Rami Ismail (رامي)
@ramiismail.com
I help good people make good games in good ways. Want to work with me? https://ramiismail.com/
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Rami Ismail (رامي)
@ramiismail.com
· Nov 15
I'm Rami, indie dev, advisor, tool dev, gamedev community builder, & amateur pilot! I help good people make good games in good ways.
Links:
Work: linkedin.com/in/ramiismail
Photos: instagram.com/tha.rami
Newsletter: ltpf.ramiismail.com
Consultancy: book.ramiismail.com
AMA about gamedev, anytime.
Links:
Work: linkedin.com/in/ramiismail
Photos: instagram.com/tha.rami
Newsletter: ltpf.ramiismail.com
Consultancy: book.ramiismail.com
AMA about gamedev, anytime.
The sad violins documentary about how sad it made Israeli soldiers to do genocidal war crimes for more than two years straight because "an order is an order" will of course be prohibited by Israeli censors.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Israeli soldiers speak out on killings of Gaza civilians
IDF soldiers tell documentary of opening fire unprovoked and arbitrary designations of who was an enemy
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:47 AM
The sad violins documentary about how sad it made Israeli soldiers to do genocidal war crimes for more than two years straight because "an order is an order" will of course be prohibited by Israeli censors.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Reposted by Rami Ismail (رامي)
As much as I absolutely loved the environments and catching in Arceus, agreed. I'm going to be so disappointed when this battle system never gets used again for a single thing.
a man in a dark room with the words `` he can 't keep getting away with this '' written on the screen .
ALT: a man in a dark room with the words `` he can 't keep getting away with this '' written on the screen .
media.tenor.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:25 AM
As much as I absolutely loved the environments and catching in Arceus, agreed. I'm going to be so disappointed when this battle system never gets used again for a single thing.
A reminder that "centrist left" means "in favour of the people at the expense of the rich, unless it benefits the rich not to be" and "centrist right" means "in favour of the rich at the expense of the people, but eloquently".
November 10, 2025 at 7:18 AM
A reminder that "centrist left" means "in favour of the people at the expense of the rich, unless it benefits the rich not to be" and "centrist right" means "in favour of the rich at the expense of the people, but eloquently".
Listen, the internet seemed pretty anti but I think Pokémon Legends: Z-A did pretty much what I hoped for. Super-dense location, plenty of stuff to do, strong focus on battles to complete out the Arceus experiment, and a full-on Persona ending as a bonus. Had a good time!
November 10, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Listen, the internet seemed pretty anti but I think Pokémon Legends: Z-A did pretty much what I hoped for. Super-dense location, plenty of stuff to do, strong focus on battles to complete out the Arceus experiment, and a full-on Persona ending as a bonus. Had a good time!
Reposted by Rami Ismail (رامي)
Happy to support @apwot.bsky.social now and forever. Turning to the first page and getting blasted with a jaw-droppingly gorgeous illustration, followed by 8 pages of @ramiismail.com waxing poetic about the beauty of flight is exactly the kind of thing I’m more than willing to pay for.
November 8, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Happy to support @apwot.bsky.social now and forever. Turning to the first page and getting blasted with a jaw-droppingly gorgeous illustration, followed by 8 pages of @ramiismail.com waxing poetic about the beauty of flight is exactly the kind of thing I’m more than willing to pay for.
Just received APWOT5 and god @apwot.bsky.social is genuinely and consistently incredible. This edition is extra special to me: I am super honored to have my short essay on how games as a medium and flying as an activity connect in my brain.
November 8, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Just received APWOT5 and god @apwot.bsky.social is genuinely and consistently incredible. This edition is extra special to me: I am super honored to have my short essay on how games as a medium and flying as an activity connect in my brain.
Reposted by Rami Ismail (رامي)
Game design is simple, actually. Except when it isn't. Here are the 12 things you need to know.
Game design is simple, actually
So, let’s just walk through the whole thing, end to end. Here’s a twelve-step program for understanding game design. One: Fun There are a lot of things people call “fun.” But most of them are not useful for getting better at making games, which is usually why people read articles like this. The fun of a bit of confetti exploding in front of you, and the fun of excruciating pain and risk to life and limb as you free climb a cliff are just not usefully paired together.
www.raphkoster.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Game design is simple, actually. Except when it isn't. Here are the 12 things you need to know.
