Hugo Cortell
@cortellhugo.bsky.social
Born to design, forced to develop.
Best known for delivering underwhelming experiences or not at all.
Best known for delivering underwhelming experiences or not at all.
Pinned
Hugo Cortell
@cortellhugo.bsky.social
· Feb 3
Ah yes, my fame precedes me.
(Presented without context because it is funnier that way).
(Presented without context because it is funnier that way).
Folks, let's get one thing clear. The goal of the ecosystem is to stop being held hostage by Microsoft, who could at any time close the garden and leave then dry.
Valve does care yet about expanding, this is a matter of strategic survival first and foremost. And a very well handled one too.
Valve does care yet about expanding, this is a matter of strategic survival first and foremost. And a very well handled one too.
People seem to think that the gabe cube will replace consoles "if it is price competitive with consoles", except... Valve already said (via LTT media) they don't intend to compete with consoles on price, only with PCs.
November 13, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Folks, let's get one thing clear. The goal of the ecosystem is to stop being held hostage by Microsoft, who could at any time close the garden and leave then dry.
Valve does care yet about expanding, this is a matter of strategic survival first and foremost. And a very well handled one too.
Valve does care yet about expanding, this is a matter of strategic survival first and foremost. And a very well handled one too.
People seem to think that the gabe cube will replace consoles "if it is price competitive with consoles", except... Valve already said (via LTT media) they don't intend to compete with consoles on price, only with PCs.
November 13, 2025 at 5:57 PM
People seem to think that the gabe cube will replace consoles "if it is price competitive with consoles", except... Valve already said (via LTT media) they don't intend to compete with consoles on price, only with PCs.
Reposted by Hugo Cortell
Like, let me make this clear.
EVERYONE is going to love this. This is AMAZING for the average person. But I am a massive fucking pedant when it comes to the VR space (and in general, to be honest).
EVERYONE is going to love this. This is AMAZING for the average person. But I am a massive fucking pedant when it comes to the VR space (and in general, to be honest).
The only new thing Valve's new HMD seemingly brings to the table seems to be this fabio enchilada streaming thing, which as a Vive owner I couldn't care less about because I have something called an HDMI cable which can carry signals without latency or quality issues.
Also, the cameras are creepy.
Also, the cameras are creepy.
November 12, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Like, let me make this clear.
EVERYONE is going to love this. This is AMAZING for the average person. But I am a massive fucking pedant when it comes to the VR space (and in general, to be honest).
EVERYONE is going to love this. This is AMAZING for the average person. But I am a massive fucking pedant when it comes to the VR space (and in general, to be honest).
The only new thing Valve's new HMD seemingly brings to the table seems to be this fabio enchilada streaming thing, which as a Vive owner I couldn't care less about because I have something called an HDMI cable which can carry signals without latency or quality issues.
Also, the cameras are creepy.
Also, the cameras are creepy.
November 12, 2025 at 10:20 PM
The only new thing Valve's new HMD seemingly brings to the table seems to be this fabio enchilada streaming thing, which as a Vive owner I couldn't care less about because I have something called an HDMI cable which can carry signals without latency or quality issues.
Also, the cameras are creepy.
Also, the cameras are creepy.
Fun Fact: Google developed the WebP format, yet it is not supported by Google Docs, this is a subtle hit to the fact that they have no leadership whatsoever that can enable cooperation across departments.
November 12, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Fun Fact: Google developed the WebP format, yet it is not supported by Google Docs, this is a subtle hit to the fact that they have no leadership whatsoever that can enable cooperation across departments.
Indie game design is mostly a game of hubris, like asking "how hard can it really be to make a poor-man's version of Battlefield's destruction system?" and then trying to find out.
You have to work on exciting and overscoped ideas, or you'll burn out. But you can't actually finish them. 🤔
You have to work on exciting and overscoped ideas, or you'll burn out. But you can't actually finish them. 🤔
October 31, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Indie game design is mostly a game of hubris, like asking "how hard can it really be to make a poor-man's version of Battlefield's destruction system?" and then trying to find out.
