Ben Johnson
@gamedesignerben.bsky.social
Best of the Web. Game Designer on [unannounced] at Double Fine. Previously: Psychonauts 2, Dead Space (2008), Babycastles. He/him.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
and 3) please be wary of anything that seems to invite the response "ah, of course [American government institution] is secretly run by Israel!"
that Twitter screenshot allegedly revealing the DHS account is operated from Tel Aviv is probably fake because 1) it originated from an anime shitposter on Twitter, 2) the formatting does not align with other accounts subject to the feature [it revealed only countries, not specific cities]
November 22, 2025 at 6:23 PM
and 3) please be wary of anything that seems to invite the response "ah, of course [American government institution] is secretly run by Israel!"
CORRECTION: A *third* potato has been named after Prince.
November 22, 2025 at 6:29 PM
CORRECTION: A *third* potato has been named after Prince.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
you were 100% milk.
November 22, 2025 at 3:50 AM
you were 100% milk.
A news story constructed entirely out of unreportable details, like a castle in the air. The words seem to shimmer and fade as you turn your head.
November 20, 2025 at 4:14 PM
A news story constructed entirely out of unreportable details, like a castle in the air. The words seem to shimmer and fade as you turn your head.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
Demonschool: Is OUT. It's out. Finally it is out. We hope you enjoy it.
store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/...
store.playstation.com/en-us/concep...
www.nintendo.com/us/store/pro...
store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/...
store.playstation.com/en-us/concep...
www.nintendo.com/us/store/pro...
November 19, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Demonschool: Is OUT. It's out. Finally it is out. We hope you enjoy it.
store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/...
store.playstation.com/en-us/concep...
www.nintendo.com/us/store/pro...
store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/...
store.playstation.com/en-us/concep...
www.nintendo.com/us/store/pro...
Fishing minigame where you're the lake. #DoNotSteal
November 19, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Fishing minigame where you're the lake. #DoNotSteal
Reposted by Ben Johnson
Demonschool's out! Here's a launch trailer www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ehw...
Demonschool animated launch trailer
YouTube video by Necrosoft Games
www.youtube.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Demonschool's out! Here's a launch trailer www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ehw...
Reposted by Ben Johnson
this is today! we'll be approximately here. look for the rainbow parachutes.
some reminders:
- wear warm clothes, it's 47F at best! we're outside for 3 hours, sometimes standing still
- bring a mug / cup of some sort for tea
- if you want, bring a toy / prop of some kind to play with
some reminders:
- wear warm clothes, it's 47F at best! we're outside for 3 hours, sometimes standing still
- bring a mug / cup of some sort for tea
- if you want, bring a toy / prop of some kind to play with
November 18, 2025 at 12:54 PM
this is today! we'll be approximately here. look for the rainbow parachutes.
some reminders:
- wear warm clothes, it's 47F at best! we're outside for 3 hours, sometimes standing still
- bring a mug / cup of some sort for tea
- if you want, bring a toy / prop of some kind to play with
some reminders:
- wear warm clothes, it's 47F at best! we're outside for 3 hours, sometimes standing still
- bring a mug / cup of some sort for tea
- if you want, bring a toy / prop of some kind to play with
I had forgotten how queer this 1998 song named after a game over message from Wizardry was. youtu.be/rjyd2C3v9Jw?...
Urusei Yatsura - slain by elf
YouTube video by CL
youtu.be
November 18, 2025 at 5:55 AM
I had forgotten how queer this 1998 song named after a game over message from Wizardry was. youtu.be/rjyd2C3v9Jw?...
Reposted by Ben Johnson
evergreen
Terrible day to be literate
November 18, 2025 at 3:29 AM
evergreen
Dedication to the bit is such that I am ordering a shirt from France and we're just going to see if it gets here on time.
November 17, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Dedication to the bit is such that I am ordering a shirt from France and we're just going to see if it gets here on time.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
was listening to Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" while drawing the lineart haha
August 4, 2025 at 2:08 AM
was listening to Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" while drawing the lineart haha
Reposted by Ben Johnson
happy “maybe if I switch my mouthpiece I can play good instead of bad” day to all who celebrate
November 15, 2025 at 9:36 PM
happy “maybe if I switch my mouthpiece I can play good instead of bad” day to all who celebrate
Reposted by Ben Johnson
3 years ago today, Riot Games offered me a job making more money than I ever thought I’d make in my life. I had 19 interviews over 2.5 months to get it. Partner and I were moving to LA for it. I put in notice at my job and apartment.
