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
okay, seriously: if we were to corral this, would anyone be interested in contributing? Here is the google form:
forms.gle/m2V4j4cDvwNu...
forms.gle/m2V4j4cDvwNu...
November 10, 2025 at 5:18 PM
okay, seriously: if we were to corral this, would anyone be interested in contributing? Here is the google form:
forms.gle/m2V4j4cDvwNu...
forms.gle/m2V4j4cDvwNu...
When I have the time I’ll write a little more about applying historical perspectives to narrative and world building… people seem to enjoy this design diary
And if you’re like “I’m a game dev & I don’t see how a narrative person who is also a historian is helpful for me and my non-historical game”
Then you can read my design diary about some of the work I’ve done for Amberspire (which has a fantasy sci-fi setting)
lunardivision.net/micro-and-ma...
Then you can read my design diary about some of the work I’ve done for Amberspire (which has a fantasy sci-fi setting)
lunardivision.net/micro-and-ma...
Micro and Macro History
Hello! I’m Holly Nielsen, a historian, writer and narrative designer. I’m lucky enough to be working on Amberspire, and Nic has kindly offere...
lunardivision.net
November 10, 2025 at 5:17 PM
When I have the time I’ll write a little more about applying historical perspectives to narrative and world building… people seem to enjoy this design diary
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
Reminder that from the beginning of next year I’m available for work!
Writing, narrative design, historical & narrative consultancy, research, teaching.
I’m particularly fond of applying historical approaches to worldbuilding & storytelling in interactive mediums
Writing, narrative design, historical & narrative consultancy, research, teaching.
I’m particularly fond of applying historical approaches to worldbuilding & storytelling in interactive mediums
November 6, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Reminder that from the beginning of next year I’m available for work!
Writing, narrative design, historical & narrative consultancy, research, teaching.
I’m particularly fond of applying historical approaches to worldbuilding & storytelling in interactive mediums
Writing, narrative design, historical & narrative consultancy, research, teaching.
I’m particularly fond of applying historical approaches to worldbuilding & storytelling in interactive mediums
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
Ambrosia Sky: Act One is available now!!
15% off on both Steam & Epic!!
store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...
store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/ambr...
15% off on both Steam & Epic!!
store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...
store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/ambr...
Ambrosia Sky 🪐 | Launch Trailer
YouTube video by Soft Rains Games
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Ambrosia Sky: Act One is available now!!
15% off on both Steam & Epic!!
store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...
store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/ambr...
15% off on both Steam & Epic!!
store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...
store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/ambr...
Has “performative” become the new “liminal” in that it’s a term that is very useful but its misuse on social media is rendering it difficult to use
November 10, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Has “performative” become the new “liminal” in that it’s a term that is very useful but its misuse on social media is rendering it difficult to use
I wasn’t a very smiley toddler. I just looked like a duckling that was judging everyone.
November 10, 2025 at 11:05 AM
I wasn’t a very smiley toddler. I just looked like a duckling that was judging everyone.
Saturday nights are for vermouth and starting a new Animal Crossing island
November 8, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Saturday nights are for vermouth and starting a new Animal Crossing island
Building this with dad today
November 8, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Building this with dad today
Can’t thank Esther enough for inviting me to contribute to this collection! It was a real treat to contribute to an academic book from the perspective as both a historian and a game developer.
I think this book is going to be an essential one for anyone interested in historical game studies
I think this book is going to be an essential one for anyone interested in historical game studies
A project that started with a DiGRA23 workshop is finally, nearly out in the world! Coming May 2026 from Bloomsbury’s Writing History series, Writing Games Histories is a collection of essays on historical game studies methods&approaches. Find the ToC here:
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/writing-g...
www.bloomsbury.com/uk/writing-g...
Writing Game Histories
This book offers an accessible introduction to the dynamic intersection between history and games, and the flourishing discipline of Historical Game Studies. Fr…
www.bloomsbury.com
November 8, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Can’t thank Esther enough for inviting me to contribute to this collection! It was a real treat to contribute to an academic book from the perspective as both a historian and a game developer.