You have to work on exciting and overscoped ideas, or you'll burn out. But you can't actually finish them. 🤔
You have to work on exciting and overscoped ideas, or you'll burn out. But you can't actually finish them. 🤔
So... Apparently #BlueSky used AI(?) to assume my age, and then took away my ability to correct it.
I literally can no longer view half of the posts in this platform (since I'm apparently a child) and have no recourse to change that.
I literally can no longer view half of the posts in this platform (since I'm apparently a child) and have no recourse to change that.
October 30, 2025 at 2:24 AM
So... Apparently #BlueSky used AI(?) to assume my age, and then took away my ability to correct it.
I literally can no longer view half of the posts in this platform (since I'm apparently a child) and have no recourse to change that.
I literally can no longer view half of the posts in this platform (since I'm apparently a child) and have no recourse to change that.
Reposted by Hugo Cortell
you could not waterboard this out of me. “we didn’t understand why people use steam”
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 1:21 AM
you could not waterboard this out of me. “we didn’t understand why people use steam”
The new Chainsaw Man movie has apparently made $100M in profit in about a month.
In the US, this would result in the next 5 films being greenlit and funded already, so that they can release in short order of each other. Instead, here we'll probably just see sequential releases that take forever.
In the US, this would result in the next 5 films being greenlit and funded already, so that they can release in short order of each other. Instead, here we'll probably just see sequential releases that take forever.
October 28, 2025 at 1:47 PM
The new Chainsaw Man movie has apparently made $100M in profit in about a month.
In the US, this would result in the next 5 films being greenlit and funded already, so that they can release in short order of each other. Instead, here we'll probably just see sequential releases that take forever.
In the US, this would result in the next 5 films being greenlit and funded already, so that they can release in short order of each other. Instead, here we'll probably just see sequential releases that take forever.
The great thing about Bluesky is that a meaningful conversation can't really be had because it has the shortest character length per post of any mainstream social media platform.
You are *forced* into the "waffles vs pancakes" situation because you can't ever be specific or go on tangents.
You are *forced* into the "waffles vs pancakes" situation because you can't ever be specific or go on tangents.
October 27, 2025 at 2:36 PM
The great thing about Bluesky is that a meaningful conversation can't really be had because it has the shortest character length per post of any mainstream social media platform.
You are *forced* into the "waffles vs pancakes" situation because you can't ever be specific or go on tangents.
You are *forced* into the "waffles vs pancakes" situation because you can't ever be specific or go on tangents.
For the same reason as all game developers start new project, I've started a new project. This time, I'm going for a simpler kinematic controller that'll be lighter on the network.
As soon as I get that working, I may or may not stop working on additional functionality and get right to terrain def.
As soon as I get that working, I may or may not stop working on additional functionality and get right to terrain def.
October 24, 2025 at 11:55 PM
For the same reason as all game developers start new project, I've started a new project. This time, I'm going for a simpler kinematic controller that'll be lighter on the network.
As soon as I get that working, I may or may not stop working on additional functionality and get right to terrain def.
As soon as I get that working, I may or may not stop working on additional functionality and get right to terrain def.
Reposted by Hugo Cortell
Discord customer service data breach leaks user info and scanned photo IDs
Discord customer service data breach leaks user info and scanned photo IDs
An “unauthorized party” may have accessed the names of users, the last four digits of credit card numbers, and more.
buff.ly
October 4, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Discord customer service data breach leaks user info and scanned photo IDs
I was reached out by an AI lab to ask about my opinions on AI as a #gamedev, I thought to share my response to see what other people think. I tried to present a balanced and pragmatic view.
For the record, my game project (which I'm probably cancelling to focus on other stuff) has no AI in it.
For the record, my game project (which I'm probably cancelling to focus on other stuff) has no AI in it.
