Xalavier Nelson Jr.
@writnelson.bsky.social
Running @StrangeScaffold. Wrote for MtG, Borderlands 4, Hypnospace Outlaw & more. Lead VA in Hellraiser: Revival. BAFTA nom. Christian! He/Him. Repped by CAA.
Pinned
The big news of the day is—Strange Scaffold got a front page spot on Steam! It’s our first-ever publisher sale!!
You can get EVERY GAME we’ve ever made for 60 bucks and I did a bunch of work on the gradients and colors to make it all look pretty!!! Ahhh!!!!
store.steampowered.com/sale/strange...
You can get EVERY GAME we’ve ever made for 60 bucks and I did a bunch of work on the gradients and colors to make it all look pretty!!! Ahhh!!!!
store.steampowered.com/sale/strange...
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
BIG NEWS:
We are no longer Eggplant. We are, simply:
The Secret Lives of Games
AND ALSO:
We've launched the first episode of All Systems Brough, a year-long, one-a-month series exploring the work of @smestorp.bsky.social. Join us and play along!
secretlives.games/all-systems-...
We are no longer Eggplant. We are, simply:
The Secret Lives of Games
AND ALSO:
We've launched the first episode of All Systems Brough, a year-long, one-a-month series exploring the work of @smestorp.bsky.social. Join us and play along!
secretlives.games/all-systems-...
The Secret Lives of Games: All Systems Brough - Introduction
We're joined by Frank Lantz (Q-UP) and Mare Sheppard + Raigan Burns of Metanet (N++) for the first episode of All Systems Brough, a year-long exploration of the work of Michael Brough. We share our th...
secretlives.games
November 21, 2025 at 9:32 PM
BIG NEWS:
We are no longer Eggplant. We are, simply:
The Secret Lives of Games
AND ALSO:
We've launched the first episode of All Systems Brough, a year-long, one-a-month series exploring the work of @smestorp.bsky.social. Join us and play along!
secretlives.games/all-systems-...
We are no longer Eggplant. We are, simply:
The Secret Lives of Games
AND ALSO:
We've launched the first episode of All Systems Brough, a year-long, one-a-month series exploring the work of @smestorp.bsky.social. Join us and play along!
secretlives.games/all-systems-...
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
We did something different with the credits for Demonschool. We used this format: name, title, lengthy description of what they did. Often you see credits in games where you don't know what the credited developer was actually responsible for. We wanted to give people proper, actual credit.
November 24, 2025 at 10:23 PM
We did something different with the credits for Demonschool. We used this format: name, title, lengthy description of what they did. Often you see credits in games where you don't know what the credited developer was actually responsible for. We wanted to give people proper, actual credit.
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
Spoke to a number of devs about how, in the face of CEOs claiming gen-AI is the future, their declaration of being genAI free is making waves.
Indie game developers have a new sales pitch: being ‘AI free’
Indie game developers have a new sales pitch: being ‘AI free’
“We can produce results that meet our quality standards without its assistance.”
buff.ly
November 24, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Spoke to a number of devs about how, in the face of CEOs claiming gen-AI is the future, their declaration of being genAI free is making waves.
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
This Saturday I'll be giving a talk on how I decided on developing Wax Heads at Good Game Dev Fest, alongside a bunch of extremely talented devs doing awesome talks.
If you're going, hope you enjoy and be good to see you there!
if you're interested in going, tickets: luma.com/GGDF25
🔥🔥🔥
If you're going, hope you enjoy and be good to see you there!
if you're interested in going, tickets: luma.com/GGDF25
🔥🔥🔥
November 24, 2025 at 10:17 AM
This Saturday I'll be giving a talk on how I decided on developing Wax Heads at Good Game Dev Fest, alongside a bunch of extremely talented devs doing awesome talks.
If you're going, hope you enjoy and be good to see you there!
if you're interested in going, tickets: luma.com/GGDF25
🔥🔥🔥
If you're going, hope you enjoy and be good to see you there!
if you're interested in going, tickets: luma.com/GGDF25
🔥🔥🔥
Coherence is INCREDIBLE and also an anxiety attack of a movie to watch as a writer
Just, a window into storytelling hell
Just, a window into storytelling hell
November 24, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Coherence is INCREDIBLE and also an anxiety attack of a movie to watch as a writer
Just, a window into storytelling hell
Just, a window into storytelling hell
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
just incredibly thrilled to announce that after months and months of uncertainty over the future of the game, and several I have bought Zombies, Run!, the game I co-created and have been making for the past 12 years:
zombiesrungame.com
observer.co.uk/the-critics/...
zombiesrungame.com
observer.co.uk/the-critics/...
I’m a novelist who’s just bought a video games company. Here’s why you should care about games writing | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 6:08 AM
just incredibly thrilled to announce that after months and months of uncertainty over the future of the game, and several I have bought Zombies, Run!, the game I co-created and have been making for the past 12 years:
zombiesrungame.com
observer.co.uk/the-critics/...
zombiesrungame.com
observer.co.uk/the-critics/...
