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Mike Diver

@mikediver.bsky.social

2.3K followers 520 following 2.6K posts

Mostly works in marketing. Mostly. Author of gaming books inc. From Coin-Ops to Table-Tops, The Console, Indie Games, Retro Gaming. Aliens: The Video Games out in 2026. Ex-music industry. Semi-professional tea drinker. #saintsfc

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · Apr 26

It's #alienday.
And Independent Bookstore Day.
So here's a thing.

Aliens: The Video Games.

Games old and new, licensed and unofficial, crossovers, fan projects, unreleased titles.

Loads of new interviews covering games from the 1980s to the 2020s.

Cover by @sammgreer.bsky.social

Out in 2026.

The cover to Aliens: The Video Games. Features a character playing a game with an alien-like silhouette behind them.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 3h

Would love to do some chats about the book when it becomes available to (pre)order.

Please invite me on your podcasts about old/new/horror/movie games; or send me questions for your blog, ty ty.

(Also flutters eyelashes in the direction of
@perfectorganism.bsky.social @alientheory.bsky.social )

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 3h

Pre-orders for Aliens: The Video Games aren't too far away now.

The book is laid out - I've the proof to look over, this weekend.

When this is up for pre-order, please forgive me banging on even more about it. I'm hugely proud of it. I hope Alien likers who aren't even into the games can enjoy it.

The cover of Aliens: The Video Games. It's a book that I wrote, which is published next year, around the time of Aliens' 40th anniversary. I'll be 46 then. Fucking hell. As well as words by me, the book also has a foreword from Andy Kelly, author of Perfect Organism: An Alien Isolation Companion, and interview contributions from Lewis White and Richie Shoemaker. Clarence Lim contributed some photography, and the cover is by Samantha Mackenzie Greer. Two dozen new interviews in here, as well as loads of archive material.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 5h

The games press has also been gutted. Many folks doing whatever they can now, to stay afloat, to stay employed. The landscape, even since I was last in the games media (fully), in 2022, has completely changed. Some outliers/exceptions of course, but they too are overwhelmed in their own ways.

Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 5h

It's exclusively in the margins because you can't run a business that way in 2025. Extends beyond the games media, too. Helping something small and cool pop off was always a buzz. Honestly, now, that popping off, if anywhere, is on tiktok, shorts by creators that land in an algorithmic sweet spot.

Mike Rose @mikerose.bsky.social · 6h

When I was games press back in 2008 - 2015, no-one *ever* talked to me about "we need to report on stuff that is going to make us money"

It was just never a thing. I reported on whatever games I damn well liked, and I helped make so many small games pop off -- so so many

Where is that now?

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Reposted by Mike Diver

Konstantinos Dimopoulos @konstantinosd.bsky.social · 10h

'Night and the City' by Chris Donlan remains one of the finest online articles on game urbanism ever. Somehow simultaneously personal, historical, and objective it is an excellent read, and a reminder that L.A. Noir remains truly unique.

Find it here: www.eurogamer.net/night-and-th...

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 8h

As a kid, we had Terminator 2 toys. And I knew of toys for Aliens, RoboCop. Rambo, I think... and of course all the video games based on adult movies. But I had no idea that Demolition Man got a toy range. Repurposed from early 90s He-Man, but, look. They're awful(ly brilliant).

Demolition Man toys from the early 1990s. Three are based on Sylvester Stallone's John Spartan character, the fourth on Wesley Snipes' Simon Phoenix.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 9h

PS5. Haven't experienced any performance hiccups at all.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 16h

I actually thought it was going to end at this moment... And it could have, and I'd have been cool with that.

Spoiler: oh, boy, there's more.

Mat Piscatella @matpiscatella.bsky.social · 21d

I really don't want Mafia: The Old Country to end.

I've been slow playing it but it's just about finito.

Really enjoyed the heck outta this one.

Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 16h

Credits rolled on Mafia: The Old Country. 15 hours, including some exploration for collectibles, some customisation. You could mainline the story in less time. Fun stuff. Story kept me engaged, the shooting is fine, the knife stuff is fine, it looks gorgeous pretty much all the time. Recommended.

