Michael Fitch
@fitchgames.bsky.social
Game developer, father, cultural critic.
Wishlist Thick As Thieves on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3341000/Thick_As_Thieves/
Wishlist Thick As Thieves on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3341000/Thick_As_Thieves/
Pinned
Michael Fitch
@fitchgames.bsky.social
· Sep 21
25 years of game development: a long, strange trip | Michael Fitch posted on the topic | LinkedIn
Hi. My name is Michael. I've been making games professionally for 25 years now. June 5, 2000, I walked into Atomic games with a leather messenger bag, a comp book, an absurd number of pens, and a w...
www.linkedin.com
For anyone who’s just stumbling across me and wondering, “who is this idiot?”, here’s the end of a career retrospective I wrote this summer:
www.linkedin.com/posts/michae...
www.linkedin.com/posts/michae...
Reposted by Michael Fitch
If you use generative AI to "explore ideas" you are mentally weaker than even the smallest child. If you feel that you need generative AI to "structure your thoughts" you lack the confidence of an 8 year old. If you feel shame about your diminished inner world, you should. You're bad at daydreaming
December 21, 2025 at 11:50 PM
If you use generative AI to "explore ideas" you are mentally weaker than even the smallest child. If you feel that you need generative AI to "structure your thoughts" you lack the confidence of an 8 year old. If you feel shame about your diminished inner world, you should. You're bad at daydreaming
Reposted by Michael Fitch
A group called "Robins des ruelles" or Robins of the Alleys claimed responsibility for the heist. The food was distributed to the community in protest of predatory grocery inflation, that is feeding record profits.
"The reaction to the theft has been overwhelmingly positive on social media."
"The reaction to the theft has been overwhelmingly positive on social media."
Thieves dressed as Santa and his elves steal $3K worth of goods from Montreal grocery store | CBC News
Several people dressed as Santa and a group of masked elves were filmed at a grocery store in Montreal on Monday night filling up carts with food. An activist group calling themselves Robins des ruell...
www.cbc.ca
December 20, 2025 at 10:08 PM
A group called "Robins des ruelles" or Robins of the Alleys claimed responsibility for the heist. The food was distributed to the community in protest of predatory grocery inflation, that is feeding record profits.
"The reaction to the theft has been overwhelmingly positive on social media."
"The reaction to the theft has been overwhelmingly positive on social media."
What impresses others:
Creative Director on the fastest game to ever make $5B dollars (Monopoly Go!)
What impresses me:
My kid has had a stay at home parent for the first 10 years of her life
Creative Director on the fastest game to ever make $5B dollars (Monopoly Go!)
What impresses me:
My kid has had a stay at home parent for the first 10 years of her life
December 21, 2025 at 2:20 PM
What impresses others:
Creative Director on the fastest game to ever make $5B dollars (Monopoly Go!)
What impresses me:
My kid has had a stay at home parent for the first 10 years of her life
Creative Director on the fastest game to ever make $5B dollars (Monopoly Go!)
What impresses me:
My kid has had a stay at home parent for the first 10 years of her life
I don’t really care what state it is, if you’re republishing state propaganda, you are doing everyone a disservice.
December 21, 2025 at 12:39 AM
I don’t really care what state it is, if you’re republishing state propaganda, you are doing everyone a disservice.
Reposted by Michael Fitch
SEE YOU JANUARY 8. This trailer gives a very small taste of what’s coming… probably the end of my career lol
SEE YOU IN HELL - Trailer #1
YouTube video by Gary Whitta
youtu.be
December 20, 2025 at 8:36 PM
SEE YOU JANUARY 8. This trailer gives a very small taste of what’s coming… probably the end of my career lol
I’m not a fan of professional fighting. Boxing, UFC, wrestling - I don’t find it interesting. Haven’t since I was a kid.
Nor do I know about or put any energy into streamer culture. Video is a not my medium.
