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Harrison Polites

@harrisonpolites.bsky.social

87 followers 130 following 93 posts

Writer of the Infinite Lives, an Australian video game Substack. Tech and Startup Comms consultant. Former business tech journo.

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Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · Dec 4

First post! Quick intro:

I'm Australian and a former journo, now helping startups with media. Also write a weekly column on gaming, which regularly features in StartUp Daily.

I'm largely here share things about gaming, including my work on my Substack, Infinite Lives. infinitelives.substack.com

Infinite Lives | Harrison Polites | Substack

Weekly analysis on the video games and the games industry from an Australian perspective. Written for gamers and those who are just curious about gaming. Cheat code unlocked: Welcome to Infinite Liv...

infinitelives.substack.com

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 17h

Going to be juggling a few games over the next few weeks. Just now starting on Ghost of Yotei. Any tips?

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 17h

I believe the collective noun here is: a seizure of twisties.

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 17h

After playing the demo at PAX, and reading this, I’m really pumped for this game.

Glad they’ve managed to find a way to go in a new direction without shafting the VGC community.

Leah Jade @legenette.bsky.social · 20h

my pokemon legends: z-a review!! i loved it a lot, the new structure tickles my brain, and i think i'm going to attempt a full pokedex bc it's so moreish.

Pokémon Legends Z-A review: a bold new frontier | ScreenHub: Film, TV, Streaming and Games

Pokémon Legends: Z-A is a bold twist on the traditional Pokémon formula, reinventing the wheel with fresh new gameplay and exploration.

www.screenhub.com.au

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 1d

Legendary! Thank you!

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 1d

I wasn't the biggest fan of the 'draw spell' system either. But there's a lot of ways to break it.

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 1d

Morning @firkraags.bsky.social! Wanted to get in touch regarding your list of PAX Indies, to cross check a piece that I'm doing. What's the best way to reach you? BlueSky won't let me DM.

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Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 2d

I talked to him today! Nice guy!

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 2d

I love playing Magic, but let me introduce you to the bane of my existence... sorting cards.

First by colour. Then by mana value.

Any tips? Also best way to purge cards in Australia? My collection is getting a little full.

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Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 2d

At least there’s a bench a screen or so away. But yes… very understandable.

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 3d

Great to meet you mate! What a weekend, safe journey back to NZ!

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Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 3d

One more example of the ‘cardification’ of PAX, and gaming.

Nerdier than Califorinication and not dire like enshitification.

Amy Potter-Jarman 🌺 @hellomisspotter.com · 4d

PAX Aus once again has me at a very high risk of getting into Magic the Gathering, please know I can’t afford that in time or in money 😂😅

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 3d

I’ll happily teach @hellomisspotter.com — and show you my hacks for budget brewing.

I play and still can justify cards over $10 — unless they are my Commander.

But yes, can be a money pit.

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 3d

Here’s a blast from the not too distant past. Listening to the Hi-Fi Rush Soundtrack on the train into #PAXAus today.

The Elsinore cover of Fiona Apple’s ‘Fast As You Can’ is a banger — and the accompanying boss fight is one of the game’s best. RIP Tango Gameworks

music.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Hi-Fi Rush Soundtrack

Listen to Hi-Fi Rush Soundtrack on YouTube Music - a dedicated music app with official songs, music videos, remixes, covers, and more.

music.youtube.com

Reposted by Harrison Polites

Omi @omik.bsky.social · 4d

PAX Day 2! Thanks everyone :)

@bradgoodwin.bsky.social @nomibelle.bsky.social @jaydencusack.bsky.social @bibbybhoy.bsky.social @faultrunner.bsky.social @austingallagher.bsky.social @gdig.bsky.social @jamiegalea.bsky.social @riorobayo.bsky.social @kjpalmer.bsky.social @harrisonpolites.bsky.social

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Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 5d

Same here! The quality goes up every year.

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Reposted by Harrison Polites

Jayden Cusack🔜PAXAus @jaydencusack.bsky.social · 5d

A drink after a jam packed PAX Friday! See you all tommorow!

#paxaus2025

@bradgoodwin.bsky.social
@alexbestie.com.au
@harrisonpolites.bsky.social

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Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 5d

All set for an even bigger day at #PAXAUS tomorrow.

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 5d

Bumper edition of Infinite Lives this week, covering Melb International Games Week. Game dev challenges, AI in games, Roblox and... Neopets?

It's all in there.

"Buying a lottery ticket": Australia's games industry is making peace with its instability

A bumper edition on all that was discussed, and what wasn't, at the Melbourne Game Connect Asia Pacific (GCAP) conference.

infinitelives.substack.com

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 13d

I wonder what research has gone into justifying that price point? When it hits a certain level, it will churn people for sure.

As you point out Ed, you can get better value elsewhere if you look?

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 13d

Melbourne International Games Week is next week!

Govt estimations say it will draw more of a crowd than the AFL Grand Final this year -- one of the city's largest events.

I look at what makes this event so special and ask those in the industry what they are attending and why.

Melbourne International Games Week is so much more than cosplay and giveaways

One of the city's largest and most misunderstood events lands next week. Here's why it matters.

infinitelives.substack.com

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · 27d

In today's Inf Lives: @thisweekinvideogames.com, launched by @skillup.bsky.social and @edmondtran.bsky.social, secured 500+ paid subscribers in its first month—a rare feat for any publication.

I look at the growing trend of reader-supported platforms in global gaming journalism.

SkillUp’s sudden success is more proof that gamers will pay for journalism

One month in and This Week In Videogames, launched by an Australian content creator, is off to a roaring start.

infinitelives.substack.com

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · Sep 10

One of the world's oldest gaming studies is Australian. Australia Plays has been running 20 years now, shaping global debate about what the average videogamer looks like.

As the data becomes repetitive, I explore the report's future with its creators.

Inside one of the world's longest-running studies into the 'average gamer'

Operating for 20 years, Australia Plays has become a globally influential gaming survey authority. But it now faces new challenges as its data matures.

infinitelives.substack.com

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · Sep 4

Happy Silksong launch day! It's real! And finally out!

In today's column: How did Hollow Knight—15M+ copies sold, an indie rivalling the attention on AAA games — go broadly unrecognised in its home country?

Weird, right?

Why isn't Australia celebrating Hollow Knight, its greatest gaming success

While Hollow Knight: Silksong fever runs rampant globally, somehow, the success of the franchise is still flying under the radar as a local mega success story.

infinitelives.substack.com

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · Jul 31

Thanks for reading! Appreciate it!

Harrison Polites @harrisonpolites.bsky.social · Jul 31

AI and game dev -- it's a pretty polarising topic, to say the least.

Spoke to a bunch of devs and industry types on it, on both the good and bad, and here's what I came up with:

"Lobotomised": The gaming industry's complicated, polarised relationship with AI

Frustration thrives as the promise of AI-empowered games gives way to redundancies, diminished job satisfaction and player boycotts.

infinitelives.substack.com

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