The hottest Gaming Substack posts right now

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Top Technology Topics

Monthly Roundup #40: March 2026

Don't Worry About the Vase ā€¢ 2553 implied HN points ā€¢ 16 Mar 26
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Gaming
  1. Political violence and ā€˜decapitationā€™ strategies must be rejected because normalizing threats or assassinations would be dangerous, and the coming ubiquity of lethal AI drones makes this risk much worse.
  2. Ageā€‘verification and online safety rules as currently proposed are deeply flawed: they invade privacy, are easy for determined users to bypass, leak sensitive data, and encourage kids to use VPNs and dodgy sites.
  3. Technology is reshaping markets and attention ā€” AI is producing huge consumer surplus and weird subscription dynamics, gaming and media now compete with highly optimized attention-hijacking platforms, and manufacturing concentration (e.g., Shenzhen) is accelerating global product iteration.

Brands, ads, and video games

SuperJoost Playlist ā€¢ 416 implied HN points ā€¢ 17 Oct 24
šŸ’¼ Business Gaming
  1. Brands are realizing that video games offer a better way to connect with younger audiences compared to traditional media like TV and magazines. This shift is important for capturing the attention of the next generation.
  2. There is a growing trend for brands to work directly with gaming companies to create engaging and immersive experiences. However, many brands still struggle to commit to long-term strategies instead of just one-time campaigns.
  3. As user acquisition costs rise, game developers are looking for new ways to make money, leading them to collaborate more with brands. This partnership is changing how audiences experience both gaming and advertising.

bAXS is LIVE!

The Lunacian ā€¢ 506 implied HN points ā€¢ 26 Feb 26
šŸ”® Crypto Gaming
  1. bAXS is live and functions like AXS inside the Axie ecosystem, letting you stake, breed, ascend, evolve, mint Runes/Charms, and pay for inā€‘game actions while remaining nonā€‘transferable outside Axie.
  2. A first airdrop from a 100,000 bAXS pool is coming soon; eligible wallets (those with at least 10 AXS staked at the snapshot) receive allocations based on Axie Score and staked amount, and you can claim/check your allocation on App.Axie.
  3. Staking is consolidated on App.Axie (legacy staking page deprecated); bAXS can be staked for AXS rewards and full voting power, and converting bAXS to AXS uses an Axie Scoreā€“based rate that can reduce returned AXS with the difference going to the treasury to encourage inā€‘ecosystem use.

The Wii Tennis Theme Edition

Why is this interesting? ā€¢ 3619 implied HN points ā€¢ 09 Dec 25
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Gaming
  1. The Wii Sports theme isn't just background music; it connects with people of all ages and reflects a joyful gaming experience. Its upbeat and jazzy style was designed to be inviting, especially for newcomers to gaming.
  2. Kazumi Totaka, the composer behind the theme, has made a significant impact at Nintendo since 1990. He's known for his catchy melodies and has hidden a special tune, 'Totaka's Song,' in many games, showcasing his creativity and influence.
  3. Wii Sports became a huge cultural phenomenon, selling millions and even being used in places like retirement homes for fun and rehabilitation. Its appeal helped redefine who plays video games, highlighting that gaming is for everyone, not just kids.
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Welcome to Origins Postseason 16

The Lunacian ā€¢ 46 implied HN points ā€¢ 18 Mar 26
šŸ”® Crypto Gaming
  1. The Elite 4 finals take place on March 22 with a livestream at 7PM PH / 6AM EST where four top players will compete for the season crown.
  2. Tournament rules require each player to register three distinct teams of three axies, follow part-overlap restrictions and no swapping, and matches use a double-elimination, first-to-3 format with a twice-to-beat Grand Finals advantage for the undefeated player.
  3. Prizes include a 1,200 AXS purse plus an Origin Axie for the champion, and a separate 10,000 AXS season pool will be distributed based on collectible tickets (15,838,917 tickets at 0.63135629 mAXS each), with AXS sent to players' Ronin addresses in the coming weeks.

How well can Gemini 3 make a Henry James simulator?

