Fred Hicks
@deadlyfredly.bsky.social
President of Evil Hat (I publish Fate, Blades in the Dark, Monster of the Week, Thirsty Sword Lesbians, &c). Liberal in politics, reposting, & use of the block button. Be advised, I limit parasociality when I can. Permanently in AMA mode (so ask).
Pinned
Fred Hicks
@deadlyfredly.bsky.social
· Oct 25
And perhaps most importantly, there is no "right" level of appetite for risk. It's something you'll have to come to on your own and, should circumstances change, possibly revise.
The thing you *shouldn't* do is find someone successful and emulate their posture.
The thing you *shouldn't* do is find someone successful and emulate their posture.
The fact that I am here and able to share numbers and give looks under the hood is because we’ve survived.
Survivor bias is in effect. If you’re not also learning from companies that failed you’re ignoring a ton of relevant data.
Survivor bias is in effect. If you’re not also learning from companies that failed you’re ignoring a ton of relevant data.
Reposted by Fred Hicks
what makes something "vulnerable to AI" is not the capacity of machines but the credulity of management.
Of course, it is also true that historians jobs may in practice be vulnerable to AI, because a lot of people who control the money for historian jobs probably haven’t thought much about where history comes from, either.
February 11, 2026 at 8:39 PM
what makes something "vulnerable to AI" is not the capacity of machines but the credulity of management.
Reposted by Fred Hicks
I _really_ appreciate the transparency here in the shipping section - while I'm sad they're not shipping outside the US, doing it upfront this way is WAY better than other crowdfunds I've backed over the last two years which exposed me to HUGE costs after the package crossed the border
It's 968 AC.
An artificial sun shines down upon Doskvol. Autopods cruise down rows of peaceful, prosperous houses. Beneath it all, strange actors and twisted conspiracies work their shadowy agendas.
Blades '68. The future is now. Don't miss it:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
An artificial sun shines down upon Doskvol. Autopods cruise down rows of peaceful, prosperous houses. Beneath it all, strange actors and twisted conspiracies work their shadowy agendas.
Blades '68. The future is now. Don't miss it:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
Blades '68 Crowdfunding Trailer
YouTube video by Evil Hat Productions
www.youtube.com
February 11, 2026 at 10:00 PM
I _really_ appreciate the transparency here in the shipping section - while I'm sad they're not shipping outside the US, doing it upfront this way is WAY better than other crowdfunds I've backed over the last two years which exposed me to HUGE costs after the package crossed the border
Reposted by Fred Hicks
on a one-man crusade to explain to international customers that it's no longer 2017
February 11, 2026 at 9:58 PM
on a one-man crusade to explain to international customers that it's no longer 2017
Reposted by Fred Hicks
Make sure to tell your creative friends if you like what they're doing, because they think it's trash
February 11, 2026 at 9:45 PM
Make sure to tell your creative friends if you like what they're doing, because they think it's trash
Reposted by Fred Hicks
Nothing to see here - OR ELSE
February 11, 2026 at 7:26 PM
Nothing to see here - OR ELSE
Reposted by Fred Hicks
You can’t offload emotional labor. Believe me, I’ve tried
February 11, 2026 at 8:50 PM
You can’t offload emotional labor. Believe me, I’ve tried
Reposted by Fred Hicks
Y'all, ICE thugs are still terrorizing people in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
They are counting on America looking away, and it's currently working. Please tell everyone you know, please reach out to people with huge followings, and ask them to help refocus our attention on the ongoing abuses.
They are counting on America looking away, and it's currently working. Please tell everyone you know, please reach out to people with huge followings, and ask them to help refocus our attention on the ongoing abuses.
This is the aftermath of an ICE kidnapping a few blocks from my home in St. Paul—an hour ago. A quiet street full of broken glass and at least three wrecked cars. The target of the kidnapping was taken away by ambulance. He was on a stretcher and covered by a sheet, though a cop said he was alive.
February 11, 2026 at 8:53 PM
Y'all, ICE thugs are still terrorizing people in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
They are counting on America looking away, and it's currently working. Please tell everyone you know, please reach out to people with huge followings, and ask them to help refocus our attention on the ongoing abuses.
They are counting on America looking away, and it's currently working. Please tell everyone you know, please reach out to people with huge followings, and ask them to help refocus our attention on the ongoing abuses.
Reposted by Fred Hicks
Ya don't say
Today’s CBO report says US consumers pay 95% of tariffs. 🤡
@brendanvduke.bsky.social
www.cbo.gov/system/files...
