Ben Meakin
@bnmkn.bsky.social
Freelance Copywriter, plays games, watches sport, does BladesPod and writes WOMEN OF STEEL: http://womenofsteel.substack.com
Pinned
Ben Meakin
@bnmkn.bsky.social
· Aug 27
👋 Hello everyone, bit of an announcement from me and @panchero.bsky.social - after 8 years, I've decided to call time on the podcast. One for the road:
SC: soundcloud.com/ben-meakin-6...
AP: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/b...
Sp: open.spotify.com/show/6wLq5qa...
SC: soundcloud.com/ben-meakin-6...
AP: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/b...
Sp: open.spotify.com/show/6wLq5qa...
8 years, 375 episodes, 1.4 million (!) listens, countless mispronunciations. Pretty overwhelmed by the reaction to this!
Reposted by Ben Meakin
Jennifer English realizing she's a lesbian and falling in love with one of her mocap directors (Aliona Baranova) over the course of making BG3 and seeing all the queer folks embracing Shadowheart and the impact the game had is genuinely one of the best stories in game production in a long time
Congrats to Jennifer English for winning the Best Lead Performer award at the 2025 #GoldenJoystickAwards!
And her acceptance speech about queer joy was a love letter to @aliona.bsky.social 🥹🌈
And her acceptance speech about queer joy was a love letter to @aliona.bsky.social 🥹🌈
November 21, 2025 at 1:55 AM
Jennifer English realizing she's a lesbian and falling in love with one of her mocap directors (Aliona Baranova) over the course of making BG3 and seeing all the queer folks embracing Shadowheart and the impact the game had is genuinely one of the best stories in game production in a long time
Really good read. Blurgh at that Tim Sweeney quote, though
What happens in the video game world often happens in the wider world later - which is why anyone interested in the impact of AI should be looking at what's happening in games right now. We're seeing lines being drawn about what is and isn't culturally acceptable
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
How generative AI in Arc Raiders started a scrap over the gaming industry’s future
The use of AI in the surprise game-of-the-year contender has sparked a heated cultural and ethical debate, and raised existential questions for video game workers
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Really good read. Blurgh at that Tim Sweeney quote, though
Sian 🤚
November 20, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Sian 🤚
Incredible work
November 19, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Incredible work
Reposted by Ben Meakin
When we critique art, we can all choose to evaluate its cultural, industrial & moral impact as much as its technological design & overall execution.
BO7 will survive the slings & arrows, ofc, and it’s vitally important that art and its MANY avenues of impact face uncomfortable critical analysis
BO7 will survive the slings & arrows, ofc, and it’s vitally important that art and its MANY avenues of impact face uncomfortable critical analysis
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a soulless and soul-destroying game that thinks exceptionally little of its players and developers.
My one-star review for @restart.run:
www.restart.run/articles/cal...
My one-star review for @restart.run:
www.restart.run/articles/cal...
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Review | Restart
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is an underwhelming, frustrating experience, even at its best.
www.restart.run
November 18, 2025 at 1:39 AM
When we critique art, we can all choose to evaluate its cultural, industrial & moral impact as much as its technological design & overall execution.
BO7 will survive the slings & arrows, ofc, and it’s vitally important that art and its MANY avenues of impact face uncomfortable critical analysis
BO7 will survive the slings & arrows, ofc, and it’s vitally important that art and its MANY avenues of impact face uncomfortable critical analysis
Buccs Bills living up to the hype so far 🏈
November 16, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Buccs Bills living up to the hype so far 🏈
Reposted by Ben Meakin
Don’t cry because it’s over, cry because it happened
November 15, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Don’t cry because it’s over, cry because it happened
Lauren Hemp, she back 🚀
November 15, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Lauren Hemp, she back 🚀
Reposted by Ben Meakin
When I encounter myself as a different colored cursor because I have the Google Doc open in two tabs
December 21, 2023 at 10:09 PM
When I encounter myself as a different colored cursor because I have the Google Doc open in two tabs
Reposted by Ben Meakin
Over 15,000 tickets have already been sold for the biggest fixture in the WSL 2 calender: The Tyne-Wear Derby. Read my preview on the momentous occasion at St. James' along with the rest of the action from the second-tier in this week's preview.
#woso #wsl2
thewsl2review.substack.com/p/the-tyne-w...
#woso #wsl2
thewsl2review.substack.com/p/the-tyne-w...
The Tyne-Wear Derby & Top Face Third at The Valley - Gameweek Nine Preview
The biggest crowd of the season so far awaits the campaign's first Tyne-Wear derby.
thewsl2review.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Over 15,000 tickets have already been sold for the biggest fixture in the WSL 2 calender: The Tyne-Wear Derby. Read my preview on the momentous occasion at St. James' along with the rest of the action from the second-tier in this week's preview.
