Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
@joelotter.com
Irish game dev, poet, cat dad. I make games at @bearwaves.com, maintain the eos4j library and the Growl game engine! he/him
🦣 https://otter.garden/@joel
🌐 https://www.joelotter.com
🦣 https://otter.garden/@joel
🌐 https://www.joelotter.com
Pinned
We're announcing our new game! Dave's Word Game is a brand new daily word puzzle. We've been building it over the last year and we think it's really fun. We're releasing it for free, on iOS and Android, on December 15th. Give us a follow to see more updates, we'll be sharing more very soon!
Finally announcing our next game! DWG is built in my own game engine, Growl, and while it's hardly earth-shattering tech I'm really quite proud to be shipping something with it.
Reposted by Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
Dave’s Word Game 1.0.9 is out now! We’ve added a toggle to the settings so you can show the status bar if you like. No more missed buses due to being too immersed in DWG and losing track of time. This may or may not be a real event that happened.
January 20, 2026 at 10:24 PM
Dave’s Word Game 1.0.9 is out now! We’ve added a toggle to the settings so you can show the status bar if you like. No more missed buses due to being too immersed in DWG and losing track of time. This may or may not be a real event that happened.
A good big stomp along the Ridgeway today
January 18, 2026 at 5:12 PM
A good big stomp along the Ridgeway today
Ollie’s dead right here. I actually do have an uncle Bob
Improve your game with this new feature:
Longpress to lock words in place.
Longpress to lock words in place.
January 16, 2026 at 8:38 AM
Ollie’s dead right here. I actually do have an uncle Bob
Reposted by Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
Improve your game with this new feature:
Longpress to lock words in place.
Longpress to lock words in place.
January 16, 2026 at 8:11 AM
Improve your game with this new feature:
Longpress to lock words in place.
Longpress to lock words in place.
Been quite fun watching Dave’s Word Game fluctuate up and down the charts on the App Store. Think our peak is 83, but it goes right down to not even being in the top 200. App Store’s discovery algorithm is opaque but good to us. Play Store gives us nothing
January 14, 2026 at 11:43 AM
Been quite fun watching Dave’s Word Game fluctuate up and down the charts on the App Store. Think our peak is 83, but it goes right down to not even being in the top 200. App Store’s discovery algorithm is opaque but good to us. Play Store gives us nothing
January 12, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Good board today! Lots of vowels. I learned this word at a party last night when I met someone who does it. Do reinsurers get insurance? What’s that called?
www.playdwg.com #DWG28
www.playdwg.com #DWG28
January 11, 2026 at 11:06 AM
Good board today! Lots of vowels. I learned this word at a party last night when I met someone who does it. Do reinsurers get insurance? What’s that called?
www.playdwg.com #DWG28
www.playdwg.com #DWG28
Reposted by Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
if i were running a social media tool in the first week of 2026, I probably would not be asking if my audience is excited for AI tools that can generate images. i would probably read at least one news article.
Discord wants to know how you feel about AI.
Go tell them: discord.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Go tell them: discord.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management
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discord.sjc1.qualtrics.com
January 10, 2026 at 8:20 AM
if i were running a social media tool in the first week of 2026, I probably would not be asking if my audience is excited for AI tools that can generate images. i would probably read at least one news article.
Social media adds constant wear and tear to my brain and soul but it’s also the only way I can find out about indie games given few of the websites have the staff to cover them these days. I love blogs, if you have a blog with an RSS feed send me it!
January 7, 2026 at 10:30 AM
Social media adds constant wear and tear to my brain and soul but it’s also the only way I can find out about indie games given few of the websites have the staff to cover them these days. I love blogs, if you have a blog with an RSS feed send me it!
Got promoted to Staff Software Engineer at the day job and found out someone else is making a game in my game engine so that’s a lovely start to my year professionally
January 5, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Got promoted to Staff Software Engineer at the day job and found out someone else is making a game in my game engine so that’s a lovely start to my year professionally
Reposted by Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
Today’s board reminds us of a certain 1979 classic…
January 4, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Today’s board reminds us of a certain 1979 classic…
Reposted by Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
"international law must be followed" is european for "thoughts and prayers"
January 3, 2026 at 2:08 PM
"international law must be followed" is european for "thoughts and prayers"
I wrote my end of year games list! I felt pretty deflated doing this. I don't know why, has something been happening to the games industry recently? Lift my spirits by yelling at me about what I missed.
www.joelotter.com/posts/2025/1...
www.joelotter.com/posts/2025/1...
