AJ Small
@badgercommander.bsky.social
I do some writing for Xbox Tavern, and sometimes for gamecritics. I have a Youtube channel that people still visit to watch the intro for Super Meat boy, and sometimes to watch some out takes from the Obi-Wan game on Xbox
If someone told to kill myself and they were my friend, and they were joking.... If they got banned, I would expect them to accept the faux pas and not do it again
November 14, 2025 at 5:02 PM
If someone told to kill myself and they were my friend, and they were joking.... If they got banned, I would expect them to accept the faux pas and not do it again
And one other thing: we’re being told that AI is the only way to make games cheaper and faster, to pull us from this precipice of production nightmares the industry has found itself in. That it’s necessary.
We put out roughly 3 motherfucking games a year, not touching the stuff.
Skill issue.
We put out roughly 3 motherfucking games a year, not touching the stuff.
Skill issue.
November 12, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Reposted by AJ Small
every night i wake up screaming and remember the upcoming 007 game has james bond say "parking lot"
November 11, 2025 at 12:20 PM
every night i wake up screaming and remember the upcoming 007 game has james bond say "parking lot"
Reposted by AJ Small
Dems will never get specific about policy to address affordability because the last thing their donors want is the working class to have higher wages and lower cost of living, so they'll just keep gesturing broadly at it until R's start saying "brown people are why you can't afford to live."
November 8, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Dems will never get specific about policy to address affordability because the last thing their donors want is the working class to have higher wages and lower cost of living, so they'll just keep gesturing broadly at it until R's start saying "brown people are why you can't afford to live."
I wrotr a review for this on Xbox tavern, he is not wrong on this. My heart sank when I saw GameMill were behind it
Another fine release from the luminaries at GameMill™
WATCH - youtu.be/96zSoXjXV1A
WATCH - youtu.be/96zSoXjXV1A
November 6, 2025 at 3:37 PM
I wrotr a review for this on Xbox tavern, he is not wrong on this. My heart sank when I saw GameMill were behind it
They are not wrong but also this is my favourite M Night movie
sometimes people say “you’re reading this movie all wrong. it’s not supposed to be a horror, it’s supposed to be a b movie”. so i watched it as a b movie. it’s not good
It was great fun to have @notquitereal.bsky.social back to talk about The Happening, which unfortunately was not great fun to watch. Media club plus out now in your app and at mediaclub.plus, screenshots on patreon. Bonus ep for The Last Airbender also on patreon www.patreon.com/posts/142770...
November 4, 2025 at 7:09 PM
They are not wrong but also this is my favourite M Night movie
I got to hang out an arcade and they had an emulator with Bushido Blade on it. That was the whole night for me.
November 4, 2025 at 7:06 PM
I got to hang out an arcade and they had an emulator with Bushido Blade on it. That was the whole night for me.
Keeper is a visual delight. Can't wait to find out that Microsoft have shuttered Double Fine in favour of another data centre
November 1, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Keeper is a visual delight. Can't wait to find out that Microsoft have shuttered Double Fine in favour of another data centre
Reposted by AJ Small
OPPORTUNITY - Highdive - Senior Narrative Designer - Montreal
Not affiliated - Shares welcome
job-boards.greenhouse.io/highdive/job...
Not affiliated - Shares welcome
job-boards.greenhouse.io/highdive/job...
Concepteur narratif senior / Senior Narrative Designer
Montreal
job-boards.greenhouse.io
November 1, 2025 at 7:23 AM
OPPORTUNITY - Highdive - Senior Narrative Designer - Montreal
Not affiliated - Shares welcome
job-boards.greenhouse.io/highdive/job...
Not affiliated - Shares welcome
job-boards.greenhouse.io/highdive/job...
Sure Rockstar, sure, I hope they see you in court
BREAKING: Yesterday Grand Theft Auto VI maker Rockstar Games fired dozens of people, all of whom were involved in union efforts. A British union calls it "blatant and ruthless" union-busting. Take-Two Interactive says it was due to misconduct.
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
‘Grand Theft Auto’ Studio Accused of Union Busting After Firings
Union says 30 and 40 people were terminated. Rockstar Games’ parent company cites ‘gross misconduct’
www.bloomberg.com
November 1, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Sure Rockstar, sure, I hope they see you in court
I am so concerned for my wallet right now
October 31, 2025 at 4:10 PM
I am so concerned for my wallet right now
I wrote that the US was turning into an Octavia Butler novel... this is literally the next step
They’re ordering the National Guard of all 50 states and US territories to prepare for riot control.
In three days over 42 million Americans lose their food assistance.
Starving people don’t starve quietly.
