Ben Johnson
@gamedesignerben.bsky.social
Best of the Web. Game Designer on [unannounced] at Double Fine. Previously: Psychonauts 2, Dead Space (2008), Babycastles. He/him.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
evangelicals have historically not been down with catholics of any stripe and will 100% be modding the choir music out
November 30, 2025 at 12:23 AM
evangelicals have historically not been down with catholics of any stripe and will 100% be modding the choir music out
Reposted by Ben Johnson
borrowed time, easter egg, macintosh (1985) 'enter the command 'burger' at any time to get beheaded with an axe. this is part of a long-running inside joke on the part of interplay co-founder rebecca "burger" heineman.' tcrf.net/Borrowed_Tim...
November 23, 2025 at 4:51 AM
borrowed time, easter egg, macintosh (1985) 'enter the command 'burger' at any time to get beheaded with an axe. this is part of a long-running inside joke on the part of interplay co-founder rebecca "burger" heineman.' tcrf.net/Borrowed_Tim...
I wonder how much of Orson Welles internet humor is a result of legendary voice actor Maurice LaMarche (Inspector Gadget, Chief Quimby, The Brain) having a pocket Welles impression that people could not stop him from doing.
ORSON WELLES: and what is, what is your CONCERN for me, sir?
INTERVIEWER: *inaudible*
WELLES: that I... smoke too tough *nodding* maybe so, maybe so... my swag too different... well ah HA. that may also be true. and my bitch... my bitch too bad. WELL. hard to ARGUE with THAT.
INTERVIEWER: *inaudible*
WELLES: that I... smoke too tough *nodding* maybe so, maybe so... my swag too different... well ah HA. that may also be true. and my bitch... my bitch too bad. WELL. hard to ARGUE with THAT.
November 29, 2025 at 11:38 PM
I wonder how much of Orson Welles internet humor is a result of legendary voice actor Maurice LaMarche (Inspector Gadget, Chief Quimby, The Brain) having a pocket Welles impression that people could not stop him from doing.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
"oh, don't forget to highlight, in bright red, the two-letter word in the tagline! the two letter word that's kind of the whole point of this clever ad campaign! the two letter word that links this show to the horror movie of the same name!"
"no problem boss. i'm on it"
"no problem boss. i'm on it"
November 29, 2025 at 8:51 PM
"oh, don't forget to highlight, in bright red, the two-letter word in the tagline! the two letter word that's kind of the whole point of this clever ad campaign! the two letter word that links this show to the horror movie of the same name!"
"no problem boss. i'm on it"
"no problem boss. i'm on it"
Reposted by Ben Johnson
anyway I also think about Henry Carr in Travesties saying “where did you get it?” basically every single day of my life
November 29, 2025 at 6:29 PM
anyway I also think about Henry Carr in Travesties saying “where did you get it?” basically every single day of my life
To state the obvious: a guy who is doing mushrooms on a livestream with special guests Mr Beast, Mark Benioff and Grimes is not a guy who sees himself living forever.
November 29, 2025 at 5:05 PM
To state the obvious: a guy who is doing mushrooms on a livestream with special guests Mr Beast, Mark Benioff and Grimes is not a guy who sees himself living forever.
I remember seeing Horses when it was featured at a Day of the Devs showcase at SFMoMA, and am glad to see it finding a release in somewhere widely accessible!
Special thanks to GOG for being so supportive of the project! HORSES preorders are now available on the store: www.gog.com/en/game/horses 🙏
November 28, 2025 at 4:08 PM
I remember seeing Horses when it was featured at a Day of the Devs showcase at SFMoMA, and am glad to see it finding a release in somewhere widely accessible!
Reposted by Ben Johnson
Special thanks to GOG for being so supportive of the project! HORSES preorders are now available on the store: www.gog.com/en/game/horses 🙏
November 28, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Special thanks to GOG for being so supportive of the project! HORSES preorders are now available on the store: www.gog.com/en/game/horses 🙏
Reposted by Ben Johnson
A random community theatre manager in suburban Minnesota, having just watched a bunch of children casually destroy each other, when the smart one with the blanket says “Lights, please?”: *cracks knuckles* Okay, on me, spot up on Van Pelt.
November 28, 2025 at 12:19 AM
A random community theatre manager in suburban Minnesota, having just watched a bunch of children casually destroy each other, when the smart one with the blanket says “Lights, please?”: *cracks knuckles* Okay, on me, spot up on Van Pelt.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
RIP Martin Luther, you would have loved Papal Audience Black Friday deals.
November 27, 2025 at 10:08 PM
RIP Martin Luther, you would have loved Papal Audience Black Friday deals.
My cousin, back from her first semester at college, tentatively: “Hey, have you heard of Aphex Twin?”
November 27, 2025 at 8:34 PM
My cousin, back from her first semester at college, tentatively: “Hey, have you heard of Aphex Twin?”