Res Obscura ā€¢ 4354 implied HN points ā€¢ 19 Nov 25
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. Gemini 3 is a strong AI model that can create interactive games, like a Henry James simulator set in 1889 Paris. It shows good skills in making maps and storytelling.
  2. The quality of AI-generated content varies, as seen with models like Claude Sonnet 4.5 and GPT-5.1, which struggled to create usable simulations. This shows that human guidance is important.
  3. Using AI in education can be creative and engaging. It offers a chance for students to learn about history through interactive play, encouraging them to think critically about primary sources.

AMD's Ryzen 7 9850X3D: A Review

More Than Moore ā€¢ 186 implied HN points ā€¢ 01 Mar 26
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. The Ryzen 7 9850X3D is basically a higherā€‘binned 9800X3D with faster clocks, but it only delivers tiny performance gains while drawing significantly more power and costing more.
  2. AMDā€™s 3D Vā€‘Cache really helps CPUā€‘bound, cacheā€‘hungry games and makes memory speed matter less, but it doesnā€™t improve computeā€‘heavy workloads and offers no advantage for AI paths that need an NPU.
  3. On value, the 9800X3D or cheaper Intel options give better performanceā€‘perā€‘dollar, so most buyers should pick the cheaper chip and spend any savings on other parts like memory amid volatile DRAM prices.

Chinaā€™s Gaming Rise

ChinaTalk ā€¢ 385 implied HN points ā€¢ 12 Feb 26
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Gaming
  1. Chinaā€™s game industry has moved up the value chain from low-cost mobile and PC titles to globally competitive AAA games. A huge domestic middle class now means developers can succeed without relying on international sales.
  2. Genshin Impact created a live-service, gacha "cash cow" template that drove massive revenue and spawned many similar games. That surge risks saturation and a bubble, which will force studios to diversify genres and monetization.
  3. Steamā€™s unofficial role in China lets uncensored and imported games reach Chinese players, but nationalist backlash and preemptive self-censorship (as seen with Wuchang) show political pressures still shape storytelling. Despite that, gameplay and mechanics travel globally, making games a strong avenue for cultural influence.

Revenge of the Blockheads

Experimental History ā€¢ 12493 implied HN points ā€¢ 08 Jul 25
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Gaming
  1. People can make surprising discoveries that have been overlooked for a long time, like a new way to play Tetris that was found years after it was created.
  2. There are games that simulate boring tasks, and some people find them relaxing instead of bad for the brain.
  3. Scientific publishing is changing, with new free resources becoming available online, making it easier for anyone to learn and participate.

MIPS

The Chip Letter ā€¢ 10920 implied HN points ā€¢ 19 Jul 25
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. MIPS was once a leading computer architecture that powered many devices, but it recently lost its relevance as it shifted away from its original designs.
  2. Despite its decline, MIPS had a notable impact on technology history, including being part of significant products like the Nintendo 64 and contributing to the development of early RISC designs.
  3. Today, while MIPS the architecture isn't prominent anymore, it still exists in some older devices and has influenced technology in places like China.

Monthly Roundup #37: December 2026

Don't Worry About the Vase ā€¢ 2195 implied HN points ā€¢ 12 Dec 25
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Gaming
  1. Ban gain-of-function experiments. Deliberately creating more dangerous viruses, especially in low-security labs, is an unacceptable global risk and should be stopped and criminally deterred.
  2. Fix bad regulations and respect prices as signals. Overly strict zoning, long copyright terms, and regulatory bottlenecks raise costs and destroy value, while prices convey important information and incentives that people need to understand.
  3. Manage information and social norms more carefully. In adversarial or noisy information environments, use strategies like ignoring deceptive signals, removing untrustworthy actors, or aligning incentives, rather than reflexive public condemnation which often backfires.

