Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 26m

Saw a screencap of Justin Wong talking about going to Riyadh and I admit I heard myself say, IRL: "yikes"

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 1h

ARE YOU, THOUGH

Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 1h

It is @hoodiebear.bsky.social's fault that 1.) I am singing this to myself and 2.) I realized I have remembered the Japanese lyrics to this since it was NEW

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga62...

Chu-Chu Rocket Commercial

YouTube video by The Joys of 2D

www.youtube.com

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 3h

Slightly better-lit shot, and Red Mage really makes this whole setup shine visually, I think.

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 4h

Dominatrix joke aside, I'm grateful for the galatea magna boots because they're tights that can go with skirts and I updated my Casting glam for the first time since, like... Shadowbringers.

My FF14 miqo, a red-haired catgirl with white highlights. She's wearing a black short-sleeved gown with a decorative cutout above her breasts with metallic red trim, a metallic red neck ribbon, and sheer tights with black high heels. She's holding a large black paintbrush decorated with pink flowers.

Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 5h

So @midimyers.com shared this link w/me as we were discussing Hades 2 and I mentioned my thing about H2's lack of "warmth," and she argued (correctly) that what Clark's arguing in the "tone" part of this post is pretty much what I meant.

www.theplayeristhething.com/p/hades-iis-...

Hades II's Story is Very Disappointing

At least so far.

www.theplayeristhething.com

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 6h

Yeah the frustrating bit of early access games is you CAN get people writing criticism of the whole thing while the period where spoilers are a very common issue is ongoing

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 7h

I know what it’s referring to literally, but come on. COME ON.

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 7h

Maybe to put this another way: I think it’s totally reasonable to want a game that treats Greek myth with more gravitas, but I’m not convinced it would make Hades 2 a stronger fictive world.

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 7h

And it’s hardly the sequel’s fault; Hades 1 featured the underworld with a literal cubicle farm and Zagreus had a literal assault rifle as a weapon.

No, it’s not true to the mythology. It IS part of the series’ charm, though.

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 7h

…I try not to be ultra-dismissive of other critics’ writing but I found this article deeply confusing. Hades 2’s narrative work has some issues but “jokey anachronism” isn’t one of them.

www.endlessmode.com/video-games/...

Hades II's Ill-Defined, Unserious World Undermines the Depth and Power of Mythology

With its cardboard cutout characters, Hades II flattens the fearful, uneasy mystery of its mythic inspirations.

www.endlessmode.com

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 7h

I’M SORRY THE TEXT OF THIS POST?!

FINAL FANTASY XIV @en.finalfantasyxiv.com · 8h

Commencing basic training regimen.

The Galatea Magna attire is now available on the FFXIV Online Store! 👑🖤 sqex.to/ffxivstore

A Miqo'te with pink hair and pigtails posing in the Galatea Magna attire, consisting a spiky crown, a black sleeved buster, shorts, subtly transparent tight, and thick-soled heels, all accented with leather belts.

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 23h

Also those Canadian scholars have gone on to do wonderful work while I've spent most of the day trying not to burst into tears because of intrusive thoughts about not deserving my PhD so, you know, there's that too.

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 23h

I'm a US person but a lot of the people who were getting/got their PhDs in games around the same time I was are Canadian, and they always had glowing things to say about CGSA's annual conference, particularly in how welcoming it was to new scholars, as a heads up.

CGSA/ACÉJ @cgsaacej.bsky.social · 1d

📣✨Call for Papers!📣✨

CGSA 2026 will take place at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec from June 11-14th, 2026.

This year’s chosen theme is “On Repeat”.

Submissions are due January 7th, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST

Full CfP here: gamestudies.ca/conference-c...

Conference // Conférence

Version française ci-dessous The 2026 CGSA/ACÉJ annual conference will be a hybrid event co-hosted by the Technoculture, Art and Games Lab (TAG) at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec&nbs…

gamestudies.ca

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 1d

Just gonna tap the sign quick

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Reposted by Fox Harper

Games Done Quick @gamesdonequick.com · 1d

Our FIRST-EVER #GDQueer schedule is OUT NOW!! 🌈🎉

Congratulations to our amazing runners, and a tremendous "thank you" to anyone and everyone who submitted a run for this brand-new event!!

gamesdonequick.com/schedule/61

A graphic reading "Games Done Queer SCHEDULE IS LIVE!!" Our GDQueer mascot, Byte, is in the corner with some pink hearts surrounding them.

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 1d

I think games have ALWAYS been this way on some level (remember the massive content restrictions on the NES?), and I'm also not entirely sure it was as true in the bootstrap-y days of the 2600 and NES as it is now in the era of "even a mid AAA game has a small nation's GDP as a budget"

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Reposted by Fox Harper

Run, It's Ghidra! @nkghidorah.bsky.social · 1d

I don't like how "discourse" became a bad word for a bad thing. Discussion with differing views on stuff is fun! At least when it's not like an axiomatic difference in basic values lol

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 1d

I think the Ubisoft thing is just a reminder that in late capitalism all organizations are conservative/risk-averse, but video games in particular seem ESPECIALLY conservative/risk-averse compared to similar industries

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Reposted by Fox Harper

Cheryl Lynn Eaton @cheryllynneaton.bsky.social · 1d

"Can we sell black characters in this political climate?" That is what Ubisoft asked itself and then answered, "No." Which is a skill issue and bigotry on THEIR part because black entertainers are out here selling their wares EVERY DAMN DAY, antiblackness be damned. Our culture MOVES NUMBERS.

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Reposted by Fox Harper

Keezy Young🌼 @keezyyoung.bsky.social · 1d

btw I accidentally have very limited of these left so if you really want an Agatha poster you should probably come today or tomorrow haha

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 1d

YES. I love Mel/Icarus. Likewise, was the only relationship I was actually invested in.

Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 1d

It's gonna be deeply funny when I finally sit down and write something exploring what I mean by "warmth" and just write out what the "cozy games" people think "cozy" means and they finally lose their patience and have me assassinated, haha

Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 1d

Ultra spoilers all the way to the really-for-reals epilogue in this but I agree with so much of it.

As much as I enjoyed Hades 2, I feel like it lacks... well, warmth, which I think I've said before. "Warmth" is a nebulous thing to me but realizing it's v. important!

aftermath.site/hades-2-ending

Hades 2's Story Doesn't Change The Status Quo - Aftermath

Melinoë's journey is more about acceptance than change

aftermath.site

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 1d

I think the moments where Hades 2 is at its "warmest" are Melinoe and Icarus, and that's probably the relationship that is the most like the relationships from Hades 1 that Costello talks about in that article: about helping or healing, providing solace. (Don't want to say more, b/c spoilers)

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Fox Harper @foxharper.bsky.social · 1d

Ultra spoilers all the way to the really-for-reals epilogue in this but I agree with so much of it.

As much as I enjoyed Hades 2, I feel like it lacks... well, warmth, which I think I've said before. "Warmth" is a nebulous thing to me but realizing it's v. important!

aftermath.site/hades-2-ending

Hades 2's Story Doesn't Change The Status Quo - Aftermath

Melinoë's journey is more about acceptance than change

aftermath.site

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