oliver
@oliverbates.co.uk
design researcher. game designer. he/him
researching through making games, zines and critical tea towel about climate futures, tech, and systems.
Links to my stuff: https://oliverbates.co.uk
https://fractals.coop/ and research fellow @ lancaster uni
researching through making games, zines and critical tea towel about climate futures, tech, and systems.
Links to my stuff: https://oliverbates.co.uk
https://fractals.coop/ and research fellow @ lancaster uni
Pinned
oliver
@oliverbates.co.uk
· Jul 25
Orientation by oliver bates
What would you do if all the big-tech map apps became inaccessible?
oliverbates.itch.io
Orientation is being released today! oliverbates.itch.io/orientation
It's a game/zine about learning to map in a world where the map apps we took for granted are no longer accessible.
#indiegames #zines #rpg
It's a game/zine about learning to map in a world where the map apps we took for granted are no longer accessible.
#indiegames #zines #rpg
Reposted by oliver
Important Takeaways:
- @pftompkins.bsky.social is nice
- a berk is a muppet (a type of prat)
- listen to What’s All This Then wherever you get your podcasts for more insights like this
- @pftompkins.bsky.social is nice
- a berk is a muppet (a type of prat)
- listen to What’s All This Then wherever you get your podcasts for more insights like this
November 25, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Important Takeaways:
- @pftompkins.bsky.social is nice
- a berk is a muppet (a type of prat)
- listen to What’s All This Then wherever you get your podcasts for more insights like this
- @pftompkins.bsky.social is nice
- a berk is a muppet (a type of prat)
- listen to What’s All This Then wherever you get your podcasts for more insights like this
Reposted by oliver
🍃 Are you a interested in a PhD in NetZero Futures?
The NetZero Futures Doctoral Landscape are offering fully funded EPSRC studentships for Royal College of Art PhD students starting in September 2026 and September 2027.
How to apply ➡️ www.rca.ac.uk/study/apply-...
The NetZero Futures Doctoral Landscape are offering fully funded EPSRC studentships for Royal College of Art PhD students starting in September 2026 and September 2027.
How to apply ➡️ www.rca.ac.uk/study/apply-...
Fully Funded Doctoral Landscape Studentship: NetZero Futures
NetZero Futures Doctoral Landscape Award is a Fully funded EPSRC scholarship with the RCA.
www.rca.ac.uk
October 20, 2025 at 9:54 AM
🍃 Are you a interested in a PhD in NetZero Futures?
The NetZero Futures Doctoral Landscape are offering fully funded EPSRC studentships for Royal College of Art PhD students starting in September 2026 and September 2027.
How to apply ➡️ www.rca.ac.uk/study/apply-...
The NetZero Futures Doctoral Landscape are offering fully funded EPSRC studentships for Royal College of Art PhD students starting in September 2026 and September 2027.
How to apply ➡️ www.rca.ac.uk/study/apply-...
Reposted by oliver
Bumper-load of new zines have been listed on the distro for ya.
Starting with: Cervical Screening for Trans+ Autistic People: a tool for self advocacy penfightdistro.com/shop/cervica...
Starting with: Cervical Screening for Trans+ Autistic People: a tool for self advocacy penfightdistro.com/shop/cervica...
November 20, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Bumper-load of new zines have been listed on the distro for ya.
Starting with: Cervical Screening for Trans+ Autistic People: a tool for self advocacy penfightdistro.com/shop/cervica...
Starting with: Cervical Screening for Trans+ Autistic People: a tool for self advocacy penfightdistro.com/shop/cervica...
Reposted by oliver
CFP for a special issue of Eludamos. What are antifascist games? Proposal deadline is December 19.
eludamos.org/index.php/el...
eludamos.org/index.php/el...
Special Issue: WHAT ARE ANTIFASCIST GAMES?
| Eludamos: Journal for Computer Game Culture
eludamos.org
November 17, 2025 at 5:18 PM
CFP for a special issue of Eludamos. What are antifascist games? Proposal deadline is December 19.
eludamos.org/index.php/el...
eludamos.org/index.php/el...
Reposted by oliver
Saw a post today that advised writers to stop writing as if a human will read it and start writing for an LLM that will be summarising.
As someone who really enjoyed trying to develop a peculiar but readable authorial voice, I find this incredibly depressing.
As someone who really enjoyed trying to develop a peculiar but readable authorial voice, I find this incredibly depressing.
