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Tom Regan

@grapedosmil.bsky.social

1.3K followers 710 following 290 posts

Freelance journalist & consultant. Nose ring mafia. Editor of the NES-ential Celebration book. Words in The Guardian, The Verge, GQ, Metal Hammer, Fandom, Shortlist, NME, Gamesradar, Kotaku, IGN, Inverse, VGC, EDGE, etc http://www.tomreganwrites.com

www.tomreganwrites.com

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · Jul 14

The Pro Skater games shaped a generation's music taste, but they were even more transformative for the bands on the soundtracks.

I spoke to Less Than Jake, The Ataris, Drain, AFI, The 900 and Tony Hawk himself about how Pro Skaters' killer soundtracks changed their lives

Keza MacDonald @mackeza.bsky.social · Jul 11

Happy Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 day to all who celebrate

www.theguardian.com/games/2025/j... @grapedosmil.bsky.social

‘It fully altered my taste in music’: bands reflect on the awesome power of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater soundtracks

The games’ runaway success introduced a whole generation to hopped up US punk and metal. Bands including Less Than Jake, the Ataris and AFI pay tribute to a gaming megastar who loves them back

www.theguardian.com

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 2d

Can't believe that the people in charge of securing peace in the Middle East are *checks notes* Tony Blair and the co-owner of EA

Reposted by Tom Regan

George E. Osborn @georgeosborn.bsky.social · 8d

This week’s Video Games Industry Memo argues that Saudi Arabia’s acquisition of EA is a power grab of a soft power asset by an authoritarian state, enabled by Jared Kushner‘s inappropriately close relationship with MbS.

It’s an affront to democracy.

www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/a-kushy-de...

A Kushy Deal, 02/10/2025

Selling out democracy one $55bn video games business at a time

www.videogamesindustrymemo.com

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 9d

A warning to any other noobs after 20 hours of play - make multiple saves to ensure you don't get soft locked! If you're under-levelled and ill-equipped you WILL get completely stuck later on.

Level up those secondary jobs and make use of those sweet, sweet passive abilities and you'll be golden.

Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 9d

As someone who never played the original, I'm having an absolute blast with FF: Tactics.

While some of the systems are a little obtuse, the purity of the combat, the excellent story and the intricacies of the job system have me utterly hooked.

The perfect handheld game - I can't put it down.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 15d

Offt, this is a banger.

I couldn't make it out to Parc Del Forum this year, but after attending Primavera '22, '23 and '24, this line-up is definitely tempting me back.

Primavera Sound @primavera-sound.bsky.social · 15d

Put your headphones on 🎧✨

Regístrate ya para acceder a la Fan Sale de abonos. El registro estará disponible hasta el 28/09 a las 23:59 (CEST). La Fan Sale comenzará el 29/09 a las 11:00 (CEST) y durará 24 horas o hasta agotar existencias.

💐 Fan Sale: bit.ly/3VCiY1Z
ℹ️ Info: bit.ly/46Q6v0Z

Reposted by Tom Regan

Sean Cleaver @cleaverslips.bsky.social · 15d

A cool look at why retro consoles are doing the business right now.

Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 15d

What's driving the rise in retro game handhelds?

For this week's @vgim.bsky.social I speak to Evercade's @cleaverslips.bsky.social, @apzonerunner.com and GamerCard's Grant Sinclair about the legality and longevity of gaming's newest booming industry.

www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/the-retro-...

The Retro Handheld goldrush 25/09/2025

How forward thinking companies are cashing in by looking backwards.

www.videogamesindustrymemo.com

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 15d

Pikachu asked that we don't mention the whole Fedora-chu thing, he's going through a tough time.

Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 15d

Last week, I went to Paris to hang out with Pikachu in the Eiffel Tower.

While I was there, I played just over an hour of Pokémon Legends Z-A - a demo that left me with mixed emotions.

www.techradar.com/gaming/pokem...

I tried Pokémon Legends: Z-A and loved the new battle system – but the graphics are still pretty awful

Swapping historical intrigue for familiar fun

www.techradar.com

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 15d

Inspired by the 2am thought "why am I constantly getting Instagram ads for knock off consoles?"

Cheers, insomnia.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 15d

The Retro Handheld goldrush 25/09/2025

How forward thinking companies are cashing in by looking backwards.

www.videogamesindustrymemo.com

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Reposted by Tom Regan

Ken Klippenstein @kenklippenstein.bsky.social · 15d

ICE shooter Joshua Jahn's politics aren't what's being reported, three longtime former friends tell me.

www.kenklippenstein.com/p/the-ice-sh...

The ICE Shooter’s Motive

Joshua Jahn's friends speak

www.kenklippenstein.com

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 22d

Love this!

Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 23d

Editors, I have some truly top-tier gaming interviews that need a home.

If you have budget and are looking for some juicy high quality features, don't hesitate to slide into my DMs.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 24d

Someone also needs to check in on French Goku...

Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 24d

̶T̶h̶e̶ ̶J̶o̶u̶r̶n̶a̶l̶i̶s̶t̶'̶s̶ ̶c̶o̶d̶e̶ "Where's MY code?!"

Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 24d

The only time I've ever "broken" embargo was when I posted a question in a closed Journalist Facebook group asking about Cyberpunk's bizarre pre-review install process.

A butt hurt Journalist screenshoted my comment, moaning to PR that they hadn't got code... I got legal threats sent to my editor.

Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 24d

Shakespeare approved ✅

Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 24d

Shakespeare and Co, a Parisian bookshop that only sells the finest literature

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 27d

Oh man, I'd have loved an OLED version, but to be honest I'm quite happy with the current screen, pretty good as far as LCDs go!

Hades 2 will be a banger.

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 27d

Yeahhh that was a big 😬 from me...
Here's hoping the rest of it is more traditionally Metroid.

Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 27d

Who could have known that other games would eventually be released for your new console?

Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 27d

Inject this new Fire Emblem game DIRECTLY into my veins.

Reposted by Tom Regan

George E. Osborn @georgeosborn.bsky.social · 27d

I'm off on holiday for two weeks.

- VGIM stuff? Contact @grapedosmil.bsky.social and @vitageorge.bsky.social.

- Work stuff: I'll be back online Monday 29th September, please hold until then.

- Book: Out next year, give it a pre-order so I can buy a beer in Greece.

linktr.ee/Power_play_b...

a man in a white shirt and tie stands on a beach with palm trees in the background

ALT: a man in a white shirt and tie stands on a beach with palm trees in the background

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Tom Regan

James Ball @jamesrball.com · 28d

George’s newsletter is always a fascinating read, but this week’s guest issue is particularly gripping – a deep-dive on a video game used in real-world propaganda battles, as an ISIS recruitment tool, and on licence to real-world militaries.

George E. Osborn @georgeosborn.bsky.social · 28d

What happens when video games and warfare blur together?

@grapedosmil.bsky.social explores how ultra-realistic military shooter ARMA has found itself both willingly and unwillingly on the new digital frontlines in this week's @vgim.bsky.social

www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/arma-at-wa...

ARMA at War, 11/09/2025

Bohemia Interactive talks disinformation, extremism, and battlefield simulation

www.videogamesindustrymemo.com

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Tom Regan @grapedosmil.bsky.social · 28d

Cheers for reading!