Ben Kirman
@ben.kirman.org
Postdisciplinary games academic: Make/study/teach the playful, weird, wonderful and radical. (he/him)
#criticaldesign #speculativedesign #designfiction #gamedesign
Projects:
https://ben.kirman.org
#criticaldesign #speculativedesign #designfiction #gamedesign
Projects:
https://ben.kirman.org
I only know Mayday through the card sleeves that I will now never buy. But the pattern of deception here is cartoon villain stuff. Getting customers to "return" faulty items to the next person who buys one...
This thread goes into detail with photos of the design copying… and the replies link to MULTIPLE previous threads about these products and the publisher’s business practices.
November 20, 2025 at 4:50 PM
I only know Mayday through the card sleeves that I will now never buy. But the pattern of deception here is cartoon villain stuff. Getting customers to "return" faulty items to the next person who buys one...
Reposted by Ben Kirman
A neat little quiz game: Is a headline homophobia from the 80s-90s or transphobia from the 2010s-2020s? Because it's all the same bullshit, repackaged for the hate du jour
haveigotphobiaforyou.com
haveigotphobiaforyou.com
Have I Got Phobia For You
Bringing attention to the often harmful practices of our mainstream media. Thankfully the days of vile hostility against gay people are now more or less over, but, reading today’s newspapers, there’s ...
haveigotphobiaforyou.com
November 4, 2025 at 6:42 PM
A neat little quiz game: Is a headline homophobia from the 80s-90s or transphobia from the 2010s-2020s? Because it's all the same bullshit, repackaged for the hate du jour
haveigotphobiaforyou.com
haveigotphobiaforyou.com
Reposted by Ben Kirman
CFP for a special issue of Eludamos. What are antifascist games? Proposal deadline is December 19.
eludamos.org/index.php/el...
eludamos.org/index.php/el...
Special Issue: WHAT ARE ANTIFASCIST GAMES?
| Eludamos: Journal for Computer Game Culture
eludamos.org
November 17, 2025 at 5:18 PM
CFP for a special issue of Eludamos. What are antifascist games? Proposal deadline is December 19.
eludamos.org/index.php/el...
eludamos.org/index.php/el...
Reposted by Ben Kirman
This made me think of the next level for your mean dice: carving them out of cheese.
November 14, 2025 at 2:20 PM
This made me think of the next level for your mean dice: carving them out of cheese.
Reposted by Ben Kirman
That sinking feeling when you are reading an interesting article and then the screen fades to the popup and you realise that it is on the newsletter platform that hosts and promotes nazis.
No, I won't even continue reading for free.
No, I won't even continue reading for free.
November 12, 2025 at 7:32 PM
That sinking feeling when you are reading an interesting article and then the screen fades to the popup and you realise that it is on the newsletter platform that hosts and promotes nazis.
No, I won't even continue reading for free.
No, I won't even continue reading for free.
Reposted by Ben Kirman
🚀 NEW MAGAZINE ⌨️
Back in the ’80s there were printed mags of BASIC programs to type in, we’ve brought that back but for web pages!
10 amazing games, toys, puzzles and utilities, no coding knowledge needed
vole.wtf/doctype/
Back in the ’80s there were printed mags of BASIC programs to type in, we’ve brought that back but for web pages!
10 amazing games, toys, puzzles and utilities, no coding knowledge needed
vole.wtf/doctype/
DOCTYPE magazine 🚀⌨️
’80s BASIC type-in mags are back, but this time for HTML!
vole.wtf
November 11, 2025 at 12:01 PM
🚀 NEW MAGAZINE ⌨️
Back in the ’80s there were printed mags of BASIC programs to type in, we’ve brought that back but for web pages!
10 amazing games, toys, puzzles and utilities, no coding knowledge needed
vole.wtf/doctype/
Back in the ’80s there were printed mags of BASIC programs to type in, we’ve brought that back but for web pages!
10 amazing games, toys, puzzles and utilities, no coding knowledge needed
vole.wtf/doctype/
Just had to ssh into a pumpkin because it was playing amen break too frequently
October 28, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Just had to ssh into a pumpkin because it was playing amen break too frequently
Decolonisers of Catan (with dice that only roll 7s) #boardgames #catan
October 17, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Decolonisers of Catan (with dice that only roll 7s) #boardgames #catan
Reposted by Ben Kirman
I zine-ified Screw That: A Resource Scarcity game this morning.
oliverbates.itch.io/screw-that
It's a (very) small frustrating game/LARP sort of thing about a future where your plumbing stops working for some reason.