![[Cutting most of the text and focusing on the last bit due to bsky alt text limits, they HATE the visually impaired!!] My response:
However, the "easy money" AI integrations we see these days are very unlikely to be adopted. LLMs for characters are not only economically unfeasible (small models are too stupid, big models require a server to process data), but they take control from the authors and very quickly create ludonarrative dissonances that can break experiences.
Similarly, directly presenting AI art is bound to create a lot of backlash. It takes away work from an already exploited trade, which most of us as fellow workers can't help but symthathise with. It's in very poor taste to use AI art, and it'll never be accepted until the underlying economic struggle is resolved. Only once art can return to be pure and free from the shackles of capitalism can AI art be accepted by society at large.
Specifically in the context of TTS, I think it's mainly optics. Most TTS models are trained on data that was not obtained in a righteous way, which obviously creates backlash from people who have a spine. The solution is to keep making good TTS models that use ethically sourced data. I don't think there's anything more to it, as TTS is something people already want and like, they just don't want it from a bad source. It's like mangoes, everyone loves mangoes, but nobody wants to eat a mango sourced from Israel.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:sxscr72vaqvnssgn5525va3u/bafkreifc2boy47ranlreio2o5klws4xzcxghc6ifxirlnnaoiw4whfoe4e@jpeg)
October 3, 2025 at 10:29 PM
I was reached out by an AI lab to ask about my opinions on AI as a #gamedev, I thought to share my response to see what other people think. I tried to present a balanced and pragmatic view.
For the record, my game project (which I'm probably cancelling to focus on other stuff) has no AI in it.
For the record, my game project (which I'm probably cancelling to focus on other stuff) has no AI in it.
Me today.
Made something fun :)
Made something fun :)
September 29, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Me today.
Made something fun :)
Made something fun :)
Legendary 180-degree turn, even more so for being entirely self-inflicted.
In my heart, I'll always love Itch because it genuinely felt like the only place that truly was for indies. But fuck. That's rough.
In my heart, I'll always love Itch because it genuinely felt like the only place that truly was for indies. But fuck. That's rough.
September 26, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Legendary 180-degree turn, even more so for being entirely self-inflicted.
In my heart, I'll always love Itch because it genuinely felt like the only place that truly was for indies. But fuck. That's rough.
In my heart, I'll always love Itch because it genuinely felt like the only place that truly was for indies. But fuck. That's rough.
Reposted by Hugo Cortell
Good to know from a (former) Nintendo lawyer that fan-art is reason to mobilze the troops at a moment's notice, but a fascist regeime using directly stolen Pokemon assets to recruit for the nu-Gestapo is something the company would (likely) let slide.
My decision to not buy Nintendo, validated.
My decision to not buy Nintendo, validated.
The Pokémon Company's former chief legal officer has said he would not take action over an official Department of Homeland Security video that features footage of people being handcuffed and arrested set to the Pokémon theme tune — despite calls from fans for the corporation to sue.
Fans Want Pokémon to Sue After Department of Homeland Security Video Uses Ash Ketchum to Promote ICE — But The Company's Former Legal Boss Says He 'Wouldn't Touch This'
bit.ly
September 23, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Good to know from a (former) Nintendo lawyer that fan-art is reason to mobilze the troops at a moment's notice, but a fascist regeime using directly stolen Pokemon assets to recruit for the nu-Gestapo is something the company would (likely) let slide.
My decision to not buy Nintendo, validated.
My decision to not buy Nintendo, validated.
Reposted by Hugo Cortell
Reposted by Hugo Cortell
Gotta say, Bluesky "Trust & Safety" is inspiring anything but
You should probably do something to fix that @safety.bsky.app - people came here to get away from Twitter, not because they were hankering for Diet Coke Twitter
You should probably do something to fix that @safety.bsky.app - people came here to get away from Twitter, not because they were hankering for Diet Coke Twitter
Bluesky has banned Aftermath journalist Nathan Grayson for 24 hours for quote tweeting his own article with the words "rest in piss," which apparently is now against the rules here.