I think this book is going to be an essential one for anyone interested in historical game studies
I think this book is going to be an essential one for anyone interested in historical game studies
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
This should be reported alongside any coverage of the GTA 6 delay
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
UK union accuses GTA maker Rockstar Games of firing employees attempting to organise
According to The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain, the developer fired more than 30 staff last week for being members of a union-affiliated Discord channel
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 7:58 AM
This should be reported alongside any coverage of the GTA 6 delay
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
Holly is cool, you should hire Holly to make your game world feel properly placed within its own history.
And if you’re like “I’m a game dev & I don’t see how a narrative person who is also a historian is helpful for me and my non-historical game”
Then you can read my design diary about some of the work I’ve done for Amberspire (which has a fantasy sci-fi setting)
lunardivision.net/micro-and-ma...
Then you can read my design diary about some of the work I’ve done for Amberspire (which has a fantasy sci-fi setting)
lunardivision.net/micro-and-ma...
Micro and Macro History
Hello! I’m Holly Nielsen, a historian, writer and narrative designer. I’m lucky enough to be working on Amberspire, and Nic has kindly offere...
lunardivision.net
November 7, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Holly is cool, you should hire Holly to make your game world feel properly placed within its own history.
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
In light of the Future Class news, may I suggest you watch and share the documentary "Blood on our Controllers -The Complicity of the Game Industry in the Palestinian Genocide" that fellow alumni @pyrofoux.bsky.social worked on:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=g748...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=g748...
The blood on our Controllers - The Complicity of the Game Industry in the Palestinian Genocide
YouTube video by Hippolyte 🪐
www.youtube.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:33 PM
In light of the Future Class news, may I suggest you watch and share the documentary "Blood on our Controllers -The Complicity of the Game Industry in the Palestinian Genocide" that fellow alumni @pyrofoux.bsky.social worked on:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=g748...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=g748...
Trying not to get totally warn down by finishing my PhD and entering the job market for both academia and the games industry at a time when both of them are collapsing - but it’s not easy!!!
November 6, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Trying not to get totally warn down by finishing my PhD and entering the job market for both academia and the games industry at a time when both of them are collapsing - but it’s not easy!!!
Reminder that from the beginning of next year I’m available for work!
Writing, narrative design, historical & narrative consultancy, research, teaching.
I’m particularly fond of applying historical approaches to worldbuilding & storytelling in interactive mediums
Writing, narrative design, historical & narrative consultancy, research, teaching.
I’m particularly fond of applying historical approaches to worldbuilding & storytelling in interactive mediums
November 6, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Reminder that from the beginning of next year I’m available for work!
Writing, narrative design, historical & narrative consultancy, research, teaching.
I’m particularly fond of applying historical approaches to worldbuilding & storytelling in interactive mediums
Writing, narrative design, historical & narrative consultancy, research, teaching.
I’m particularly fond of applying historical approaches to worldbuilding & storytelling in interactive mediums
My favourite walk in autumn 🍂
November 6, 2025 at 1:53 PM
My favourite walk in autumn 🍂
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
It's cool how we keep proving over and over and over again that there's a significant market for narrative-heavy, character-driven, single-player experiences in video games and publishers just categorically refuse to believe us
Dispatch has sold 1 million copies in under two weeks
Dispatch has sold 1 million copies in under two weeks
The episodic superhero comedy features big-name actors like Aaron Paul and Jeffrey Wright.
www.gamedeveloper.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:57 PM
It's cool how we keep proving over and over and over again that there's a significant market for narrative-heavy, character-driven, single-player experiences in video games and publishers just categorically refuse to believe us
My eyesight is shit, my hearing is appalling, but one thing I do have is a very good sense of smell. And let me tell you, 90% of the time it is a curse.