Take care of your neighbour. Take care of each other.
In three days over 42 million Americans lose their food assistance.
Starving people don’t starve quietly.
Take care of your neighbour. Take care of each other.
Revealed: Pentagon orders states’ national guards to form ‘quick reaction forces’ for ‘crowd control’
Pentagon memo details plan to train over 20,000 national guard members across the US to carry out Trump’s order on subduing civil unrest
www.theguardian.com
October 30, 2025 at 7:53 AM
I wrote that the US was turning into an Octavia Butler novel... this is literally the next step
This would take literally 10 seconds of talking to your "average" Steam user. They are Steam fans, they go after games that don't launch on their platform, and they doggedly refuse to buy a game on a different one. They post glorifications of Gabe
there is just so much wasted money in this industry that is supposedly trying to fight a funding crisis
I legitimately didn't know they were competing with Steam and it's crazy to me that they burnt so much money on what sounds like something with very little (or wildly misguided) market research.
October 29, 2025 at 6:23 AM
This would take literally 10 seconds of talking to your "average" Steam user. They are Steam fans, they go after games that don't launch on their platform, and they doggedly refuse to buy a game on a different one. They post glorifications of Gabe
Reposted by AJ Small
if you see this post, your actions are:
- if you have a spare buck, give it to Wikipedia, then repost this
- if you don't have a spare buck, just repost
your action is mandatory for the world's best source of information to survive
- if you have a spare buck, give it to Wikipedia, then repost this
- if you don't have a spare buck, just repost
your action is mandatory for the world's best source of information to survive
I’ve never donated to Wikipedia before but I set up a small monthly donation as a fuck you to the world’s richest psychopath.
Elon Musk takes aim at Wikipedia
Musk has denounced Wikipedia as "Wokepedia" on X and urged people not to donate to the platform.
www.newsweek.com
December 26, 2024 at 12:03 PM
if you see this post, your actions are:
- if you have a spare buck, give it to Wikipedia, then repost this
- if you don't have a spare buck, just repost
your action is mandatory for the world's best source of information to survive
- if you have a spare buck, give it to Wikipedia, then repost this
- if you don't have a spare buck, just repost
your action is mandatory for the world's best source of information to survive
My partner is very much annoyed with me for saying that I wouldn't believe her id she told me saw a ghost - but she freaks out when the wind closes a door, thinking it is a ghost. So I don't think I am at fault here
October 24, 2025 at 7:49 AM
My partner is very much annoyed with me for saying that I wouldn't believe her id she told me saw a ghost - but she freaks out when the wind closes a door, thinking it is a ghost. So I don't think I am at fault here
This game is a real gem
Into the Restless Ruins is coming to PS5 physical next month. You can pick it up from Amazon and a bunch of other places. Get involved!
October 23, 2025 at 4:25 PM
This game is a real gem
Showing my age, but going to the video store to decide what to watch wad actually part of the event of watching the film.
Ludicrous take to say nobody misses the video store. Going to my local video store as a teenager was so fucking good. They had a five movies for five days for five dollars deal that was pretty much the greatest thing ever and a super stoned clerk who had seen every movie known to man
October 20, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Showing my age, but going to the video store to decide what to watch wad actually part of the event of watching the film.
Reposted by AJ Small
Time to talk about *unproven studio heads, accountability, and the ones who invest >millions in them and their projects.
This is something @writnelson.bsky.social and I had a fireside talk about at Reboot Develop 2024, and we should all be talking about on a greater level.
🧵
This is something @writnelson.bsky.social and I had a fireside talk about at Reboot Develop 2024, and we should all be talking about on a greater level.
🧵
An excellent article from the BBC on the situation at Build A Rocket Boy. IWGB Game Workers stand shoulder to shoulder with Ben, Isaac, and Marg, who have demonstrated enormous courage in speaking out against corporate mismanagement. This is what solidarity looks like.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
MindsEye: How ex-Grand Theft Auto boss’s grand vision became a £200m flop
Lesley Benzies was one of the architects behind one of the most successful video games in history.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 20, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Time to talk about *unproven studio heads, accountability, and the ones who invest >millions in them and their projects.
This is something @writnelson.bsky.social and I had a fireside talk about at Reboot Develop 2024, and we should all be talking about on a greater level.
🧵
This is something @writnelson.bsky.social and I had a fireside talk about at Reboot Develop 2024, and we should all be talking about on a greater level.
🧵
This is just a bunch of people who only play one game a year in the AAA space playing a few Eurojank style games and then declaring them the worst.
Mixed in with a few people that hate AAA tiles (my people!)
Mixed in with a few people that hate AAA tiles (my people!)
