Sam Machkovech
@samred.com
This feed is 1/3 dog, 1/3 arts+tech, 1/3 something something. Currently: Digital Foundry. Recently: NYT, Polygon, The Stranger, Game Developer, Games Radar. Previously: Ars, American Airlines, The Atlantic. He/him, from Seattle.
Pinned
Sam Machkovech
@samred.com
· Nov 10
After the Triumph of Tetris, an Unsolved Puzzle
Alexey Pajitnov, who created the ubiquitous game in 1984, opens up about his failed projects and his desire to design another hit.
www.nytimes.com
I've dreamed my entire career of writing an article like this. New in today's @nytimes.com: My profile of Tetris creator (and Seattle-area resident) Alexey Pajitnov, on the games, attempts, and failures he's worked on in the 40-year shadow of his most famous game. (Upshot: He's still designing.)
A paper coming out of my alma mater today explores why AI "companions" are so dangerous and how products could pivot towards a more beneficial path (particularly by adding more human-to-human workflows). I'd of course prefer we nuke all these products, but this guidance is well-researched.
Harmful Traits of AI Companions
arxiv.org
November 24, 2025 at 8:13 PM
A paper coming out of my alma mater today explores why AI "companions" are so dangerous and how products could pivot towards a more beneficial path (particularly by adding more human-to-human workflows). I'd of course prefer we nuke all these products, but this guidance is well-researched.
Reposted by Sam Machkovech
This is what happened to me. Employers across the board need to be aware of how harassment campaigns work and do better to protect their employees from them. These people should not have a platform to profit off of harassment.
Two months after firing over Charlie Kirk comments, Ghost of Yotei dev blames harassment campaign, not 'bad joke'
aftermath.site/sucker-punch-c...
aftermath.site/sucker-punch-c...
November 24, 2025 at 6:50 PM
This is what happened to me. Employers across the board need to be aware of how harassment campaigns work and do better to protect their employees from them. These people should not have a platform to profit off of harassment.
This week's DF Direct podcast is now up, and accompanying it is the brutal reality that the next 7 days of Black/Cyber/Friday/Monday madness might be your last gasp at reasonable GPU purchases for the foreseeable future. Here's our guidance for which GPUs to set price alerts for if you're in need.
GPU prices have stabilised at MSRP or sometimes lower - but for how long until the RAM pricing crisis changes everything? Here are the cards we recommend: www.digitalfoundry.net/news/2025/11...
Buy Now: GPU Prices May Soon Explode
Our recommended graphics cards, available at MSRP or below - for now.
www.digitalfoundry.net
November 24, 2025 at 6:56 PM
This week's DF Direct podcast is now up, and accompanying it is the brutal reality that the next 7 days of Black/Cyber/Friday/Monday madness might be your last gasp at reasonable GPU purchases for the foreseeable future. Here's our guidance for which GPUs to set price alerts for if you're in need.
Sunday reminder that there is no such thing as a "free" juicer. Retails for $549. Actual price: your kitchen covered in leaked juice and pulp and juicers are kind of stupid anyway
November 23, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Sunday reminder that there is no such thing as a "free" juicer. Retails for $549. Actual price: your kitchen covered in leaked juice and pulp and juicers are kind of stupid anyway
My love affair with Zax Eat 'N Three in Seattle continues. This meatloaf is insanely good. I'd drink this red vinegar sauce. And the carrots are perfectly drenched in butter and char. Hnnngh.
November 23, 2025 at 2:11 AM
My love affair with Zax Eat 'N Three in Seattle continues. This meatloaf is insanely good. I'd drink this red vinegar sauce. And the carrots are perfectly drenched in butter and char. Hnnngh.
caption contest for Mabel's first time at the Seattle Waterfront. ready, go
November 22, 2025 at 9:02 PM
caption contest for Mabel's first time at the Seattle Waterfront. ready, go
"I tell the goblin warlord that he can shove his stupid offer up his wart-riddled ass"
[dice rolls]
[DM looks down, raises eyebrows, shuffles papers]
"I... I suppose that offer WOULD fit neatly into my wart-covered ass. Come, let us enjoy chalices full of mead"
[dice rolls]
[DM looks down, raises eyebrows, shuffles papers]
"I... I suppose that offer WOULD fit neatly into my wart-covered ass. Come, let us enjoy chalices full of mead"
Mamdani is what happens when you have a charisma of 20
November 21, 2025 at 11:55 PM
"I tell the goblin warlord that he can shove his stupid offer up his wart-riddled ass"
[dice rolls]
[DM looks down, raises eyebrows, shuffles papers]
"I... I suppose that offer WOULD fit neatly into my wart-covered ass. Come, let us enjoy chalices full of mead"
[dice rolls]
[DM looks down, raises eyebrows, shuffles papers]
"I... I suppose that offer WOULD fit neatly into my wart-covered ass. Come, let us enjoy chalices full of mead"
"not much, just got my mouse ears on and I'm ready to ride, sup witchu"
November 21, 2025 at 11:22 PM
"not much, just got my mouse ears on and I'm ready to ride, sup witchu"
An uninformed quote is making the rounds today asking Valve to expand SteamOS access to other living room boxes. Four days ago, I published my own Steam Machine pricing analysis at DF, complete with a quote that addressed this very thing. Beat y'all to it. www.digitalfoundry.net/features/ana...
