Mikko Meriläinen
@merilainen.bsky.social
Academy Research Fellow @ Tampere University, currently studying the intersections of men, masculinity, and gaming.
Also into RPGs, miniatures, pirates, pro wrestling, and video games.
orcid.org/0000-0001-9621-684X
mikkomerilainen.com
Also into RPGs, miniatures, pirates, pro wrestling, and video games.
orcid.org/0000-0001-9621-684X
mikkomerilainen.com
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
Y'all, Warhammer: Vermintide 2, which is a really goddamn fun hack and slash co-op game, is FREE TO KEEP FOREVER on Steam right now!
You have until 11/24 to add it to your account!
You have until 11/24 to add it to your account!
a man wearing a hat and a collar with the letter l on it
ALT: a man wearing a hat and a collar with the letter l on it
media.tenor.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Y'all, Warhammer: Vermintide 2, which is a really goddamn fun hack and slash co-op game, is FREE TO KEEP FOREVER on Steam right now!
You have until 11/24 to add it to your account!
You have until 11/24 to add it to your account!
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
Saa nähdä pystyykö Eurooppa ml. Suomi teeskentelemään että Trumpin "rauhansuunnitelma" Ukrainalle on vakavasti otettava ja kumartamaan syvään. 28 kohdan paperi on täyttä roskaa. Se mm. tekee USAsta "välittäjän" NATOn ja Venäjän välillä ja väittää itseään oikeudellisesti sitovaksi valtiosopimukseksi
November 21, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Saa nähdä pystyykö Eurooppa ml. Suomi teeskentelemään että Trumpin "rauhansuunnitelma" Ukrainalle on vakavasti otettava ja kumartamaan syvään. 28 kohdan paperi on täyttä roskaa. Se mm. tekee USAsta "välittäjän" NATOn ja Venäjän välillä ja väittää itseään oikeudellisesti sitovaksi valtiosopimukseksi
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
I quit the former Twitter two years ago this week, and I am here to tell you that my online life got a lot better for having left it. In two years I've not been tempted to go back, and I haven't felt any penalty in either career or community for not being there. It's nice to be here and not there.
November 19, 2025 at 12:06 AM
I quit the former Twitter two years ago this week, and I am here to tell you that my online life got a lot better for having left it. In two years I've not been tempted to go back, and I haven't felt any penalty in either career or community for not being there. It's nice to be here and not there.
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
The first time I heard Smells Like Teen Spirit was when I was heading into the basement of my local game store to play Vampire the Masquerade and if that doesn't cement me as firmly Gen X I don't know what does.
This might be the most cliché thing a Gen Xer could possibly say, but I literally remember where I was the first time I saw the video for Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' -- upstairs in my parents' rec room. Just an unmistakable sense that *something important was happening*.
November 19, 2025 at 5:35 AM
The first time I heard Smells Like Teen Spirit was when I was heading into the basement of my local game store to play Vampire the Masquerade and if that doesn't cement me as firmly Gen X I don't know what does.
Off to Bergen today for a super interesting two-day workshop on men and masculinities in gaming!
November 19, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Off to Bergen today for a super interesting two-day workshop on men and masculinities in gaming!
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
Joulu tulee, mutta kaikilla ei ole siihen varaa. Haastan sut lahjoittamaan johonkin joulukeräykseen omien mahdollisuuksiesi mukaan, että vähävaraisetkin voivat viettää joulunaikaa.
Laitan kommentteihin esimerkkejä lahjoitusmahdollisuuksista, näiden lisäksi on varmasti muitakin kohteita.
Kiitos!
Laitan kommentteihin esimerkkejä lahjoitusmahdollisuuksista, näiden lisäksi on varmasti muitakin kohteita.
Kiitos!
a christmas tree with a star on top of it
Alt: a christmas tree with a star on top of it
media.tenor.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Joulu tulee, mutta kaikilla ei ole siihen varaa. Haastan sut lahjoittamaan johonkin joulukeräykseen omien mahdollisuuksiesi mukaan, että vähävaraisetkin voivat viettää joulunaikaa.
Laitan kommentteihin esimerkkejä lahjoitusmahdollisuuksista, näiden lisäksi on varmasti muitakin kohteita.
Kiitos!
Laitan kommentteihin esimerkkejä lahjoitusmahdollisuuksista, näiden lisäksi on varmasti muitakin kohteita.
Kiitos!
