Derek L.H.
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derekexmachina.com
Derek L.H.
@derekexmachina.com
Writer, Localization Editor, Game Dev, JRPG Enthusiast. He/Him. 28.

Love yapping about games, movies, localization, and anything else that catches my interest. Open to writing/editing/localization opportunities, DMs open!

https://derek-lh.com
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Hi everyone! I'm Derek L.H., a localization editor, writer, part-time streamer, and full-time nerd that loves video games, anime, and movies!

📝 Portfolio / CV: derek-lh.com
✍️ Blog: derekexmachina.com
🎮 Twitch: twitch.tv/derek_ex_machina
🖥️ Socials + Discord: linktr.ee/derekexmachina
a close up of a video game character with a cat ears and a sword .
ALT: a close up of a video game character with a cat ears and a sword .
media.tenor.com
Reposted by Derek L.H.
shulk back pain
November 15, 2025 at 1:55 AM
What on earth is the sampling here? This article reads like they only got data for high-level staff with 10+ years of game dev exp. These numbers are laughably inaccurate.

Another example of how GDC does not give a fuck about representing loc, QA, and other lesser-paid parts of game dev.
November 14, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Reposted by Derek L.H.
Not me reading that headline with my eyes glazed over. 😵‍💫 Lot of in-house loc jobs where you're lucky to break $50k, even at world famous pubs with top talent, all in a rental market where that ain't nearly enough.

Of course it's $150k if you're GDC and surveying people in your own ecosystem lol
November 14, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Reposted by Derek L.H.
i am not only tapping the sign, i am screaming into the megaphone "PAY PEOPLE WHAT THEY'RE WORTH FOR THE WORK THEY DO. AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE CREDITED FOR SAID WORK"
November 14, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Reposted by Derek L.H.
credits that include the names of everyone who worked on the game at any point
November 11, 2025 at 4:32 AM
🗣️📣 NEW BLOG POST ALERT!

This week, I take a look at Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, a French animated film that has quickly become my favorite film of the year. I talk about what makes the film so special.

www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/11...
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain Review: Memories Last, As Does Emotional Spectacle — Derek Ex Machina
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain is a sweet, tender exploration of the humanistic value of sentimentality and companionship. It’s a remarkably human film, despite its protagonist consistently t...
www.derekexmachina.com
November 13, 2025 at 6:57 PM
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November 12, 2025 at 7:28 PM
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Gabe and friends when they finished making the Steam Machine
November 12, 2025 at 10:49 PM
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Mood
November 9, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Reposted by Derek L.H.
In Super Mario Galaxy, the stars on the letters of the logo spell "u r mr gay", while for the movie it says "he mr gay". This is because you are watching Mario, not playing him.
November 12, 2025 at 2:15 PM
I wish junior and mid-level workers weren't considered a liability by employers. It keeps all of us miserable.
November 11, 2025 at 8:34 PM
The worst part about looking for game writing work is that there's literally no reason to hire me over the hundreds or thousands of great game writers that have shipped multiple games.

So many writers looking for work objectively deserve it more than me.
November 11, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Reposted by Derek L.H.
“Don’t gather some of the most brilliant activists in the industry, treat us like crap, and then expect us to do nothing about it.” After the Game Awards cancelled its Future Class programme, @alyssamerc.bsky.social talked to its former honorees

www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
“We were effectively props”: young stars of game development feel let down by the ‘gaming Oscars’
Announced in 2020 by the Game Awards as an inclusive programme for the industry’s next generation, the Future Class initiative has now been discontinued. Inductees describe clashes with organisers and...
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:33 PM
If Kristen Stewart gets cast as Rosalina, this movie will be immensely peak.
November 11, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Dang, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is pretty fun.
November 11, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Reposted by Derek L.H.
🗣️📣 NEW BLOG POST ALERT!

This week, I review Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and discuss what makes it a great modern JRPG as well as its shortcomings that result from its ambition. Spoilers in the review are tagged.

Likes, comments, and reposts appreciated!

www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/11...
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review: A Turn-Based Marvel Punches Above its Weight, Flaws and All — Derek Ex Machina
Not only is Expedition 33 a fun RPG, it’s an unflinchingly courageous one. It tackles ambitious narrative themes, has tantalizingly deep mechanics that lead to boundless customization and player exp...
www.derekexmachina.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Reposted by Derek L.H.
BREAKING: The Supreme Court denied an attempt to challenge Obergefell v. Hodges, the case affirming marriage equality nationwide.

Our freedom to marry remains the law of the land.
November 10, 2025 at 2:46 PM
🗣️📣 NEW BLOG POST ALERT!

This week, I review Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and discuss what makes it a great modern JRPG as well as its shortcomings that result from its ambition. Spoilers in the review are tagged.

Likes, comments, and reposts appreciated!

www.derekexmachina.com/blog/2025/11...
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review: A Turn-Based Marvel Punches Above its Weight, Flaws and All — Derek Ex Machina
Not only is Expedition 33 a fun RPG, it’s an unflinchingly courageous one. It tackles ambitious narrative themes, has tantalizingly deep mechanics that lead to boundless customization and player exp...
www.derekexmachina.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:13 PM
The Expedition 33 review is officially finished and will go up tomorrow morning!
November 9, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Reposted by Derek L.H.
Hilda doodle #VGenComm
November 8, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Reposted by Derek L.H.
October 13, 2025 at 8:12 PM
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November 8, 2025 at 11:10 PM
My Expedition 33 review is almost 13,000 words so far and I'm not finished yet.

I'm literally incapable of shutting the fuck up about video games.
November 8, 2025 at 4:45 AM
Reposted by Derek L.H.
Final Fantasy IX 25주년을 축하합니다!
#FF9
November 6, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Update: pushing this back to release on Monday. Writing it's going well so far, but it turns out that I have a lot more to say than I initially thought.
Putting together my Expedition 33 review. If all goes well, I'm aiming for it to be out this Friday.
November 6, 2025 at 8:19 PM