![Valve reps hinted to that hypothesis in our Steam Machine interview series, when we described SteamOS's eventual graduation to higher-priced portable systems like the Lenovo Legion Go. "We expect this will be a bit of the same thing [for Steam Machine], where SteamOS is ready for discrete PCs, with discrete GPUs, AMD hardware and a bunch of different configurations," one Valve rep said. "You might see other third parties do different price segments or performance segments with the SteamOS experience."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dzcktz3z2gqa3ko7gf7tqjk6/bafkreie4mvvrb52nsbv4uv3xq27e5ybf72nhmt2u25cvyu3hpw4gf2hqmi@jpeg)
November 21, 2025 at 7:30 PM
An uninformed quote is making the rounds today asking Valve to expand SteamOS access to other living room boxes. Four days ago, I published my own Steam Machine pricing analysis at DF, complete with a quote that addressed this very thing. Beat y'all to it. www.digitalfoundry.net/features/ana...
I have zero hate for this. The Animatrix saw the Wachowskis embrace where their target audience was directing its attention, and converting things like animatics, storyboards, and graphic novels to Fortnite is kinda the same thing, esp if original creators and filmmakers are involved from ground up.
An unfilmed scene from the Kill Bill series is seemingly being released as part of Fortnite.
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/fortnit...
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/fortnit...
November 21, 2025 at 1:15 AM
I have zero hate for this. The Animatrix saw the Wachowskis embrace where their target audience was directing its attention, and converting things like animatics, storyboards, and graphic novels to Fortnite is kinda the same thing, esp if original creators and filmmakers are involved from ground up.
I quit actively following the sports world maybe a decade ago so I missed the rise of some amazing voices in that space. But jfc @pablo.show and his whole team are on an absolute tear in 2025. They've become the common-sense arbiters in the MAGA eta that the Daily Show were in Bush/Cheney. A+.
November 20, 2025 at 9:43 PM
I quit actively following the sports world maybe a decade ago so I missed the rise of some amazing voices in that space. But jfc @pablo.show and his whole team are on an absolute tear in 2025. They've become the common-sense arbiters in the MAGA eta that the Daily Show were in Bush/Cheney. A+.
Reposted by Sam Machkovech
You might think the grift is simple and obvious. Thanks to @pablo.show for digging deeper.
PTFO collaborated with @msjpauly.bsky.social and @motherjones.com on an investigation into Riley Gaines.
Riley’s messaging about trans athletes involves “predatory men” and “sexual assault.”
But there’s an important story multiple ex-teammates at Kentucky want you to know: youtu.be/iKUl8lkuGOc?...
Riley’s messaging about trans athletes involves “predatory men” and “sexual assault.”
But there’s an important story multiple ex-teammates at Kentucky want you to know: youtu.be/iKUl8lkuGOc?...
Riley Gaines Investigated: The Lia Thomas Race, the Coach & Why She "Doesn't Even Like" Trump | PTFO
YouTube video by PABLO TORRE FINDS OUT
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 5:09 PM
You might think the grift is simple and obvious. Thanks to @pablo.show for digging deeper.
I voted for this new mayor of Seattle and am so proud to have done so. We must recognize the horror and violence of the past and present to honor and protect one another.
November 20, 2025 at 8:55 PM
I voted for this new mayor of Seattle and am so proud to have done so. We must recognize the horror and violence of the past and present to honor and protect one another.
I'll admit, in the mid-'90s shooter video games frenzy, Lucasarts' Outlaws passed me by. @dark1x.bsky.social and @pc98audi.bsky.social turned in great a review of its remaster for DF this week, the kind that made me wanna go play the game, warts & all. Our combined text + video review is live:
Review: Outlaws, Nightdive's Latest Remaster Surprise
A forgotten Lucasarts gem, revived via KEX Engine.
www.digitalfoundry.net
November 20, 2025 at 4:08 PM
I'll admit, in the mid-'90s shooter video games frenzy, Lucasarts' Outlaws passed me by. @dark1x.bsky.social and @pc98audi.bsky.social turned in great a review of its remaster for DF this week, the kind that made me wanna go play the game, warts & all. Our combined text + video review is live:
I am shocked to see @iocat.bsky.social hasn't posted about Sektori yet, out now on PC/Xbox/PS. It's some bonafide Geometry Wars goodness if cranked to a John Wick 11
Sektori on Steam
Sektori is an intense, fast paced twin-stick shooter infused with hard hitting techno music. A game where the high-adrenaline gameplay, visuals, and music come together to transport you into another s...
