Dr Holly Nielsen
@hollynielsen.bsky.social
Historian of play | AHRC funded PhD on board games & play c.1860-1939 | Game developer | Writer & narrative designer
Repped by Will Francis at Janklow & Nesbit
she/her
Repped by Will Francis at Janklow & Nesbit
she/her
Pinned
Thought I’d do a little reminder on here-
If you’re curious, these are academic pieces based on my research that I have published so far. (Humanities academic publishing is glacially slow)
If you’re curious, these are academic pieces based on my research that I have published so far. (Humanities academic publishing is glacially slow)
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
Special thanks to GOG for being so supportive of the project! HORSES preorders are now available on the store: www.gog.com/en/game/horses 🙏
November 28, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Special thanks to GOG for being so supportive of the project! HORSES preorders are now available on the store: www.gog.com/en/game/horses 🙏
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
🦃🎮 Creator Day returns this Friday with the start of our Black Friday 2025 Sitewide Sale. For 24 hours we'll waive our free on all transactions. Over 15,000 projects to be on sale from this Friday through December 3rd. More details here itch.io/blog/1124058/creator...
November 26, 2025 at 8:41 PM
🦃🎮 Creator Day returns this Friday with the start of our Black Friday 2025 Sitewide Sale. For 24 hours we'll waive our free on all transactions. Over 15,000 projects to be on sale from this Friday through December 3rd. More details here itch.io/blog/1124058/creator...
It’s itch.io creator day!
I think both my games on there are free because they’re used in teaching, but I have a ko-fi if anyone wants to fund the caffeine that fuels my work. Or find other people on there to support and give them money.
hollynielsen.itch.io
I think both my games on there are free because they’re used in teaching, but I have a ko-fi if anyone wants to fund the caffeine that fuels my work. Or find other people on there to support and give them money.
hollynielsen.itch.io
Holly Nielsen
hollynielsen.itch.io
November 28, 2025 at 7:42 PM
It’s itch.io creator day!
I think both my games on there are free because they’re used in teaching, but I have a ko-fi if anyone wants to fund the caffeine that fuels my work. Or find other people on there to support and give them money.
hollynielsen.itch.io
I think both my games on there are free because they’re used in teaching, but I have a ko-fi if anyone wants to fund the caffeine that fuels my work. Or find other people on there to support and give them money.
hollynielsen.itch.io
I should probably shout more about the games I’ve worked on/I’m working on that have been announced and can be wishlisted…
November 28, 2025 at 5:19 PM
I should probably shout more about the games I’ve worked on/I’m working on that have been announced and can be wishlisted…
My actual answer:
Kate Bush
Agnes Obel
Paul Simon
Nickel Creek
and maybe preemptively The Cure who I’m seeing in the summer
Kate Bush
Agnes Obel
Paul Simon
Nickel Creek
and maybe preemptively The Cure who I’m seeing in the summer
Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen.
S Club 7 Junior
Westlife
Steps
Ronan Keating
S Club 7 (Senior)
S Club 7 Junior
Westlife
Steps
Ronan Keating
S Club 7 (Senior)
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Electric Brixton and Royal Albert Hall
Ugly - Village Underground
Alan Sparhawk - Horseshoe Tavern
Beth Gibbons - Massey Hall
Tropical Fuck Storm - Lee's Palace
Technically six. 2025 has been big for me.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Electric Brixton and Royal Albert Hall
Ugly - Village Underground
Alan Sparhawk - Horseshoe Tavern
Beth Gibbons - Massey Hall
Tropical Fuck Storm - Lee's Palace
Technically six. 2025 has been big for me.
November 28, 2025 at 1:20 AM
My actual answer:
Kate Bush
Agnes Obel
Paul Simon
Nickel Creek
and maybe preemptively The Cure who I’m seeing in the summer
Kate Bush
Agnes Obel
Paul Simon
Nickel Creek
and maybe preemptively The Cure who I’m seeing in the summer
Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen.
