Jon Smith
@heyitsjon.bsky.social
Trying to Build a Better Game Industry
Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated and Opinions are regrettably my own.
Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated and Opinions are regrettably my own.
Reposted by Jon Smith
if you need AI to do your powerpoints or write your emails you shouldnt be in your job. those things ARE your job.
Also I'm sorry but "fleshing out powerpoint presentations"? Who the fuck are you even employing that they need AI for a fuckass powerpoint presentation? Shit makes me feel insane
December 17, 2025 at 4:18 AM
if you need AI to do your powerpoints or write your emails you shouldnt be in your job. those things ARE your job.
If you see this, we IMPLORE you to post a picture from whatever device you're using without explanation
December 14, 2025 at 4:37 AM
If you see this, we IMPLORE you to post a picture from whatever device you're using without explanation
Reposted by Jon Smith
THEY'VE PUT ME ON THE POCKETSTATION COOP. I'M BEING RENDERED IN A 32 BY 32 GRID OF MONOCHROME PIXELS. THE BOYS BACK AT QUANTICO SAID THEY'RE GOING TO RELOCATE ME TO A "DOKO DEMO ISSYO" UNTIL THEY CAN GET THIS STRAIGHTENED OUT.
December 13, 2025 at 9:24 PM
THEY'VE PUT ME ON THE POCKETSTATION COOP. I'M BEING RENDERED IN A 32 BY 32 GRID OF MONOCHROME PIXELS. THE BOYS BACK AT QUANTICO SAID THEY'RE GOING TO RELOCATE ME TO A "DOKO DEMO ISSYO" UNTIL THEY CAN GET THIS STRAIGHTENED OUT.
Reposted by Jon Smith
The end of Section 230 would mean the end of all but the largest websites that allow user-generated content at all - and even the largest would be radically changed and locked down
It would probably mean the end of your fav streamers' careers
Call your senators and your representatives about this
It would probably mean the end of your fav streamers' careers
Call your senators and your representatives about this
Sen. WHITEHOUSE: We finally are moving to file a bipartisan Section 230 repeal bill. Waiting any longer serves no useful purpose.
December 12, 2025 at 8:43 PM
The end of Section 230 would mean the end of all but the largest websites that allow user-generated content at all - and even the largest would be radically changed and locked down
It would probably mean the end of your fav streamers' careers
Call your senators and your representatives about this
It would probably mean the end of your fav streamers' careers
Call your senators and your representatives about this
Reposted by Jon Smith
This is like paying the guys that robbed your house to also burn it down.
Disney is making a $1 billion investment in OpenAI and will let the AI platform use its characters to make social-media videos.
Disney to Invest $1 Billion in OpenAI, License Characters for Use in ChatGPT, Sora
The three-year licensing deal will let users generate videos of more than 200 Disney, Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar characters.
on.wsj.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:14 PM
This is like paying the guys that robbed your house to also burn it down.
My inner monologue breaking out into the real world
December 10, 2025 at 12:36 PM
My inner monologue breaking out into the real world
Harper wrote an incredible piece that critically examines the Horses situation AND saves me from having to explain who Ian Bogost is to all my friends.
I played Horses this weekend and I wrote down some messy thoughts not only on the game but especially on the specter of formalism that emerged to haunt us all for a moment.
transgamerthoughts.com/post/8023277...
transgamerthoughts.com/post/8023277...
I Hope You Get To Live Your Entire Life As A Human
I thought this was going to be a review of my time with Santa Ragione's Horses, the controversial art game recently banned from Steam and the Epic Store. To some extent, this will be that but after...
transgamerthoughts.com
December 9, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Harper wrote an incredible piece that critically examines the Horses situation AND saves me from having to explain who Ian Bogost is to all my friends.
Reposted by Jon Smith
That much money financing games by actual game developers would have financed 150+ of the highest budget AAA games, and the several orders of magnitude more jobs to produce them. Instead it was burned failing to produce advertiser-safe Second Life.
Mark Zuckerberg’s gamble on the "Metaverse" has lost his company more than $77 billion.
December 6, 2025 at 2:09 AM
That much money financing games by actual game developers would have financed 150+ of the highest budget AAA games, and the several orders of magnitude more jobs to produce them. Instead it was burned failing to produce advertiser-safe Second Life.
Reposted by Jon Smith
It's not about if Horses is good or if you like it, it's about the world we're in where a few companies have control over who gets to make money and which artists get to continue working.
Stores can stock whatever they want, but if you don't understand the broader picture you shouldn't speak.
Stores can stock whatever they want, but if you don't understand the broader picture you shouldn't speak.
December 4, 2025 at 4:38 AM
It's not about if Horses is good or if you like it, it's about the world we're in where a few companies have control over who gets to make money and which artists get to continue working.
Stores can stock whatever they want, but if you don't understand the broader picture you shouldn't speak.
Stores can stock whatever they want, but if you don't understand the broader picture you shouldn't speak.