If you're tired of hearing about Israeli terrorism and war crimes and human rights violations and apartheid and genocide, imagine how tired the Palestinians are of suffering them.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Israel’s underground jail, where Palestinians are held without charge and never see daylight
Exclusive: Detainees at Rakefet include nurse and teenager who have been deprived of natural light since January
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:20 AM
If you're tired of hearing about Israeli terrorism and war crimes and human rights violations and apartheid and genocide, imagine how tired the Palestinians are of suffering them.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Reposted by Rami Ismail (رامي)
EXCLUSIVE on @gamedeveloper.bsky.social: not only has The Game Awards not nominated a Future Class for 2025, it's told alumni it "does not have any active programming plans" for the award.
The Future Class page was taken down sometime this year—eliminating a definitive archive of honorees.
The Future Class page was taken down sometime this year—eliminating a definitive archive of honorees.
The Game Awards' Future Class program remains on ice
Future Class organizer Emily Weir has informed past honorees that The Game Awards has no active plans for the program.
www.gamedeveloper.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:33 PM
EXCLUSIVE on @gamedeveloper.bsky.social: not only has The Game Awards not nominated a Future Class for 2025, it's told alumni it "does not have any active programming plans" for the award.
The Future Class page was taken down sometime this year—eliminating a definitive archive of honorees.
The Future Class page was taken down sometime this year—eliminating a definitive archive of honorees.
Reposted by Rami Ismail (رامي)
This is genuinely one of the most fun, most weird, most sincere little game I've gotten to assist on in a very long time. Give it a go - it'll click in minutes and not let go for weeks!
DOG WITCH is finally out!
We are so grateful for beta testers, everyone who shared their time, and all of you who cheered us on! We love you, so join us on Discord to get your free DOG WITCH soundtrack (when it'll be out!)
store.steampowered.com/news/app/354...
We are so grateful for beta testers, everyone who shared their time, and all of you who cheered us on! We love you, so join us on Discord to get your free DOG WITCH soundtrack (when it'll be out!)
store.steampowered.com/news/app/354...
DOG WITCH - DOG WITCH is Out in the Wild - Steam News
DOG WITCH is out!!! Spells will misfire. Dogs will bark. Cats will stare judgmentally. Nesting dolls will hold you at gunpoint. Embrace it. We are so grateful for everything the community has done to ...
store.steampowered.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:12 PM
This is genuinely one of the most fun, most weird, most sincere little game I've gotten to assist on in a very long time. Give it a go - it'll click in minutes and not let go for weeks!
Reposted by Rami Ismail (رامي)
I thought I was burnt out on roguelike but I went to play a round of this last night and somehow several hours went by. Dog Witch has got it!
DOG WITCH is finally out!
We are so grateful for beta testers, everyone who shared their time, and all of you who cheered us on! We love you, so join us on Discord to get your free DOG WITCH soundtrack (when it'll be out!)
store.steampowered.com/news/app/354...
We are so grateful for beta testers, everyone who shared their time, and all of you who cheered us on! We love you, so join us on Discord to get your free DOG WITCH soundtrack (when it'll be out!)
store.steampowered.com/news/app/354...
DOG WITCH - DOG WITCH is Out in the Wild - Steam News
DOG WITCH is out!!! Spells will misfire. Dogs will bark. Cats will stare judgmentally. Nesting dolls will hold you at gunpoint. Embrace it. We are so grateful for everything the community has done to ...
store.steampowered.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:28 PM
I thought I was burnt out on roguelike but I went to play a round of this last night and somehow several hours went by. Dog Witch has got it!
Reposted by Rami Ismail (رامي)
Two years ago, I played a much earlier build of DOG WITCH, and I just really haven't stopped playing or talking about it since. Incredibly excited for @heckmouse.bsky.social to see this clever little masterwork announced properly.
Magic, mayhem & a pup in a hat! DOG WITCH is almost here!
A turn-based roguelike where dice fuel spells, combos, and chaos. Roll, reroll, and blast your way through a world of strange foes and wild synergies.
Wishlist on Steam: bit.ly/DOGWITCH
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS3i...
