Amabel Holland
@amabel.bsky.social
She/her. "Widely considered one of today’s most innovative game designers." - The New Yorker
Board games: https://hollandspiele.com
video essays: youtube.com/@hollandspiele
Patreon: patreon.com/amabelholland
sidekicking: youtube.com/@SBPlaysGames
Board games: https://hollandspiele.com
video essays: youtube.com/@hollandspiele
Patreon: patreon.com/amabelholland
sidekicking: youtube.com/@SBPlaysGames
Pinned
Amabel Holland
@amabel.bsky.social
· Dec 26
📌 I'm Amabel!
- I design & publish weird board games via Hollandspiele
- I research the uncredited game designers of the twentieth century
- I make video essays about board games
- I talk about transition, politics, trauma, and my hypersexuality
- I design & publish weird board games via Hollandspiele
- I research the uncredited game designers of the twentieth century
- I make video essays about board games
- I talk about transition, politics, trauma, and my hypersexuality
Reposted by Amabel Holland
Reposted by Amabel Holland
This was FANTASTIC. Thank you for choosing to become the world’s only non-Rene expert on Rene. You’re doing important work, and I’m joining your Patreon because of it.
January 25, 2026 at 6:57 PM
This was FANTASTIC. Thank you for choosing to become the world’s only non-Rene expert on Rene. You’re doing important work, and I’m joining your Patreon because of it.
Reposted by Amabel Holland
Finally got the chance to watch the rest of this. It was so cool you got to talk to René, and I appreciate you sharing the conversation. Thanks also for your insight for research. This is a fun and satisfying video, and I enjoyed it a lot.
January 25, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Finally got the chance to watch the rest of this. It was so cool you got to talk to René, and I appreciate you sharing the conversation. Thanks also for your insight for research. This is a fun and satisfying video, and I enjoyed it a lot.
Reposted by Amabel Holland
What a lovely video!
I wanted to know who designed an old board game I loved. I found out he made over fifty games he was never credited for, in a career spanning more than three decades.
youtu.be/dTepZ7qM24Q
youtu.be/dTepZ7qM24Q
GRAVITY IS FREE: the games of René Soriano
YouTube video by Hollandspiele
youtu.be
January 25, 2026 at 5:29 PM
What a lovely video!
Today's Stream: The End Is Nigh!
I don't know what it is, but it certainly sounds like a cheerful time!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v7_...
I don't know what it is, but it certainly sounds like a cheerful time!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v7_...
SB And Amabel Are Working On Some Nigh Moves
YouTube video by SB
www.youtube.com
January 25, 2026 at 4:46 PM
Today's Stream: The End Is Nigh!
I don't know what it is, but it certainly sounds like a cheerful time!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v7_...
I don't know what it is, but it certainly sounds like a cheerful time!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v7_...
me: do I need to download anything for the stream?
Samhain: Yes.
Samhain: Pornography!
me: huh. congratulations on your channel getting deleted then I guess?
Samhain (like Kermit announcing tonight's guest star): We're gonna goon! Yaaaaaay!
Samhain: Yes.
Samhain: Pornography!
me: huh. congratulations on your channel getting deleted then I guess?
Samhain (like Kermit announcing tonight's guest star): We're gonna goon! Yaaaaaay!
January 25, 2026 at 4:09 PM
me: do I need to download anything for the stream?
Samhain: Yes.
Samhain: Pornography!
me: huh. congratulations on your channel getting deleted then I guess?
Samhain (like Kermit announcing tonight's guest star): We're gonna goon! Yaaaaaay!
Samhain: Yes.
Samhain: Pornography!
me: huh. congratulations on your channel getting deleted then I guess?
Samhain (like Kermit announcing tonight's guest star): We're gonna goon! Yaaaaaay!
Reposted by Amabel Holland
(14/27) amusing, and the arguments are clear and queer. I would recommend this book to not just board game designers but anyone interested in creating art.
January 25, 2026 at 3:03 PM
(14/27) amusing, and the arguments are clear and queer. I would recommend this book to not just board game designers but anyone interested in creating art.