@brendanvduke.bsky.social
www.cbo.gov/system/files...
February 11, 2026 at 9:07 PM
Ya don't say
Reposted by Fred Hicks
Over on threads someone just use ai;dr and we all need to adopt that right quick
February 11, 2026 at 7:56 PM
Over on threads someone just use ai;dr and we all need to adopt that right quick
Reposted by Fred Hicks
It makes me so angry that he had to spend his last days trying to raise money for his own treatment by selling off mementos of his career.
Van Der Beek played Dawson Leery on the hit show Dawson's Creek. He announced his colon cancer diagnosis in 2024. n.pr/3Oc2JIr
'Dawson's Creek' star James Van Der Beek has died at 48
Van Der Beek played Dawson Leery on the hit show Dawson's Creek. He announced his colon cancer diagnosis in 2024.
n.pr
February 11, 2026 at 9:24 PM
It makes me so angry that he had to spend his last days trying to raise money for his own treatment by selling off mementos of his career.
Reposted by Fred Hicks
Hey, so this is quality work and worth your eyeballs. If you haven't heard of it yet (which seems impossible), take a look!
LIVE NOW! Blades '68 grabs the setting of Blades in the Dark and catapults it forward into the swinging 60s.
Tense spy operations, action-packed heists, and brain-twisting paranormal encounters all mix in this 450-page expansion.
Join the electroplasmic revolution:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
Tense spy operations, action-packed heists, and brain-twisting paranormal encounters all mix in this 450-page expansion.
Join the electroplasmic revolution:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
February 11, 2026 at 8:50 PM
Hey, so this is quality work and worth your eyeballs. If you haven't heard of it yet (which seems impossible), take a look!
Reposted by Fred Hicks
The TTRPG sequel draws inspiration from Deathloop, Soylent Green, and The Venture Bros.
Blades '68 takes Blades in the Dark into a radical future
The TTRPG sequel draws inspiration from Deathloop, Soylent Green, and The Venture Bros.
www.polygon.com
February 11, 2026 at 6:01 PM
The TTRPG sequel draws inspiration from Deathloop, Soylent Green, and The Venture Bros.
Reposted by Fred Hicks
This. Don't yell at staff members who have no say in the decision-making coming out of corporate, yell at corporate and make it clear to them working with transphobes is BAD for their their bottom line.
Also, if you are appalled by the potential of HP Magic or D&D, your best bet isn't to demand answers from random designers on social media—who can be fired for commenting—it's to send PHYSICAL LETTERS and make actual PHONE CALLS to Hasbro's corporate headquarters, denouncing the entire partnership.
February 11, 2026 at 3:54 PM
This. Don't yell at staff members who have no say in the decision-making coming out of corporate, yell at corporate and make it clear to them working with transphobes is BAD for their their bottom line.
Reposted by Fred Hicks
God, it’s almost as if apocalyptic health insurance and a terrible job market are deliberately used to keep is so afraid for our jobs in hopes that we fully abandon our humanity, excepting those parts which are acceptable at work.
Must be my imagination.
Must be my imagination.
February 11, 2026 at 2:23 PM
God, it’s almost as if apocalyptic health insurance and a terrible job market are deliberately used to keep is so afraid for our jobs in hopes that we fully abandon our humanity, excepting those parts which are acceptable at work.
Must be my imagination.
Must be my imagination.
Reposted by Fred Hicks
This is the world RFK Jr dreamed of; his dreams are coming true
This makes me unbelievably sad and unbelievably angry
This makes me unbelievably sad and unbelievably angry
"Health officials in New Mexico are warning against consuming raw dairy products after a newborn baby in the state died from a listeria infection that they say was likely contracted when the baby's mother drank raw milk during pregnancy."
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
New Mexico warns against consuming raw milk after newborn dies from listeria
While the New Mexico Department of Health said it can't pinpoint the baby's exact cause of death, officials believe it could have been linked to the mother's drinking raw milk during pregnancy.
www.nbcnews.com
February 6, 2026 at 3:30 PM
This is the world RFK Jr dreamed of; his dreams are coming true
This makes me unbelievably sad and unbelievably angry
This makes me unbelievably sad and unbelievably angry
Reposted by Fred Hicks
Once again, RFK Jr has appointed a panel stacked with kooks & anti-vaxxers (see also: his ACIP appointees & ACIP chairs)
I spoke with @davidgilbert.bsky.social for this superb news feature, and, um, I did not hold back
It‘s a horror show; RFK Jr is such a dangerous menace
I spoke with @davidgilbert.bsky.social for this superb news feature, and, um, I did not hold back
It‘s a horror show; RFK Jr is such a dangerous menace
“We’ve fought so hard to protect our community, but they want to experiment on us. We are guinea pigs. When you are autistic, like me, and a mother to autistic children, I see this as a way to end us. That's what it is.” autism activist Fiona O'Leary
www.wired.com/story/rfk-jr...
www.wired.com/story/rfk-jr...