A turn-based roguelike where dice fuel spells, combos, and chaos. Roll, reroll, and blast your way through a world of strange foes and wild synergies.
Wishlist on Steam: bit.ly/DOGWITCH
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS3i...
Dog Witch - Reveal Trailer
YouTube video by MysticForge
www.youtube.com
May 14, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Two years ago, I played a much earlier build of DOG WITCH, and I just really haven't stopped playing or talking about it since. Incredibly excited for @heckmouse.bsky.social to see this clever little masterwork announced properly.
oh I love this
No shooting in this game. Your weapons are tools - one of them is the Adjuster. With this device you must fiddle with knobs and match the enemy's 'wavelength' to destabilize them until they burst.
November 6, 2025 at 12:01 PM
oh I love this
This is genuinely one of the most fun, most weird, most sincere little game I've gotten to assist on in a very long time. Give it a go - it'll click in minutes and not let go for weeks!
DOG WITCH is finally out!
We are so grateful for beta testers, everyone who shared their time, and all of you who cheered us on! We love you, so join us on Discord to get your free DOG WITCH soundtrack (when it'll be out!)
store.steampowered.com/news/app/354...
We are so grateful for beta testers, everyone who shared their time, and all of you who cheered us on! We love you, so join us on Discord to get your free DOG WITCH soundtrack (when it'll be out!)
store.steampowered.com/news/app/354...
DOG WITCH - DOG WITCH is Out in the Wild - Steam News
DOG WITCH is out!!! Spells will misfire. Dogs will bark. Cats will stare judgmentally. Nesting dolls will hold you at gunpoint. Embrace it. We are so grateful for everything the community has done to ...
store.steampowered.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:12 PM
This is genuinely one of the most fun, most weird, most sincere little game I've gotten to assist on in a very long time. Give it a go - it'll click in minutes and not let go for weeks!
Mamdani Mubarak, NYC!
November 5, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Mamdani Mubarak, NYC!
Reposted by Rami Ismail (رامي)
I truly can't stress this enough: No one's art is good enough to justify them being miserable to work with. Almost everyone I've worked with has been wonderful, but the handful of folks that weren't brought the whole team down by being egotistical, sexist, condescending, etc.
November 4, 2025 at 5:00 PM
I truly can't stress this enough: No one's art is good enough to justify them being miserable to work with. Almost everyone I've worked with has been wonderful, but the handful of folks that weren't brought the whole team down by being egotistical, sexist, condescending, etc.
I have between 5 and 10 games before reaching retirement age, and given that I'm an indie I'm going to make damn sure that if I'm going into the hamster wheel for it, each one of them is something I care about.
During a talk, the speaker calculated how many games he could develop before retiring, given that each one takes three years to create.
Now I'm here, calculating how many #indiegames I'll be able to release in my lifetime.
Please make the games you like, we might not have enough time.
Now I'm here, calculating how many #indiegames I'll be able to release in my lifetime.
Please make the games you like, we might not have enough time.
November 4, 2025 at 1:36 PM
I have between 5 and 10 games before reaching retirement age, and given that I'm an indie I'm going to make damn sure that if I'm going into the hamster wheel for it, each one of them is something I care about.
Reposted by Rami Ismail (رامي)
UPDATE: Got many great pitches already, most from Latin America & Eastern Europe (which makes sense given my history & previous work lol)
I really want more stories from north of Africa, Middle-East & SEA. I'm reaching out to researchers & journos there, any suggestions & connections are welcome 🙏
I really want more stories from north of Africa, Middle-East & SEA. I'm reaching out to researchers & journos there, any suggestions & connections are welcome 🙏
So, today I'm announcing a new book project... and doing a call for papers: crpgbook.wordpress.com/2025/10/31/t...
It's an anthology of video game history outside the usual US perspective - an accessible & exciting panorama of different realities - and I'll pay 300 USD per article.
Please share :)
It's an anthology of video game history outside the usual US perspective - an accessible & exciting panorama of different realities - and I'll pay 300 USD per article.
