Giada Zavarise
@cheerfulgoth.bsky.social
Gamedev, cat lover, shitposter, content designer @ Paradox (Stellaris, Cool Unannounced Game) |
http://giadazavarise.com/ | https://bricabrac.itch.io/
http://giadazavarise.com/ | https://bricabrac.itch.io/
Pinned
Giada Zavarise
@cheerfulgoth.bsky.social
· Oct 19
PINNED POST
Hello, I'm Giada!
🗞️ Former games journalist (RPS, Eurogamer, PC Gamer)
📚 Narrative Designer (Monster Loves You Too!)
🖥️ Now Content Designer at Paradox
☀️ Still trying to finish Selling Sunlight in my free time I swear
Portfolio: giadazavarise.com
More small games: bricabrac.itch.io
Hello, I'm Giada!
🗞️ Former games journalist (RPS, Eurogamer, PC Gamer)
📚 Narrative Designer (Monster Loves You Too!)
🖥️ Now Content Designer at Paradox
☀️ Still trying to finish Selling Sunlight in my free time I swear
Portfolio: giadazavarise.com
More small games: bricabrac.itch.io
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
Find love in the darkest night in romantic horror narrative game Drăculești 🦇
Coming to Early Access (PC/Mac) on 2nd March 2026
Wishlist on Steam 🖤
store.steampowered.com/app/2537980/Draculesti/
Coming to Early Access (PC/Mac) on 2nd March 2026
Wishlist on Steam 🖤
store.steampowered.com/app/2537980/Draculesti/
December 9, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Find love in the darkest night in romantic horror narrative game Drăculești 🦇
Coming to Early Access (PC/Mac) on 2nd March 2026
Wishlist on Steam 🖤
store.steampowered.com/app/2537980/Draculesti/
Coming to Early Access (PC/Mac) on 2nd March 2026
Wishlist on Steam 🖤
store.steampowered.com/app/2537980/Draculesti/
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
FIRST LOOK: Tend your gardens and make a life for yourself in Mandrake. Uncover the mysteries of your family legacy, and try to stay on the good side of neighbors like the Yolf, introduced in this #WholesomeSnack2025 exclusive clip! mandrakegame.com
December 9, 2025 at 8:46 PM
FIRST LOOK: Tend your gardens and make a life for yourself in Mandrake. Uncover the mysteries of your family legacy, and try to stay on the good side of neighbors like the Yolf, introduced in this #WholesomeSnack2025 exclusive clip! mandrakegame.com
This will either heal my headache or obliterate me
December 8, 2025 at 6:02 PM
This will either heal my headache or obliterate me
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
SKATE STORY IS OUT NOW LETS FUCKING GOOOO
SKATE STORY is NOW AVAILABLE on PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch!
Go forth. Devour the Moon.
Go forth. Devour the Moon.
Skate Story - Official Launch Trailer | Out NOW
YouTube video by DevolverDigital
youtu.be
December 8, 2025 at 5:43 PM
SKATE STORY IS OUT NOW LETS FUCKING GOOOO
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
Closing in on 25% of my goal - thank you so much to everyone who has donated and shared so far ❤️ If I can get to £2,000 by the 15th it would be a massive help with December's bills and the big one-off yearly renewal costs that come up this time of year (none of them recreational, I hasten to add)
Having a lot of uncomfortable feelings about being in this position, but I made this after encouragement from friends and would really appreciate it if you could give it a look/share ❤️
(TL;DR I've been struggling for a while and am trying to make it through the next few months)
gofund.me/b535d80ca
(TL;DR I've been struggling for a while and am trying to make it through the next few months)
gofund.me/b535d80ca
Donate to Help me keep my head above water during my ongoing job hunt, organized by Ella McConnell
Hello, folks.
My story is far, far from unique, but after… Ella McConnell needs your support for Help me keep my head above water during my ongoing job hunt
gofund.me
December 8, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Closing in on 25% of my goal - thank you so much to everyone who has donated and shared so far ❤️ If I can get to £2,000 by the 15th it would be a massive help with December's bills and the big one-off yearly renewal costs that come up this time of year (none of them recreational, I hasten to add)
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
One of my neighbors has been putting up these fish facts posters. All kinds of different fish, marine, freshwater, deep, shallow, all kinds. This is a good one. “Stg this real fish” took me out. Good work, neighbor.