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
Like that old string of Christmas lights, when one bulb goes out, the entire string of lights goes out. Thanks to consolidation and #oligopoly, the internet now depends on just three companies. When one of them is down, it takes a chunk of the economy with it. #enshittification
November 18, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Like that old string of Christmas lights, when one bulb goes out, the entire string of lights goes out. Thanks to consolidation and #oligopoly, the internet now depends on just three companies. When one of them is down, it takes a chunk of the economy with it. #enshittification
Really solid thread! Structural privilege does not mean gendered insults and shaming aren't hurtful.
"You are unrealistically emotionally advanced for a man."
As much as I like to be snarky and punch upwards with jokes myself, these excerpts are starting to leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Coping with humor is a real and valid thing, and escapism through writing the opposite of unheard of, but...
As much as I like to be snarky and punch upwards with jokes myself, these excerpts are starting to leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Coping with humor is a real and valid thing, and escapism through writing the opposite of unheard of, but...
"She was testing me. She could sense that I was different from any other man she'd met before, and wanted to ensure her intuition was real. That I truly did possess the bare minimum of patience, respect, and chivalry."
November 18, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Really solid thread! Structural privilege does not mean gendered insults and shaming aren't hurtful.
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
Israelin asevoimat on surmannut Gazassa tänään vähintään 2 palestiinalaista.
YK:n turvaneuvosto tuki USA:n päätöslauselmaa, jonka mukaan Gazaan lähetetään kansainvälinen rauhanturvajouko ja aluetta hallinnoi USA:n presidentin johtama neuvosto, jossa palestiinalaisilla ei ole edustusta.
YK:n turvaneuvosto tuki USA:n päätöslauselmaa, jonka mukaan Gazaan lähetetään kansainvälinen rauhanturvajouko ja aluetta hallinnoi USA:n presidentin johtama neuvosto, jossa palestiinalaisilla ei ole edustusta.
Israelin asevoimat on surmannut Gazassa tänään vähintään 2 palestiinalaista.
Gazan tulvat ovat tuhonneet viikonlopun aikana yli 280 000 pakolaisen asumukset.
Sodan aikana Israelin vankiloissa on kuollut palestiinalaisvanki keskimäärin kerran 4 päivässä.
Gazan tulvat ovat tuhonneet viikonlopun aikana yli 280 000 pakolaisen asumukset.
Sodan aikana Israelin vankiloissa on kuollut palestiinalaisvanki keskimäärin kerran 4 päivässä.
Israelin asevoimien ei ole tänään raportoitu surmanneen ihmisiä Gazassa. Ilma- ja tykistöiskut kuitenkin jatkuvat tulitauosta huolimatta.
Gazassa sataa ja myrskyää koko viikonlopun. Leirit tulvivat.
Gazassa sataa ja myrskyää koko viikonlopun. Leirit tulvivat.
November 18, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Israelin asevoimat on surmannut Gazassa tänään vähintään 2 palestiinalaista.
YK:n turvaneuvosto tuki USA:n päätöslauselmaa, jonka mukaan Gazaan lähetetään kansainvälinen rauhanturvajouko ja aluetta hallinnoi USA:n presidentin johtama neuvosto, jossa palestiinalaisilla ei ole edustusta.
YK:n turvaneuvosto tuki USA:n päätöslauselmaa, jonka mukaan Gazaan lähetetään kansainvälinen rauhanturvajouko ja aluetta hallinnoi USA:n presidentin johtama neuvosto, jossa palestiinalaisilla ei ole edustusta.
Heads up, people in #gamestudies, Tampere University's excellent Spring Seminar is on its way once again!
The Spring Seminar 2026 CfP is out now! This time, the theme is “Events and Communities”. Please have a look at the full CfP on the Spring Seminar website: springseminar.org/2026-call-fo...
⏰Abstract submission deadline is 14 January 2026.
📍The seminar is organised on 5-6 May 2026 in Tampere.
⏰Abstract submission deadline is 14 January 2026.
📍The seminar is organised on 5-6 May 2026 in Tampere.
2026 | Call for Papers
Events are at the heart of game and play cultures. They are organized for many reasons and purposes, bringing people together to play, socialize, compete, learn and teach, network, sell, perform, c…
springseminar.org
November 18, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Heads up, people in #gamestudies, Tampere University's excellent Spring Seminar is on its way once again!