Under the microscope: Battle Arena Toshinden Remix (Saturn)

Rings of Saturn ā€¢ 87 implied HN points ā€¢ 04 Mar 26
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. Three hidden cheat functions were found that unlock bosses, enable a special-attack input, and open a scene-test mode; they must be entered at the title screen in a specific sequence and often require soft-resetting between entries.
  2. The codes operate by incrementing in-game memory counters and flags, so entering one code enables the game to accept the next rather than being isolated menu tricks.
  3. The NTSC-J version uses different button sequences (and needs the second controller for the scene test), so the exact inputs depend on the game's region.

Under the microscope: Croc & Croc 2 (PlayStation)

Rings of Saturn ā€¢ 43 implied HN points ā€¢ 09 Mar 26
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. Croc: Legend of the Gobbos hides two PlayStation button cheats: Triangle+Select on the main menu swaps "Enter Password" for "Credits", and holding Square then pressing Circle with Credits highlighted turns on an in-game coordinate display.
  2. Croc 2 on PlayStation also has previously undocumented titleā€‘screen codes: one (held R1 + sequence) unlocks a music test in Sound Options, and another (held L1 + sequence) enables the staff credits.
  3. Reverse engineering shows the games detect these cheats by checking controller bitmasks and input sequences to set flag bits, and the feature set differs by platform (the Saturn build lacks the Croc 1 button cheats and the PC build lacks the coordinates HUD).

Song Pong

Victor Tao ā€¢ 273 HN points ā€¢ 28 Aug 24
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. You can make a pong game more exciting by syncing the ball's movements to music. This allows paddles to dance to the beat as they hit the ball.
  2. Using math and optimization techniques can help you decide where the paddles should hit the ball. It ensures that the game looks good while still following all the rules.
  3. Changing the physics of the game doesn't have to be hard. You just update the rules in your math model, making it easy to test new ideas and keep improving the game.

Extending the demo: Destruction Derby (PlayStation)

Rings of Saturn ā€¢ 72 implied HN points ā€¢ 02 Mar 26
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. The Destruction Derby preview on the PlayStation Picks disc is rendered in real time and the disc actually contains both a non-interactive auto demo and an interactive "One Level Demo" using the same car and stage.
  2. A single memory flag at 0x800cd604 controls which demo runs, and changing that flag or patching the demo-selection function at 0x8004030c enables the playable demo, which is time-limited to 60 seconds and has small visual and gameplay differences from the final game.
  3. A patch that forces the playable demo to load is available on GitHub, and the demo comes from a July 23 build that predates known prototypes and reveals early-stage differences from the released version.

Grand Arena Season 1 Is LIVE!

Roninā€™s Newsletter ā€¢ 110 implied HN points ā€¢ 19 Feb 26
šŸ”® Crypto Gaming
  1. Grand Arena Season 1 is live with a $1,000,000 prize pool across about 12 weeks, and you can enter daily fantasy contests (free or paid) to win gems and cash.
  2. mXP is the seasonā€™s non-transferable progression currency you earn by entering contests, spending Gems, collecting and upgrading cards, and your final payout is proportional to your share of total qualified mXP; higher-rarity cards also boost performance.
  3. Owning and training Mokis earns extra mXP and token rewardsā€”training grants hourly mXP, Snacks give retroactive boosts, locked Mokis earn weekly mXP, and Champion Moki holders can get royalties; following social guides helps you keep up with the fast-changing meta.

Moku Mini accessories are coming to Lunacia!

The Lunacian ā€¢ 414 implied HN points ā€¢ 13 Jan 26
šŸ”® Crypto Gaming
  1. Moku Minis are limited-edition accessories you can equip to your axies and see in Atiaā€™s Legacy Playtest 2 by purchasing and opening a Grand Arena Booster Box on the Ronin Market.
  2. There are six accessory types with capped supplies (like Moku Ratz Sacks, Moki Coins, Buff Mokis, etc.), and earned accessories will be airdropped to eligible addresses after January 19, with Moku handling remaining drops on a rolling schedule.
  3. To be eligible for the ultra-rare Ratz Fairy raffle you must complete three timed steps: open a Booster Box during Phase 1, buy 500 Gems in Grand Arena during Phase 2, and complete one Axie Bounty Board quest per day for seven days in Phase 2.

