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Hayes Madsen

@solfleet.bsky.social

1.7K followers 870 following 4.6K posts

Video Game Trends Writer at Inverse.com Freelance Reporter. Words at CGMagOnline, IGN, Rolling Stone, and more. RPG aficionado. Bisexual.He/they. [email protected]. Signal: HayesM.26

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Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · May 21

Know things aren't great right now, but after dealing with a family event, I'm officially looking for freelance work again. Made a new portfolio selection, focusing on what I think I do best - interviews.

Please reach out if you want to talk or are open to pitches. www.clippings.me/users/hayesm...

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Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 33m

This. 100% this.

Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 9h

🤐

Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 9h

I think I probably have to post this with no comment. So. www.axios.com/2025/10/14/b...

Exclusive: Bustle parent company pivots to influencers

"We are the next generation influence company," BDG CEO and founder Bryan Goldberg says.

www.axios.com

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Reposted by Hayes Madsen

Rollin Bishop @rollin.bsky.social · 9h

bdg still owns inverse, which is a truly unfortunate name in this climate. even so, inverse has managed to do some good work over the years despite getting cut to the absolute bone

Riley MacLeod @rcmacleod.bsky.social · 9h

OK bro
www.axios.com/2025/10/14/b...

Why it matters: A few years ago, Goldberg was focused on scaling his portfolio to take the company public or sell it. Now, he's leaning into BDG's niche brands to grow memberships around social influencers.
"We are the next generation influence company," Goldberg says.
Zoom in: Core to BDG Media's strategy has been investing in new revenue streams — notably memberships and events — while also cutting back significantly on costs.
Roughly 240 people work at the company today. At its peak, it employed 400.

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Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 12h

What the fuck are we doing here?

GQ @gqmagazine.bsky.social · 1d

Is hard-right streamer Nick Fuentes winning over women on the left? Writer Katherine Dee investigates www.gq.com/story/nick-f...

Is Nick Fuentes Winning Over Women on the Left?

There are the Tumblr “Nickstorians” and sincere fanfics. But are young, liberal, possibly irony-poisoned women fetishizing or even falling for the hard-right streamer with the “groyper” following? Wri...

www.gq.com

Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 12h

The US government has now killed over 20 people in unsanctioned strikes, without providing a single shred of evidence that any of the people they killed were actually trafficking drugs

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Reposted by Hayes Madsen

Charles Harte @chuckduck365.bsky.social · 14h

I got to interview Aaron Paul, one of the main cast members of my all-time favorite show (Bojack) but also Dispatch, and it was very cool

Game Informer @gameinformer.com · 14h

We spoke with actor Aaron Paul about his starring role in Dispatch and the struggles of recording a game with so many dialogue options. "It was honestly a very confusing process for me, as a performer," Paul says. "But a challenging and rewarding one, as well." gameinformer.com/interview/20...

Robert, Aaron's character in Dispatch, gazes longingly at an old helmet.

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Reposted by Hayes Madsen

Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 16h

I interviewed the director and producer of Octopath Traveler 0, talking about how they basically built this game from scratch, how the villains have been thematically enriched, the ethos behind the town building, and more. www.inverse.com/gaming/octop...

'Octopath Traveler 0’ Devs Explain Why They Built The Latest RPG Remake ‘From Scratch’

The developers of Octopath Traveler 0 talk to Inverse about how the RPG quickly became so much more than a simple mobile game remake.

www.inverse.com

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Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 14h

Seems to be a guide farm now

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Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 14h

Twinfinite jump scare

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Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 14h

Looked it up, the last Pokémon games I reviewed were Sun and Moon (in a different life). I vibed with those games and gave a 5/5 - and I genuinely think Sun/Moon are smart reinventions of Pokémon to this day, that the series hasn't recaptured the same way until Arceus twinfinite.net/reviews/poke...

Sun and Moon are the Best Pokemon Games Since Gold and Silver

An incredible island adventure.

twinfinite.net

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Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 14h

Very much agree with you. I’m even glad they did the wild zone system and didn’t make you go to like the outskirts or something. Keeping it entirely focused on Lumiose is a genuine strength, in my opinion

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Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 14h

Yeah I don't, in the same way I wouldn't capitalize "role-playing games"

Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 14h

🫠

Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 14h

Oh shit I hadn't even though of Jack. But yeah, I hate to say that'd get me too - even though I've already got a sneaking suspicion the costumes are going to be super gachad

Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 14h

There's a few characters that might force me to dive in lol. Delita, Balthier, Ignis, Selphie. Or if they put Exdeath in Japanese streetwear lmao

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Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 14h

2010 me would be absolutely rabid over this game

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Reposted by Hayes Madsen

Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 17h

Got Z-A super late so I’m not quite ready for a review - later this week. But it’s good, and finally have a Pokemon game with good character customization. I like a lot about Z-A, but color coordinating outfits with my Pokemon for pictures has been dominating my life www.inverse.com/gaming/pokem...

'Pokémon Legends: Z-A' Has Secretly Become My Favorite Dress-Up Game

'Pokémon Legends: Z-A' shows some of the series' lingering problems, but it does manage to absolutely nail the vibes of simply chilling in Lumiose City.

www.inverse.com

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Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 15h

My favorite Final Fantasy character is a dress vest on a t-shirt guy?! That was literally my style for like two years of college lmao

Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 15h

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Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 15h

Huge congrats! Pumped to see what you've got in store

Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 16h

'Octopath Traveler 0’ Devs Explain Why They Built The Latest RPG Remake ‘From Scratch’

The developers of Octopath Traveler 0 talk to Inverse about how the RPG quickly became so much more than a simple mobile game remake.

www.inverse.com

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Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 16h

And it’s also simply hard enough out there without you also burning yourself out

Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 16h

I GET feeling like you’ve gotta hit that embargo, but you really don’t. I’ve done this 16 years now, and lemme tell you - you don’t. And there’s always the approach to write something, a unique angle, and hit the review down the road

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Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 16h

Just an extra thought about this. As games media constricts more than ever, I’d encourage more writers to be healthier about the review process. I don’t think the rat race is really even necessary anymore. And well thought-out, solid criticism is what’s going to be most important

Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 17h

I could have killed myself to get a review done - but I don’t do that anymore. I strive to have a health work-life balance. Plus, I couldn’t have spent so much time lounging at cafes with Haunter and Lucario!

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