#zines #games #indie
oliverbates.itch.io/screw-that
It's a (very) small frustrating game/LARP sort of thing about a future where your plumbing stops working for some reason.
#zines #games #indie
SCREW THAT! A resource scarcity game by oliver bates
A little resource scarcity game, exploring possible futures and systems
oliverbates.itch.io
October 15, 2025 at 10:48 AM
I zine-ified Screw That: A Resource Scarcity game this morning.
oliverbates.itch.io/screw-that
It's a (very) small frustrating game/LARP sort of thing about a future where your plumbing stops working for some reason.
#zines #games #indie
oliverbates.itch.io/screw-that
It's a (very) small frustrating game/LARP sort of thing about a future where your plumbing stops working for some reason.
#zines #games #indie
Reposted by Ben Kirman
Casual Games for Protesters
Simple games for marches, rallies, and occupations.
www.protestgames.org
October 13, 2025 at 4:08 PM
from the Dog Internet archives. WHAT DO THEY KNOW?
October 9, 2025 at 4:12 PM
from the Dog Internet archives. WHAT DO THEY KNOW?
Sometimes dice in tabletop games are a bit "swing-y". I designed and made this full set of dice for people who prefer more consistent results. I call them Mean Dice.
benkirman.itch.io/mean-dice
#ttrpg #boardgames #dice #gamedesign #statistilols
benkirman.itch.io/mean-dice
#ttrpg #boardgames #dice #gamedesign #statistilols
Mean Dice by benkirman
For tabletop game players who don't like how
benkirman.itch.io
October 8, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Sometimes dice in tabletop games are a bit "swing-y". I designed and made this full set of dice for people who prefer more consistent results. I call them Mean Dice.
benkirman.itch.io/mean-dice
#ttrpg #boardgames #dice #gamedesign #statistilols
benkirman.itch.io/mean-dice
#ttrpg #boardgames #dice #gamedesign #statistilols
Reposted by Ben Kirman
@boardgamegeek.com was kind enough to let me publish a designer diary for #crossbronxexpressway
boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp...
@gmtgames.bsky.social
boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp...
@gmtgames.bsky.social
Designer Diary: Cross Bronx Expressway, or Presenting a History on the Table | BoardGameGeek News
boardgamegeek.com
September 23, 2025 at 2:53 PM
@boardgamegeek.com was kind enough to let me publish a designer diary for #crossbronxexpressway
boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp...
@gmtgames.bsky.social
boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp...
@gmtgames.bsky.social
Hunting a vampire in Tragic Castle Obsession, unfortunately my wooden crucifix caught vampirism and enthralled me. Theres a lesson here somewhere. #morkborg #solitarydefilement #solorpg 1d105.itch.io/tragic-castl...
Tragic Castle Obsession by 1d10+5
Vampires! Vampires! Vampires!
1d105.itch.io
October 5, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Hunting a vampire in Tragic Castle Obsession, unfortunately my wooden crucifix caught vampirism and enthralled me. Theres a lesson here somewhere. #morkborg #solitarydefilement #solorpg 1d105.itch.io/tragic-castl...
Reposted by Ben Kirman
Three (3) new postdoctoral game studies positions are now open for applications. These are related to the exit phase (2026-27) of the CoE-GameCult, and positions will situated in the Tampere University Game Research Lab, COMS/ITC, Tampere University.
tuni.rekrytointi.com/paikat/index...
tuni.rekrytointi.com/paikat/index...
3 Postdoctoral Researchers (cultural game studies) / 3 tutkijatohtoria (kulttuurinen pelitutkimus)
tuni.rekrytointi.com
September 30, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Three (3) new postdoctoral game studies positions are now open for applications. These are related to the exit phase (2026-27) of the CoE-GameCult, and positions will situated in the Tampere University Game Research Lab, COMS/ITC, Tampere University.
tuni.rekrytointi.com/paikat/index...
tuni.rekrytointi.com/paikat/index...
