Tag: Overthinking

Overthinking, but Professionally: Is LitRPG Just Escapism, or Something Deeper?

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Is LitRPG just a guilty pleasure, or does it actually mean something? Let’s get a little more profound on this shower thought. This is Part 3 of a 3-part series on LitRPG: its past, how to write it, and why it keeps us coming back. LitRPG isn’t just about power-ups and progress bars. It taps into something deeper. Why do these stories hit so hard? Let’s autopsy why this genre is fundamental fantasy rather than a fad. Missed the earlier parts? Introduction There are a few genres that are experiencing break-out success, and with good reason. They scratch an underserved niche and, if done well, expand that niche into a chasm of readership that becomes a defining success. Romantasy is a great example, but we’re here to talk about LitRPG. You’ll still never pry Paladin’s Grace from my hands, but I will Read More …

Overthinking, but Professionally: Steam, GOG, and Epic (or, Who’s Really on Your Side?)

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Maybe you were once naïve enough to believe Ubisoft Connect would add something to your life; I’m not here to judge. Among this digital clutter, three stores actually matter: Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store. First, the TL;DR—or as I call it, “The Algebra of Access and Aggravation.” I promise, this is only make-believe math: Now let’s overthink why Steam, GOG, and Epic are (mostly) on your side—or to badly misrepresent Tron, “For the Users!” Let’s also be professional about why publisher launchers are the worst thing since loot boxes, and how—despite exclusives—Epic might actually be on the right side of history. Steam, GOG, and Epic: The Convenient, the Collector, and the Cash Cannon We all have those same three fucken launchers, or maybe even four if you were once naïve enough to believe Ubisoft Connect would add anything to Read More …

Microsoft Might Accidentally Win Gaming

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Microsoft is thinking about making a handheld, but their worst enemy isn’t Sony, Nintendo, or even the ghost of Zune. It’s Windows. That OS that fights controllers like they owe it money. What if Microsoft finally fixed Windows for a handheld… and then, in the biggest “hold my beer” moment ever, they drop a Windows-runs-natively update for Xbox? Suddenly, the Series X isn’t just an Xbox (it’s a Steam machine, or Epic games hub, or hell, GOG’s on there too). Xbox gamers get Game Pass and Steam, making Microsoft the undisputed gaming warlord of both couch and commute. Meanwhile, Sony and Nintendo watch from the sidelines, trapped in their walled gardens as Xbox players boot up Baldur’s Gate 3 on literally anything. Microsoft, your move.