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
Experience hostile takeovers over mimosas and unwind with the Robot Elite hunting our many vagrants!
After that why not jump on the markets and trade their babies' projected futures?
Sequa Lux - where high net worth grants citizenship!
Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator: Trading opens in 2026
After that why not jump on the markets and trade their babies' projected futures?
Sequa Lux - where high net worth grants citizenship!
Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator: Trading opens in 2026
November 22, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Experience hostile takeovers over mimosas and unwind with the Robot Elite hunting our many vagrants!
After that why not jump on the markets and trade their babies' projected futures?
Sequa Lux - where high net worth grants citizenship!
Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator: Trading opens in 2026
After that why not jump on the markets and trade their babies' projected futures?
Sequa Lux - where high net worth grants citizenship!
Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator: Trading opens in 2026
Okay, this is truly galaxy brain—Lost Soul Aside RECOMMENDS that you skip its own prologue sequence with all the fancy cutscenes they made?? To get back to the action???
November 23, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Okay, this is truly galaxy brain—Lost Soul Aside RECOMMENDS that you skip its own prologue sequence with all the fancy cutscenes they made?? To get back to the action???
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
This Way Madness Lies is a great game and barely anybody bought it. It should be played by more people. If everybody here on @bsky.app banded together and bought a Steam copy and played it, well, that'd be a miracle and I would be forever grateful.
store.steampowered.com/app/1318970/...
store.steampowered.com/app/1318970/...
November 21, 2025 at 2:58 PM
This Way Madness Lies is a great game and barely anybody bought it. It should be played by more people. If everybody here on @bsky.app banded together and bought a Steam copy and played it, well, that'd be a miracle and I would be forever grateful.
store.steampowered.com/app/1318970/...
store.steampowered.com/app/1318970/...
It’s real good. It’s real good in ways you wouldn’t even expect it to be real good.
Baby Steps is $13.99 on US PS+ buff.ly/aJGEOvR
November 22, 2025 at 6:56 PM
It’s real good. It’s real good in ways you wouldn’t even expect it to be real good.
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
Q-UP hit overwhelmingly positive this weekend which is overwhelmingly flattering!
"That's kind of sick when you think about it."
here's some thoughts from my perspective in a thread
"That's kind of sick when you think about it."
here's some thoughts from my perspective in a thread
November 17, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Q-UP hit overwhelmingly positive this weekend which is overwhelmingly flattering!
"That's kind of sick when you think about it."
here's some thoughts from my perspective in a thread
"That's kind of sick when you think about it."
here's some thoughts from my perspective in a thread
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
TTRPG PEOPLE: THE FONT OF YOUR RULEBOOK IS STORYTELLING. THE PICAS OF YOUR TABLES? STORYTELLING. This isn't a joke I am 500% serious. Visual design = storytelling.
everyone on a game is a storyteller and the storytellers on Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator fuckin’ despise the incentives of late stage capitalism
also that kid beto is pretty cool
also that kid beto is pretty cool
November 22, 2025 at 4:09 AM
TTRPG PEOPLE: THE FONT OF YOUR RULEBOOK IS STORYTELLING. THE PICAS OF YOUR TABLES? STORYTELLING. This isn't a joke I am 500% serious. Visual design = storytelling.
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
Can't stress enough how much fun I'm having doing procgen narrative on this game and making people root for terrible things to happen to babies and immediately regretting their cheers for a drug relapse or death by crop monster.
everyone on a game is a storyteller and the storytellers on Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator fuckin’ despise the incentives of late stage capitalism
also that kid beto is pretty cool
also that kid beto is pretty cool
November 22, 2025 at 3:41 AM
Can't stress enough how much fun I'm having doing procgen narrative on this game and making people root for terrible things to happen to babies and immediately regretting their cheers for a drug relapse or death by crop monster.
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
I've loved working with @tv-neato.bsky.social on this, he's got such good design instincts every time
everyone on a game is a storyteller and the storytellers on Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator fuckin’ despise the incentives of late stage capitalism
also that kid beto is pretty cool
also that kid beto is pretty cool
November 22, 2025 at 2:05 AM
I've loved working with @tv-neato.bsky.social on this, he's got such good design instincts every time
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
Demonschool is OUT NOW!
It's time to dive into a critically-acclaimed new-style tactics RPG, where motion equals action!
Available on PC, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck (Verified), Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox!
store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/...
It's time to dive into a critically-acclaimed new-style tactics RPG, where motion equals action!
Available on PC, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck (Verified), Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox!
store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/...
November 19, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Demonschool is OUT NOW!
It's time to dive into a critically-acclaimed new-style tactics RPG, where motion equals action!
Available on PC, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck (Verified), Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox!
store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/...
It's time to dive into a critically-acclaimed new-style tactics RPG, where motion equals action!
