John O’Kane
johnokane.bsky.social
John O’Kane
@johnokane.bsky.social
Games Programmer.
Ireland.
He/Him (or They)
If you're in Irish Games development it's a wonderful idea to vote in this year's Imirt Board elections. The next 2 years will be very important as to how our main industry body forms firmer ties with government and industry.

www.imirt.ie/news/2024/12...
IMIRT Board Elections 2025 — Imirt
Voting for Imirt's new board members is now open and will take place until midnight on Monday the 15th of December. Details of how to vote and links needed to vote will be sent to members by email. ...
www.imirt.ie
December 13, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
I'm really looking forward to helping out Imirt if I get the chance, so if you think that's a good idea and haven't yet don't forget to vote for me. 👍

If you're not a member but work in Ireland/ties to Ireland, then what are you waiting for?! Very excited about the new few years here.
Game makers in Ireland! Imirt is an incredible association that is now increasingly able to fund initiatives & teams and it has a big impact. Join usssss!

Llaura is running for the board as a voice for game dev creativity & culture. Members (inc new) can vote all week

www.imirt.ie/news/2024/12...
IMIRT Board Elections 2025 — Imirt
Voting for Imirt's new board members is now open and will take place until midnight on Monday the 15th of December. Details of how to vote and links needed to vote will be sent to members by email. ...
www.imirt.ie
December 9, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
The Séance of Blake Manor has been selected as a nominee for Best Puzzle Game of the Year in the @ign.com Awards 2025! 🥳🎉🏆

We are thrilled to have been included. Good luck to all nominees in all categories 🤞

www.ign.com/articles/ign...
IGN Awards 2025: The Nominees - IGN
The complete list of games, movies, and TV shows nominated for the IGN Awards 2025.
www.ign.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
Are you looking to get some Union swag? Well, look no further! We have shirts, we have hoodies, and we even have a tote bag! All sporting our updated Game Workers Unite Ireland logo! Get 'em here 👇
everpress.com/game-workers...
everpress.com/game-workers...
everpress.com/game-workers...
December 7, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
The Darkside Detective by @spookydoorway.bsky.social is available for free until December 11th on the Epic Games store.

Galway-based studio Spooky Doorway also released The Séance of Blake Manor earlier this year, which is a standout game of the year candidate.

store.epicgames.com/en-US/news/d...
The Darkside Detective is free this week on the Epic Games Store for mobile
McQueen and Dooley investigate pixelated paranormal chaos across the Twin Lakes in this comedic point-and-click adventure.
store.epicgames.com
December 9, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
just announced our new fantasy rpg, Queen’s Domain! ⚔️

- retro kings field/morrowwind style aesthetic
- use your sword to fly
- 100+ strange monsters to fight
- explore a mysterious labyrinth island on a quest to find your father

Demo out now!
December 4, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
Game makers in Ireland! Imirt is an incredible association that is now increasingly able to fund initiatives & teams and it has a big impact. Join usssss!

Llaura is running for the board as a voice for game dev creativity & culture. Members (inc new) can vote all week

www.imirt.ie/news/2024/12...
IMIRT Board Elections 2025 — Imirt
Voting for Imirt's new board members is now open and will take place until midnight on Monday the 15th of December. Details of how to vote and links needed to vote will be sent to members by email. ...
www.imirt.ie
December 8, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
In the early hours of yesterday morning, we completed the prototype of Persevere, our narrative strategy game. I'd like to introduce you to it!
Starting with arriving on the level with your train, containing five crew, who we'll get to, and a Ballistics train car. #gamedev #screenshotsaturday
December 6, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Reposted by John O’Kane
The nominations for The Steam Awards close tomorrow, 1 December 2025.

This is your chance to vote for your favourite games in a number of categories.

store.steampowered.com/steamawards/...
November 30, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
As well as working on the final Persevere IndieDev prototype build, we're also preparing for the IndieDev wrap event being hosted by @ardan-ie.bsky.social next week. As part of that, we've created a graphic for a pull-up banner, which I am loving. #indiedev #gamedev #stategy #narrative #prototype
November 26, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Reposted by John O’Kane
Yesterday, the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport hosted the Digital Games Forum – a unique gathering designed to support the development of a sustainable future for Ireland’s Digital Games sector.