December 7, 2025 at 3:39 PM
One of my neighbors has been putting up these fish facts posters. All kinds of different fish, marine, freshwater, deep, shallow, all kinds. This is a good one. “Stg this real fish” took me out. Good work, neighbor.
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
People are always surprised to learn how little creators actually own in comics, games, etc. Big corporate brands are usually built on a work-for-hire model, meaning creators get paid once and then the *company* owns their ideas forever. This is why independent/creator-owned work is so important.
Miles Morales co-creator Sara Pichelli says she does not get any royalties from the ‘Spider-Verse’ films, Insomniac games, or merch
"I don’t get anything … that's the saddest part of my life"
(via SiteJamesons | TW)
"I don’t get anything … that's the saddest part of my life"
(via SiteJamesons | TW)
December 7, 2025 at 3:31 PM
People are always surprised to learn how little creators actually own in comics, games, etc. Big corporate brands are usually built on a work-for-hire model, meaning creators get paid once and then the *company* owns their ideas forever. This is why independent/creator-owned work is so important.
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
December 4, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
My first bluesky post saved for this!
Flotsam is finally out after years and years and years...
No more questions about if it's done yet needed! 😘
Thanks everyone who helped!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1As...
Flotsam is finally out after years and years and years...
No more questions about if it's done yet needed! 😘
Thanks everyone who helped!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1As...
Flotsam 1.0 Launch Trailer
YouTube video by Pajama Llama Games
www.youtube.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:38 PM
My first bluesky post saved for this!
Flotsam is finally out after years and years and years...
No more questions about if it's done yet needed! 😘
Thanks everyone who helped!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1As...
Flotsam is finally out after years and years and years...
No more questions about if it's done yet needed! 😘
Thanks everyone who helped!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1As...
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
🔔Big announcement time🔔
After almost two years of saying I was a Project Manager at @thinkygames.com, I can finally talk about what we were doing.
It's a daily web game, but every day there are new rules, plus there's a story (and some lovely art) that progresses with each day.
After almost two years of saying I was a Project Manager at @thinkygames.com, I can finally talk about what we were doing.
It's a daily web game, but every day there are new rules, plus there's a story (and some lovely art) that progresses with each day.
We’re very excited to announce Thinky Dailies! 🎉 Follow our thinky friend on an adventure through handcrafted daily puzzles!
thinkygames.com/dail...
thinkygames.com/dail...
December 4, 2025 at 4:55 PM
🔔Big announcement time🔔
After almost two years of saying I was a Project Manager at @thinkygames.com, I can finally talk about what we were doing.
It's a daily web game, but every day there are new rules, plus there's a story (and some lovely art) that progresses with each day.
After almost two years of saying I was a Project Manager at @thinkygames.com, I can finally talk about what we were doing.
It's a daily web game, but every day there are new rules, plus there's a story (and some lovely art) that progresses with each day.
Know I always watch those "here is PROOF the next Paradox Game is gonna be about X!" videos and I am enjoying your conspiracies a lot
December 4, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Know I always watch those "here is PROOF the next Paradox Game is gonna be about X!" videos and I am enjoying your conspiracies a lot
Decentralize Steam. Mastodontize it. Turn it into an open infrastructure everyone can use to open their own store, curating their catalogue and audience, while allowing customers to keep all their purchases in a single library. That will fix everything
December 4, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Decentralize Steam. Mastodontize it. Turn it into an open infrastructure everyone can use to open their own store, curating their catalogue and audience, while allowing customers to keep all their purchases in a single library. That will fix everything
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
Queers cheering for the deplatforming of Horses because it's "a gross game": you're giving me strong "I never thought leopards would eat MY face!" vibes
December 4, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Queers cheering for the deplatforming of Horses because it's "a gross game": you're giving me strong "I never thought leopards would eat MY face!" vibes
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
I don't know how to explain it but the anime adaptation of The Summer Hikaru Died has this weird pacing issue where they faithfully adapted every scene almost panel by panel, but utterly failed to capture the space * between * the panels
December 2, 2025 at 9:51 PM
I don't know how to explain it but the anime adaptation of The Summer Hikaru Died has this weird pacing issue where they faithfully adapted every scene almost panel by panel, but utterly failed to capture the space * between * the panels
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
Within an hour of arriving in Munich I stumbled upon the bejewelled skeleton of Saint Munditia clutching a goblet filled with dried blood, martyred in 310 AD, beheaded with a hatchet. Standard...
