Joshua Rivera
@jmrivera.bsky.social
writer for hire. bylines at Vulture, Slate, The Ringer, and Vanity Fair. movies and tv and games and books and
Pinned
Joshua Rivera
@jmrivera.bsky.social
· Nov 25
Oh I never did an intro post. So:
I’m a writer interested in pop culture and how we make meaning from it. I was entertainment writer at polygon, and before that had stints at EW, GQ, and freelanced everywhere. Stories saved my life and I want to help people understand them, and each other, better.
I’m a writer interested in pop culture and how we make meaning from it. I was entertainment writer at polygon, and before that had stints at EW, GQ, and freelanced everywhere. Stories saved my life and I want to help people understand them, and each other, better.
Another thing about Blippo+ that made me want to write about it: I think video games are uniquely good at preserving the experience of interfacing with old technology, and while a lot of retro tech/software in games is there for fun aesthetic reasons, this is a real strength of the medium
hey look I’m in @stephentotilo.bsky.social’s Game File with a review of Blippo+, one of my favorite games of the year that’s not really a game, more like channel surfing TV from another planet. It rules
www.gamefile.news/p/blippo-plu...
www.gamefile.news/p/blippo-plu...
A new video game that's all fake TV shows
A review of Blippo+, one of 2025's stranger new games for Switch and PC (previously on Playdate!)
www.gamefile.news
November 24, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Another thing about Blippo+ that made me want to write about it: I think video games are uniquely good at preserving the experience of interfacing with old technology, and while a lot of retro tech/software in games is there for fun aesthetic reasons, this is a real strength of the medium
Reposted by Joshua Rivera
finally subscribed to Werthers+ so I can catch up on all the latest Werthers Originals
June 24, 2023 at 3:27 PM
finally subscribed to Werthers+ so I can catch up on all the latest Werthers Originals
Everyone’s cheering (for freelance reviews on Game File)
I hear it’s a hit (freelance reviews on Game File)
Buy an annual subscription today (for more freelance reviews on Game File)
I hear it’s a hit (freelance reviews on Game File)
Buy an annual subscription today (for more freelance reviews on Game File)
NEW: @jmrivera.bsky.social has written Game File's first freelance game review--about one of 2025's stranger games
"Blippo+ feels like something I was lucky enough to catch in the wee hours of the night, on a channel that I wasn’t supposed to receive"
www.gamefile.news/p/blippo-plu...
"Blippo+ feels like something I was lucky enough to catch in the wee hours of the night, on a channel that I wasn’t supposed to receive"
www.gamefile.news/p/blippo-plu...
A new video game that's all fake TV shows
A review of Blippo+, one of 2025's stranger new games for Switch and PC (previously on Playdate!)
www.gamefile.news
November 24, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Everyone’s cheering (for freelance reviews on Game File)
I hear it’s a hit (freelance reviews on Game File)
Buy an annual subscription today (for more freelance reviews on Game File)
I hear it’s a hit (freelance reviews on Game File)
Buy an annual subscription today (for more freelance reviews on Game File)
posting about the movies/andor is weak. I’m here with hot takes for the real heads, like the clone wars season 7 is cool as hell but absolutely not worth watching the whole show for, even with a skip guide
November 24, 2025 at 9:22 PM
posting about the movies/andor is weak. I’m here with hot takes for the real heads, like the clone wars season 7 is cool as hell but absolutely not worth watching the whole show for, even with a skip guide
one of my favorite kinds of pop culture posts is when people quote a villain as if it is the thesis of the movie, and not something said by the antagonist, who is demonstrably wrong, lying, or deluded
November 24, 2025 at 9:06 PM
one of my favorite kinds of pop culture posts is when people quote a villain as if it is the thesis of the movie, and not something said by the antagonist, who is demonstrably wrong, lying, or deluded
man I wanna write about that WKW show…what a cool thing
November 24, 2025 at 8:59 PM
man I wanna write about that WKW show…what a cool thing
Reposted by Joshua Rivera
maybe i am going insane
November 24, 2025 at 6:49 PM
maybe i am going insane
Reposted by Joshua Rivera
looking for a few more people!!!