The games of 2025
I do this every year and I need to stop writing “hope next year is better for the industry!” because it just never is. I still hope, though.
www.joelotter.com
January 1, 2026 at 10:55 PM
I wrote my end of year games list! I felt pretty deflated doing this. I don't know why, has something been happening to the games industry recently? Lift my spirits by yelling at me about what I missed.
www.joelotter.com/posts/2025/1...
www.joelotter.com/posts/2025/1...
Not much of a view from the top of Binnian but still gorgeous to be out in the Mournes on the first day of the year
January 1, 2026 at 7:31 PM
Not much of a view from the top of Binnian but still gorgeous to be out in the Mournes on the first day of the year
Reposted by Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
Happy New Year! Congratulations Harry!
January 1, 2026 at 12:05 AM
Happy New Year! Congratulations Harry!
Reposted by Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
Reposted by Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
Big thanks to @lotusloveslotus.bsky.social for the Dave’s Word Game shout-out in VGBees’ GOTY coverage.
It appeared briefly, incidentally, in the letters section at the end… which marketing has assured me is legally indistinguishable from “Game of the Year.”
bsky.app/profile/vgbe...
It appeared briefly, incidentally, in the letters section at the end… which marketing has assured me is legally indistinguishable from “Game of the Year.”
bsky.app/profile/vgbe...
Our Games of the Year discussion is live!
- Which early 2025 release made our cut?
- How many Switch 2 games appear?
- Which free game entered the discussion?
Get these answers and much more!
vgbees.com/the-vgbees-p...
- Which early 2025 release made our cut?
- How many Switch 2 games appear?
- Which free game entered the discussion?
Get these answers and much more!
vgbees.com/the-vgbees-p...
The VGBees Podcast Episode 82 - VGBees Games of the Year 2025 - VGBees
Note: a better quality audio upload will be available in a couple days. Hello! Another year has flown by and Niki, Lotus, and John are here to talk about their favorite games and gaming-adjacent thing...
vgbees.com
December 31, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Big thanks to @lotusloveslotus.bsky.social for the Dave’s Word Game shout-out in VGBees’ GOTY coverage.
It appeared briefly, incidentally, in the letters section at the end… which marketing has assured me is legally indistinguishable from “Game of the Year.”
bsky.app/profile/vgbe...
It appeared briefly, incidentally, in the letters section at the end… which marketing has assured me is legally indistinguishable from “Game of the Year.”
bsky.app/profile/vgbe...
Reposted by Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
Catching the last glimpse of the sunset tonight, reflected by the Royal Mail building.
December 30, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Catching the last glimpse of the sunset tonight, reflected by the Royal Mail building.
Reposted by Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
Reposted by Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
It's our first day back at Bearwaves Towers. We're leaving the tree up for a bit.
December 29, 2025 at 2:23 PM
It's our first day back at Bearwaves Towers. We're leaving the tree up for a bit.
Reposted by Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
a full understanding of wallace and gromit requires accepting that while wallace would not vote reform, he absolutely voted for brexit
December 25, 2025 at 1:25 PM
a full understanding of wallace and gromit requires accepting that while wallace would not vote reform, he absolutely voted for brexit
Reposted by Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
Merry Christmas from Bearwaves! Hope you like the decorations we put up in DWG ❄️
December 25, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Merry Christmas from Bearwaves! Hope you like the decorations we put up in DWG ❄️
This evening I encountered a Christingle for the first time. How the English conquered the world I will never understand. Have a lovely Christmas friends, it’s hard out here but I love you and I’m glad to know you.
December 25, 2025 at 12:13 AM
This evening I encountered a Christingle for the first time. How the English conquered the world I will never understand. Have a lovely Christmas friends, it’s hard out here but I love you and I’m glad to know you.
Reposted by Joel Auterson | DWG out now!
Did you know that each region of Ireland has its own figure who traditionally delivers presents on Christmas Eve??
December 24, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Did you know that each region of Ireland has its own figure who traditionally delivers presents on Christmas Eve??