November 19, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Saw a post today that advised writers to stop writing as if a human will read it and start writing for an LLM that will be summarising.
As someone who really enjoyed trying to develop a peculiar but readable authorial voice, I find this incredibly depressing.
As someone who really enjoyed trying to develop a peculiar but readable authorial voice, I find this incredibly depressing.
Reposted by oliver
On today's #TransDayOfRemembrance I'm reminded of this scene from Celeste (a game which draws heavily on trans themes). I was brought to tears when I first played it. So many names every year, it hits hard.
November 20, 2025 at 8:42 AM
On today's #TransDayOfRemembrance I'm reminded of this scene from Celeste (a game which draws heavily on trans themes). I was brought to tears when I first played it. So many names every year, it hits hard.
Reposted by oliver
Deadline for Expressions of Interest for the funded Doctoral Landscape Awards is Monday 17 November at noon. EoIs aren't mandatory, but are encouraged if you're thinking about applying. #PhDfunding #research
Want to do a (funded for UK students) PhD with me? If you're interested in games, posthumanism, avatars, affect, embodiment or any of the other stuff I do (or my colleagues do for that matter) take a look! www.bcu.ac.uk/research/doc... #PhDfunding #PhDstudentship #AHRC #DoctoralFunding #GameStudies
Doctoral Landscape Awards
The AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award is a major new funding scheme from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). Its aim is to grow the UK’s capacity for doctoral research in the arts and humanit...
www.bcu.ac.uk
November 14, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Deadline for Expressions of Interest for the funded Doctoral Landscape Awards is Monday 17 November at noon. EoIs aren't mandatory, but are encouraged if you're thinking about applying. #PhDfunding #research
Reposted by oliver
PSA - reminder that #DiGRA2026 submissions due THREE WEEKS TODAY (deadline for full papers and abstracts Monday 1 December).
Obligatory "how is so soon??" "what I am going to submit??" panic may now commence.
www.digraconference2026.com
Obligatory "how is so soon??" "what I am going to submit??" panic may now commence.
www.digraconference2026.com
DiGRA 2026 Conference | Maynooth University, Ireland
Join the DiGRA 2026 conference at Maynooth University, 14–18 June 2026. Theme “Intersectional Pleasures.” A global hybrid event for game research, culture, design, and industry.
www.digraconference2026.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:40 PM
PSA - reminder that #DiGRA2026 submissions due THREE WEEKS TODAY (deadline for full papers and abstracts Monday 1 December).
Obligatory "how is so soon??" "what I am going to submit??" panic may now commence.
www.digraconference2026.com
Obligatory "how is so soon??" "what I am going to submit??" panic may now commence.
www.digraconference2026.com
Reposted by oliver
If you want to do research that is ethically committed and makes labor movements stronger, this is a collection of reflections from those who have been there and done that.
"This essential book articulates and embodies ethical knowledge production amidst the rising tide of tech authoritarianism...It is an inspiring and critical corrective to the proliferation of apolitical research on Big Tech." —@veenadubal.bsky.social
⚡️ buff.ly/eFJqFWQ
⚡️ buff.ly/eFJqFWQ
November 13, 2025 at 2:29 AM
If you want to do research that is ethically committed and makes labor movements stronger, this is a collection of reflections from those who have been there and done that.
My amazing friend @hazelxd.bsky.social just won an Honorable Mention at this years Golden Cobra Challenge with their game Paranormal Parasocial www.goldencobra.org/submissions2...
Check it out!
#games #indie #awards #GoldenCobra2025
Check it out!
#games #indie #awards #GoldenCobra2025
Golden Cobra Challenge
www.goldencobra.org
November 10, 2025 at 8:11 AM
My amazing friend @hazelxd.bsky.social just won an Honorable Mention at this years Golden Cobra Challenge with their game Paranormal Parasocial www.goldencobra.org/submissions2...
Check it out!
#games #indie #awards #GoldenCobra2025
Check it out!
#games #indie #awards #GoldenCobra2025
Reposted by oliver
Decolonisers of Catan (with dice that only roll 7s) #boardgames #catan
October 17, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Decolonisers of Catan (with dice that only roll 7s) #boardgames #catan
Reposted by oliver
Hello there! For my first post on this here social network, here's a new thing I've been working on, a live sampler where you scrub through the sound by pulling a string. It has a filter!
November 5, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Hello there! For my first post on this here social network, here's a new thing I've been working on, a live sampler where you scrub through the sound by pulling a string. It has a filter!