RFK Jr.’s Picks for a Key Autism Panel Include Advocates for Bizarre Theories
Among those Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently named to a federal autism committee are people who tout dangerous treatments and say vaccine manufacturers are “poisoning children.”
www.wired.com
February 6, 2026 at 11:06 PM
Once again, RFK Jr has appointed a panel stacked with kooks & anti-vaxxers (see also: his ACIP appointees & ACIP chairs)
I spoke with @davidgilbert.bsky.social for this superb news feature, and, um, I did not hold back
It‘s a horror show; RFK Jr is such a dangerous menace
I spoke with @davidgilbert.bsky.social for this superb news feature, and, um, I did not hold back
It‘s a horror show; RFK Jr is such a dangerous menace
Reposted by Fred Hicks
Only back this game if you want to be fab, tune in, and cut shapes with the “in-crowd.” Squares beware!
LIVE NOW! Blades '68 grabs the setting of Blades in the Dark and catapults it forward into the swinging 60s.
Tense spy operations, action-packed heists, and brain-twisting paranormal encounters all mix in this 450-page expansion.
Join the electroplasmic revolution:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
Tense spy operations, action-packed heists, and brain-twisting paranormal encounters all mix in this 450-page expansion.
Join the electroplasmic revolution:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
February 11, 2026 at 2:10 PM
Only back this game if you want to be fab, tune in, and cut shapes with the “in-crowd.” Squares beware!
Reposted by Fred Hicks
The year is 2045. Nurse is the only job left. It has been hastily retconned to a male coded job and every nurse now wears tactical combat gear and has a gun.
Yikes here are the numbers for the past 12 months. Everything is pretty much dead except healthcare/social assistance. Note that healthcare growth is largely not about the business cycle -- it's about the aging of the population and more elderly people needing care.
February 11, 2026 at 2:27 PM
The year is 2045. Nurse is the only job left. It has been hastily retconned to a male coded job and every nurse now wears tactical combat gear and has a gun.
Reposted by Fred Hicks
When Hasbro's CEO says choice, he refers to the length of time they may protest c-suite directives. Chris Cocks is fully bought in, and generative AI is capturing a growing amount of invisible labor inside the company.
Chris Cocks claimed Hasbro teams will "have choices” regarding AI adoption before gushing over the the technology's potential to "open up all new categories of play that we can barely imagine today."
Hasbro CEO’s optional AI guidance is undercut by Hasbro CEO’s love of AI
Like unlimited time off, it’s a mandate disguised as a choice.
www.rascal.news
February 11, 2026 at 3:12 PM
When Hasbro's CEO says choice, he refers to the length of time they may protest c-suite directives. Chris Cocks is fully bought in, and generative AI is capturing a growing amount of invisible labor inside the company.
Reposted by Fred Hicks
I highly recommend Blades in the Dark, does it's genre very well, is light on the players, and has a lot of GM support
Blades '68 launches today! As a companion to the campaign, we're offering 20% off all of our core Forged in the Dark games.
A universe of adventure awaits.
evilhat.com/product-tag/...
A universe of adventure awaits.
evilhat.com/product-tag/...
February 10, 2026 at 9:46 PM
I highly recommend Blades in the Dark, does it's genre very well, is light on the players, and has a lot of GM support
Reposted by Fred Hicks
LIVE NOW! Blades '68 grabs the setting of Blades in the Dark and catapults it forward into the swinging 60s.
Tense spy operations, action-packed heists, and brain-twisting paranormal encounters all mix in this 450-page expansion.
Join the electroplasmic revolution:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
Tense spy operations, action-packed heists, and brain-twisting paranormal encounters all mix in this 450-page expansion.
Join the electroplasmic revolution:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
February 10, 2026 at 9:47 PM
LIVE NOW! Blades '68 grabs the setting of Blades in the Dark and catapults it forward into the swinging 60s.
