Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jon Irwin

@winwinirwin.bsky.social

550 followers 110 following 820 posts

Writer/Teacher. Words in Kill Screen, Paste, Men's Health, The Atlantic, Billboard, Variety, Washington Post, Inverse and more. https://about.me/jonirwinis

about.me

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · Feb 13

Hello!

Until I land that lucrative book contract with publisher-funded website, here is my free online landing page.

about.me/jonirwinis

Jon Irwin is feigning optimism on about.me

I am a writer and teacher in Atlanta, Georgia. View my portfolio.

about.me

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 5m

For those that wish "Close to You" had more specific credits, I suggest opening up the PIKMIN SHORT MOVIES that you bought for $4.99 on either Wii U or 3DS and watching "Treasure in a Bottle," which ends w/ a short credit reel. Might be the same people.

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 5m

I wonder how different the people behind the scenes are compared to the studio (Dynamo Pictures) that was acquired and named Nintendo Pictures.

Did Nintendo bring in a bunch of new people? Or is it largely the same crew under new leadership? Or was it mostly a name change?

Wario64 @wario64.bsky.social · 1h

"These are the first short films created by Nintendo Pictures Co., Ltd. Nintendo Pictures will continue to explore new creative possibilities through video content."

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 9m

I wonder if the kind of roll-out was the test, more so than testing the studio's ability.

"What happens if we just drop a vid on our socials? What if we have this two-tiered release that plays with expectations and ties into a character's lore?"

People are likely thinking too deeply abt this lol

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 9m

Of course tech will keep advancing & games will look/perform better.... but I personally can't conceive of how sheer grunt & oomph is going to result in some new yet-discovered kind of experience.

Honestly asking people who know better: What's the next leap forward that devs are excited about?

Stealth40k @stealth40k.bsky.social · 25m

In a new conversation with AMD SVP Jack Huynh, Mark Cerney teased the PS6.

"Its still very early days for these technologies, they only exist in simulation now. The results are quite promising. I'm excited about bringing them to a future console in a few years time."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LCM...

Reposted by Jon Irwin

Sam Barlow 🔥 @mrsambarlow.bsky.social · 1d

One Battle After Another

2 7 52

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 1d

Attn: @robotube.bsky.social

Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 2d

Let’s talk about ‘whoa.’

First of all, ‘woah’ is not yet considered an established spelling variant of ‘whoa.’

While ‘woah’ has grown in prevalence since the late 20th century, ‘whoa’ is still about 5 times as common as ‘woah.’

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 1d

Walk casually to the calendar hanging on your wall.
Circle October 28.
Circle it again.

Simogo @simogo.com · 1d

SIMOGO 15TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
October 28, 2025
Please join us for a celebration full of news and surprises. See you!

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 1d

Go Tigers

Jeff Grubb @grubb.wtf · 4d

Mariners don't deserve good things since they stopped letting you order a hot dog with a 3DS.

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 1d

I love inscrutable Nintendo

Wario64 @wario64.bsky.social · 2d

Close to You – Nintendo www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsuf...

Nintendo drops animated video

explains nothing

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 5d

Contractually obligated to share any 🧵 that I get to the bottom of. Worthwhile questions here.

Mike Futter @futterish.fsquared.biz · 5d

One of the things that has me curious given the rush to cancel Game Pass is about how significant the attrition rate was expected internally at MS.

Any time you change a service offering or increase pricing, there is an expectation you'll price out some of your customers.

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 5d

Sound of Metal needs more love. Beautiful film.

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 5d

I'm on board with this.

Maybe the Galaxy games.... aren't *meant* to be played at 4K?

The more of these up-rezzed ports we get, the more I appreciate playing the original games in their original resolution, etc.

The fact I have a Wii hooked up on a CRT TV ready to go helps.

1 3

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 6d

So glad you enjoyed it. Have started hearing some weird anti-OBAA opinions along the lines of "maybe his worst yet" and I'm like, did we watch the same thing?

Might have to double-dip and see it properly in the intended dimensions...

1 1

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 6d

I have not yet succumbed to Adult Lego.
This one might make me take the plunge.

