Derek
@astralcitymini.com
Senior Editor at MARVELOUS/XSEED. Chicagoan.
Digital explorer. 🗺️ Café connoisseur. ☕️ Audiophile. 🎧
I care deeply about words and the stories they tell.
🏳️🌈 he/him
astralcitymini.com
Digital explorer. 🗺️ Café connoisseur. ☕️ Audiophile. 🎧
I care deeply about words and the stories they tell.
🏳️🌈 he/him
astralcitymini.com
Reposted by Derek
"We all need to treat this industry as seriously as it deserves to be treated, and performance is no less important. ... As makers of games, but also as fans of games, [what] we need to do is just encourage ourselves to all take it that much more seriously because it is. It's that good! We should!"
January 2, 2026 at 4:33 PM
"We all need to treat this industry as seriously as it deserves to be treated, and performance is no less important. ... As makers of games, but also as fans of games, [what] we need to do is just encourage ourselves to all take it that much more seriously because it is. It's that good! We should!"
Reposted by Derek
Also, just gonna plug this podcast again, which has bangers like: "The one thing we've spent all of these years trying to work towards is going, 'No, as a fan, expect more. Expect better writing. Expect better performances. If it's localized, it doesn't matter, it should still be written.'"
The Challenges of Game Localization, Writing and Recording | Game Maker's Notebook Podcast
YouTube video by Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
www.youtube.com
January 2, 2026 at 4:33 PM
Also, just gonna plug this podcast again, which has bangers like: "The one thing we've spent all of these years trying to work towards is going, 'No, as a fan, expect more. Expect better writing. Expect better performances. If it's localized, it doesn't matter, it should still be written.'"
Reposted by Derek
Fun Fact: One of the reasons Square was pushed to improve its localization practices in the 2000s is because Alexander O. Smith showed them reviews proving that people *cared* about translation quality. (Link to the full interview: web.archive.org/web/20091113...)
January 2, 2026 at 4:33 PM
Fun Fact: One of the reasons Square was pushed to improve its localization practices in the 2000s is because Alexander O. Smith showed them reviews proving that people *cared* about translation quality. (Link to the full interview: web.archive.org/web/20091113...)
Reposted by Derek
This is why I’m open about the fact that I’ve cancelled my CrunchyRoll subscription. If they’re not putting that money towards their talent or improving the quality of their service, then ethically I cannot see the purpose in continuing to give them money
actual quote from a language company executive: “Why should we pay for higher quality translations when people will happily pay us for poorer quality translations?”
"ai is going to take your job" was just the capitalists admitting they can give us trash and we have to take it
January 2, 2026 at 3:47 AM
This is why I’m open about the fact that I’ve cancelled my CrunchyRoll subscription. If they’re not putting that money towards their talent or improving the quality of their service, then ethically I cannot see the purpose in continuing to give them money
Me and my boys wish you a happy new year!
January 1, 2026 at 6:03 AM
Me and my boys wish you a happy new year!
Reposted by Derek
Sneaking in one final freelance piece before 2025 comes to an end. For @avclub.com: It took multiple consoles and a lot of experimenting, but Sega finally figured out how to make the internet work for them 25 years ago with Phantasy Star Online
25 years ago Sega finally figured out the internet with Phantasy Star Online
Phantasy Star Online's December 2000 release capped a decade of Sega experimenting with online gaming on consoles.
www.avclub.com
December 31, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Sneaking in one final freelance piece before 2025 comes to an end. For @avclub.com: It took multiple consoles and a lot of experimenting, but Sega finally figured out how to make the internet work for them 25 years ago with Phantasy Star Online
My last book of 2025, A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon, thoroughly disappointed.
👎🏻 Puerile writing. Poor momentum. One-dimensional characters & themes. The dullest magical girls ever. A climax so abrupt I had to re-read it.
👍🏻 The cover's beautiful.
👎🏻 Puerile writing. Poor momentum. One-dimensional characters & themes. The dullest magical girls ever. A climax so abrupt I had to re-read it.
👍🏻 The cover's beautiful.
December 30, 2025 at 5:02 PM
My last book of 2025, A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon, thoroughly disappointed.
👎🏻 Puerile writing. Poor momentum. One-dimensional characters & themes. The dullest magical girls ever. A climax so abrupt I had to re-read it.
👍🏻 The cover's beautiful.
👎🏻 Puerile writing. Poor momentum. One-dimensional characters & themes. The dullest magical girls ever. A climax so abrupt I had to re-read it.
👍🏻 The cover's beautiful.
Reposted by Derek
I've waited 3 years to make this post
December 30, 2025 at 3:14 PM
I've waited 3 years to make this post
That's FFT: The Ivalice Chronicles done and dusted. Every word a gift. The world and I hunger for a new Matsuno story.
December 30, 2025 at 8:10 AM
That's FFT: The Ivalice Chronicles done and dusted. Every word a gift. The world and I hunger for a new Matsuno story.
Reposted by Derek
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is 50% off during the Marvelous Winter Sale!
Slay the demons plaguing the lands of Yamato and reap a bountiful harvest!
https://bit.ly/4qfzceD
Slay the demons plaguing the lands of Yamato and reap a bountiful harvest!
https://bit.ly/4qfzceD
December 29, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is 50% off during the Marvelous Winter Sale!
Slay the demons plaguing the lands of Yamato and reap a bountiful harvest!
https://bit.ly/4qfzceD
Slay the demons plaguing the lands of Yamato and reap a bountiful harvest!
https://bit.ly/4qfzceD
Reposted by Derek
Starlit Reverie, our Klonoa 風のクロノア Series tribute album is out NOW!!! Thank you to everyone who attended the premiere!
You can listen to the album on YouTube, or download it on Google Drive or MEGA for FREE!!!!
Links below⤵️⤵️
You can listen to the album on YouTube, or download it on Google Drive or MEGA for FREE!!!!
Links below⤵️⤵️
December 29, 2025 at 2:11 AM
Starlit Reverie, our Klonoa 風のクロノア Series tribute album is out NOW!!! Thank you to everyone who attended the premiere!
You can listen to the album on YouTube, or download it on Google Drive or MEGA for FREE!!!!
Links below⤵️⤵️
You can listen to the album on YouTube, or download it on Google Drive or MEGA for FREE!!!!
Links below⤵️⤵️
This is huge news. It's a bummer that we can't carry over existing accounts, but this could make waves if it gets more people in the West playing Granblue. After Uma Musume's breakout success, anything could happen.
Cygames will launch a new global version of the original Granblue Fantasy—separated from the Japanese release—for PC via Steam on March 10:
https://www.rpgsite.net/news/19276-granblue-fantasy-will-be-formally-available-worldwide-on-pc-via-steam-on-march-10
https://www.rpgsite.net/news/19276-granblue-fantasy-will-be-formally-available-worldwide-on-pc-via-steam-on-march-10
December 28, 2025 at 5:03 PM
This is huge news. It's a bummer that we can't carry over existing accounts, but this could make waves if it gets more people in the West playing Granblue. After Uma Musume's breakout success, anything could happen.
Surugaya is holding a bulk purchase sale PLUS a free shipping campaign until 1/1. I grabbed Bump of Chicken's entire discography for under $60 including a modest commission fee. Hell of a deal. Now's a great time to shop if you're looking to buy used Japanese CDs. www.suruga-ya.com/en
Game・Used book・DVD・CD・Trading card・Figure Mail order shop SURUGAYA
Suruga shop of games · used book · dvd · cd · traca · figure figures mail order shop, rich product line! Everything from the latest to old-fashioned retro games! Please use all means! ! Game · Secondh...
www.suruga-ya.com
December 28, 2025 at 5:13 AM
Surugaya is holding a bulk purchase sale PLUS a free shipping campaign until 1/1. I grabbed Bump of Chicken's entire discography for under $60 including a modest commission fee. Hell of a deal. Now's a great time to shop if you're looking to buy used Japanese CDs. www.suruga-ya.com/en
Happy Granblue Fes 2025! I am a man in his late thirties spending Friday night watching an anime lady perform for a live audience.
December 27, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Happy Granblue Fes 2025! I am a man in his late thirties spending Friday night watching an anime lady perform for a live audience.
Alisaie is mesmerized by Cast & Chill.
December 25, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Alisaie is mesmerized by Cast & Chill.
Reposted by Derek
Here are all the books I read (or remember reading) in 2025. I moved a bit slowly this year. I’m on track to finish another two or three before 2026, but I’m pretty confident none will top Boys, Beasts & Men by Sam J. Miller.
December 24, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Here are all the books I read (or remember reading) in 2025. I moved a bit slowly this year. I’m on track to finish another two or three before 2026, but I’m pretty confident none will top Boys, Beasts & Men by Sam J. Miller.
Reposted by Derek
Merry Chrysler!
a woman with blonde hair is standing in front of a building and looking at the camera
ALT: a woman with blonde hair is standing in front of a building and looking at the camera
media.tenor.com
December 24, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Merry Chrysler!
Reposted by Derek
Remember, kids: ESP Ra.De. is a Christmas game!
December 25, 2024 at 7:48 AM
Remember, kids: ESP Ra.De. is a Christmas game!
Reposted by Derek
Don’t fuck with me, fella. See this face? This is the face of a man intently listening to “OVER THE SKY” from Granblue Fantasy Character Songs Best Album Vol. 1.
Yeah. That’s what I thought. Keep walking.
Yeah. That’s what I thought. Keep walking.
December 23, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Don’t fuck with me, fella. See this face? This is the face of a man intently listening to “OVER THE SKY” from Granblue Fantasy Character Songs Best Album Vol. 1.
Yeah. That’s what I thought. Keep walking.
Yeah. That’s what I thought. Keep walking.