Tense spy operations, action-packed heists, and brain-twisting paranormal encounters all mix in this 450-page expansion.
Join the electroplasmic revolution:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
Tense spy operations, action-packed heists, and brain-twisting paranormal encounters all mix in this 450-page expansion.
Join the electroplasmic revolution:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
Reposted by Fred Hicks
If you haven't scrolled down that far on the page you should really have a look at all the amazing stretch goal contributors and their contributions.
A bunch of super talented people, all of whom I admire, creating a wide range of new B68 art/fiction/factions/etc.
A bunch of super talented people, all of whom I admire, creating a wide range of new B68 art/fiction/factions/etc.
Really excited to be doing a little stretch goal bonus writing for Blades '68!
It's 968 AC.
An artificial sun shines down upon Doskvol. Autopods cruise down rows of peaceful, prosperous houses. Beneath it all, strange actors and twisted conspiracies work their shadowy agendas.
Blades '68. The future is now. Don't miss it:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
An artificial sun shines down upon Doskvol. Autopods cruise down rows of peaceful, prosperous houses. Beneath it all, strange actors and twisted conspiracies work their shadowy agendas.
Blades '68. The future is now. Don't miss it:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
February 10, 2026 at 10:05 PM
If you haven't scrolled down that far on the page you should really have a look at all the amazing stretch goal contributors and their contributions.
A bunch of super talented people, all of whom I admire, creating a wide range of new B68 art/fiction/factions/etc.
A bunch of super talented people, all of whom I admire, creating a wide range of new B68 art/fiction/factions/etc.
Reposted by Fred Hicks
Just glanced through the playbooks, and I love how the Time Traveller From The Past sheet reverts to @johnharper.bsky.social's original graphic design for the Blades sheets. That kind of detail really indicates to me that @olddog.games has put a lot of thought and intenion into what he's doing.
LIVE NOW! Blades '68 grabs the setting of Blades in the Dark and catapults it forward into the swinging 60s.
Tense spy operations, action-packed heists, and brain-twisting paranormal encounters all mix in this 450-page expansion.
Join the electroplasmic revolution:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
Tense spy operations, action-packed heists, and brain-twisting paranormal encounters all mix in this 450-page expansion.
Join the electroplasmic revolution:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
February 10, 2026 at 10:59 PM
Just glanced through the playbooks, and I love how the Time Traveller From The Past sheet reverts to @johnharper.bsky.social's original graphic design for the Blades sheets. That kind of detail really indicates to me that @olddog.games has put a lot of thought and intenion into what he's doing.
Reposted by Fred Hicks
Blades in the Dark gets the psychedelic sequel it's always deserved, stuffed with lessons learned from a decade of FitD design! Really magical stuff.
LIVE NOW! Blades '68 grabs the setting of Blades in the Dark and catapults it forward into the swinging 60s.
Tense spy operations, action-packed heists, and brain-twisting paranormal encounters all mix in this 450-page expansion.
Join the electroplasmic revolution:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
Tense spy operations, action-packed heists, and brain-twisting paranormal encounters all mix in this 450-page expansion.
Join the electroplasmic revolution:
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
February 11, 2026 at 12:13 AM
Blades in the Dark gets the psychedelic sequel it's always deserved, stuffed with lessons learned from a decade of FitD design! Really magical stuff.
Reposted by Fred Hicks
This Kickstarter is killing me. I keep getting scam pledges that go up and then back out, this is so stressful.
Back this game and I'll put art in the mail - for you!
If it fails I'll CRY
Back this game and I'll put art in the mail - for you!
If it fails I'll CRY
Want a #solorpg dungeon crawler designed to make use of all the neat graffiti in your area?
Want a #zinequest / #zinemonth project that I made with my WIDDLE HANDSIES?!
Back Vandal Eyes today! The Cardinal will know if you don't!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/pea...
Want a #zinequest / #zinemonth project that I made with my WIDDLE HANDSIES?!
Back Vandal Eyes today! The Cardinal will know if you don't!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/pea...
Vandal Eyes
A singleplayer dungeon crawler where you gain power from the graffiti you find around you in the real world.
www.kickstarter.com
February 10, 2026 at 5:23 PM
This Kickstarter is killing me. I keep getting scam pledges that go up and then back out, this is so stressful.
Back this game and I'll put art in the mail - for you!
If it fails I'll CRY
Back this game and I'll put art in the mail - for you!
If it fails I'll CRY