November 5, 2025 at 4:50 PM
My eyesight is shit, my hearing is appalling, but one thing I do have is a very good sense of smell. And let me tell you, 90% of the time it is a curse.
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
For the past decade, I've been slowly cooking a small and humble book.
Part (alternative) history, part analysis, and part social critique, this is a look at what games also are and have always been.
ZEN AND SLOW GAMES
Out 20/1/2026 by MIT Press
mitpress.mit.edu/978026255356...
Part (alternative) history, part analysis, and part social critique, this is a look at what games also are and have always been.
ZEN AND SLOW GAMES
Out 20/1/2026 by MIT Press
mitpress.mit.edu/978026255356...
November 3, 2025 at 4:31 PM
For the past decade, I've been slowly cooking a small and humble book.
Part (alternative) history, part analysis, and part social critique, this is a look at what games also are and have always been.
ZEN AND SLOW GAMES
Out 20/1/2026 by MIT Press
mitpress.mit.edu/978026255356...
Part (alternative) history, part analysis, and part social critique, this is a look at what games also are and have always been.
ZEN AND SLOW GAMES
Out 20/1/2026 by MIT Press
mitpress.mit.edu/978026255356...
It’s so wonderful to see hope win an election and not hate.
November 5, 2025 at 10:35 AM
It’s so wonderful to see hope win an election and not hate.
It’s too warm. It’s too warm for November and it’s too warm to wear the knitwear I want to wear and I hate it
November 4, 2025 at 4:51 PM
It’s too warm. It’s too warm for November and it’s too warm to wear the knitwear I want to wear and I hate it
Saw Frankenstein, didn’t really like it but A+ coffin design
November 3, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Saw Frankenstein, didn’t really like it but A+ coffin design
Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen
Halloween may be over, but there's still many dark, rainy nights ahead...
#TroutPriest #IndieGame #Spooky
#TroutPriest #IndieGame #Spooky
November 3, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Halloween may be over, but there's still many dark, rainy nights ahead...
#TroutPriest #IndieGame #Spooky
#TroutPriest #IndieGame #Spooky
I’d say one of my favourite hobbies is telling people outside of academia what usual academic wages are.
November 3, 2025 at 5:09 PM
I’d say one of my favourite hobbies is telling people outside of academia what usual academic wages are.
Stuck an earlier episode of Midsomer Murders on, and it showed that a priest and his deacon were gay and in a relationship by lingering on a badly photoshopped photo of them in speedos with their big cross necklaces on and arms around each other on a beach.
Honestly, iconic
Honestly, iconic
Someone please let me write a Midsomer Murders game. Just some nonsense like,
‘A farmer selling off land to property developers causes a stir in the village, particularly with local pagan cider makers. Is it the land they wish to protect, or the secrets it may hold…’
‘A farmer selling off land to property developers causes a stir in the village, particularly with local pagan cider makers. Is it the land they wish to protect, or the secrets it may hold…’
November 3, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Stuck an earlier episode of Midsomer Murders on, and it showed that a priest and his deacon were gay and in a relationship by lingering on a badly photoshopped photo of them in speedos with their big cross necklaces on and arms around each other on a beach.
Honestly, iconic
Honestly, iconic
Someone please let me write a Midsomer Murders game. Just some nonsense like,
‘A farmer selling off land to property developers causes a stir in the village, particularly with local pagan cider makers. Is it the land they wish to protect, or the secrets it may hold…’
‘A farmer selling off land to property developers causes a stir in the village, particularly with local pagan cider makers. Is it the land they wish to protect, or the secrets it may hold…’
November 2, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Someone please let me write a Midsomer Murders game. Just some nonsense like,
‘A farmer selling off land to property developers causes a stir in the village, particularly with local pagan cider makers. Is it the land they wish to protect, or the secrets it may hold…’
‘A farmer selling off land to property developers causes a stir in the village, particularly with local pagan cider makers. Is it the land they wish to protect, or the secrets it may hold…’