Jay Baylis
@jaybaylis.bsky.social
Game Director @ the BAFTA-Nominated Bytten Studio ► We made CASSETTE BEASTS ► Game Design/Narrative Design/Art Stuff/Animation ► Brighton, UK
I think Halo is nosediving to what you could definitely describe as "trick franchise" in 2026, absolutely. Massive recognisability but currently lacking in a broader sense of "personal attachment" or investment in it as a set of characters and universe. Funko Pops gathering dust at Forbidden Planet.
January 22, 2026 at 2:05 PM
I think Halo is nosediving to what you could definitely describe as "trick franchise" in 2026, absolutely. Massive recognisability but currently lacking in a broader sense of "personal attachment" or investment in it as a set of characters and universe. Funko Pops gathering dust at Forbidden Planet.
great shout, perfect example
January 22, 2026 at 2:02 PM
great shout, perfect example
If you're old enough to have grown up with He-Man on TV you were born in the 70s! You could have grandkids by now! Baffling investment.
FWIW the best piece of He-Man media is probably the "Toys That Made Us" episode on its creation, incredibly funny stuff in there
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM9q...
FWIW the best piece of He-Man media is probably the "Toys That Made Us" episode on its creation, incredibly funny stuff in there
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM9q...
Origin of Battlecat - He-Man
YouTube video by derp
www.youtube.com
January 22, 2026 at 11:34 AM
If you're old enough to have grown up with He-Man on TV you were born in the 70s! You could have grandkids by now! Baffling investment.
FWIW the best piece of He-Man media is probably the "Toys That Made Us" episode on its creation, incredibly funny stuff in there
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM9q...
FWIW the best piece of He-Man media is probably the "Toys That Made Us" episode on its creation, incredibly funny stuff in there
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM9q...
It's also extremely 80's and pulled from a big post-Conan the Barbarian (another trick franchise in 2026 there) interest in swords and sorcery media which, as you say, probably doesn't translate.
Compare with Transformers, where I think the appeal of "transforming robot toys" is evergreen
Compare with Transformers, where I think the appeal of "transforming robot toys" is evergreen
January 22, 2026 at 11:29 AM
It's also extremely 80's and pulled from a big post-Conan the Barbarian (another trick franchise in 2026 there) interest in swords and sorcery media which, as you say, probably doesn't translate.
Compare with Transformers, where I think the appeal of "transforming robot toys" is evergreen
Compare with Transformers, where I think the appeal of "transforming robot toys" is evergreen
The poster child of the trick franchise is, of course, Tron. Sorry in advance to the Tronheads out there and I know the Tron: Legacy soundtrack goes.
Other suggestions welcome! I'd nominate Power Rangers here in 2026, and maybe Tomb Raider outside of the games.
Other suggestions welcome! I'd nominate Power Rangers here in 2026, and maybe Tomb Raider outside of the games.
January 22, 2026 at 11:26 AM
The poster child of the trick franchise is, of course, Tron. Sorry in advance to the Tronheads out there and I know the Tron: Legacy soundtrack goes.
Other suggestions welcome! I'd nominate Power Rangers here in 2026, and maybe Tomb Raider outside of the games.
Other suggestions welcome! I'd nominate Power Rangers here in 2026, and maybe Tomb Raider outside of the games.
Congrats! Really happy to hear the launch has gone so well, and that it's a Godot game, too!
January 22, 2026 at 11:04 AM
Congrats! Really happy to hear the launch has gone so well, and that it's a Godot game, too!
Pixel art characters aside, Cassette Beasts *is* a 3D Godot game - and on console, too. Always happy to talk to other devs about our experience working on it!
January 19, 2026 at 11:21 AM
Pixel art characters aside, Cassette Beasts *is* a 3D Godot game - and on console, too. Always happy to talk to other devs about our experience working on it!
I hate that this is making me kind of want to watch a "Stranger Things documentary"
January 13, 2026 at 10:45 AM
I hate that this is making me kind of want to watch a "Stranger Things documentary"
Reposted by Jay Baylis
fans know this but "Metroid" isn't actually the name of the main character, it's the name of the green energy crystal
December 19, 2025 at 11:48 AM
fans know this but "Metroid" isn't actually the name of the main character, it's the name of the green energy crystal
I'm glad this plot hook paid off in Prime 4, we waited 20 years for an explanation for this
December 19, 2025 at 11:58 AM
I'm glad this plot hook paid off in Prime 4, we waited 20 years for an explanation for this
fans know this but "Metroid" isn't actually the name of the main character, it's the name of the green energy crystal
December 19, 2025 at 11:48 AM
fans know this but "Metroid" isn't actually the name of the main character, it's the name of the green energy crystal
I thought this was where it was going!
December 19, 2025 at 11:47 AM
I thought this was where it was going!
Me recalling all the middling reviews saying how the game drops off hard in the last act
a bald man with a surprised look on his face is looking at the camera .
ALT: a bald man with a surprised look on his face is looking at the camera .
media.tenor.com
December 19, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Me recalling all the middling reviews saying how the game drops off hard in the last act
I also love how much it breaks the myths about eastern games, or western games, being developed in culturally isolated bubbles. Everything starts with the American Wizardry/Ultima, themselves based on D&D, itself having roots in European war games. It's all one global experiment in play!
December 12, 2025 at 7:09 PM
I also love how much it breaks the myths about eastern games, or western games, being developed in culturally isolated bubbles. Everything starts with the American Wizardry/Ultima, themselves based on D&D, itself having roots in European war games. It's all one global experiment in play!