Reposted by oliver
"Dead Wife Detective Simulator" (Mercy (2026)) - Episode 596
@theweeklyplanet.bsky.social #weeklyplanetpod
@theweeklyplanet.bsky.social #weeklyplanetpod
October 14, 2025 at 9:00 PM
"Dead Wife Detective Simulator" (Mercy (2026)) - Episode 596
@theweeklyplanet.bsky.social #weeklyplanetpod
@theweeklyplanet.bsky.social #weeklyplanetpod
I zine-ified Screw That: A Resource Scarcity game this morning.
oliverbates.itch.io/screw-that
It's a (very) small frustrating game/LARP sort of thing about a future where your plumbing stops working for some reason.
#zines #games #indie
oliverbates.itch.io/screw-that
It's a (very) small frustrating game/LARP sort of thing about a future where your plumbing stops working for some reason.
#zines #games #indie
SCREW THAT! A resource scarcity game by oliver bates
A little resource scarcity game, exploring possible futures and systems
oliverbates.itch.io
October 15, 2025 at 10:48 AM
I zine-ified Screw That: A Resource Scarcity game this morning.
oliverbates.itch.io/screw-that
It's a (very) small frustrating game/LARP sort of thing about a future where your plumbing stops working for some reason.
#zines #games #indie
oliverbates.itch.io/screw-that
It's a (very) small frustrating game/LARP sort of thing about a future where your plumbing stops working for some reason.
#zines #games #indie
Gabby Bates (my sister) released her song For Jack this week.
Check it out on your streaming or digital music platform of choice!
distrokid.com/hyperfollow/...
Check it out on your streaming or digital music platform of choice!
distrokid.com/hyperfollow/...
For Jack by Gabby Bates
Stream and Save For Jack - Distributed by DistroKid
distrokid.com
October 8, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Gabby Bates (my sister) released her song For Jack this week.
Check it out on your streaming or digital music platform of choice!
distrokid.com/hyperfollow/...
Check it out on your streaming or digital music platform of choice!
distrokid.com/hyperfollow/...
Reposted by oliver
🚨 Our new investigation out today reveals how thousands of people who've taken their bosses to employment tribunals & won, never got paid, even after they approached the government for help.
This has serious implications for the Employment rights bill.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
This has serious implications for the Employment rights bill.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
Thousands of rogue bosses get away with not paying tribunal awards
The government scheme ‘enforcing’ money owed to workers has been unsuccessful in a staggering three-quarters of cases
www.thebureauinvestigates.com
October 2, 2025 at 7:46 AM
🚨 Our new investigation out today reveals how thousands of people who've taken their bosses to employment tribunals & won, never got paid, even after they approached the government for help.
This has serious implications for the Employment rights bill.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
This has serious implications for the Employment rights bill.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
Reposted by oliver
GAME IDEA
SPEC OPS: THE LINE AS A COSY GAME
SPEC OPS: THE LINE AS A COSY GAME
September 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM
GAME IDEA
SPEC OPS: THE LINE AS A COSY GAME
SPEC OPS: THE LINE AS A COSY GAME
Reposted by oliver
GAME IDEA
YOU HAVE TO LOCATE, PICK UP, AND CARRY ALL THOSE TINY LITTLE BROKEN-OFF PIECES OF STYROFOAM YOU EVER PUT OUT INTO THE WORLD IN YOUR LIFE
YOU HAVE TO LOCATE, PICK UP, AND CARRY ALL THOSE TINY LITTLE BROKEN-OFF PIECES OF STYROFOAM YOU EVER PUT OUT INTO THE WORLD IN YOUR LIFE
September 24, 2025 at 1:39 PM
GAME IDEA
YOU HAVE TO LOCATE, PICK UP, AND CARRY ALL THOSE TINY LITTLE BROKEN-OFF PIECES OF STYROFOAM YOU EVER PUT OUT INTO THE WORLD IN YOUR LIFE
YOU HAVE TO LOCATE, PICK UP, AND CARRY ALL THOSE TINY LITTLE BROKEN-OFF PIECES OF STYROFOAM YOU EVER PUT OUT INTO THE WORLD IN YOUR LIFE
Reposted by oliver
Signatures needed!
Uber and Lyft drivers are on the precipice of a wage theft settlement and need to push CA AG Bonta to represent what Uber/Lyft really stole, not just a token amount.
Please sign and share this petition.
www.drivers-united.org/wage-theft-s...
