To start, and I promise absolute last time I’ll say this, but wanna remind the folks that clicked the Patreon link (from issue 21? 22?) - be sure to go back and REDEEM one of the gifted subs! I saw folks make new Patreon accounts and join the page, but you have to redeem by clicking the link again.
In Issue #22 I touched on the drama blowup with the whole “Discord is fucking sending us to teenage accounts!” and a LOT has happened since then. Enough, actually, that I wrote an article on it. Check it out, I’d love to hear your thoughts via comment (so others can chime in) or just as an email reply.
In other important Hashtag news, I made a new YT account. If you followed our old account, please send a follow to the new page. (If you want to see how WINTER PALE I am, I even rolled out of bed and made a short video explaining the change.) I know the new page is a bit weirdly sparse and has a crappy layout, I’ll tweak it as I go forward with shifting some old content & making new content. The podcast I did a few years back (with my sister) will be on the new site, and a bunch of episodes have already been shifted - so if you’ve never checked it out, maybe now is the time! Warning: I had quite a few hiccups on audio back then, so listen with an open mind. 😂
Noteworthy:
Curator Updates -
The Pioneers: Surviving Desolation, Western Rye
Sales:
Fanatical: Still running their Lunar Sale: Survival: Fountain of Youth for sub $10 (useful since multiplayer is coming one day), The Alters for $19, and more.
Steam: Check my Curator page under the Discounts tab for sales.
News:
Catch up on the latest survival game updates in February 17th’s Survival Roundup.
It’s on Reddit: simple, public, and low-friction to share. 😘
Do I still do the TRIGGER WARNING if someone who is triggered thinks I’M the one triggered? Instructions Unclear.
A few days ago, on Reddit, someone posted their thoughts on the biggest issue facing survival games today. (It was very weird.)
I posted the following:
I don’t even want to TRY and explain some of the back and forth that went on in that thread. I’m just going to link it and encourage you to go read every comment, gather your thoughts (they’ll prolly be outside, sitting on a low wall next to your sanity and drumming their heels), and hit me up with your take on things.
After the OP continually moved the goalposts on his original question, I ended up quitting the field when this happened. 😂
Walk On?
Firewatch was a gorgeous game and one of the few games (ever!) that I both played through AND enjoyed the story. (Literally. Ever. 42 years.) But, yanno, the start of this article made sense! It began, “Firewatch celebrated its 10-year anniversary on February 9, 2025.”
I know that explained nothing, but it’s long been my personal belief that some of the coolest people, things, and events occur in February. My birthday, for one. 😂 (I actually share my day with Charles Dickens and Laura Ingalls Wilder.) Christopher Johnson McCandless was born February 12th. My wife was born in Feb as well, which makes celebrating pretty handy.
Anyway, so this is a Gamespot piece titled, “Firewatch Helped Pioneer A Genre That Burned Brightly But Briefly” and talks about and around the concept of walking simulator games. (Not the insulting way folks try and use the term, labeling WoW or games that don’t magically cart your ass all over “durr walking simulatorsss.”)
Overall, it’s worth a read, if only because I don’t feel like rehashing it all here. But I don’t know that I agree that walking simulators are dead, and I think there’s plenty of indie developers that are pushing forward interesting titles that may fit within the genre.
I wonder if Heart of Altai counts.
Support Hashtag: Patreon keeps the lights on. If monthly subs aren’t your thing, consider Ko-Fi for one-offs, a Steam gift card, or share the newsletter link!
Create & Code
Houdini has launched a Learning Portal hub for tutorials, collections, content, and presentations.
This is a pretty funny/fun thread of cool cheap effects in development.
Dimension 5, the creator of D5 Render, has unveiled D5 Works: a 3D asset platform aimed at professionals in architecture, landscape design, and interior design.
CodeMonkey not only offers excellent free development courses on YT, he also writes a great developer-centric newsletter. He also just completed a Reddit AMA - it was a smashing success!
Tool Talk: OctaneRender 2026.2 released.
Content Wise
In case you’re one of the folks on Kickstarter - or Steam - curious about, oh…I dunno, the state of the game, or what happened to your backer funds, well. Ain’t good.
Blink Twice if You’re Leaking News?
I know that I said that Patreon would be the domain of ONLY paid backer posts -and it is! - but this post is free because I am QUITE confused if I just had a disgruntled developer leak info to me. Or it’s just random Reddit shit. Either or.
Random things this week
Meta really wants you to believe social media addiction is 'not a thing' (engadget)
My Grueling Quest To Buy A Switch 2 By Riding Citi Bikes (Aftermath)
Walmart found a creative, illegal way to make sure they have the lowest prices. (Instagram) [Absolutely fucking worth a watch, don’t need an IG account]
Syracuse University’s first-of-its-kind creator economy program takes shape. (Tubefilter) [Yes, I AM jealous]
Sorry for the delay, works been bizz-ah. Next issue may be Sunday, to try and avoid another delay, we’ll see how the weekend goes!
Jordan
Survive, Thrive, Game On!
P.S. I read and respond to every email, so send questions, feedback, or criticisms my way. And a big thank-you to our Patreon subscribers ❤️