A promotional image for Mafia: The Old Country showing a knife, a wine cork, some grapes and a postcard on a platter.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 20h

Really like this little mould - and if that Magnus ever gets a standalone release (or I see it listed solo), it's getting got.

Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 20h

Ah, it's okay, he's a tiny metal man. Phew.

Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 21h

Don't worry. I also have Safety Gunnies.

A teeny tiny Megatron toy in its gun alt mode with HEALTH AND SAFETY GONE MAD orange tip so you don't mistake this wee baby pistol for the real thing and call the old bill over.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 21h

Come on over if you want a go with Gunny.

It's my hand holding a SEGA Master System Light Phaser, ready for some Operation Wolf or Space Gun.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 21h

Should have all been dentists. Or electricians. Or idk, wig makers. Undertakers. AI can't do that. Yet.

Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 21h

I absolutely shit you not, have been a bit at a loss on weekends without any writing work and seriously considered replying to an ad for seasonal work at the Big Tesco, in the toy section. How simple that'd be, for a little extra pocket money.

a man standing in a field with the words it 's a peaceful life written below him

ALT: a man standing in a field with the words it 's a peaceful life written below him

media.tenor.com

Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 1d

I still can't get over that her name is Bad Enoch. You'd throw it out of the writer's room. Ain't no way we can be that on the nose.

Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 1d

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Reposted by Mike Diver

Emma Kidwell | Looking for work ✨ @emmakidwell.bsky.social · 1d

Boosting again, please share! Still looking for writing work-- full time or contract, i'm incredibly adaptable and eager to learn and grow ✍️

Emma Kidwell | Looking for work ✨ @emmakidwell.bsky.social · Sep 4

Hi! I was laid off from Firaxis this morning. I wrote leaders and civs for Civilization VII (NDA for now) and Deadpool and Storm for Marvel's Midnight Suns. I also wrote the award-nominated Hindsight.

I'm available for full time, remote work starting ASAP. DMs are open:

emmkid.info

Portfolio

emmkid.info

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 1d

Love to play WANUS.

Stop this.

VGDensetsu @vgdensetsu.bsky.social · 2d

I thought something seemed off about the the image posted below: it's a photo that's been edited and colorized by AI. Please don't do that.

Black and white photo showing people around a Darius cabinet at the October 1986 AM Show.

Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 1d

Not too long. You don't have to see everything in each phase/set of programming. Maybe 20 mins?

Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 1d

'Lover' from this is the worst piece of recorded music I've heard since that Toploader cover contaminated commercial radio 25 years ago.

The Quietus @thequietus.com · 2d

'Richard Ashcroft is as much the Scott Walker of Britpop as David Baddiel is the Spike Milligan of comedy is the new rock ‘n’ roll. You’d think someone who is a million different people from one day to the next would have more than a couple of ideas'

#RichardAshcroft - Lovin’ You

buff.ly/2CS4vm8

Richard Ashcroft - Lovin’ You album cover. Photograph of a beach at sunset with Ashcroft silhouetted in the foreground with his arm and guitar raised aloft.

Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 1d

I'll guess Liverpool against Newcastle in March 97. Classic game, that.

(Poor football joke is poor. But yeah, all-timer. youtu.be/XfASy5sExvw?...)

youtu.be

Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 1d

Just keep watching. Eventually you can check your messages and there will be the option to add new episodes to the programming.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 1d

Spent a week in Berlin during the research/interviews phase of this. Was good times. Then I wrote the whole thing in, IIRC, about six weeks. Don't recommend that!

Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 1d

I don't often mention this one, but back in 2016 I wrote a book about esports and League of Legends, where I had access to the Fnatic LoL players, coaches, former players, casters etc. It's part interview-based 'advice from the pros', part competitive gaming history 101.

The Brazilian Portuguese version of my esports book

The French language version of my esports book, retitled Challenger

How to Be a Professional Gamer in its English language guise

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