And yet, I am pleased that Jake Paul got his ass beat.
Nor do I know about or put any energy into streamer culture. Video is a not my medium.
And yet, I am pleased that Jake Paul got his ass beat.
December 20, 2025 at 1:04 PM
I’m not a fan of professional fighting. Boxing, UFC, wrestling - I don’t find it interesting. Haven’t since I was a kid.
Nor do I know about or put any energy into streamer culture. Video is a not my medium.
And yet, I am pleased that Jake Paul got his ass beat.
Nor do I know about or put any energy into streamer culture. Video is a not my medium.
And yet, I am pleased that Jake Paul got his ass beat.
Reposted by Michael Fitch
Yes. Yes. Yes.
It’s time to accept that the US supreme court is illegitimate and must be replaced
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
It’s time to accept that the US supreme court is illegitimate and must be replaced
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
It’s time to accept that the US supreme court is illegitimate and must be replaced | Ryan Doerfler and Samuel Moyn
We need to remake the US high court so Americans don’t suffer future decades of oligarchy-facilitating rule
www.theguardian.com
December 19, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Yes. Yes. Yes.
It’s time to accept that the US supreme court is illegitimate and must be replaced
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
It’s time to accept that the US supreme court is illegitimate and must be replaced
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Michael Fitch
Gift link, probably the funniest thing the Wall Street Journal has done this year.
We Let AI Run Our Office Vending Machine. It Lost Hundreds of Dollars.
An AI agent ran a snack operation in the WSJ newsroom. It gave away a free PlayStation, ordered a live fish—and taught us lessons about the future of AI.
www.wsj.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Gift link, probably the funniest thing the Wall Street Journal has done this year.
Reposted by Michael Fitch
Throwing a 2026 challenge out to streamers and folks in stream chats/comment sections. STFU about game development when you know nothing about it challenge.
It's so frustrating to sit in a chat and hear people who ain't made a game hold forth on "bad development". Just stop.
It's so frustrating to sit in a chat and hear people who ain't made a game hold forth on "bad development". Just stop.
December 18, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Throwing a 2026 challenge out to streamers and folks in stream chats/comment sections. STFU about game development when you know nothing about it challenge.
It's so frustrating to sit in a chat and hear people who ain't made a game hold forth on "bad development". Just stop.
It's so frustrating to sit in a chat and hear people who ain't made a game hold forth on "bad development". Just stop.
Wait a minute - you're telling me that oil prices just bounced up off the floor because of the Venezuela situation? Right as the Russian government was struggling to deal with the 40% shortfall in futures?
That's crazy. Trump would never help Russia.
That's crazy. Trump would never help Russia.
December 18, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Wait a minute - you're telling me that oil prices just bounced up off the floor because of the Venezuela situation? Right as the Russian government was struggling to deal with the 40% shortfall in futures?
That's crazy. Trump would never help Russia.
That's crazy. Trump would never help Russia.
Reposted by Michael Fitch
Nancy Kashian told me the same thing I think she was told about bullies “they’ll stop if you ignore them.” I learned ignoring doesn’t work. It’s the same as permission. When I got sick of ignoring & fought back they stopped pushing me around. Then I started doing standup and learned my own strength.
December 17, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Nancy Kashian told me the same thing I think she was told about bullies “they’ll stop if you ignore them.” I learned ignoring doesn’t work. It’s the same as permission. When I got sick of ignoring & fought back they stopped pushing me around. Then I started doing standup and learned my own strength.
You can kinda see where that uncanny-valley spotting thing is going to be important...
This is a wild hack. a16z gave a million dollars to startup called Doublespeed. They use a phone farm to flood social media with AI generated influencers and ads. A hacker remotely broke into the phone farm, unmasking the AI influencers/fake accounts, gave us the data www.404media.co/hack-reveals...