Looking forward to this event on social justice in tabletop games. Come see/play some games (inc Billionaires and Guillotines, Daybreak, Molly House) and explore the topic, it would be cool to see you there (London 14/11) www.tickettailor.com/events/kings... #gamedesign #gamesresearch
Select tickets – Gaming Social Justice – REACH Space
Gaming Social Justice – REACH Space, Fri 14 Nov 2025 -
‘Let the children once see clearly the gross injustice of our present land system and when they grow up, if they are allowed to develop naturall...
www.tickettailor.com
September 26, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Looking forward to this event on social justice in tabletop games. Come see/play some games (inc Billionaires and Guillotines, Daybreak, Molly House) and explore the topic, it would be cool to see you there (London 14/11) www.tickettailor.com/events/kings... #gamedesign #gamesresearch
Reposted by Ben Kirman
i did it you can stop thinking about it, i just solved The Male Loneliness Epidemic downpour.games/~doruk/solut...
" Solutions To The Male Loneliness Epidemic" by doruk
A Downpour game by doruk
downpour.games
September 23, 2025 at 5:05 PM
i did it you can stop thinking about it, i just solved The Male Loneliness Epidemic downpour.games/~doruk/solut...
Walked past a bunch of film students on their way to a lecture, and thought it was cute how many of them were wearing movie t shirts. Dune, Jaws, etc. Chuckled to myself and then realised I'm wearing my "Escape the Dark Sector" board game shirt on the way to my teaching...
September 23, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Walked past a bunch of film students on their way to a lecture, and thought it was cute how many of them were wearing movie t shirts. Dune, Jaws, etc. Chuckled to myself and then realised I'm wearing my "Escape the Dark Sector" board game shirt on the way to my teaching...
CÖRK BØRD is "a MÖRK BORG compatible game of police procedural horror". (I don't know much about it, but what a name!) www.kickstarter.com/projects/all...
Cörk Bord: a Nordic Noir investigative Role-Playing Game
A MÖRK BORG compatible game of police procedural horror where every clue cuts deep and success lies beneath the baggage of broken lives
www.kickstarter.com
September 11, 2025 at 7:05 PM
CÖRK BØRD is "a MÖRK BORG compatible game of police procedural horror". (I don't know much about it, but what a name!) www.kickstarter.com/projects/all...
Reposted by Ben Kirman
Next Thursday (September 11th), join @florencesn.bsky.social & myself in discussing #game archaeology and speculative #fiction in relation to my latest novel!
The presentation starts at 6 PM at Village Bookstore in Leeds (UK):
>> villagebooks.co/blogs/blog/w... <<
The presentation starts at 6 PM at Village Bookstore in Leeds (UK):
>> villagebooks.co/blogs/blog/w... <<
September 8, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Next Thursday (September 11th), join @florencesn.bsky.social & myself in discussing #game archaeology and speculative #fiction in relation to my latest novel!
The presentation starts at 6 PM at Village Bookstore in Leeds (UK):
>> villagebooks.co/blogs/blog/w... <<
The presentation starts at 6 PM at Village Bookstore in Leeds (UK):
>> villagebooks.co/blogs/blog/w... <<
Age caught up with me and I've joined glasses gang. I wasn't prepared for the weird pageantry vibes of the opticians. Like a medical coronation.
August 8, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Age caught up with me and I've joined glasses gang. I wasn't prepared for the weird pageantry vibes of the opticians. Like a medical coronation.
Reposted by Ben Kirman
york folks, i'm starting to run weekly workshops about alternative, low-tech digital tools. running the first, trial session monday next week. come by, play and make a zine!!
sign-up here: www.eventbrite.com/e/make-and-b...
sign-up here: www.eventbrite.com/e/make-and-b...
August 6, 2025 at 12:52 PM
york folks, i'm starting to run weekly workshops about alternative, low-tech digital tools. running the first, trial session monday next week. come by, play and make a zine!!
sign-up here: www.eventbrite.com/e/make-and-b...
sign-up here: www.eventbrite.com/e/make-and-b...
The compulsory scam-awareness training uses as an example phishing email of "You are getting a raise", and assures me that my employers would never ever send me such an email.
July 24, 2025 at 1:44 PM
The compulsory scam-awareness training uses as an example phishing email of "You are getting a raise", and assures me that my employers would never ever send me such an email.