’t historically have this problem in particular. The devs generally “under-corrected” compared to player complaints and attacked balance issues laterally with nudges rather than shoves.
One of the producers on Guilty Gear Strive said it was basically impossible to source player feedback on balance changes online because nobody had original opinions and would just parrot what the most popular content creators said and so they had to rely on data and I think about that every day.
November 24, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Perhaps appropriately given that it’s valve, dota 2 is one of the few games I can think of that didn’t historically have this problem in particular. The devs generally “under-corrected” compared to player complaints and attacked balance issues laterally with nudges rather than shoves.
Reposted by Arthur Gies (he/him)
the star wars jedi team is also hiring for a senior encounter designer w/AAA experience, DMs are open
the star wars jedi team is hiring: we're looking for a senior technical materials artist (3+ years experience w/ unreal materials). mutuals, my DMs are open
November 22, 2025 at 7:27 PM
the star wars jedi team is also hiring for a senior encounter designer w/AAA experience, DMs are open
I’m not here to yuck anybody’s yum but I will absolutely question someone’s choice of service provider. Also once again I know way too much about certain people’s lives and 2025 didn’t need this.
November 22, 2025 at 12:31 PM
I’m not here to yuck anybody’s yum but I will absolutely question someone’s choice of service provider. Also once again I know way too much about certain people’s lives and 2025 didn’t need this.
i like how deeply this piece has to bury who the former xbox executive is, because if you led with his name nobody would care what he had to say (i'm sure you can guess who it is).
A former Xbox executive has called on Valve to allow third-parties to use SteamOS to make their own Steam Machines, amid concern over the price of the next-gen living room PC. https://bit.ly/44ppQV3
November 21, 2025 at 5:50 PM
i like how deeply this piece has to bury who the former xbox executive is, because if you led with his name nobody would care what he had to say (i'm sure you can guess who it is).
yesterday i actually went through the process of using third party tools to force the xbox fullscreen experience on a windows PC (on a separate windows install) to try it out so of course they announced official beta access for it coming soon, you're welcome everybody.
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
yesterday i actually went through the process of using third party tools to force the xbox fullscreen experience on a windows PC (on a separate windows install) to try it out so of course they announced official beta access for it coming soon, you're welcome everybody.
so apparently that zoopunk game uses a shit ton of AI tools including stable image diffusion. www.gematsu.com/2025/01/tiga...
November 20, 2025 at 6:23 PM
so apparently that zoopunk game uses a shit ton of AI tools including stable image diffusion. www.gematsu.com/2025/01/tiga...
"we're making a sequel to vampire survivors-"
woo-hoo!
"-and it's a roguelite deckbuilder!"
🥲
woo-hoo!
"-and it's a roguelite deckbuilder!"
🥲
November 20, 2025 at 6:11 PM
"we're making a sequel to vampire survivors-"
woo-hoo!
"-and it's a roguelite deckbuilder!"
🥲
woo-hoo!
"-and it's a roguelite deckbuilder!"
🥲
Reposted by Arthur Gies (he/him)
Chat is it a good sign when microcenter has stickered over or removed all the price tags on the RAM?
November 20, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Chat is it a good sign when microcenter has stickered over or removed all the price tags on the RAM?
i'm going to repost this: if you need or expect to need RAM and you see a deal this week (say, less than 150 for 32 GB of DDR5 or thereabouts), buy it. the price increases appear to be accelerating (as i've seen reports of companies buying up and hoarding supply anticipating datacenter buildouts).
if you need RAM or are planning on building a PC in the next few months, if you see a decent deal in the next 10 days, you should buy it. www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hLi...
November 20, 2025 at 1:43 AM
i'm going to repost this: if you need or expect to need RAM and you see a deal this week (say, less than 150 for 32 GB of DDR5 or thereabouts), buy it. the price increases appear to be accelerating (as i've seen reports of companies buying up and hoarding supply anticipating datacenter buildouts).
Chat is it a good sign when microcenter has stickered over or removed all the price tags on the RAM?
November 20, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Chat is it a good sign when microcenter has stickered over or removed all the price tags on the RAM?
device makers found lots of loopholes and abatement strategies to keep tariff-based price increases to a minimum in 2025. but you can't really do that if the cost of RAM doubles, triples, or (gulp) quadruples. that goes straight into the production cost. those will be passed on (/tariff'ed).
November 19, 2025 at 10:16 PM
device makers found lots of loopholes and abatement strategies to keep tariff-based price increases to a minimum in 2025. but you can't really do that if the cost of RAM doubles, triples, or (gulp) quadruples. that goes straight into the production cost. those will be passed on (/tariff'ed).
i find myself wondering if people who cite the hardware that most people on steam play games on are aware that most people gaming on steam are playing on non-gaming devices that are primarily for other things.
November 19, 2025 at 9:35 PM
i find myself wondering if people who cite the hardware that most people on steam play games on are aware that most people gaming on steam are playing on non-gaming devices that are primarily for other things.
i'm not a lawyer but my vague understanding of professional accreditation suggests the depth of the shit someone is in here is considerable.
