Chase Taylor-Carter
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chasecarter.bsky.social
Chase Taylor-Carter
@chasecarter.bsky.social
Co-owner of Rascal News. Tabletop and internet culture journalist. Avoiding unhealthy use this time around.

✉️: [email protected]

https://www.rascal.news/
Reposted by Chase Taylor-Carter
February 5, 2026 at 3:59 PM
This sounds like an iteration of what makes every @sandypuggames.bsky.social RPG whip ass: unapologetic style and politics synthesized around a satisfying loop.
"Despite the seemingly macho exterior of hyperviolence, HELLPIERCERS is a game that unapologetically celebrates human dignity."

Hell will be empty because this aesthetically baroque RPG believe every single soul deserves saving.
I want to believe in HELLPIERCERS like it believes in me
Does winning matter in a tactics game?
www.rascal.news
February 5, 2026 at 3:55 PM
It looks like Scott has found a Kickstarter bottom feeder who created shell companies to distribute a slew of AI-generated RPG supplements without raising suspicion with the platform.
February 5, 2026 at 11:04 AM
Love seeing Mollie carry a torch for smaller crowdfunding projects during Feb's zine initiatives!

It can be thankless work and poison for news placement algos.
February 5, 2026 at 9:48 AM
Luke's headline game and Being Professionally Angry is a constant pleasure to read.
The Steam Machine has been delayed because stupid little babies can't stop using AI to write their emails:

aftermath.site/steam-machine-...
February 5, 2026 at 9:43 AM
Reposted by Chase Taylor-Carter
Play a (mostly) RPG-themed crossword developed by our own @newmadras.bsky.social as a special anniversary month treat!
Rascal Crossword #1: Retro Reviews
We heard you liked games.
www.rascal.news
February 4, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Reposted by Chase Taylor-Carter
I was laid off today, among hundreds of others at The Washington Post.

I loved covering games here, and I am so proud of our international coverage.

My colleagues — those who lost their jobs and those who didn't — are rockstars. It was such an honor to work alongside them.
February 4, 2026 at 3:31 PM
another day of relentlessly convincing myself that journalism must outlast billionaires.
February 4, 2026 at 3:40 PM
Reposted by Chase Taylor-Carter
independent media or bust.
February 4, 2026 at 3:10 PM
While it's refreshing to see a publisher talk realistically about product glut, somehow I don't think it's the fault of designers forced to work as permanent creative freelancers.
February 4, 2026 at 3:36 PM
The podcast has always been a place where we can provide a coda to news stories and trending topics without necessarily augmenting our written work. My discussion here with Thomas adopts that framework, and it was both generative and exhausting.

Thanks to everyone who wrote in!
This week's episode of the Rascal Radio Hour podcast is a longer, more casual discussion of the recent Yazeba's Bed & Breakfast article, including questions and criticisms sent in by readers.
A Postage Stamp Is Not A Paywall
Imagine a headline so sexy you can't help but click it.
www.rascal.news
February 4, 2026 at 3:23 PM
Reposted by Chase Taylor-Carter
NEW: A NetEase spokesperson has told me that reports indicating it shuttered a genAI research division and is now moving away from the tech are "false."

"The situation described did not occur, and we have not published any related policies."
February 4, 2026 at 1:54 PM
Reposted by Chase Taylor-Carter
I personally do not think some rich man should be able to buy an institution like this like a toy and then break it when he doesn’t want to play with it anymore. bsky.app/profile/benm...
New: Washington Post Executive Editor Matt Murray and HR Chief Wayne Connell tell employees to stay home for a zoom webinar ahead of “significant actions across the company.” Widely expected layoffs are scheduled to begin today.
February 4, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Reposted by Chase Taylor-Carter
Exile's crying-based economy is just one element that marks the "feelings-based RPG" as unique. Designer @ema-acosta.com puts her whole heart into our gauntlet of questions in the latest Rascal 7.
Exile wants you to share your teenage angst amidst monster fighting
Designer Ema Acosta lays bare her feelings on one of two new games.
www.rascal.news
February 3, 2026 at 4:19 PM
Reposted by Chase Taylor-Carter
Talking about nerdery, my conversation with Tim for the Yes Indie'd podcast is now live. The episode is titled "Maximal Minimalism" and you can get it wherever podcasts exist:

pod.link/1496698286/e...
In celebration of the imminent Blades ‘68 campaign, I thought I’d talk a bit about its graphic design.