Reposted by Amabel Holland
(13/27) …hood, so to speak, so the nature of why things happen and how they interact is self-evident. The book is full of examinations of board games, as well as analysis of music, theatre, television, and especially film to help convey the thesis of modeling systems. Holland’s prose is light and…
January 25, 2026 at 3:03 PM
(13/27) …hood, so to speak, so the nature of why things happen and how they interact is self-evident. The book is full of examinations of board games, as well as analysis of music, theatre, television, and especially film to help convey the thesis of modeling systems. Holland’s prose is light and…
Reposted by Amabel Holland
(12/27) Cardboard Ghosts, Amabel Holland’s academic text of board games, has a compelling premise. Essentially, board games need to be fully understood before they can be properly engaged with, making them the ideal tool to model, analyze, and critique systems. There’s nothing hidden under the…
January 25, 2026 at 3:03 PM
(12/27) Cardboard Ghosts, Amabel Holland’s academic text of board games, has a compelling premise. Essentially, board games need to be fully understood before they can be properly engaged with, making them the ideal tool to model, analyze, and critique systems. There’s nothing hidden under the…
Reposted by Amabel Holland
(with the wisdom of Solomon) I agree with Samhain about the buttholes and with Amabel about the penises.
January 25, 2026 at 2:15 PM
(with the wisdom of Solomon) I agree with Samhain about the buttholes and with Amabel about the penises.
as a community, trans women need to stop tearing each other apart like this
because she did not even LISTEN to my song I improvised about buttholes
and also because last night she got mad at me during a conversation about whether onions and penises are similar or not for pointing out *CORRECTLY* that they're both wetter if you remove the skin
and also because last night she got mad at me during a conversation about whether onions and penises are similar or not for pointing out *CORRECTLY* that they're both wetter if you remove the skin
to be clear this is because I did not laugh at a song she improvised about buttholes
I apologize for my crimes
I apologize for my crimes
January 25, 2026 at 2:05 PM
as a community, trans women need to stop tearing each other apart like this
to be clear this is because I did not laugh at a song she improvised about buttholes
I apologize for my crimes
I apologize for my crimes
@amabel.bsky.social won't listen to me anymore just because my wisdom forces her to confront uncomfortable truths 😟
January 25, 2026 at 1:52 PM
to be clear this is because I did not laugh at a song she improvised about buttholes
I apologize for my crimes
I apologize for my crimes
I joke often that my career is comprised of "is *this* a game? is it?? play it. play it! I dare you!", but everything I've done, including City of Six Moons, is a game you can play
my current big project is literally something I am not really sure is a game though it has the shape of one
my current big project is literally something I am not really sure is a game though it has the shape of one
January 25, 2026 at 1:39 PM
I joke often that my career is comprised of "is *this* a game? is it?? play it. play it! I dare you!", but everything I've done, including City of Six Moons, is a game you can play
my current big project is literally something I am not really sure is a game though it has the shape of one
my current big project is literally something I am not really sure is a game though it has the shape of one
Reposted by Amabel Holland
I wanted to know who designed an old board game I loved. I found out he made over fifty games he was never credited for, in a career spanning more than three decades.
youtu.be/dTepZ7qM24Q
youtu.be/dTepZ7qM24Q
GRAVITY IS FREE: the games of René Soriano
YouTube video by Hollandspiele
youtu.be
January 23, 2026 at 6:51 PM
I wanted to know who designed an old board game I loved. I found out he made over fifty games he was never credited for, in a career spanning more than three decades.
youtu.be/dTepZ7qM24Q
youtu.be/dTepZ7qM24Q
Continuing my reread of The Eustace Diamonds, and among all her other faults, Lizzie Eustace is exactly the kind of person who approaches art not to enjoy it or experience it, but to construct a public persona of being cultured and interesting, and to memorize quotes she doesn't bother to understand
January 25, 2026 at 4:09 AM
Continuing my reread of The Eustace Diamonds, and among all her other faults, Lizzie Eustace is exactly the kind of person who approaches art not to enjoy it or experience it, but to construct a public persona of being cultured and interesting, and to memorize quotes she doesn't bother to understand
Reposted by Amabel Holland
I can make children read again
November 29, 2025 at 9:26 PM
I can make children read again
Reposted by Amabel Holland
new episode of @errant-signal.com vs Anime Girls
January 24, 2026 at 11:58 PM
new episode of @errant-signal.com vs Anime Girls
Reposted by Amabel Holland
i tried this on Ginny this morning and she did _not_ care for it.