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
It needs to be emphasized that this paragraph is about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
November 17, 2025 at 3:43 PM
It needs to be emphasized that this paragraph is about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Had a lot of fun making this prop for an RPG (Five Hundred Year Old Vampire). It's an FDM print covered with a mixture of tiling grout, fine sand, glue, and paint, sprayed with a rust effect spray and then extensively touched up with miniature acrylics. Really happy with how it turned out! #ttrpg
November 17, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Had a lot of fun making this prop for an RPG (Five Hundred Year Old Vampire). It's an FDM print covered with a mixture of tiling grout, fine sand, glue, and paint, sprayed with a rust effect spray and then extensively touched up with miniature acrylics. Really happy with how it turned out! #ttrpg
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
The most comprehensive dataset of video game play and psychological functioning available with CC0 license at zenodo.org/records/1760...
We released a pretty cool dataset/preprint today looking at video game play, cognition, time-use and a ton of self-reported psych measures at osf.io/preprints/ps... with @nballou.bsky.social @matti.vuorre.com @thomashakman.bsky.social @rpsychologist.com and @shuhbillskee.bsky.social RRs coming soon
November 17, 2025 at 8:25 AM
The most comprehensive dataset of video game play and psychological functioning available with CC0 license at zenodo.org/records/1760...
Found this old rattan table in a skip yesterday, and after a thorough cleaning it turned out so nice! Makes me warm inside to know that rather than being crushed and burned, it will be cherished and see years more use.
November 15, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Found this old rattan table in a skip yesterday, and after a thorough cleaning it turned out so nice! Makes me warm inside to know that rather than being crushed and burned, it will be cherished and see years more use.
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
Auttakaa löytämään kisu!
Kisu on kadonnut ennenkin mutta nyt se on ollut karkuteillä melkein kaksi viikkoa, ja aletaan olla aika epätoivoisia.
Kisu on kadonnut ennenkin mutta nyt se on ollut karkuteillä melkein kaksi viikkoa, ja aletaan olla aika epätoivoisia.
November 13, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Auttakaa löytämään kisu!
Kisu on kadonnut ennenkin mutta nyt se on ollut karkuteillä melkein kaksi viikkoa, ja aletaan olla aika epätoivoisia.
Kisu on kadonnut ennenkin mutta nyt se on ollut karkuteillä melkein kaksi viikkoa, ja aletaan olla aika epätoivoisia.
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
it's 🏳️⚧️ transgender awareness week 🏳️⚧️, so : donate to trans support organizations if you can, hire trans people, defend them in public & private spaces when necessary, & just don't be an asshole in general
November 13, 2025 at 2:20 PM
it's 🏳️⚧️ transgender awareness week 🏳️⚧️, so : donate to trans support organizations if you can, hire trans people, defend them in public & private spaces when necessary, & just don't be an asshole in general
Looking forward to a romantic movie night! Just us two and Predator: Badlands ❤️
November 13, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Looking forward to a romantic movie night! Just us two and Predator: Badlands ❤️
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐠𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐨𝐩 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐂𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞, co-edited with the marvelous @alexvandewalle.bsky.social, is ALIVE!
This scholarly-based book addresses the underlying psychological themes of the MCU’s superhero storytelling.
Book is OPEN ACCESS: playstorypress.org/books/the-ps...
This scholarly-based book addresses the underlying psychological themes of the MCU’s superhero storytelling.
Book is OPEN ACCESS: playstorypress.org/books/the-ps...
November 13, 2025 at 9:58 AM
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐠𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐨𝐩 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐂𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞, co-edited with the marvelous @alexvandewalle.bsky.social, is ALIVE!
This scholarly-based book addresses the underlying psychological themes of the MCU’s superhero storytelling.
Book is OPEN ACCESS: playstorypress.org/books/the-ps...
This scholarly-based book addresses the underlying psychological themes of the MCU’s superhero storytelling.
Book is OPEN ACCESS: playstorypress.org/books/the-ps...
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
5 tickets left! Last chances of getting in at biggest AoS event in Finland!
Attention! On 21.2.-22.2.2026 is WINTER WAR Age of Sigmar Grand Tournament at Talvisota wargame event, and there are tickets left! If you famcy sering how AoS is played in Finland, here's great chance for that! Share and get your ticket: kide.app/events/b5b7a...
#nerdlings #aos
#nerdlings #aos
November 13, 2025 at 10:34 AM
5 tickets left! Last chances of getting in at biggest AoS event in Finland!
Absurdi juttu, etenkin kun juuri on puhuttu siitä, miten iso riski riippuvuus yhdysvaltalaisesta tietoliikenneinfrasta on.