For a story I'm working on for next week, I'd love to chat with queer Texans who can't go home for the holidays. Where do you go? What do you do? Where do you find community? DM me here, or on signal at Kissphoria.57
November 24, 2025 at 7:24 PM
looking for a few more people!!!
This is what those Gideon the ninth books sound like to me
Been watching YA/Booktok reviews after finding out that community is *rife* with unhinged drama
But my biggest takeaway is that traditional publishers are apparently handing out $50k advances for books that read like "her name was Mikaeylah Aurora Valentine & her hair was the color of baja blast--"
But my biggest takeaway is that traditional publishers are apparently handing out $50k advances for books that read like "her name was Mikaeylah Aurora Valentine & her hair was the color of baja blast--"
November 24, 2025 at 7:22 PM
This is what those Gideon the ninth books sound like to me
Reposted by Joshua Rivera
despite the White House's policies, America is still a place full of market opportunities
America’s Polarization Has Become the World's Side Hustle
The 'psyops' revealed by X are entirely the fault of the perverse incentives created by social media monetization programs.
www.404media.co
November 24, 2025 at 6:42 PM
despite the White House's policies, America is still a place full of market opportunities
that’s right for 24 hours I am the Game File Street Team, very shrewd of Stephen. Subscribe! Give me cash! Fund more freelancers on Game File!
Want to enable more freelance reporting and reviews on Game File?
Now's a great time to support Game File and Joshua--and to help fund future guest contributions
Guest writers receive a flat rate plus a 25% cut of any annual subscriptions purchased in the 24 hours after their articles run
Now's a great time to support Game File and Joshua--and to help fund future guest contributions
Guest writers receive a flat rate plus a 25% cut of any annual subscriptions purchased in the 24 hours after their articles run
November 24, 2025 at 5:35 PM
that’s right for 24 hours I am the Game File Street Team, very shrewd of Stephen. Subscribe! Give me cash! Fund more freelancers on Game File!
Reposted by Joshua Rivera
taking this moment to toot a horn on behalf of the fine folks at @panic.com now that we are nearing the end of the year
this year panic published despelote, Herdling, Time Flies, Playdate Season 2, and Blippo+
pretty cool imo
this year panic published despelote, Herdling, Time Flies, Playdate Season 2, and Blippo+
pretty cool imo
hey look I’m in @stephentotilo.bsky.social’s Game File with a review of Blippo+, one of my favorite games of the year that’s not really a game, more like channel surfing TV from another planet. It rules
www.gamefile.news/p/blippo-plu...
www.gamefile.news/p/blippo-plu...
A new video game that's all fake TV shows
A review of Blippo+, one of 2025's stranger new games for Switch and PC (previously on Playdate!)
www.gamefile.news
November 24, 2025 at 5:08 PM
taking this moment to toot a horn on behalf of the fine folks at @panic.com now that we are nearing the end of the year
this year panic published despelote, Herdling, Time Flies, Playdate Season 2, and Blippo+
pretty cool imo
this year panic published despelote, Herdling, Time Flies, Playdate Season 2, and Blippo+
pretty cool imo
Reposted by Joshua Rivera
"Static, the fuzz and hiss of an analog signal trying to break through, isn’t a common occurrence anymore. That’s a loss. Static pierces through our illusion of control, our well-ordered plans. It reminds us that there is space in between the signals humans broadcast, and a lot of it."
hey look I’m in @stephentotilo.bsky.social’s Game File with a review of Blippo+, one of my favorite games of the year that’s not really a game, more like channel surfing TV from another planet. It rules
www.gamefile.news/p/blippo-plu...
www.gamefile.news/p/blippo-plu...
A new video game that's all fake TV shows
A review of Blippo+, one of 2025's stranger new games for Switch and PC (previously on Playdate!)
www.gamefile.news
November 24, 2025 at 5:07 PM
"Static, the fuzz and hiss of an analog signal trying to break through, isn’t a common occurrence anymore. That’s a loss. Static pierces through our illusion of control, our well-ordered plans. It reminds us that there is space in between the signals humans broadcast, and a lot of it."
hey look I’m in @stephentotilo.bsky.social’s Game File with a review of Blippo+, one of my favorite games of the year that’s not really a game, more like channel surfing TV from another planet. It rules
www.gamefile.news/p/blippo-plu...
www.gamefile.news/p/blippo-plu...