S Club 7 Junior
Westlife
Steps
Ronan Keating
S Club 7 (Senior)
S Club 7 Junior
Westlife
Steps
Ronan Keating
S Club 7 (Senior)
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Electric Brixton and Royal Albert Hall
Ugly - Village Underground
Alan Sparhawk - Horseshoe Tavern
Beth Gibbons - Massey Hall
Tropical Fuck Storm - Lee's Palace
Technically six. 2025 has been big for me.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Electric Brixton and Royal Albert Hall
Ugly - Village Underground
Alan Sparhawk - Horseshoe Tavern
Beth Gibbons - Massey Hall
Tropical Fuck Storm - Lee's Palace
Technically six. 2025 has been big for me.
Top 5 is hard after hundred and hundreds of gigs over the decades, but I won't be held accountable so let's go:
1. Portishead - Heineken music hall Amsterdam. Glorious
2. Nine Inch Nails - Brixton Academy (with VIP backstage shenanigans).
3. Bruce Springsteen - Olympiastadion Berlin
1. Portishead - Heineken music hall Amsterdam. Glorious
2. Nine Inch Nails - Brixton Academy (with VIP backstage shenanigans).
3. Bruce Springsteen - Olympiastadion Berlin
November 28, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen.
S Club 7 Junior
Westlife
Steps
Ronan Keating
S Club 7 (Senior)
S Club 7 Junior
Westlife
Steps
Ronan Keating
S Club 7 (Senior)
Me with the lasagna I’m having on Saturday
November 28, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Me with the lasagna I’m having on Saturday
Love doing some self archeology on my notes app and having no idea why I wrote things down.
November 27, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Love doing some self archeology on my notes app and having no idea why I wrote things down.
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
Do you like weird puzzles? You don't mind playing the first experimental iterations of a game? Like this post and DM me your mail, I'll have a surprise in your inbox everyday of December 🎁✨
November 24, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Do you like weird puzzles? You don't mind playing the first experimental iterations of a game? Like this post and DM me your mail, I'll have a surprise in your inbox everyday of December 🎁✨
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
TONIGHT! Come play our game about taking billionaires to court for their climate CRIMES ✨
in london and free on nov 27? our narrative director @meghna.bsky.social will be at Play Praxis with a build of All 🌏Will⚖️ Rise -- come join for an evening of open discussion about meaningful games, curiosity & play, showcasing games in development 💪 www.eventbrite.com/e/play-praxi...
Play Praxis
Bringing together games in development and their makers with people across games, art, research, and philosophy. A space to play and connect
www.eventbrite.com
November 27, 2025 at 9:56 AM
TONIGHT! Come play our game about taking billionaires to court for their climate CRIMES ✨
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
Going to shamelessly use this to remind people that if you’d like a historian who is also a writer and narrative designer to bring some of these perspectives to your game, then in the new year I’m available for work
Made my day to read this great post and see this!
November 24, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Going to shamelessly use this to remind people that if you’d like a historian who is also a writer and narrative designer to bring some of these perspectives to your game, then in the new year I’m available for work
The new Knives Out movie is a lot of fun! Basically a high budget Midsomer Murders
November 26, 2025 at 10:29 PM
The new Knives Out movie is a lot of fun! Basically a high budget Midsomer Murders
Great day recording with @theflightmusic.bsky.social and Mike Georgiades
November 25, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Great day recording with @theflightmusic.bsky.social and Mike Georgiades
“I thought I’d leave the historical research late as possible to piss off the historians in the audience”
Jon choosing violence with his (excellent) talk
Jon choosing violence with his (excellent) talk
The full stream of #AdventureX talks is up now - below is a link to mine, on story generation from first principles, in twenty minutes, with jokes.
Come for the Muppet Treasure Island, stay for Bob Eurypides.
Come for the Muppet Treasure Island, stay for Bob Eurypides.