What's the worst game you finished/rolled credits on?
(games media folks, it can't be something you were assigned to review; this has to be something you subjected yourself to of your own free will)
(games media folks, it can't be something you were assigned to review; this has to be something you subjected yourself to of your own free will)
October 15, 2025 at 7:28 AM
This is just a bunch of people who only play one game a year in the AAA space playing a few Eurojank style games and then declaring them the worst.
Mixed in with a few people that hate AAA tiles (my people!)
Mixed in with a few people that hate AAA tiles (my people!)
We are a hobbyist site, but I have much enjoyed writing at Xbox Tavern. Jamie has let me write some stuff I would never got published previously.
Ever fancied trying your hand at writing about videogames? Play on Xbox or PC?
If so, give this a read and get in touch! We're looking for new members to join Team Tavern - details in the post below!
www.xboxtavern.com/fancy-joinin...
If so, give this a read and get in touch! We're looking for new members to join Team Tavern - details in the post below!
www.xboxtavern.com/fancy-joinin...
Fancy Joining the Xbox Tavern Team?
We're looking for new team members! Click on through to find out more.
www.xboxtavern.com
October 14, 2025 at 8:38 PM
We are a hobbyist site, but I have much enjoyed writing at Xbox Tavern. Jamie has let me write some stuff I would never got published previously.
Reposted by AJ Small
REVIEW: Metal Eden by @badgercommander.bsky.social
"A must buy for those that like a lot of cyber-punk themed violence"
@reikon-games.bsky.social @deepsilvergames.bsky.social
www.xboxtavern.com/metal-eden-r...
"A must buy for those that like a lot of cyber-punk themed violence"
@reikon-games.bsky.social @deepsilvergames.bsky.social
www.xboxtavern.com/metal-eden-r...
Metal Eden Review - Xbox Tavern
Metal Eden or Metal Hell? AJ learns that heaven is a place where you can wall run.
www.xboxtavern.com
October 14, 2025 at 4:21 PM
REVIEW: Metal Eden by @badgercommander.bsky.social
"A must buy for those that like a lot of cyber-punk themed violence"
@reikon-games.bsky.social @deepsilvergames.bsky.social
www.xboxtavern.com/metal-eden-r...
"A must buy for those that like a lot of cyber-punk themed violence"
@reikon-games.bsky.social @deepsilvergames.bsky.social
www.xboxtavern.com/metal-eden-r...
New release build uploaded
In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand
I'll go first: Six page commercial lease.
I'll go first: Six page commercial lease.
October 13, 2025 at 2:39 PM
New release build uploaded
Reposted by AJ Small
Bill Burr has continued to address his decision to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, but he still can't settle on which lazy excuse he wants to employ. defector.com/bill-burr-ke...
Bill Burr Keeps Cycling Through Excuses For Doing The Riyadh Comedy Festival | Defector
By default, Bill Burr exists in a state of his ass being chapped, but clearly it’s been feeling more chapped than usual. The comedian has continued to address his decision to perform at the Riyadh…
defector.com
October 9, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Bill Burr has continued to address his decision to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, but he still can't settle on which lazy excuse he wants to employ. defector.com/bill-burr-ke...
Second person shooter was a fantastic blog, Laura's writing has shined in everything I have seen since
Learned that I am being laid off from Heart Machine, and will be leaving the studio later this month.
Do you need a contractor? I've got a track record of leading scope-friendly script revisions late in dev. I have also done a lot of consulting on new IPs and pitches/demos. Feel free to DM me!
Do you need a contractor? I've got a track record of leading scope-friendly script revisions late in dev. I have also done a lot of consulting on new IPs and pitches/demos. Feel free to DM me!
October 8, 2025 at 5:54 AM
Second person shooter was a fantastic blog, Laura's writing has shined in everything I have seen since
The thing I liked about the first Megan movie is that it plants the blame squarely on the irresponsible adult for palming off child care duty to an AI.
Some parents are letting their kids talk to ChatGPT in the guise of characters. Some are using it to tell bedtime stories or create coloring books.
"My son thinks ChatGPT is the coolest train loving person in the world. The bar is set so high now I am never going to be able to compete with that.”
"My son thinks ChatGPT is the coolest train loving person in the world. The bar is set so high now I am never going to be able to compete with that.”
‘My son genuinely believed it was real’: Parents are letting little kids play with AI. Are they wrong?
Some believe AI can spark their child’s imagination through personalized stories and generative images. Scientists are wary of its affect on creativity
www.theguardian.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:31 AM
The thing I liked about the first Megan movie is that it plants the blame squarely on the irresponsible adult for palming off child care duty to an AI.