John Walker - Industry Analcyst @botherer.bsky.social · 6d

Hey, you, I reviewed the Lego Game Boy. It's an actual masterpiece.

kotaku.com/lego-game-bo...

The Lego Game Boy Is A Masterpiece

This is the most enjoyable Lego build I've ever done

kotaku.com

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 6d

Jonny Greenwood

Amber Sparks @ambersparks.bsky.social · 6d

Ok one more: why do PTA’s movies always sound so good? Like why can’t other directors do that, damn

Reposted by Jon Irwin

Matt Bell @mdbell79.bsky.social · 6d

There's writing for yourself, there's writing for the market, and then there's writing for the supermarket.

Emily C. Hughes @emilyhughes.bsky.social · 6d

no no the publishing industry is doing fine, why do you ask

A screenshot from Publisher's Lunch:
Jennifer L. Armentrout and Hellmann's
In a promotion designed for BookTok enjoyment, Jennifer L. Armentrout’s just-published THE PRIMAL OF BLOOD AND BONE is available in a special, limited-edition "garlic-scented copy, infused with Hellmann’s Garlic Aioli to create a one-of-a-kind, Craven-proof book." They explain: "This exclusive edition is printed with garlic-infused ink, designed to ward off Armentrout’s bloodthirsty monsters, the Craven. While humans may dread garlic breath, Hellmann’s has cleverly transformed this social faux pas into an unexpected – and delicious – form of supernatural protection."

3 2 31

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 6d

Obviously too simple of a comparison, but perhaps it’s representative of the firms’ approaches.

Will be interesting to see over time which approach, each of which is more expensive than the previous generation, works better.

My guess? Regardless of perception, each will do numbers + make $$$

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 6d

A glance at my inbox shows how two platform holders are framing their lineups: Microsoft is selling a service & access to a bounty of games; Nintendo sells one game at a time (or in the case of Galaxy 1+2, two games).

One focuses on Quantity, the other on Quality.

Reposted by Jon Irwin

Frank Cifaldi @frankcifaldi.bsky.social · 7d

I used to work for a company called GameTap, we were probably the first "Netflix for games," started around 2006. It didn't go well. I used to think the idea was ahead of its time, and maybe it was, but I also think times have changed and this no longer makes sense. 🧵

19 120 480

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 7d

A reminder that if someone says something on here (or anywhere), that doesn’t make it true

Hey, nobody *made* them vote for the host of Wrestlemania 4 @legalminimum.bsky.social · 7d

I've seen it (wrongly) said that Shibata is Devon's boss. That's not accurate. In Japanese companies, the title that signifies "shot-caller" is President. CEO is an honorific. This basically means there is someone in the room to report back to the mothership in Japanese on things.

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 7d

What do you mean, Nintendo is releasing a two-pack of games just 5 years after releasing a port of the first game, but not the second!? Madness I say! My how they've changed! Their greed knows no bounds!

(Donkey Kong - 1983 / Donkey Kong Classics - 1988)

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 8d

Is the $50/year Expansion Pack for Switch still too expensive?
Or have people come out of their communal lunacy?

Shinobi602 @shinobi602.bsky.social · 8d

Microsoft is increasing the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate by 50% to $30 a month ($360 annually)

➡️ news.xbox.com/en-us/2025/1...

New updates and changes to tiers, Essential, Premium, and Ultimate, Cloud streaming quality, etc

#Xbox #XboxGamePass

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 8d

The fact this can emulate the dual-screen of the original G&Ws is very compelling. The lack of modern versions—as in the other retail G&W collections—is too bad though. But as a neat little member perk, it’s very cool. I miss those little exclusive games like Doc Louis’s Punch-Out

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 8d

Me but with the Tigers

Mat Piscatella @matpiscatella.bsky.social · 8d

When you're thinking about both the Padres in the playoffs and the future of the games industry.

Jon Irwin @winwinirwin.bsky.social · 8d

Someone buy the Club Nintendo exclusive GAME & WATCH COLLECTION for DS from this fine gent before I allow myself to

japanretrodirect.ocnk.com/product/3900

1 1