Tulee sellainen päiväni murmelina-olo, mutta
Kela on siirtämässä etuuksien käsittelyjärjestelmänsä USAlaisen Salesforcen pilveen
Etuuksia käsitellessä Kela käsittelee ihmisten kaikkein yksityisimpiä tietoja, kuten terveystietoja ja taloudellista tilannetta
1/
#yksityisyydensuoja #Kela
Kela on siirtämässä etuuksien käsittelyjärjestelmänsä USAlaisen Salesforcen pilveen
Etuuksia käsitellessä Kela käsittelee ihmisten kaikkein yksityisimpiä tietoja, kuten terveystietoja ja taloudellista tilannetta
1/
#yksityisyydensuoja #Kela
November 13, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Absurdi juttu, etenkin kun juuri on puhuttu siitä, miten iso riski riippuvuus yhdysvaltalaisesta tietoliikenneinfrasta on.
I love how the Outlook auto reply function a few days ago suggested only replies in all caps. Very tempted for the first time to use them as-is with no further input.
GREAT, LET'S DO THIS
SOUNDS EXCELLENT
I'LL GET BACK TO YOU
OK
GREAT, LET'S DO THIS
SOUNDS EXCELLENT
I'LL GET BACK TO YOU
OK
November 13, 2025 at 8:35 AM
I love how the Outlook auto reply function a few days ago suggested only replies in all caps. Very tempted for the first time to use them as-is with no further input.
GREAT, LET'S DO THIS
SOUNDS EXCELLENT
I'LL GET BACK TO YOU
OK
GREAT, LET'S DO THIS
SOUNDS EXCELLENT
I'LL GET BACK TO YOU
OK
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
QANON CULTIST IN 2017: "In this 1,879 page thread I will unravel the byzantine system of codewords and phrases the global elite use to mask their pedophile cabal."
JEFFREY EPSTEIN WRITING AN EMAIL AT THE SAME TIME: "helo its me jeff had fun cmmitting sex crimes wit u lst weeknd"
JEFFREY EPSTEIN WRITING AN EMAIL AT THE SAME TIME: "helo its me jeff had fun cmmitting sex crimes wit u lst weeknd"
pretty funny in retrospect that QAnon hinged on the idea that powerful elites at the highest levels of government were smart enough to talk in code when sending emails to each other about their despicable crimes
November 12, 2025 at 10:15 PM
QANON CULTIST IN 2017: "In this 1,879 page thread I will unravel the byzantine system of codewords and phrases the global elite use to mask their pedophile cabal."
JEFFREY EPSTEIN WRITING AN EMAIL AT THE SAME TIME: "helo its me jeff had fun cmmitting sex crimes wit u lst weeknd"
JEFFREY EPSTEIN WRITING AN EMAIL AT THE SAME TIME: "helo its me jeff had fun cmmitting sex crimes wit u lst weeknd"
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
In our classics reading circle we read books that have been hugely influential. One thing I've noticed is that they often have stupid shit around the one key idea that pushed things forward. And sometimes they've been so fruitful that reading the original work feels very pedestrian. Basic and weak.
November 13, 2025 at 7:54 AM
In our classics reading circle we read books that have been hugely influential. One thing I've noticed is that they often have stupid shit around the one key idea that pushed things forward. And sometimes they've been so fruitful that reading the original work feels very pedestrian. Basic and weak.
Reposted by Mikko Meriläinen
Again, to every videogame writer who wrote funny emails to read in an immersive sim/etc. where I rolled my eyes and said out loud, "lol like anyone would ever email something this on the nose", again, sorry, I was wrong, life sucks, you nailed it
November 12, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Again, to every videogame writer who wrote funny emails to read in an immersive sim/etc. where I rolled my eyes and said out loud, "lol like anyone would ever email something this on the nose", again, sorry, I was wrong, life sucks, you nailed it
It's an exciting, fun, and sort of sad feeling going back to academic works you once considered foundational to your own work, and seeing both their flaws and the works as representations of their time. Not sure whether it's academic maturation, Dunning-Kruger, or both, but it's definitely a thing.
November 13, 2025 at 7:24 AM
It's an exciting, fun, and sort of sad feeling going back to academic works you once considered foundational to your own work, and seeing both their flaws and the works as representations of their time. Not sure whether it's academic maturation, Dunning-Kruger, or both, but it's definitely a thing.