Reposted by Jon Smith
One of the many things worth thinking about re: Steam's ban on Horses is how it highlights is the centralization problem caused by having such a monolithic (and maybe mono-something-else) retail giant.
Independent studios with even humble commercial aspirations are chained to Valve's whims.
Independent studios with even humble commercial aspirations are chained to Valve's whims.
December 4, 2025 at 12:41 AM
One of the many things worth thinking about re: Steam's ban on Horses is how it highlights is the centralization problem caused by having such a monolithic (and maybe mono-something-else) retail giant.
Independent studios with even humble commercial aspirations are chained to Valve's whims.
Independent studios with even humble commercial aspirations are chained to Valve's whims.
Reposted by Jon Smith
I have many thoughts about this, one is I can't help but think this is all just shining a light on how games are still being held to wildly different standards than other media like film. I've played very few games like HORSES but watched so many films like it (as a connoisseur of arthouse horror).
Humble's now banned it too, post-launch:
www.ign.com/articles/hor...
www.ign.com/articles/hor...
Horses, the Upsetting Horror Game Previously Banned on Steam, Gets Last Minute Ban From Epic Games Store Too - IGN
Last week, we reported that disturbing horror game Horses had been banned from Steam. Now, at the last possible minute before the game was set to release widely across other PC store fronts, Epic Game...
www.ign.com
December 3, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I have many thoughts about this, one is I can't help but think this is all just shining a light on how games are still being held to wildly different standards than other media like film. I've played very few games like HORSES but watched so many films like it (as a connoisseur of arthouse horror).
Reposted by Jon Smith
So at this point, I am of the belief that there is a conservative group in the background emailing companies and trying to get them to ban the game.
Humble's now banned it too, post-launch:
www.ign.com/articles/hor...
www.ign.com/articles/hor...
Horses, the Upsetting Horror Game Previously Banned on Steam, Gets Last Minute Ban From Epic Games Store Too - IGN
Last week, we reported that disturbing horror game Horses had been banned from Steam. Now, at the last possible minute before the game was set to release widely across other PC store fronts, Epic Game...
www.ign.com
December 3, 2025 at 3:26 PM
So at this point, I am of the belief that there is a conservative group in the background emailing companies and trying to get them to ban the game.
If you have to ask if he’s pointing at you; the answer is yes. Yes he is.
November 27, 2025 at 2:38 AM
If you have to ask if he’s pointing at you; the answer is yes. Yes he is.
Men only want one thing and it’s disgusting:
November 26, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Men only want one thing and it’s disgusting:
This absolutely rules and should be the template going forward for everyone.
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 25, 2025 at 4:25 AM
This absolutely rules and should be the template going forward for everyone.
NEW EMAIL
Strong Bad Email #210 - Robots
YouTube video by homestarrunnerdotcom
youtu.be
November 24, 2025 at 3:00 PM
NEW EMAIL
Reposted by Jon Smith
fun math for everyone: now that the Xbox 360 is 20 years old, it's the same age that the NES was back in 2005
November 22, 2025 at 12:47 PM
fun math for everyone: now that the Xbox 360 is 20 years old, it's the same age that the NES was back in 2005
Reposted by Jon Smith
I know I’m at the center of the diagram of people who enjoy Shakespeare, Sailor Moon, and RPGs - but way more of you should have played This Way Madness Lies.
It’s a fantastic little gem with enough accessibility options that *anyone* can play and enjoy it.
It’s a fantastic little gem with enough accessibility options that *anyone* can play and enjoy it.
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 22, 2025 at 11:54 AM
I know I’m at the center of the diagram of people who enjoy Shakespeare, Sailor Moon, and RPGs - but way more of you should have played This Way Madness Lies.
It’s a fantastic little gem with enough accessibility options that *anyone* can play and enjoy it.
It’s a fantastic little gem with enough accessibility options that *anyone* can play and enjoy it.
Reposted by Jon Smith
Reposted by Jon Smith
November 21, 1995
We are now closer to the setting of WipEout (2052) than we are to the release of WipEout (1995).
We are now closer to the setting of WipEout (2052) than we are to the release of WipEout (1995).
November 21, 2025 at 9:31 PM
November 21, 1995
We are now closer to the setting of WipEout (2052) than we are to the release of WipEout (1995).
We are now closer to the setting of WipEout (2052) than we are to the release of WipEout (1995).
Always listen to 🚂 Zaddy and Mommy
November 21, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Always listen to 🚂 Zaddy and Mommy
Reposted by Jon Smith
Okay, in fairness, this is only my own work and not the result of a conference. But in unfairness: I thought it would be funniest to just plant this flag as soon as possible.
azhdarchid.com/the-sao-paul...
azhdarchid.com/the-sao-paul...
November 20, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Okay, in fairness, this is only my own work and not the result of a conference. But in unfairness: I thought it would be funniest to just plant this flag as soon as possible.
azhdarchid.com/the-sao-paul...
azhdarchid.com/the-sao-paul...