Please share :)
The Video Game History Expansion Pack – Pitch your story
Today I’m putting my money where my mouth is and launching a new project — a book focused on game history outside of the usual North American perspectives.
crpgbook.wordpress.com
November 3, 2025 at 11:28 PM
UPDATE: Got many great pitches already, most from Latin America & Eastern Europe (which makes sense given my history & previous work lol)
I really want more stories from north of Africa, Middle-East & SEA. I'm reaching out to researchers & journos there, any suggestions & connections are welcome 🙏
I really want more stories from north of Africa, Middle-East & SEA. I'm reaching out to researchers & journos there, any suggestions & connections are welcome 🙏
I agree
I think Nintendo should let @ramiismail.com remake Golden Sun in an HD2D style
November 3, 2025 at 4:37 PM
I agree
Reposted by Rami Ismail (رامي)
Before I embark on another adventure in another big world, I'm going to try out a completely different game. I've had a little sneak peek, and I'm really curious if I do have the patience for it. So if you like to watch my efforts you can watch me play Detroit: Become Human on twitch.tv/momvsffxv 🎮
October 26, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Before I embark on another adventure in another big world, I'm going to try out a completely different game. I've had a little sneak peek, and I'm really curious if I do have the patience for it. So if you like to watch my efforts you can watch me play Detroit: Become Human on twitch.tv/momvsffxv 🎮
Reposted by Rami Ismail (رامي)
Very important factor to this
November 2, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Very important factor to this
Reposted by Rami Ismail (رامي)
We have an exciting update!
We have just launched the Creator Discovery feature!
On AbleToPlay, you could already find games that match your accessibility needs — now you can take it one step further and discover inclusive, accessibility-focused creators who do the same!
We have just launched the Creator Discovery feature!
On AbleToPlay, you could already find games that match your accessibility needs — now you can take it one step further and discover inclusive, accessibility-focused creators who do the same!
October 31, 2025 at 5:41 PM
We have an exciting update!
We have just launched the Creator Discovery feature!
On AbleToPlay, you could already find games that match your accessibility needs — now you can take it one step further and discover inclusive, accessibility-focused creators who do the same!
We have just launched the Creator Discovery feature!
On AbleToPlay, you could already find games that match your accessibility needs — now you can take it one step further and discover inclusive, accessibility-focused creators who do the same!
Just to be 100% clear: do not *trust* your employers - that's super silly. The relationship is economical, not based in loyalty, trust, or kindness. There's no judgement in forming a union, just understanding that capitalism requires a risk of financial loss to get companies to do the right thing.
"Unionisation efforts just signal to employers you don’t trust them"
"Just profit share"
Have you been in the industry these past three years? Some ppl just wanna marry the boot
"Just profit share"
Have you been in the industry these past three years? Some ppl just wanna marry the boot
November 1, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Just to be 100% clear: do not *trust* your employers - that's super silly. The relationship is economical, not based in loyalty, trust, or kindness. There's no judgement in forming a union, just understanding that capitalism requires a risk of financial loss to get companies to do the right thing.
The big news in the Netherlands at the moment is peary ridiculous: turns out trains and pears do not P2P well. Luckily most people made it out with pearily a scratch, but it was not a fruitful delivery. Or pearhaps it was.
youtu.be/ZuvL46VjXEU?...
youtu.be/ZuvL46VjXEU?...
Aanrijding vrachtwagen met trein in Meteren
YouTube video by ProRail
youtu.be
November 1, 2025 at 11:20 AM
The big news in the Netherlands at the moment is peary ridiculous: turns out trains and pears do not P2P well. Luckily most people made it out with pearily a scratch, but it was not a fruitful delivery. Or pearhaps it was.
youtu.be/ZuvL46VjXEU?...
youtu.be/ZuvL46VjXEU?...
It is not misconduct to unionize, and I hope that Rockstar and Take-Two face serious legal challenges for what seems to be a very clear-cut case of union-busting.
BREAKING: Yesterday Grand Theft Auto VI maker Rockstar Games fired dozens of people, all of whom were involved in union efforts. A British union calls it "blatant and ruthless" union-busting. Take-Two Interactive says it was due to misconduct.
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
‘Grand Theft Auto’ Studio Accused of Union Busting After Firings
Union says 30 and 40 people were terminated. Rockstar Games’ parent company cites ‘gross misconduct’
www.bloomberg.com
November 1, 2025 at 10:20 AM
It is not misconduct to unionize, and I hope that Rockstar and Take-Two face serious legal challenges for what seems to be a very clear-cut case of union-busting.