September 12, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Gotta say, Bluesky "Trust & Safety" is inspiring anything but
You should probably do something to fix that @safety.bsky.app - people came here to get away from Twitter, not because they were hankering for Diet Coke Twitter
You should probably do something to fix that @safety.bsky.app - people came here to get away from Twitter, not because they were hankering for Diet Coke Twitter
Reposted by Hugo Cortell
very direct evidence that video game piracy is important in the preservation of video games
September 1, 2025 at 5:49 PM
very direct evidence that video game piracy is important in the preservation of video games
Reposted by Hugo Cortell
I cannot overstate just how awful this stupid fucking bill proposal is
- adding backdoors into encryption on OS level
- "sniff" every single message before it gets encrypted AND SAVE IT CENTRALLY
- let a goddamn hallucinating "AI" mark people as criminals
it needs to be stopped, post haste
- adding backdoors into encryption on OS level
- "sniff" every single message before it gets encrypted AND SAVE IT CENTRALLY
- let a goddamn hallucinating "AI" mark people as criminals
it needs to be stopped, post haste
August 27, 2025 at 4:21 PM
I cannot overstate just how awful this stupid fucking bill proposal is
- adding backdoors into encryption on OS level
- "sniff" every single message before it gets encrypted AND SAVE IT CENTRALLY
- let a goddamn hallucinating "AI" mark people as criminals
it needs to be stopped, post haste
- adding backdoors into encryption on OS level
- "sniff" every single message before it gets encrypted AND SAVE IT CENTRALLY
- let a goddamn hallucinating "AI" mark people as criminals
it needs to be stopped, post haste
Reposted by Hugo Cortell
I once asked the Crunchyroll CEO whether he'd rather have less overall shows with exclusive licenses or every show every season with non-exclusive licenses.
He chose the former, because the latter would mean actual consumer-friendly competition on service quality and that's a big capitalist no-no.
He chose the former, because the latter would mean actual consumer-friendly competition on service quality and that's a big capitalist no-no.
Share a piece of anime lore that lives rent-free in your head.
August 28, 2025 at 7:49 AM
I once asked the Crunchyroll CEO whether he'd rather have less overall shows with exclusive licenses or every show every season with non-exclusive licenses.
He chose the former, because the latter would mean actual consumer-friendly competition on service quality and that's a big capitalist no-no.
He chose the former, because the latter would mean actual consumer-friendly competition on service quality and that's a big capitalist no-no.
Reposted by Hugo Cortell
Reposted by Hugo Cortell
Gotta echo this. Absolute none of the internet ID check laws are made with "good intentions". The true intent is always along the lines of mass surveillance, control of narrative (censoring political protests etc as seen in UK), and other shady things. Only a fool falls for "think of the children".
isolating kids from the world, including knowledge and depictions of sex, does NOT make them safer. whether it's the state, companies, or parents doing it, censorship and surveillance IS child abuse.
bsky praising laws like these as having "good intentions" is sickening.
bsky praising laws like these as having "good intentions" is sickening.
Unfortunately, Bluesky is unavailable in Mississippi right now, due to a new state law that requires age verification for all users.
While intended for child safety, we think this law poses broader challenges & creates significant barriers that limit free speech & harm smaller platforms like ours.
While intended for child safety, we think this law poses broader challenges & creates significant barriers that limit free speech & harm smaller platforms like ours.
August 22, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Gotta echo this. Absolute none of the internet ID check laws are made with "good intentions". The true intent is always along the lines of mass surveillance, control of narrative (censoring political protests etc as seen in UK), and other shady things. Only a fool falls for "think of the children".
Reposted by Hugo Cortell
Silksong was developed the way it was because the developer didn't have to worry about money.
The only way you get more games developed like Silksong is if Universal Basic Income becomes a thing.
The only way you get more games developed like Silksong is if Universal Basic Income becomes a thing.
August 22, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Silksong was developed the way it was because the developer didn't have to worry about money.
The only way you get more games developed like Silksong is if Universal Basic Income becomes a thing.
The only way you get more games developed like Silksong is if Universal Basic Income becomes a thing.