2 weeks later they rescinded the offer due to “headcount issues”.
2 weeks later they rescinded the offer due to “headcount issues”.
November 15, 2025 at 2:07 PM
3 years ago today, Riot Games offered me a job making more money than I ever thought I’d make in my life. I had 19 interviews over 2.5 months to get it. Partner and I were moving to LA for it. I put in notice at my job and apartment.
2 weeks later they rescinded the offer due to “headcount issues”.
2 weeks later they rescinded the offer due to “headcount issues”.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
Wednesday 11/19: Commemorate 100th Anniversary Of Murder Of Joe Hill
Wednesday 11/19: Commemorate 100th Anniversary Of Murder Of Joe Hill
Grassroots House
2022 Blake St.
Berkeley
www.indybay.org
November 14, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Wednesday 11/19: Commemorate 100th Anniversary Of Murder Of Joe Hill
When a Nintendo character says more than 2 words at a time
November 14, 2025 at 5:49 PM
When a Nintendo character says more than 2 words at a time
Folks need to stop missing the forest for the trees and recognize that we are going to be getting some legendarily weird Metroid merch out of this.
Oof. 😢
November 14, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Folks need to stop missing the forest for the trees and recognize that we are going to be getting some legendarily weird Metroid merch out of this.
Real “When the President does it it’s not illegal” capitulation here.
if your moderation team bans someone for a harmless unactionable exclamation of disgust, but permits a govt account to say stuff like this,
you need a new moderation team.
you need a new moderation team.
![Dept. of War [sic]'s bluesky account says "To all narco-terrorists who threaten our homeland: If you keep trafficking deadly drugs–we will kill you."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:a4n6zqm2ufqrdbyszo5gvgyq/bafkreifpxnl7xocstyj3ztg3enbd5osgyaxznmbkkkysjjuykxbplp5gl4@jpeg)
November 14, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Real “When the President does it it’s not illegal” capitulation here.
Faxanadu is short for “Family Xanadu”
November 14, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Faxanadu is short for “Family Xanadu”
Reposted by Ben Johnson
The Edmund Fitzgerald was launched the same day Prince was born, do with that information what you will
November 10, 2024 at 2:07 PM
The Edmund Fitzgerald was launched the same day Prince was born, do with that information what you will
Maybe the reason AIs are Like That is that they’re all run by people who thought this was the voice of a Brilliant Mind?
"skin as part of brain?"
This is that great intellect people talk about?
November 13, 2025 at 5:58 AM
Maybe the reason AIs are Like That is that they’re all run by people who thought this was the voice of a Brilliant Mind?
Unicron, himself
November 13, 2025 at 5:12 AM
Unicron, himself
It’s great to see game development operating as a cultural force in NYC! Could not have imagined an event calendar like this, at all these different venues, when I moved there in 2009.
A live game show, a game manual jam, game-based street dance & live music, networking and gallery shows… a few highlights from our packed week of Game Design Days 2025!
The fun kicks off this Friday, 11/14, leading up to No Quarter on 11/22. Free events all week — most requiring RSVP!
Link in bio!
The fun kicks off this Friday, 11/14, leading up to No Quarter on 11/22. Free events all week — most requiring RSVP!
Link in bio!
November 12, 2025 at 9:05 PM
It’s great to see game development operating as a cultural force in NYC! Could not have imagined an event calendar like this, at all these different venues, when I moved there in 2009.
When Dead Space shipped, we got a 60 from EuroGamer with the review written by somebody who didn’t like horror, which knocked our average from 90 to 89, a publisher threshold that took away thousands of dollars in potential bonuses from the entire team. Critics bombing your hard work IS showbiz!
Yes, it should be. Call this behavior out and don’t support it. I was all in on this one until I learned this and now I won’t buy it.
Should An ‘ARC Raiders’ Review Score Be Tanked Because The Game Uses AI?
ARC Raiders had its Metascore knocked down by a new review that gave it an extremely low score due to its use of AI. Is that fair?
www.forbes.com
November 12, 2025 at 3:55 PM
When Dead Space shipped, we got a 60 from EuroGamer with the review written by somebody who didn’t like horror, which knocked our average from 90 to 89, a publisher threshold that took away thousands of dollars in potential bonuses from the entire team. Critics bombing your hard work IS showbiz!
This is what it’s like when you eat the Swamp Thing Yam.
IT GOT BETTER
📍Central MN
📍Central MN
November 12, 2025 at 4:50 AM
This is what it’s like when you eat the Swamp Thing Yam.