store.steampowered.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:03 PM
I am shocked to see @iocat.bsky.social hasn't posted about Sektori yet, out now on PC/Xbox/PS. It's some bonafide Geometry Wars goodness if cranked to a John Wick 11
I'm gonna bottle up and sell Mabel's gentle snoring as a meditative aid, preorders are now live (volume up for two little audible wheezes in this video)
November 19, 2025 at 5:27 PM
I'm gonna bottle up and sell Mabel's gentle snoring as a meditative aid, preorders are now live (volume up for two little audible wheezes in this video)
My YT feed is full of my peers' amazing Analogue 3D reviews. I wish we could all go out for N64-debriefing ice cream together. Quick, name your ideal flavors @mylifeingaming.bsky.social @gamesack.net @modernvintagegamer.com @bob.thewulffden.com @machonachomedia.bsky.social I choose conker crunch
November 18, 2025 at 5:35 PM
My YT feed is full of my peers' amazing Analogue 3D reviews. I wish we could all go out for N64-debriefing ice cream together. Quick, name your ideal flavors @mylifeingaming.bsky.social @gamesack.net @modernvintagegamer.com @bob.thewulffden.com @machonachomedia.bsky.social I choose conker crunch
Shout out to the absolute badasses at Seattle's @pinkgorillagames.com, who were kind enough to lend me their dirtiest/cheapest N64 carts so I could do edge case testing for my Analogue 3D review over the past two weeks. I can confirm that JPN N64 baseball carts run great on it.
New to the Digital Foundry website: my feature-length, super-long text review of the Analogue 3D, the best all-in-one way to play N64 games on a modern TV. (Our video coverage will come later, but we do include 4K images to show the A3D difference in the meantime.) I went deep:
Review: Analogue 3D overclocks the N64 in stellar fashion
The most impressive Analogue "FPGA" console yet.
www.digitalfoundry.net
November 18, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Shout out to the absolute badasses at Seattle's @pinkgorillagames.com, who were kind enough to lend me their dirtiest/cheapest N64 carts so I could do edge case testing for my Analogue 3D review over the past two weeks. I can confirm that JPN N64 baseball carts run great on it.
New to the Digital Foundry website: my feature-length, super-long text review of the Analogue 3D, the best all-in-one way to play N64 games on a modern TV. (Our video coverage will come later, but we do include 4K images to show the A3D difference in the meantime.) I went deep:
Review: Analogue 3D overclocks the N64 in stellar fashion
The most impressive Analogue "FPGA" console yet.
www.digitalfoundry.net
November 18, 2025 at 4:00 PM
New to the Digital Foundry website: my feature-length, super-long text review of the Analogue 3D, the best all-in-one way to play N64 games on a modern TV. (Our video coverage will come later, but we do include 4K images to show the A3D difference in the meantime.) I went deep:
Four thousand, seven hundred thirty-nine words.
November 18, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Four thousand, seven hundred thirty-nine words.
good thing there's no immediately apparent conflict of interest in the WaPo coming out of nowhere to lambast a Seattle politician with a tax-the-biggest-businesses campaign, nope none at all, clean-box stuff right here
I'm sorry Jeff WHO?
I'm sorry Jeff WHO?
Everyone has lost their minds
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
November 17, 2025 at 9:25 PM
good thing there's no immediately apparent conflict of interest in the WaPo coming out of nowhere to lambast a Seattle politician with a tax-the-biggest-businesses campaign, nope none at all, clean-box stuff right here
I'm sorry Jeff WHO?
I'm sorry Jeff WHO?
Anybody wanna help me decipher the horseshit situation that is buying a baseball video game for a kid with an Xbox One? It appears MLB The Show skipped past-gen for '25, which is fine. I could just buy MLB The Show '24, right? Not exactly. Turns out the disc version only works on Xbox Series. so...
November 17, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Anybody wanna help me decipher the horseshit situation that is buying a baseball video game for a kid with an Xbox One? It appears MLB The Show skipped past-gen for '25, which is fine. I could just buy MLB The Show '24, right? Not exactly. Turns out the disc version only works on Xbox Series. so...
great face, solid lighting, awful composition. C+ at best
November 17, 2025 at 5:54 PM
great face, solid lighting, awful composition. C+ at best
Reposted by Sam Machkovech
On the Digital Foundry website today, can Valve deliver a $499 - or cheaper - Steam Machine? www.digitalfoundry.net/features/ana...
Analysis: How Steam Machine can aim for PS5's $499 price
Lead topic in this week's DF Direct episode.
www.digitalfoundry.net
November 17, 2025 at 4:14 PM
On the Digital Foundry website today, can Valve deliver a $499 - or cheaper - Steam Machine? www.digitalfoundry.net/features/ana...