A new video game that's all fake TV shows
A review of Blippo+, one of 2025's stranger new games for Switch and PC (previously on Playdate!)
www.gamefile.news
November 24, 2025 at 5:03 PM
hey look I’m in @stephentotilo.bsky.social’s Game File with a review of Blippo+, one of my favorite games of the year that’s not really a game, more like channel surfing TV from another planet. It rules
www.gamefile.news/p/blippo-plu...
www.gamefile.news/p/blippo-plu...
new John Irving novel….literature’s saddest man returns….stay weepy, king
November 24, 2025 at 4:58 PM
new John Irving novel….literature’s saddest man returns….stay weepy, king
over the weekend I started The Séance of Blake Manor, an uncommonly sharp Irish folk horror detective story. Only just getting into the mystery but I love it already. A good game for people who aren’t usually into games
store.steampowered.com/app/1395520/...
store.steampowered.com/app/1395520/...
The Séance of Blake Manor on Steam
The Séance of Blake Manor is a supernatural detective mystery, set in 1897 Ireland, where you investigate the disappearance of Evelyn Deane in a remote hotel full of secrets and other-worldly occurren...
store.steampowered.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:05 PM
over the weekend I started The Séance of Blake Manor, an uncommonly sharp Irish folk horror detective story. Only just getting into the mystery but I love it already. A good game for people who aren’t usually into games
store.steampowered.com/app/1395520/...
store.steampowered.com/app/1395520/...
curation is an ideological project but most people try to be a little more subtle about it than this
variety.com/lists/best-c...
variety.com/lists/best-c...
The 100 Best Comedy Movies of All Time
Variety's list of the 100 best comedy movies of all time includes 'Annie Hall,' 'Pretty Woman,' 'Waiting for Guffman' and 'Young Frankenstein.'
variety.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:47 PM
curation is an ideological project but most people try to be a little more subtle about it than this
variety.com/lists/best-c...
variety.com/lists/best-c...
Reposted by Joshua Rivera
EXCLUSIVE: So far it's been unclear what proof Rockstar Games has to justify its firing of 34 union members, who it claims were leaking "confidential information in a public forum".
PMG has now seen some of the messages which contributed to this decision being made.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvW...
PMG has now seen some of the messages which contributed to this decision being made.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvW...
The Messages Rockstar Saw Before Firing 34 Union Members
YouTube video by People Make Games
www.youtube.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:06 PM
EXCLUSIVE: So far it's been unclear what proof Rockstar Games has to justify its firing of 34 union members, who it claims were leaking "confidential information in a public forum".
PMG has now seen some of the messages which contributed to this decision being made.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvW...
PMG has now seen some of the messages which contributed to this decision being made.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvW...
The Mormon wives show has convinced me that no matter how idiosyncratic a subculture is, the reality tv machine will eventually flatten it until it is just like the rest of them. They’re all wannabe bravo shows by season 3.
November 24, 2025 at 3:09 AM
The Mormon wives show has convinced me that no matter how idiosyncratic a subculture is, the reality tv machine will eventually flatten it until it is just like the rest of them. They’re all wannabe bravo shows by season 3.
these penalties are killin me man
November 24, 2025 at 12:15 AM
these penalties are killin me man
who asked da refs what they think
November 24, 2025 at 12:00 AM
who asked da refs what they think
The eagles have trained me to call a 21-0 game before the half a “nailbiter” and games like this are why
November 23, 2025 at 11:50 PM
The eagles have trained me to call a 21-0 game before the half a “nailbiter” and games like this are why
I think the Catholic Church is evil and generally frown on meme-ing the pope but Chicago Pope is really testing my resolve
November 23, 2025 at 2:13 AM
I think the Catholic Church is evil and generally frown on meme-ing the pope but Chicago Pope is really testing my resolve
Deadspin | GRRM Has No Pages
Deadspin | GRRM Has No Pages
deadspin.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:58 AM