Understanding The Player Brain, Pt. 1: Loss Avoidance

The Bottom Feeder ā€¢ 727 implied HN points ā€¢ 24 Nov 25
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Gaming
  1. Players respond better to positive reinforcement than negative feedback. For example, changing the word 'tired' to 'rested' made a frustrating game mechanic feel rewarding instead.
  2. Humans are very sensitive to losses and will avoid losing things, even if those things aren't that important. This can lead to players hoarding items in games rather than using them.
  3. When designing games, it's crucial to understand how players feel about loss and reward. Sometimes, it's best to accept player behavior and create systems that align with their preferences.

Itā€™s Not Just a Game Anymore

After Babel ā€¢ 3082 implied HN points ā€¢ 21 Jul 25
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. Online gaming has changed a lot, with many games designed to keep players engaged and spending money all the time. This makes it important for parents to be aware of how their children interact with these games.
  2. User-generated content can be a double-edged sword; while it allows kids to play creatively, it can also expose them to harmful or inappropriate material that isn't well monitored.
  3. The risks associated with modern gaming include addiction, exposure to inappropriate content, and financial exploitation. Parents should take steps to understand the games their kids are playing and set rules around gaming.

Why Is This Interesting? The Chess Set Edition

Why is this interesting? ā€¢ 784 implied HN points ā€¢ 19 Nov 25
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Gaming
  1. Elliott Walker and Tim Hucklesby saw a gap in the chess set market for something well-made but not too expensive. They created Nymzo to fill that space.
  2. Nymzo chess pieces are designed with high-quality materials, ensuring a satisfying feel and sound during play. The attention to detail is noticeable in every aspect, from the pieces to the bag.
  3. The product fits perfectly with current chess trends, enjoying popularity due to shows like Queen's Gambit and a growing interest in traditional, tactile experiences.

Condescension Wonā€™t Save Us From The Generative AI Tsunami

Singal-Minded ā€¢ 259 implied HN points ā€¢ 14 Jan 26
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. Generative AI often produces a weird, smarmy tone and usually needs as much or more editing than a human draft, so it isnā€™t a reliable shortcut for high-quality storytelling or dialogue.
  2. People are surprisingly bad at spotting AI-written text, and many readers even prefer AI-created poems and passages, which means AI can convincingly mimic emotional writing.
  3. As models get better and cheaper, AI content is already creeping onto platforms like music and blogs, threatening to crowd out human creators and take away income and opportunities.

Video Game Thoughts Bonus Bag #8

The Bottom Feeder ā€¢ 509 implied HN points ā€¢ 11 Dec 25
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Gaming
  1. Avernum 4 has been well-received and is now available for iPad, allowing players to enjoy it on-the-go. The team is also starting on new projects, showing their continued growth.
  2. Borderlands 4 continues to follow the same gameplay pattern, but it faces issues like bugs and a lack of polish. It's frustrating to deal with these problems, yet playing together can be part of the fun.
  3. Many indie games are still enjoyable and bring happiness despite the industry's changes. Recent releases are delighting players, proving that quality experiences can come from indie studios.

AMD Client Update at CES 2026

More Than Moore ā€¢ 326 implied HN points ā€¢ 06 Jan 26
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. AMDā€™s CES updates are a mid-cycle refresh that makes AI a standard across its client lineup, pushing Ryzen AI into volume laptops rather than keeping it as a premium addā€‘on. This keeps the existing Zen 5 platform relevant without new silicon.
  2. AMD is relying on software to drive the next wave of improvements ā€” ROCm for local AI and FSR Redstone for gaming ā€” delivering bigger performance and features through optimization and ML-assisted techniques instead of new chips.
  3. The hardware moves are about segmentation and integration: Ryzen AI 400 targets mass-market laptops, Ryzen AI Max+ and the Halo developer platform aim at local AI miniā€‘workstations with large unified memory, and the P100 embedded APUs focus on industrial and automotive edge AI with integrated CPU/GPU/NPU designs.