Learn more 👉 www.screenireland.ie/news/departm...

#ForTheStoryMakers
November 21, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Reposted by John O’Kane
For the past year I've been building up an astrophotography rig.
Clear nights are few and far between here, but I managed to get a full session in last night for the first time and had a first go a processing the images.

This is the Pacman Nebula (NGC 281), in the Hubble palette.
November 21, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
And the whole economy is now based on investors going "But what if it really CAN empty your dishwasher? We can't afford to miss out" and companies going "Great, we can convince investors we'll profit by firing the guy who empties the dishwasher"

But we all know AI cannot empty your dishwasher.
November 17, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Reposted by John O’Kane
Having a bit of fun, recreating the box art of our biggest inspirations. Naturally, had to start with Time Crisis #indiegame #gamedev #indiedev #indiegamedev #gaming #games #vr #vrdev #gamedesign #gamedev #VRGaming
November 13, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Reposted by John O’Kane
Back to writing the rest of TÖLT and I gotta say... I've never worked on something that was such a consistent delight to design.
I accidentally made something where any idea is a good idea. No matter how dumb/out of place/creepy/fun, it all just seems to work in the presence of low-poly horses??
November 9, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
Petty from the grave is the best petty
November 9, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Reposted by John O’Kane
The demo for TÖLT (my new MS-DOS inspired horse game) is FINALLY on STEAM - with 🐎new improvements!🐎
🎮 Gamepad support!!!
🖥️ UI supported on everything from Ultrawide to Ultraweird!!!
🪳 Countless bug fixes!!!
Now plays beautifully on Steam Deck!!!
(updates also applied to itch .io version!)
November 7, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
What if you lost all your memories? ❤️‍🩹

"As Long As You're Here" is an emotional game about Alzheimer's where you see life through the eyes of a woman with the illness 🫂

Just released! 🍂✨
Get it on Steam ➡️ tinyurl.com/47hspadh

#PitchYaGame #GameDev #IndieDev #IndieGame #Alzheimers
November 7, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
Feels so good to see Galway history and culture represented like this and some day I wish I could do the same for Scotland in some way, Spooky Doorway did such a great job
October 31, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
Immigration is NOT the cause of all our problems, and allowing that argument to become the focus of political debate means that racists are creating an imaginary enemy that you’re agreeing to fight.

How do you fight someone else’s imaginary enemy?

#SpéirGorm #SpeirGorm
Immigration is not a metric you can use to win over racists.

There is no number that is right for them. That’s not the point.

The point is to have someone to blame for problems they don’t intend to fix.

Fascists win votes by promising to solve problems caused by an enemy only they can defeat.
Wed: “Our migration numbers are too high”-Simon Harris

Thurs: “Taoiseach and Donohoe back Tánaiste’s remarks that numbers migrating to Ireland are ‘too high’”

Fri: ”migration numbers too high outside of international protection…as well”-Simon Harris

*Arson attack on infants in IPAS centre.*
November 1, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
“In spite of all the challenges we face, there remains within the Irish people a profound and unyielding commitment to seeing beyond the self to seeing the ‘other’ as friend.”

- President Michael D Higgins at his final garden party.

He and Sabina have hosted up to 20,000 people each year.
November 1, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Reposted by John O’Kane
TÖLT
My new MS-DOS inspired adventure game where you play as a horse has a FREE DEMO AVAILABLE NOW.
FEATURING:
🐎A charming cast of lovable horses (and slightly less lovable humans)
🍎3 distinct endings
💀Many secrets & surprises!!!
enigma-studio.itch.io/tolt
November 1, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
me 🥰
October 19, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
We’re in good company here!
October 30, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Reposted by John O’Kane
Wooo we did it! 😍🙌
October 30, 2025 at 4:20 PM