December 2, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Within an hour of arriving in Munich I stumbled upon the bejewelled skeleton of Saint Munditia clutching a goblet filled with dried blood, martyred in 310 AD, beheaded with a hatchet. Standard...
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
On Itch at least, dunno about GOG or Humble, you have the option to pay an extra amount on top of the purchase price. Just putting that out there, no reason in particular 😌
Yesterday, the Epic Games Store decided at the last minute not to distribute the game, after having previously approved a release build. HORSES is otherwise now available on GOG, Itch, and Humble for $4.99. www.horses.wtf
December 2, 2025 at 7:13 PM
On Itch at least, dunno about GOG or Humble, you have the option to pay an extra amount on top of the purchase price. Just putting that out there, no reason in particular 😌
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
interviewer: where do you see yourself in 5 years?
me: [picturing a bleak post-apocalyptic landscape in which i compete with my neighbors for scraps of food] management
me: [picturing a bleak post-apocalyptic landscape in which i compete with my neighbors for scraps of food] management
December 2, 2025 at 5:43 PM
interviewer: where do you see yourself in 5 years?
me: [picturing a bleak post-apocalyptic landscape in which i compete with my neighbors for scraps of food] management
me: [picturing a bleak post-apocalyptic landscape in which i compete with my neighbors for scraps of food] management
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
ditching adobe is really hard when every alternative is either Flunkly™️ which is *almost* feature complete except for that one thing you do in Photoshop every single day or G.R.O.N.K., a FOSS app with the worst fucking UX you have ever seen in your life and no support for JPEGs for ethical reasons
December 2, 2025 at 5:26 AM
ditching adobe is really hard when every alternative is either Flunkly™️ which is *almost* feature complete except for that one thing you do in Photoshop every single day or G.R.O.N.K., a FOSS app with the worst fucking UX you have ever seen in your life and no support for JPEGs for ethical reasons
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
firefox AI and slop disablers from tumblr for the people from local hero mckitterick. Tried it on my end and the browser is significantly faster now
(copy paste-able in the alt text)
(copy paste-able in the alt text)
December 2, 2025 at 3:47 AM
firefox AI and slop disablers from tumblr for the people from local hero mckitterick. Tried it on my end and the browser is significantly faster now
(copy paste-able in the alt text)
(copy paste-able in the alt text)
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
A 7/10 review of Vagrant Story: backloggd.com/u/MammonMach...
MammonMachine's review of Vagrant Story | Backloggd
<br><br>Vagrant Story is about exploring the mystery of a long-abandoned city that holds a power that should never be given to anyone who covets it. The most important of those mysteries is the attack...
backloggd.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:57 PM
A 7/10 review of Vagrant Story: backloggd.com/u/MammonMach...
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
H9 released today! It's a 1-hour meta adventure game about a fictional, unreleased strip rock paper scissors game and the story behind its cancellation.
A harsh but interesting view into game development and how executives strip fledgling devs of their passion
A harsh but interesting view into game development and how executives strip fledgling devs of their passion
November 30, 2025 at 11:10 AM
H9 released today! It's a 1-hour meta adventure game about a fictional, unreleased strip rock paper scissors game and the story behind its cancellation.
A harsh but interesting view into game development and how executives strip fledgling devs of their passion
A harsh but interesting view into game development and how executives strip fledgling devs of their passion
Reposted by Giada Zavarise
I forgot to make a black friday sale but im DOING IT NOW
Get pixel horror game Retrace, its ost (fully original!) and artbook (with dev commentary!) for the spoooky price of £6.66!
...huh? October's over? That's fine, I'm spooky all year long 👻
itch.io/s/171262/bla...
Get pixel horror game Retrace, its ost (fully original!) and artbook (with dev commentary!) for the spoooky price of £6.66!
...huh? October's over? That's fine, I'm spooky all year long 👻
itch.io/s/171262/bla...
November 29, 2025 at 5:42 PM
I forgot to make a black friday sale but im DOING IT NOW
Get pixel horror game Retrace, its ost (fully original!) and artbook (with dev commentary!) for the spoooky price of £6.66!
...huh? October's over? That's fine, I'm spooky all year long 👻
itch.io/s/171262/bla...
Get pixel horror game Retrace, its ost (fully original!) and artbook (with dev commentary!) for the spoooky price of £6.66!
...huh? October's over? That's fine, I'm spooky all year long 👻
itch.io/s/171262/bla...