Nvidia's Unique History and Culture

The Asianometry Newsletter ā€¢ 7614 implied HN points ā€¢ 06 Dec 24
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. NVIDIA's success comes from a strong work ethic and a unique company culture that encourages honesty and speed. They focus on being direct and efficient in their communication.
  2. The leadership of Jensen Huang has been crucial for NVIDIA, as he continuously motivates employees to aim high and pushes the boundaries of what's possible in technology.
  3. Long-term thinking, like the development of CUDA, is key to NVIDIAā€™s strategy. They invest in innovations that may not pay off immediately, but will lead to big gains in the future.

Poker players only!

The Leap ā€¢ 719 implied HN points ā€¢ 04 Jun 24
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Gaming
  1. The World Series of Poker included a new event where players could win money by knocking out champions. It's a fun twist that adds excitement to the game.
  2. Tom McEvoy, a former poker champion from 1983, was at the table, bringing his experience and reputation to the game.
  3. Events like these help keep poker interesting and attract both new and seasoned players to participate.

Introducing $50K in Moku Creator Bounties!

Roninā€™s Newsletter ā€¢ 245 implied HN points ā€¢ 08 Jan 26
šŸ”® Crypto Gaming
  1. A $50,000 creator bounty program rewards content about Grand Arena over a 12-week period, with submissions accepted from January 12 to April 6 and anyone eligible regardless of follower count.
  2. The prize structure includes a shared pool (about $7,500 every 4 weeks, with an extra $7,500 if 100 approved pieces are reached) that pays roughly $150 per approved piece, plus a $5,000 bonus pool for weekly and top content awards; payouts are distributed every 4 weeks in Ronin (RON equivalent).
  3. Creators can submit many content typesā€”threads, videos (30sā€“10min), art, memes, music, cosplay, and podcastsā€”via the submission form starting Jan 12, and entries are judged on quality, originality, and consistency while spam, stolen, or low-effort work wonā€™t be rewarded.

BREAKING: AXIE AND RONIN SPOTTED LIVE ON PAWN STARS!

The Lunacian ā€¢ 690 implied HN points ā€¢ 11 Nov 25
šŸ”® Crypto Gaming
  1. Pawn Stars introduced NFTs to a mainstream audience. Hosts Rick Harrison and Chumlee learned about crypto live, making it fun and accessible for their viewers.
  2. Collecting NFTs is becoming more popular, and shows like Pawn Stars help people understand their value and appeal. It's about enjoying the thrill of collecting, just like with rare items.
  3. There's a helpful Ronin Collectorā€™s Guide for beginners. It shows how to start collecting digital items and understand the basics of using crypto wallets.

No, I Don't Want To Come To Your Pity Party

Richard Lewis ā€¢ 1906 implied HN points ā€¢ 31 Jan 24
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Gaming
  1. The games and esports industry has experienced a significant number of layoffs due to unsustainable practices and behavior.
  2. Many individuals in the industry exhibit toxic behavior, including forming secret blacklists and engaging in power plays for personal gain.
  3. Esports industry executives have mismanaged funds and made poor decisions, leading to financial instability and a negative impact on the industry as a whole.

How a single engineer brought down Twitter on Monday

Platformer ā€¢ 3577 implied HN points ā€¢ 06 Mar 23
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. A single engineer brought down Twitter due to a bad configuration change on the API.
  2. Twitter has faced multiple service outages in 2023, leading to frustration among users and employees.
  3. Elon Musk's cost-cutting measures at Twitter have left the company vulnerable to technical failures and service outages.

Open Mic Day: Tells Us About Your Favorite Movies, Music, Books, Etc. of 2024

The Honest Broker ā€¢ 5818 implied HN points ā€¢ 21 Nov 24
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Gaming
  1. Share your favorite movies, music, books, and more from 2024. Everyone loves to hear new recommendations!
  2. It's important to have fun and take a break from serious topics sometimes. Sharing our creative finds can lift our spirits.
  3. When sharing, try not to promote your own projects this time. This is about celebrating what others have created.