BUT FIRST let’s compare and contrast with the graphic design of Blades in the Dark, a landmark in the history of RPG layout.

Type nerdery ahoy 🧐
February 3, 2026 at 10:30 AM
I scrolled my mouse wheel five times before reaching the portion of Zinetopia's crowded page that simply featured a project.

www.backerkit.com/c/collection...
February 3, 2026 at 10:14 AM
Written records get extremely slim by the time you reach my grandparent's grandparents on both side. Best I can tell, everyone was subsistence farmers or laborers. Poor settlers who didn't bring much heritage with them.
Genuinely curious: If your family is American, what brought them here?
Mine: religious nuttery & primogeniture
February 3, 2026 at 9:21 AM
Reposted by Chase Taylor-Carter
Very excited to say that 404 Media's zine about ICE Surveillance is here. If you ordered a print copy, I put it in the mail last week. If not, we of course think the info inside is very important so here's a free PDF. We also translated it into Spanish:

www.404media.co/icezine/
Our Zine About ICE Surveillance Is Here
Download a PDF of our first ever zine here.
www.404media.co
February 2, 2026 at 3:04 PM
Two years, phewww. Rascal has been simultaneously extremely fulfilling and incredibly difficult, but I can't imagine spending the last two years of my life any other way.

Spend the month celebrating with us, and help keep the team working for another two years, at least!
We're turning two years old later this month! Come celebrate with some birthday programming, including a crossword, special podcast episode, and a 20% membership discount during February only.
Rascal invites you to celebrate another anniversary
Welcome to our Terrible Twos >:]
www.rascal.news
February 2, 2026 at 3:17 PM
Grew up 25 minutes from here and was in my whole ass 20s before realizing it.

A more innocuous version northeast of me was Flower Mound. Very literal settlers in NTX.
February 1, 2026 at 7:23 PM
Nathan's thread is all the excuse you need to go start Different Rascal. Today. Now.
I’ve seen people voice concern about subscription fatigue, too many sites relying on the same model, etc, but a) I’m not convinced that’s a problem; there are thousands of content creators supporting themselves via subs
January 31, 2026 at 3:02 PM
Reposted by Chase Taylor-Carter
Journalist Georgia Fort has been released from custody (video @fox9mn.bsky.social)
January 30, 2026 at 9:30 PM
The utter lie of "no politics" strikes again!

Vasel's weasley response to BGW is as expected as it is pathetic.
Veteran Dice Tower reviewer Sam Healey resigns in wake of saying Alex Pretti, Renee Good were to blame for ICE killing them, after comments began impacting review giant’s annual pledge drive:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...
January 30, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Reposted by Chase Taylor-Carter
man i am choked up about this. my mom is a retired CWA member from pittsburgh; they’re now trying to do a defector to the PG 😭 cwa-union.org/news/release...
Guild Journalists, Pittsburgh Community, Local Labor Comes Together to Launch PAPER
A mere three weeks after the Post-Gazette announced its impending closure, members of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, community organizers, neighbors, and labor leaders unveiled their initiative to...
cwa-union.org
January 30, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Reposted by Chase Taylor-Carter
"I have always been fascinated with weird places and things that hide in the woods."

Fomoria designer @thebreadwyrm.bsky.social tells Rascal about her nightmarish, occult world and what it's like working with MÖRK BORG creator Johan Nohr.
Fomoria’s folk horror is a little bit MÖRK BORG and a little bit freaky
Sink deeper into the void alongside your occult friends.
www.rascal.news
January 30, 2026 at 3:40 PM