Hack Reveals the a16z-Backed Phone Farm Flooding TikTok With AI Influencers
A hacker gained control of a 1,100 mobile phone farm powering covert, AI-generated ads on TikTok.
www.404media.co
December 17, 2025 at 3:05 PM
You can kinda see where that uncanny-valley spotting thing is going to be important...
Reposted by Michael Fitch
If you want a game you know does not and will not have genAI used (at any point in the process), can I recommend Ghost Hunter Simulator?
store.steampowered.com/app/3256780/...
store.steampowered.com/app/3256780/...
December 16, 2025 at 5:34 PM
If you want a game you know does not and will not have genAI used (at any point in the process), can I recommend Ghost Hunter Simulator?
store.steampowered.com/app/3256780/...
store.steampowered.com/app/3256780/...
Reposted by Michael Fitch
me, a remote worker: if you can't figure out how to run a studio remotely (*especially* after the pandemic) that's a skill issue
December 15, 2025 at 7:38 PM
me, a remote worker: if you can't figure out how to run a studio remotely (*especially* after the pandemic) that's a skill issue
I feel like there are a non-trivial number of game developers who really wanted Gigantic to be a thing and don't understand why it's not.
December 15, 2025 at 7:42 PM
I feel like there are a non-trivial number of game developers who really wanted Gigantic to be a thing and don't understand why it's not.
You don’t have to go back 25 years to understand why people are angry about a Supreme Court that ignores precedent, rewrites the constitution without justification, and gives the executive unchecked power through partisan actions.
This court is illegitimate and needs to be reformed.
This court is illegitimate and needs to be reformed.
The Supreme Court’s favorability ratings among Democrats have plummeted to 26% while Republican favorability is at 71%. Bush v. Gore helps explain why. bit.ly/48F2YSP
25 Years After Bush v. Gore, Supreme Court and Election Law Still Feel the Fallout
The 5–4 decision started a long slide in public approval for the court, accentuated by a widening partisan gap.
www.brennancenter.org
December 13, 2025 at 4:11 PM
You don’t have to go back 25 years to understand why people are angry about a Supreme Court that ignores precedent, rewrites the constitution without justification, and gives the executive unchecked power through partisan actions.
This court is illegitimate and needs to be reformed.
This court is illegitimate and needs to be reformed.
Reposted by Michael Fitch
in case there is any concern! yes, straight and cis people can play my game too. touching the little buttons on your computer won't make you gay.
December 12, 2025 at 5:22 PM
in case there is any concern! yes, straight and cis people can play my game too. touching the little buttons on your computer won't make you gay.
Remember: they didn’t burn witches. They burned women.
The stories that we tell are important.
The stories that we tell are important.
December 12, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Remember: they didn’t burn witches. They burned women.
The stories that we tell are important.
The stories that we tell are important.
Reposted by Michael Fitch
I intend to use my profits from the game to fund and uplift creators less privileged than he is. I’ve already begun that effort with the Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant: grants.draknek.org
Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant
The Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant is a grant opportunity for game developers from traditionally underrepresented groups and backgrounds who are interested in designing and developing puzzle games.
grants.draknek.org
December 12, 2025 at 1:58 AM
I intend to use my profits from the game to fund and uplift creators less privileged than he is. I’ve already begun that effort with the Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant: grants.draknek.org
There is a fundamental problem right now that the people who hold the money do not have the ability to imagine why a new game experience could be successful.
Something I have realized as I pitch and talk to other devs who are pitching narrative focused games, publishers and funders want a Dispatch under their belt, but nobody wants to fund it. And even if they do have the funds, they don’t believe in the projects that are being pitched to them.
December 11, 2025 at 5:00 PM
There is a fundamental problem right now that the people who hold the money do not have the ability to imagine why a new game experience could be successful.
Reposted by Michael Fitch
My obsession for a decade: Parts of games are real, not fiction.
Like, you are not really becoming a powerful knight when you gain a virtual level. That's fiction, fantasy.