Axie and Ragnarok are joining forces in Axie Dungeon!

The Lunacian ā€¢ 414 implied HN points ā€¢ 04 Dec 25
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. The Axie Dungeon is now open in Ragnarok Online, where players can fight monsters to earn rewards like RON and Axie Coins. It's a limited-time event from December 4 to January 8.
  2. To participate, players need to talk to Professor A in Prontera and accept a mission to enter the dungeon. You can fight alone or in a party up to five players.
  3. Only players with a Season 9 Battle Pass can earn RON while playing, but everyone can join for free and collect other seasonal items.

Vol. 2, Issue 29 - Interview with Serebii.net

Johto Times ā€¢ 239 implied HN points ā€¢ 18 Jul 24
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Gaming
  1. Serebii.net has been a key source of PokƩmon news for 25 years and is trusted by the community. Joe Merrick, the founder, has dedicated his life to keeping it updated and relevant.
  2. Joe started the site out of boredom and a love for PokƩmon, growing it through word of mouth and focusing on content that other sites missed about the Japanese side of PokƩmon.
  3. He believes that while fans have strong opinions, developers know best about what works for the game. Joe actively engages with the community but maintains his independence to share his honest views.

Gamesmanship, Sportsmanship, and the Case of the Giant Boulder

The Leap ā€¢ 559 implied HN points ā€¢ 28 May 24
šŸŽ¾ Sports Gaming
  1. Gamesmanship involves using clever tactics to gain an advantage in a game, sometimes bending the rules. It's important to know when it's okay to be strategic and when it might cross the line.
  2. Sportsmanship is about respect and fairness in competition, focusing on integrity and camaraderie. Good sportsmanship means playing by the rules and being gracious, win or lose.
  3. Understanding the balance between gamesmanship and sportsmanship can enhance how we engage in competitive activities. Finding the right mix helps maintain the spirit of the game and keeps it enjoyable for everyone.

Under the microscope: Medal of Honor: Underground (PlayStation)

Rings of Saturn ā€¢ 43 implied HN points ā€¢ 18 Feb 26
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. The game doesn't store cheat passwords directly; it computes a CRC-32 checksum of whatever you type and compares that to a table of stored checksums to hide the real codes.
  2. Because CRC-32 updates can be reversed on a per-byte basis, a meet-in-the-middle attack that splits 10-letter codes into two 5-letter halves makes finding matching inputs feasible without brute forcing 26^10 combinations.
  3. Using that technique revealed many alternate valid strings and four previously unknown cheat effects (like No Reload and Unlimited Ammo), since many different 10-letter inputs map to the same 32-bit checksum.

Introducing Ronin Vanguard

Roninā€™s Newsletter ā€¢ 86 implied HN points ā€¢ 28 Jan 26
šŸ”® Crypto Gaming
  1. Ronin Vanguard is the public-facing Sky Mavis Growth Team for the Ronin ecosystem, serving as a bridge between the community, builders, and internal teams.
  2. They answer questions, gather and surface user feedback, connect creators and partners, join live events, and amplify community content to help improve Ronin.
  3. The team includes specialists across product, creators, growth, and support who are available on X and Discord as real people, and they expect constructive, harassment-free engagement.

Under the microscope: Roadsters (Dreamcast, PlayStation)

Rings of Saturn ā€¢ 87 implied HN points ā€¢ 28 Jan 26
šŸ•¹ Technology Gaming
  1. The same game uses completely different cheat systems on each platform, so the N64, Dreamcast, and PlayStation versions each have unique ways to unlock hidden features and content.
  2. On Dreamcast, pressing face buttons on the title screen fills a buffer and matching specific eight-button sequences triggers secrets; these unlock a Pong mini-game, extra goofy cars, a free-flight camera, five turbo boosts, the staff roll, and one sequence that appears to do nothing.
  3. On PlayStation, two distinct eight-button title-screen sequences give big rewards: one sets your Roadster Trophy cash to ten million and the other unlocks Category A/B cars, and entering both also marks several championship trophies as completed.