NEWS: During a hearing in federal court in VA, prosecutors confirmed that the operative indictment in the case against James Comey was never shown to or voted on by the entire grand jury before it was presented in open court.
Defense counsel argued that’s a complete bar to further prosecution
Defense counsel argued that’s a complete bar to further prosecution
November 19, 2025 at 4:46 PM
i'm not a lawyer but my vague understanding of professional accreditation suggests the depth of the shit someone is in here is considerable.
this is a great list (although i think i'd pick around the fur as defones' seminal "nu-metal" record over white pony, where they really were transitioning into something else). appreciate the recognition for LD50 as a legitimately excellent album. www.brooklynvegan.com/10-nu-metal-...
10 Nu Metal Albums That Even Nu Metal Skeptics Need To Know
As the once-maligned genre of nu metal continues to get re-evaluated, here are 10 nu metal albums that even skeptics need to know.
www.brooklynvegan.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:00 PM
this is a great list (although i think i'd pick around the fur as defones' seminal "nu-metal" record over white pony, where they really were transitioning into something else). appreciate the recognition for LD50 as a legitimately excellent album. www.brooklynvegan.com/10-nu-metal-...
on the one hand, this is very exciting. on the other, the blu-ray for this movie was a phenomenal package, so a 4k version with everything included is going to be like 50 goddamned dollars.
Coming soon to 4K UHD
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) 4K UHD
MORE INFO TBA
#thegirlwiththedragontattoo #DavidFincher #Bluray #physicalmedia
#Horror #HorrorCommunity #FilmCommunity #Bluray #4K #4KBluray #4KUltraHD
#DVD #VHS #physicalmedia #Film #Movie #Movie #Cinema #FilmSky
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) 4K UHD
MORE INFO TBA
#thegirlwiththedragontattoo #DavidFincher #Bluray #physicalmedia
#Horror #HorrorCommunity #FilmCommunity #Bluray #4K #4KBluray #4KUltraHD
#DVD #VHS #physicalmedia #Film #Movie #Movie #Cinema #FilmSky
November 19, 2025 at 3:36 PM
on the one hand, this is very exciting. on the other, the blu-ray for this movie was a phenomenal package, so a 4k version with everything included is going to be like 50 goddamned dollars.
i'm not sure if airlines realized very suddenly that people just weren't booking holiday travel this year like they did last year but my christmas flight to socal got shockingly cheap in the last week or so. cross country christmas flights on jetblue for less than 450.
November 19, 2025 at 2:17 PM
i'm not sure if airlines realized very suddenly that people just weren't booking holiday travel this year like they did last year but my christmas flight to socal got shockingly cheap in the last week or so. cross country christmas flights on jetblue for less than 450.
i am continuing to serve as ship therapist for a crew of people with serious issues in the outer worlds 2: twitch.tv/aegies
November 19, 2025 at 1:26 AM
i am continuing to serve as ship therapist for a crew of people with serious issues in the outer worlds 2: twitch.tv/aegies
man it's going to be real bittersweet if the import tariffs get struck down but global console prices still go up because DDR6 prices double.
November 18, 2025 at 8:02 PM
man it's going to be real bittersweet if the import tariffs get struck down but global console prices still go up because DDR6 prices double.
if there was a moment that broke me on bluesky in 2025 it would have been "wicked isn't a very good looking movie actually" but i have survived.
November 18, 2025 at 7:40 PM
if there was a moment that broke me on bluesky in 2025 it would have been "wicked isn't a very good looking movie actually" but i have survived.
this RAM is $750 today.
(no, this isn't a goof.)
(no, this isn't a goof.)
CORSAIR Vengeance RGB 96GB (2 x 48GB) 288-Pin PC RAM DDR5 6000 (PC5 48000) Desktop Memory Model CMH96GX5M2E6000Z36 is $299.99 at Newegg buff.ly/geeOMEt #ad
November 18, 2025 at 6:41 PM
this RAM is $750 today.
(no, this isn't a goof.)
(no, this isn't a goof.)
Reposted by Arthur Gies (he/him)
Whoa: A federal court just barred Texas from using its new congressional map, drawn by the GOP to target Dems.
"Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 Map."
Court says the old map must be used in 2026. Appeals are certain. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
"Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 Map."
Court says the old map must be used in 2026. Appeals are certain. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
November 18, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Whoa: A federal court just barred Texas from using its new congressional map, drawn by the GOP to target Dems.
"Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 Map."
Court says the old map must be used in 2026. Appeals are certain. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
"Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 Map."
Court says the old map must be used in 2026. Appeals are certain. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
every time i see someone post a new, viral "modern movies suck man the old stuff was so good" video essay my eyes roll so hard i hurt myself a little.
November 18, 2025 at 5:55 PM
every time i see someone post a new, viral "modern movies suck man the old stuff was so good" video essay my eyes roll so hard i hurt myself a little.