But you DO gain real skills. In manipulating buttons, game tactics etc.
In multiplayer games, the friendships are real.
Like, you are not really becoming a powerful knight when you gain a virtual level. That's fiction, fantasy.
But you DO gain real skills. In manipulating buttons, game tactics etc.
In multiplayer games, the friendships are real.
BTW, Spirit Crossing is coming to Steam. The goal is to create a major Cozy MMO with a huge population of folks making friends in a safe and welcoming space.
I deeply believe we can make the world a better place.
If this interests you, please wishlist!
store.steampowered.com/app/2321960/...
I deeply believe we can make the world a better place.
If this interests you, please wishlist!
store.steampowered.com/app/2321960/...
Spirit Crossing on Steam
Befriend bears, aid lost spirits, ride fluffalo, and build a thriving village with other players in this multiplayer life-sim from the creators of "Cozy Grove." Find endless opportunities to...
store.steampowered.com
December 10, 2025 at 5:13 PM
My obsession for a decade: Parts of games are real, not fiction.
Like, you are not really becoming a powerful knight when you gain a virtual level. That's fiction, fantasy.
But you DO gain real skills. In manipulating buttons, game tactics etc.
In multiplayer games, the friendships are real.
Like, you are not really becoming a powerful knight when you gain a virtual level. That's fiction, fantasy.
But you DO gain real skills. In manipulating buttons, game tactics etc.
In multiplayer games, the friendships are real.
Not to mention queer people. Who the hell is going to show up for a conference where they can be imprisoned for their identity and beliefs?
Wait, are we talking about GDC or Saudi Arabia?
Wait, are we talking about GDC or Saudi Arabia?
Tell me you don't give a single shit about every woman who works in the industry without telling me you don't give a single shit about EVERY woman in the industry.
Saudi Arabia's latest overture to the games industry is a new conference, produced by GDC parent Informa, taking place in December 2026
www.gamesindustry.biz/saudi-arabia...
www.gamesindustry.biz/saudi-arabia...
December 10, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Not to mention queer people. Who the hell is going to show up for a conference where they can be imprisoned for their identity and beliefs?
Wait, are we talking about GDC or Saudi Arabia?
Wait, are we talking about GDC or Saudi Arabia?
Reposted by Michael Fitch
BTW, Spirit Crossing is coming to Steam. The goal is to create a major Cozy MMO with a huge population of folks making friends in a safe and welcoming space.
I deeply believe we can make the world a better place.
If this interests you, please wishlist!
store.steampowered.com/app/2321960/...
I deeply believe we can make the world a better place.
If this interests you, please wishlist!
store.steampowered.com/app/2321960/...
Spirit Crossing on Steam
Befriend bears, aid lost spirits, ride fluffalo, and build a thriving village with other players in this multiplayer life-sim from the creators of "Cozy Grove." Find endless opportunities to...
store.steampowered.com
December 9, 2025 at 9:34 PM
BTW, Spirit Crossing is coming to Steam. The goal is to create a major Cozy MMO with a huge population of folks making friends in a safe and welcoming space.
I deeply believe we can make the world a better place.
If this interests you, please wishlist!
store.steampowered.com/app/2321960/...
I deeply believe we can make the world a better place.
If this interests you, please wishlist!
store.steampowered.com/app/2321960/...
Reposted by Michael Fitch
A few years ago I had a partner who was a former roboticist. Through her I became acutely aware of how much of public-facing robotics is now is pure theatrical smoke and mirrors horseshit intended to dupe credulous tech press and VCs.
can't stop watching this clip of a tesla Optimus teleoperator taking his headset off before properly logging out the robot
December 8, 2025 at 2:19 PM
A few years ago I had a partner who was a former roboticist. Through her I became acutely aware of how much of public-facing robotics is now is pure theatrical smoke and mirrors horseshit intended to dupe credulous tech press and VCs.