Available on PC, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck (Verified), Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox!
store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/...
everyone on a game is a storyteller and the storytellers on Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator fuckin’ despise the incentives of late stage capitalism
also that kid beto is pretty cool
also that kid beto is pretty cool
November 22, 2025 at 1:44 AM
everyone on a game is a storyteller and the storytellers on Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator fuckin’ despise the incentives of late stage capitalism
also that kid beto is pretty cool
also that kid beto is pretty cool
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
🤜🧟Beatdown City Survivors🧟 🤛
A bullet (fist?) heaven
survivors roguelite
set in a gritty, beat-em-up *style* city is releasing Q1 '26!
🛠️lots of weapon crafting
👥fun unlockable characters
🏗️dynamic/destructible environments
Wishlist today! beatdown.city/bdcsrstm
#pitchyagame
A bullet (fist?) heaven
survivors roguelite
set in a gritty, beat-em-up *style* city is releasing Q1 '26!
🛠️lots of weapon crafting
👥fun unlockable characters
🏗️dynamic/destructible environments
Wishlist today! beatdown.city/bdcsrstm
#pitchyagame
November 7, 2025 at 9:12 PM
🤜🧟Beatdown City Survivors🧟 🤛
A bullet (fist?) heaven
survivors roguelite
set in a gritty, beat-em-up *style* city is releasing Q1 '26!
🛠️lots of weapon crafting
👥fun unlockable characters
🏗️dynamic/destructible environments
Wishlist today! beatdown.city/bdcsrstm
#pitchyagame
A bullet (fist?) heaven
survivors roguelite
set in a gritty, beat-em-up *style* city is releasing Q1 '26!
🛠️lots of weapon crafting
👥fun unlockable characters
🏗️dynamic/destructible environments
Wishlist today! beatdown.city/bdcsrstm
#pitchyagame
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
It's easy to forget that games generally took a lot less time to get made. They tended to be triaged and released warts-and-all and nothing ever really got fixed after that point
Silent Hill 3 was made in under 9 months. Now even smaller games often take 3-5 years. We see impacts with huge time-lag
Silent Hill 3 was made in under 9 months. Now even smaller games often take 3-5 years. We see impacts with huge time-lag
November 21, 2025 at 5:58 AM
It's easy to forget that games generally took a lot less time to get made. They tended to be triaged and released warts-and-all and nothing ever really got fixed after that point
Silent Hill 3 was made in under 9 months. Now even smaller games often take 3-5 years. We see impacts with huge time-lag
Silent Hill 3 was made in under 9 months. Now even smaller games often take 3-5 years. We see impacts with huge time-lag
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
Follow @wario64.bsky.social and repost for a chance to win 1 of 4 codes for Tomb Raider Definitive Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 (NA eShop Code) courtesy of @aspyr.com. Giveaway closes on Nov 21st, 6 PM PT.
Game is out now on Nintendo Switch & Switch 2 (no upgrade paths)
Game is out now on Nintendo Switch & Switch 2 (no upgrade paths)
November 18, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Follow @wario64.bsky.social and repost for a chance to win 1 of 4 codes for Tomb Raider Definitive Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 (NA eShop Code) courtesy of @aspyr.com. Giveaway closes on Nov 21st, 6 PM PT.
Game is out now on Nintendo Switch & Switch 2 (no upgrade paths)
Game is out now on Nintendo Switch & Switch 2 (no upgrade paths)
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
think you shipped a game with technical debt? buddy you just executed a heist
November 21, 2025 at 1:15 AM
think you shipped a game with technical debt? buddy you just executed a heist
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
We don't know. What we do know is the wiring diagram works. We built it, virtually, in @godotengine.org. We fed it scans of the books we found.
And the books are very, very strange. The "game" that resulted is also strange.
We're hoping people can make sense of it for us.
And the books are very, very strange. The "game" that resulted is also strange.
We're hoping people can make sense of it for us.
TR-49 on Steam
Narrative deduction meets audio drama, from the creators of Heaven’s Vault, Overboard! and A Highland Song.
store.steampowered.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:12 PM
We don't know. What we do know is the wiring diagram works. We built it, virtually, in @godotengine.org. We fed it scans of the books we found.
And the books are very, very strange. The "game" that resulted is also strange.
We're hoping people can make sense of it for us.
And the books are very, very strange. The "game" that resulted is also strange.
We're hoping people can make sense of it for us.
Reposted by Xalavier Nelson Jr.
I'm disappointed paid items and loot boxes are coming to Fortnite. It's clear they're spooked by Roblox and worried they're losing younger players, so they're incorporating the worst parts of Roblox. I wrote about what parents can do for @crossplayblog.bsky.social www.crossplay.news/p/fortnite-i...
What Parents Should Know About the Loot Box Changes Coming to Fortnite
For now, "Battle Royale" mode seems off limits. But within other "Island" experiences, you should be aware of what you can and cannot control for your children.
www.crossplay.news
November 20, 2025 at 6:54 PM
I'm disappointed paid items and loot boxes are coming to Fortnite. It's clear they're spooked by Roblox and worried they're losing younger players, so they're incorporating the worst parts of Roblox. I wrote about what parents can do for @crossplayblog.bsky.social www.crossplay.news/p/fortnite-i...