#woso #wsl2
thewsl2review.substack.com/p/the-tyne-w...
#woso #wsl2
thewsl2review.substack.com/p/the-tyne-w...
"The lil sis of Sky Sports", good God man
November 13, 2025 at 5:20 PM
"The lil sis of Sky Sports", good God man
Reposted by Ben Meakin
Wrote about United's latest win - their best result of the season so far - as they beat Crystal Palace to climb into the top half of #WSL2 for the first time in a long time:
open.substack.com/pub/womenofs...
open.substack.com/pub/womenofs...
MD8: Blades win at Crystal Palace to make it five unbeaten
United's 2-1 win over Palace puts the Blades into the top half of the table
open.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Wrote about United's latest win - their best result of the season so far - as they beat Crystal Palace to climb into the top half of #WSL2 for the first time in a long time:
open.substack.com/pub/womenofs...
open.substack.com/pub/womenofs...
My 2yo at 5:20am today for absolutely no reason: youtu.be/aR3MDSF-IpQ?...
"The most annoying sound" – Dumb & Dumber
YouTube video by Magic 29
youtu.be
November 12, 2025 at 7:27 AM
My 2yo at 5:20am today for absolutely no reason: youtu.be/aR3MDSF-IpQ?...
Reposted by Ben Meakin
I was luckily enough to catch both North East fixtures in the WSL 2 this weekend. You can read my thoughts on Durham vs. Newcastle, Sunderland's game against Portsmouth, and the other four clashes from the second-tier in this week's review!
thewsl2review.substack.com/p/seven-heav...
thewsl2review.substack.com/p/seven-heav...
Seven Heaven in Bristol & Pompey Win Again - Gameweek Eight Review
A look at all last weekend's WSL 2 action.
thewsl2review.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:22 AM
I was luckily enough to catch both North East fixtures in the WSL 2 this weekend. You can read my thoughts on Durham vs. Newcastle, Sunderland's game against Portsmouth, and the other four clashes from the second-tier in this week's review!
thewsl2review.substack.com/p/seven-heav...
thewsl2review.substack.com/p/seven-heav...
A pause button on any cutscene
November 11, 2025 at 9:51 AM
A pause button on any cutscene
Reposted by Ben Meakin
I read a thread about games with terrible UI earlier and this video has been destroying me all day.
November 10, 2025 at 12:37 AM
I read a thread about games with terrible UI earlier and this video has been destroying me all day.
Not a chance, @footballcliches.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Not a chance, @footballcliches.bsky.social
@harveyhinkler.bsky.social da hell happened at the end of the Sunderland/ Pompey game
November 9, 2025 at 9:25 PM
@harveyhinkler.bsky.social da hell happened at the end of the Sunderland/ Pompey game
Likeable, well-coached and hard-working team getting the results their performances deserve now. Really impressed with United again on Sunday, they're a good watch right now.
The men's team stink, but the women's team are quietly shaping into a very nice team indeed. Wrote about the latest win for Sheffield United Women here, with a stellar performance in midfield from Mollie Rouse: womenofsteel.substack.com/p/md7-united...
MD7: United beat Durham to climb WSL2 table
Mollie Rouse's first Blades goal and a Charlie Devlin penalty see the Blades leapfrog Durham into midtable
womenofsteel.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Likeable, well-coached and hard-working team getting the results their performances deserve now. Really impressed with United again on Sunday, they're a good watch right now.
Reposted by Ben Meakin
bengals and bears was like watching two absolutely hammered dudes with beer guts swinging wildly at each other with their eyes closed outside a bar at closing time
November 2, 2025 at 9:33 PM
bengals and bears was like watching two absolutely hammered dudes with beer guts swinging wildly at each other with their eyes closed outside a bar at closing time
Last few minutes of Bears v Bengals alone
November 2, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Last few minutes of Bears v Bengals alone
Delightfully hammered bunch of early games in the NFL today
November 2, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Delightfully hammered bunch of early games in the NFL today
Reposted by Ben Meakin
The downside of a trick or treating w a two year old is it takes like two hours to go two blocks. The upside is they can’t count so you can steal most of their candy.
November 2, 2025 at 8:03 PM
The downside of a trick or treating w a two year old is it takes like two hours to go two blocks. The upside is they can’t count so you can steal most of their candy.
Them MIDTABLE Blades
Super performance and win again for United Women today, 2-1 scoreline sort of masked how superior they were to Durham. Amy Andrews once again tireless up front but every single player put a real shift in today. Really like this team and they're playing good, smart football atm.
November 2, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Them MIDTABLE Blades