AdventureX 2025 — Day 1
01:20 Jon Ingold — Always Trade Up: From Inspiration to Storyline 30:31 Kathryn Vinclaire — Casting Actors For Indie Games - How to Get AAA Results on an Indie Budget 1:31:10 Najmah Salam — How to Position Your Game Like A Pro 2:01:32 Dominic Armato (Keynote) — Defeating Impostor Syndrome: The Threepwood Method 3:42:58 Mairi Nolan — The Diegetic Lock: Designing Puzzles that Belong in Your World 4:20:05 Husban Siddiqi and Adam Riches — From Jam to Launch: A Fireside Chat About Loco Motive 5:13:27 Steph Rennick and Séan Roberts — What’s Going Wrong with Women’s Dialogue in Video Games? 5:48:32 Thomas Regin, Mark Benis, Jade Leamcharaskul & Paul Zimmermann (Panel hosted by Seoirse Dunbar) — Storytelling Through Audio: The Hidden Narrative 7:01:11 John Robertson (Show) — The Dark Room AdventureX is the UK's only convention dedicated to narrative-driven gaming. Since 2011, AdventureX has been bringing together developers & gamers with a passion for interactive storytelling.
m.youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:48 AM
“I thought I’d leave the historical research late as possible to piss off the historians in the audience”
Jon choosing violence with his (excellent) talk
Jon choosing violence with his (excellent) talk
I’ve never used Ch*tGPT. I’ve never wanted to or had a single moment when I thought it would be helpful. I realise my work is very specific, but whenever I see people talk about using it or ‘needing’ it ngl in my head I’m just thinking ‘skill issue’.
November 24, 2025 at 10:22 PM
I’ve never used Ch*tGPT. I’ve never wanted to or had a single moment when I thought it would be helpful. I realise my work is very specific, but whenever I see people talk about using it or ‘needing’ it ngl in my head I’m just thinking ‘skill issue’.
I’m on camera tomorrow so of course a huge spot has appeared on my chin.
Considering whether to draw a face on it, say it’s my cohost and charge two fees.
Considering whether to draw a face on it, say it’s my cohost and charge two fees.
November 24, 2025 at 6:49 PM
I’m on camera tomorrow so of course a huge spot has appeared on my chin.
Considering whether to draw a face on it, say it’s my cohost and charge two fees.
Considering whether to draw a face on it, say it’s my cohost and charge two fees.
Found a way to get back to volunteering and helping out with the Solidarity Fund regularly again, and it feels good
November 24, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Found a way to get back to volunteering and helping out with the Solidarity Fund regularly again, and it feels good
Going to shamelessly use this to remind people that if you’d like a historian who is also a writer and narrative designer to bring some of these perspectives to your game, then in the new year I’m available for work
Made my day to read this great post and see this!
November 24, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Going to shamelessly use this to remind people that if you’d like a historian who is also a writer and narrative designer to bring some of these perspectives to your game, then in the new year I’m available for work
Made my day to read this great post and see this!
November 23, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Made my day to read this great post and see this!
Did my one day of socialising at AdventureX yesterday and now I return back to being under my rock
November 23, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Did my one day of socialising at AdventureX yesterday and now I return back to being under my rock
Heading to AdventureX to see fellow narrative nerds
November 22, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Heading to AdventureX to see fellow narrative nerds
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
There are plenty of links between the anti-trans “women’s rights” movement & anti-feminist conservatism. And opposing abortion is a logical conclusion for a movement that says no, you should not have agency over your own body; no, you do not know best about yourself; no, you have no choice.
No way I’m sharing Stock’s UnHerd article. But I am going to point to this bit which amply demonstrates the anti-trans=>anti-women’s rights pipeline. “Abortions should only be done for a highly restricted set of reasons. They should not be just nodded through for any reason a pregnant woman likes.”
November 22, 2025 at 10:40 AM
There are plenty of links between the anti-trans “women’s rights” movement & anti-feminist conservatism. And opposing abortion is a logical conclusion for a movement that says no, you should not have agency over your own body; no, you do not know best about yourself; no, you have no choice.
Watching Lewis play Year Walk for the first time, and his reaction to it will impact whether our almost decade long relationship will continue
November 21, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Watching Lewis play Year Walk for the first time, and his reaction to it will impact whether our almost decade long relationship will continue
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
Earlier today, I was notified that someone was at my door.
This is who it was:
This is who it was:
November 21, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Earlier today, I was notified that someone was at my door.
This is who it was:
This is who it was:
The Roblox stuff is horrifying and unsurprising. When I have the time (and someone pays me to do so) I really want to write about the history of gambling, children and games.
November 21, 2025 at 7:06 PM
The Roblox stuff is horrifying and unsurprising. When I have the time (and someone pays me to do so) I really want to write about the history of gambling, children and games.