Jailbreaking an AI into working better by uploading a picture of myself wearing a Little Lord Fauntleroy outfit, holding a giant lollipop and prompting: “Papa! I’m *bored*”
I cannot stop laughing. This is so indicative of what's wrong with these AI people and how they view art
He ran into a wall where the "make art" button wasn't satisfying because it wasn't actually making good enough art, and instead of trying new things he just requests a stronger button
He ran into a wall where the "make art" button wasn't satisfying because it wasn't actually making good enough art, and instead of trying new things he just requests a stronger button
November 26, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Jailbreaking an AI into working better by uploading a picture of myself wearing a Little Lord Fauntleroy outfit, holding a giant lollipop and prompting: “Papa! I’m *bored*”
Reposted by Ben Johnson
This Thanksgiving consider calling the sewer
this is not our customer service number. it’s just my voicemail inbox.
you’re welcome to call. i hope you do.
216-361-6772.
you’re welcome to call. i hope you do.
216-361-6772.
November 26, 2025 at 7:03 PM
This Thanksgiving consider calling the sewer
Pearl Jamboni www.startribune.com/pearl-jam-za...
What do you call an ice-resurfacing machine partly funded by a ’90s grunge band? A Pearl Jamboni, of course.
Seattle grunge band Pearl Jam helped pay for the Two Harbors Youth Hockey Association’s new Zamboni.
www.startribune.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:34 AM
Pearl Jamboni www.startribune.com/pearl-jam-za...
Reposted by Ben Johnson
This month marks 23 years in the game industry for me. I've been INCREDIBLY fortunate to have worked with all of the amazing folks that I've worked with, the games that I got to work on and to have had made some life long friends along the way. Truly grateful.
November 25, 2025 at 10:04 PM
This month marks 23 years in the game industry for me. I've been INCREDIBLY fortunate to have worked with all of the amazing folks that I've worked with, the games that I got to work on and to have had made some life long friends along the way. Truly grateful.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
Happy 37th birthday to the best TV show, Mystery Science Theater 3000.
November 25, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Happy 37th birthday to the best TV show, Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
I tested a machine learning model designed to detect NSFW content. It marked this image as unsafe, because of Tim Allen's breasts (marked in blue) and my hand-penis (marked in green)
November 24, 2025 at 12:17 PM
I tested a machine learning model designed to detect NSFW content. It marked this image as unsafe, because of Tim Allen's breasts (marked in blue) and my hand-penis (marked in green)
I got an angry inch, Charlie Brown
Forget it, Chuck. It’s Chinatown.
Stay out of Malibu, Charlie Brown! Stay out of Malibu, deadbeat! Keep your ugly fuckin' goldbrickin' ass out of my beach community.
November 24, 2025 at 4:05 AM
I got an angry inch, Charlie Brown
Reposted by Ben Johnson
I played @doublefine.com's Keeper over the weekend and it's absolutely one of my favourites of the year.
The art direction and visual inventiveness is insane. Not unusual for Double Fine but man, they really cooked on this one.
store.steampowered.com/app/3043580/...
The art direction and visual inventiveness is insane. Not unusual for Double Fine but man, they really cooked on this one.
store.steampowered.com/app/3043580/...
Keeper on Steam
From Lee Petty and Double Fine Productions, Keeper is an atmospheric puzzle adventure in which a long-forgotten lighthouse is awakened and, joined by a spirited seabird, it embarks upon a heartening t...
store.steampowered.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:41 PM
I played @doublefine.com's Keeper over the weekend and it's absolutely one of my favourites of the year.
The art direction and visual inventiveness is insane. Not unusual for Double Fine but man, they really cooked on this one.
store.steampowered.com/app/3043580/...
The art direction and visual inventiveness is insane. Not unusual for Double Fine but man, they really cooked on this one.
store.steampowered.com/app/3043580/...
The reason you used to dress up to go to the airport is that airlines literally gave out free upgrades at the discretion of the gate agents, and you were more likely to get one if you dressed up.
Duffy: "Trump talks about the golden age of transportation. But the golden age in transportation truly begins with you ... People dress up like they're going to bed when they fly ... so we want to push people as we come into a really busy travel season: Help people out, be in a good mood, dress up"
November 23, 2025 at 4:40 PM
The reason you used to dress up to go to the airport is that airlines literally gave out free upgrades at the discretion of the gate agents, and you were more likely to get one if you dressed up.
Despite many interruptions, I just finished reading Nalo Hopkinson’s Brown Girl In The Ring.
November 23, 2025 at 5:37 AM
Despite many interruptions, I just finished reading Nalo Hopkinson’s Brown Girl In The Ring.
Obi’s recent collab with Black Market Brass is pretty great blackmarketbrass.bandcamp.com/album/battle...
November 22, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Obi’s recent collab with Black Market Brass is pretty great blackmarketbrass.bandcamp.com/album/battle...
Reposted by Ben Johnson
and 3) please be wary of anything that seems to invite the response "ah, of course [American government institution] is secretly run by Israel!"
that Twitter screenshot allegedly revealing the DHS account is operated from Tel Aviv is probably fake because 1) it originated from an anime shitposter on Twitter, 2) the formatting does not align with other accounts subject to the feature [it revealed only countries, not specific cities]
November 22, 2025 at 6:23 PM
and 3) please be wary of anything that seems to invite the response "ah, of course [American government institution] is secretly run by Israel!"
CORRECTION: A *third* potato has been named after Prince.
November 22, 2025 at 6:29 PM
CORRECTION: A *third* potato has been named after Prince.