Uber and Lyft drivers are on the precipice of a wage theft settlement and need to push CA AG Bonta to represent what Uber/Lyft really stole, not just a token amount.
Please sign and share this petition.
www.drivers-united.org/wage-theft-s...
Wage Theft Settlement Petition - Rideshare Drivers United
www.drivers-united.org
September 13, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Signatures needed!
Uber and Lyft drivers are on the precipice of a wage theft settlement and need to push CA AG Bonta to represent what Uber/Lyft really stole, not just a token amount.
Please sign and share this petition.
www.drivers-united.org/wage-theft-s...
Uber and Lyft drivers are on the precipice of a wage theft settlement and need to push CA AG Bonta to represent what Uber/Lyft really stole, not just a token amount.
Please sign and share this petition.
www.drivers-united.org/wage-theft-s...
Reposted by oliver
Right now, the ?game? described as "holy shit","absolutely incredible work", and also "I don't understand this" is part of a FREE bundle with 146 other zines. That's crazy! You could have so many zines!
(go ?play? Chaos Magic omg)
xenolight.itch.io/chaos-magic
(go ?play? Chaos Magic omg)
xenolight.itch.io/chaos-magic
September 12, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Right now, the ?game? described as "holy shit","absolutely incredible work", and also "I don't understand this" is part of a FREE bundle with 146 other zines. That's crazy! You could have so many zines!
(go ?play? Chaos Magic omg)
xenolight.itch.io/chaos-magic
(go ?play? Chaos Magic omg)
xenolight.itch.io/chaos-magic
It’s been a blast being part of this Zine bundle! Check it out!
We have a FREE bundle of 147 zines from 63 creators (including us 🧡), and you can get it all through September 14th!
itch.io/b/3247/free-...
itch.io/b/3247/free-...
September 6, 2025 at 4:28 AM
It’s been a blast being part of this Zine bundle! Check it out!
Reposted by oliver
We have a FREE bundle of 147 zines from 63 creators (including us 🧡), and you can get it all through September 14th!
itch.io/b/3247/free-...
itch.io/b/3247/free-...
September 5, 2025 at 6:32 PM
We have a FREE bundle of 147 zines from 63 creators (including us 🧡), and you can get it all through September 14th!
itch.io/b/3247/free-...
itch.io/b/3247/free-...
GAME IDEA
CantBan
A KanBan board simulator that can't.
CantBan
A KanBan board simulator that can't.
September 5, 2025 at 11:03 AM
GAME IDEA
CantBan
A KanBan board simulator that can't.
CantBan
A KanBan board simulator that can't.
Reposted by oliver
Come play LoserLane at the Art Gallery of Ontario tomorrow? Watch out world, we're rolling into the museums!
marieflanagan.com/loserlane
ago.ca/events/video...
marieflanagan.com/loserlane
ago.ca/events/video...
Loser Lane
Experience cycling between certain death and probable death in this totally accurate street survival simulator. Life without bike lanes? Thanks Doug.
marieflanagan.com
September 5, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Come play LoserLane at the Art Gallery of Ontario tomorrow? Watch out world, we're rolling into the museums!
marieflanagan.com/loserlane
ago.ca/events/video...
marieflanagan.com/loserlane
ago.ca/events/video...
For ICT4S 2024 we hosted a zine jam to make a space for ideas and work about tech and sustainability. The result was Liminal Excavations.
We've uploaded to itch.io (oliverbates.itch.io/liminal-exca...) and HCommons (works.hcommons.org/records/fh0v...).
#zine #sustainability #ict4s #tech #academia
We've uploaded to itch.io (oliverbates.itch.io/liminal-exca...) and HCommons (works.hcommons.org/records/fh0v...).
#zine #sustainability #ict4s #tech #academia
Liminal Excavations by oliver bates
A zine that explores alternative visions, ideas and critiques on the topic of sustainability and ICT
oliverbates.itch.io
September 2, 2025 at 9:51 AM
For ICT4S 2024 we hosted a zine jam to make a space for ideas and work about tech and sustainability. The result was Liminal Excavations.
We've uploaded to itch.io (oliverbates.itch.io/liminal-exca...) and HCommons (works.hcommons.org/records/fh0v...).
#zine #sustainability #ict4s #tech #academia
We've uploaded to itch.io (oliverbates.itch.io/liminal-exca...) and HCommons (works.hcommons.org/records/fh0v...).
#zine #sustainability #ict4s #tech #academia