January 24, 2026 at 3:07 PM
i tried this on Ginny this morning and she did _not_ care for it.
a tale in two parts
![Comments from jeffreyscarbroughboardgame2822
- on Gravity is Free (2 hours ago): Good work have a blessed day
- on Gravity is Free (2 hours ago): I have the star wars board games in this video
- on Skittle (1 hour ago): You can send me the games for free ill take them off your hands [laughing/crying emoji]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:m3bpbfbjtbiac4rkksbstkoj/bafkreihmubzhls2liutjxbrv7uc6dta6xst2qwizuanswnc5jfgf2arlzq@jpeg)
January 24, 2026 at 3:11 PM
a tale in two parts
Reposted by Amabel Holland
This is an amazing thing on so many levels.
I wanted to know who designed an old board game I loved. I found out he made over fifty games he was never credited for, in a career spanning more than three decades.
youtu.be/dTepZ7qM24Q
youtu.be/dTepZ7qM24Q
GRAVITY IS FREE: the games of René Soriano
YouTube video by Hollandspiele
youtu.be
January 24, 2026 at 2:00 PM
This is an amazing thing on so many levels.
Reposted by Amabel Holland
Remarkable how quietly everyone in this industry excuses Terraforming Mars. Even in offline spaces, people get very uncomfortable if anyone brings up the horrible things people behind this game have said.
wow wow this sucks. bigot ai art game - let's put it in the hall of fame - thank you bgg - cool moves
boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp...
boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp...
The BoardGameGeek Hall of Fame 2026 - Day 5 Inductee | BoardGameGeek News
boardgamegeek.com
January 24, 2026 at 2:24 AM
Remarkable how quietly everyone in this industry excuses Terraforming Mars. Even in offline spaces, people get very uncomfortable if anyone brings up the horrible things people behind this game have said.
Reposted by Amabel Holland
Amabel's videos on old games and finding their designers is pretty great. Some great story telling going on here.
I wanted to know who designed an old board game I loved. I found out he made over fifty games he was never credited for, in a career spanning more than three decades.
youtu.be/dTepZ7qM24Q
youtu.be/dTepZ7qM24Q
GRAVITY IS FREE: the games of René Soriano
YouTube video by Hollandspiele
youtu.be
January 24, 2026 at 10:35 AM
Amabel's videos on old games and finding their designers is pretty great. Some great story telling going on here.
Reposted by Amabel Holland
another fascinating investigation into the uncredited board games of the last century
I wanted to know who designed an old board game I loved. I found out he made over fifty games he was never credited for, in a career spanning more than three decades.
youtu.be/dTepZ7qM24Q
youtu.be/dTepZ7qM24Q
GRAVITY IS FREE: the games of René Soriano
YouTube video by Hollandspiele
youtu.be
January 24, 2026 at 3:32 AM
another fascinating investigation into the uncredited board games of the last century
Reposted by Amabel Holland
I’ve been obsessed with this story since I first read it. It’s so emotionally bankrupt. RIP Bob Kane you would have loved Sora
My favorite Bob Kane story:
January 24, 2026 at 1:44 AM
I’ve been obsessed with this story since I first read it. It’s so emotionally bankrupt. RIP Bob Kane you would have loved Sora
Reposted by Amabel Holland
wow wow this sucks. bigot ai art game - let's put it in the hall of fame - thank you bgg - cool moves
boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp...
boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp...
The BoardGameGeek Hall of Fame 2026 - Day 5 Inductee | BoardGameGeek News
boardgamegeek.com
January 24, 2026 at 12:27 AM
wow wow this sucks. bigot ai art game - let's put it in the hall of fame - thank you bgg - cool moves
boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp...
boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp...