John Walker - Industry Analcyst
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botherer.bsky.social
John Walker - Industry Analcyst
@botherer.bsky.social
3.6K followers 410 following 1.6K posts
Co-creator of Rock Paper Shotgun, currently helping out at Kotaku, and still looking for a new long-term gig.

I write www.buried-treasure.org, unearthing excellent unknown indies. Please consider supporting!
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/buriedtreasure
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by John Walker - Industry Analcyst
midipotion.com
What a lovely surprise! Nova Forever is among a beautiful collection of games to keep an eye on over at Kotaku! Many thanks for the shout out @botherer.bsky.social and happy Thanksgaming!🤩
botherer.bsky.social John Walker - Industry Analcyst @botherer.bsky.social · 1d
And finished! Another 20 fantastic-looking unknown indie games to play right now or wishlist!

kotaku.com/indie-games-...

Thanks so much to everyone who submitted, and sorry to the hundreds I couldn't include! Very pleased to have managed to get to 40 though!

Please repost far and wide!
20 Extraordinary Indie Games To Wishlist This Black Friday
Another incredible selection of unknown games, both out now and coming soon
kotaku.com
November 28, 2025 at 10:42 PM
botherer.bsky.social
All the previous Kotaku indie lists I've done:

2021 Indie-Penance

kotaku.com/happy-indie-...

kotaku.com/indie-penanc...

kotaku.com/indie-penanc...

kotaku.com/indie-penanc...

2021 Labor Day

kotaku.com/28-indie-gam...

2021 Thanksgaming:

kotaku.com/14-fascinati...

kotaku.com/25-exciting-...
Happy Indie-Penance Day! - Kotaku
Ten indie games you might very well want to be wishlisting
kotaku.com
November 28, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Reposted by John Walker - Industry Analcyst
sourencho.com
Mimic Meadows was featured in this Kotaku article!|

I've been working on the full version of Mimic in #godot for a year now and I've discovered cool new mechanics like eating and mating~

Wishlist to get pinged when the demo comes out: store.steampowered.com/app/4136640/Mimic_Meadows/

#indiedev
November 28, 2025 at 5:22 PM
botherer.bsky.social
This is the saddest comment of all time.
"Not a single game on this list looks even remotely interesting. Though honestly thats a good thing as I've over spent on games recently. I need get control of my spending. I don't do Thanksgiving Always felt it was a really lame holiday and is only about stuffing yourself with food that's terrible for you. Thankfully (hahal) my family doesn't bother me about it anymore, so I'm not pressured to travel to see them. For me it's just another day, only with the annoyance that things are closed."
November 28, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Reposted by John Walker - Industry Analcyst
botherer.bsky.social
And finished! Another 20 fantastic-looking unknown indie games to play right now or wishlist!

kotaku.com/indie-games-...

Thanks so much to everyone who submitted, and sorry to the hundreds I couldn't include! Very pleased to have managed to get to 40 though!

Please repost far and wide!
20 Extraordinary Indie Games To Wishlist This Black Friday
Another incredible selection of unknown games, both out now and coming soon
kotaku.com
November 28, 2025 at 3:15 PM
botherer.bsky.social
And finished! Another 20 fantastic-looking unknown indie games to play right now or wishlist!

kotaku.com/indie-games-...

Thanks so much to everyone who submitted, and sorry to the hundreds I couldn't include! Very pleased to have managed to get to 40 though!

Please repost far and wide!
20 Extraordinary Indie Games To Wishlist This Black Friday
Another incredible selection of unknown games, both out now and coming soon
kotaku.com
November 28, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Reposted by John Walker - Industry Analcyst
computerjames.itch.io
Kotaku! I was wondering why a heap of people played stealth crossword this morning
Kotaku page: 'STEALTH CROSSWORD, As a massive fan of crosswords, both cryptic and New York Timesy, I’m always hopeful for innovative approaches to the genre in games, and generally disappointed. But oh my goodness, I am so very here for Stealth Crossword. ' 'Oh I’m in love. The whole thing is only 10 minutes long (but make sure to play again and get caught), incredibly silly, and brilliantly smart. And it’s free! And it’s out now! This deserves to be developed into a full-length game.'
November 28, 2025 at 10:27 AM
botherer.bsky.social
Let it be known that this guy shot me in the back as I clung to the console to lower me back into the bunker, having crawled past the drones, with the doors closing the lift descending, and he is now my sworn nemesis for all of eternity.
OscarH's Steam profile.
November 27, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Reposted by John Walker - Industry Analcyst
aonorte.com
So... Die or Die miraculously hit the front page of Kotaku?!?!

Let's not move much and act like we deserve it, ok? 😶‍🌫️😶‍🌫️😶‍🌫️
botherer.bsky.social John Walker - Industry Analcyst @botherer.bsky.social · 2d
Hooray! The first of the Thanksgaming 2025 posts is up on Kotaku, with an epic TWENTY unknown indies to check out!

I'm going to put up another 20 tomorrow.

Spread it far and wide!

kotaku.com/indie-games-...
20 Incredible Innovative Indie Games To Wishlist This Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgaming 2025 everybody! Celebrate with a huge pile of unknown indies to put on your radar
kotaku.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Reposted by John Walker - Industry Analcyst
botherer.bsky.social
Hooray! The first of the Thanksgaming 2025 posts is up on Kotaku, with an epic TWENTY unknown indies to check out!

I'm going to put up another 20 tomorrow.

Spread it far and wide!

kotaku.com/indie-games-...
20 Incredible Innovative Indie Games To Wishlist This Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgaming 2025 everybody! Celebrate with a huge pile of unknown indies to put on your radar
kotaku.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:52 PM
botherer.bsky.social
Hooray! The first of the Thanksgaming 2025 posts is up on Kotaku, with an epic TWENTY unknown indies to check out!

I'm going to put up another 20 tomorrow.

Spread it far and wide!

kotaku.com/indie-games-...
20 Incredible Innovative Indie Games To Wishlist This Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgaming 2025 everybody! Celebrate with a huge pile of unknown indies to put on your radar
kotaku.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:52 PM
botherer.bsky.social
A frighteningly long time ago, I used to draw a little web cartoon that almost no one ever looked at. I found my archive of the ones I hated the least last night.

Here, you may look at a few of them.
Brian's Guide to Killing Dragons Brian's Guide to Invading A Castle Brian's Guide to Looking Awesome. Brian's Guide to Snakes.
November 26, 2025 at 3:13 PM
botherer.bsky.social
Santa Ragione, after failing to get a response from Valve over its refusal to release their next game Horses, have pulled off something rather impressive. They've managed to manipulate the gaming press into a timed onslaught of coverage of the situation, clearly designed to force Valve's attention.
Many stories about the game Horses.
November 25, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Reposted by John Walker - Industry Analcyst
richtaur.bsky.social
If you're working on a cool obscure indie game it's time to email John:
botherer.bsky.social John Walker - Industry Analcyst @botherer.bsky.social · 5d
Hello indies! It's almost Thanksgaming 2025!

If you have an unknown indie project in dev or just released, please could you email me at [email protected] with the subject "THANKSGAMING 2025", and a store page and YouTube link? I'll put as many as I can on Kotaku.

Rules next. Reposts appreciated!
November 25, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Reposted by John Walker - Industry Analcyst
botherer.bsky.social
Heads up - usually after I put out this call I've had 200 emails already. This time, so far, it's just a handful!

While the grown ups at Kotaku are all off distracted thanking turkeys or whatever it is they do, I wanna promote as many unknown indies as I can!
botherer.bsky.social John Walker - Industry Analcyst @botherer.bsky.social · 5d
Hello indies! It's almost Thanksgaming 2025!

If you have an unknown indie project in dev or just released, please could you email me at [email protected] with the subject "THANKSGAMING 2025", and a store page and YouTube link? I'll put as many as I can on Kotaku.

Rules next. Reposts appreciated!
November 25, 2025 at 11:35 AM
botherer.bsky.social
I'm so proud of, and in awe of, @caraellison.bsky.social. Congratulations!

www.gamesindustry.biz/bafta-breakt...
BAFTA Breakthrough profile: Cara Ellison
"Your game's story or narrative, even if it's not a traditional narrative, is the thing that actually keeps people picking the controller back up"
www.gamesindustry.biz
November 25, 2025 at 1:38 PM
botherer.bsky.social
Heads up - usually after I put out this call I've had 200 emails already. This time, so far, it's just a handful!

While the grown ups at Kotaku are all off distracted thanking turkeys or whatever it is they do, I wanna promote as many unknown indies as I can!
botherer.bsky.social John Walker - Industry Analcyst @botherer.bsky.social · 5d
Hello indies! It's almost Thanksgaming 2025!

If you have an unknown indie project in dev or just released, please could you email me at [email protected] with the subject "THANKSGAMING 2025", and a store page and YouTube link? I'll put as many as I can on Kotaku.

Rules next. Reposts appreciated!
November 25, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Reposted by John Walker - Industry Analcyst
botherer.bsky.social
Hello indies! It's almost Thanksgaming 2025!

If you have an unknown indie project in dev or just released, please could you email me at [email protected] with the subject "THANKSGAMING 2025", and a store page and YouTube link? I'll put as many as I can on Kotaku.

Rules next. Reposts appreciated!
November 24, 2025 at 5:59 PM
botherer.bsky.social
Hello indies! It's almost Thanksgaming 2025!

If you have an unknown indie project in dev or just released, please could you email me at [email protected] with the subject "THANKSGAMING 2025", and a store page and YouTube link? I'll put as many as I can on Kotaku.

Rules next. Reposts appreciated!
November 24, 2025 at 5:59 PM
botherer.bsky.social
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Tomb Raider: Chronicles, I've had a nice little rant about "critic fatigue", where game series are unfairly maligned for being good for too long.

kotaku.com/the-most-und...
The Most Underrated Tomb Raider Game Came Out 25 Years Ago
Tomb Raider: Chronicles was the unfair recipient of a unwarranted backlash
kotaku.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Reposted by John Walker - Industry Analcyst
botherer.bsky.social
The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles by @iltimido.bsky.social is a bonkers dungeon-exploring puzzle RPG, with... golf-game combat? It's an awful lot of fun.

buried-treasure.org/2025/11/the-...

Please support Buried Treasure. It's very cheap to do. www.patreon.com/c/buriedtrea...
The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles
November 21, 2025 at 4:16 PM
botherer.bsky.social
I forgot to say, earlier today I wrote about the catastrophically disastrous interview the Roblox CEO gave to the NYT about protecting children from predators. It's hard to overstate how badly it went.

kotaku.com/roblox-new-y...
"It doesn't begin well. When asked about the "scope of the problem" of predators in the application, Baszucki came in shoulders first saying, "We think of it not necessarily just as a problem, but an opportunity as well." Ah, the good ol' opportunities available when your company's product is rife with pedophilia. He continued, outlining how wonderful it is that young people can build and communicate together, how they have "150 million daily actives, 11 billion hours a month, like what is the best way to keep pushing this forward." It is the most astonishingly tone-deaf response." “I would actually say that is a very simple red flag. Like, that sounds like text filter many prior generations. So I would say the techniques are much more sophisticated than that. We're constantly getting better than that and sometimes it's adversarial. Like, we're getting into, you know, if we cryptographically were going to try to have an exchange of how to share your Snap handle or whatever handle. We see some of that starting, like things we'll have to essentially prevent in the future." “Fun,” says Baszucki, a man who appears pathologically incapable of reading the room. "Let's keep going down this. And so, first off, Hindenburg is not longer in existence, correct? So, you should report on that. They went out of business for some reason..." He then demanded to know if Newton had researched the answer for himself, before saying that it's because they've moved so much of the safety regulation onto AI, all while sounding absolutely furious that he was being asked. He then demands that Newton agree that if AI is more effective, it's better to use it, and when Newton does, Baszucki starts to behave incredibly immaturely. "Good, so you're aligning with what we did. High-five." Then when Newton tries to ask a question, he interrupts to say, "Thank you for supporting our Roblox decision matrix." Then interrupts yet again to say, "I'm so glad you guys are aligned with the way we run Roblox. High-five." Think he's done? Nope. Yet again he interrupts the question with, "Is this a stealth interview where actually you love everything we're doing and you're here to stealthily support it?"
November 21, 2025 at 10:52 PM
botherer.bsky.social
My son demanded a snack, but refused to say what he wanted, so this is what he got.
A battery, rubber band and USB cable sandwich.
November 21, 2025 at 8:42 PM
botherer.bsky.social
The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles by @iltimido.bsky.social is a bonkers dungeon-exploring puzzle RPG, with... golf-game combat? It's an awful lot of fun.

buried-treasure.org/2025/11/the-...

Please support Buried Treasure. It's very cheap to do. www.patreon.com/c/buriedtrea...
The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles The Crazy Hyper-Dungeon Chronicles
November 21, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Reposted by John Walker - Industry Analcyst
ethangach.bsky.social
Who do I know who played a ton of Oblivion Remastered or Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 this year?
November 20, 2025 at 5:03 PM