The latest ChatGPT logo reveal stirred up quite an interesting discussion in gaming circles, particularly among Magic: The Gathering players. The striking similarity between OpenAI’s new spherical logo and the iconic “Damnation” card from Magic can’t be unseen once you notice it - both featuring a dark, swirling vortex that seems to consume everything in its path.

Back in my early IT days, I spent countless lunch breaks playing Magic with colleagues, and “Damnation” was always one of those cards that made everyone at the table groan. Its effect? “Destroy all creatures. They can’t be regenerated.” Pretty brutal stuff. The parallel between this destructive card and an AI company’s branding choice is either deliciously ironic or slightly concerning, depending on your perspective.

Looking through my usual gaming forums today, I stumbled upon something that perfectly captures why indie game development continues to fascinate me. Someone created a skateboarding game where you perform tricks with… a mop. Yes, you read that right. A mop. And honestly? It’s brilliant.

The game, aptly titled “Mop Skater,” combines the mechanics of classic skateboarding games with the mundane reality of household cleaning. The creator even included a punk-rock soundtrack that instantly transported me back to the early 2000s, when Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater dominated gaming conversations at my first IT job.

Remember installing a new game, gathering friends for a LAN party, and knowing that your purchase would last forever? Those days feel increasingly distant as modern gaming shifts towards “live service” models that can vanish at a publisher’s whim.

The “Stop Killing Games” movement has caught my attention lately, particularly as someone who still has a dusty collection of 90s PC games that work perfectly fine today. This European citizens’ initiative aims to protect consumer rights by requiring publishers to provide ways for players to keep their games running after official support ends.

The recent discussions about Valve’s remarkable profit-per-employee ratio have sparked some interesting debates in tech circles. While the company’s financial success is undeniable - reportedly generating more profit per employee than Amazon, Microsoft, and Netflix combined - there’s a complex story behind these impressive numbers.

Working in tech, I’ve seen firsthand how different organizational structures can impact both products and people. Valve’s approach is fascinating - maintaining a relatively small core team of 400 employees while leveraging contractors for various projects. The Steam Deck’s development, particularly its Linux-based SteamOS, involved significant collaboration with external partners rather than being purely in-house.

The gaming world just witnessed something remarkable - No Man’s Sky has achieved a “Very Positive” rating on Steam, eight years after what many consider one of the most controversial game launches in history. Sitting at my desk in Carlton, watching this unfold, I find myself reflecting on what this means for the gaming industry and us as consumers.

Remember 2016? The hype was astronomical. The promises were grand. The disappointment was crushing. Yet here we are, with Hello Games having transformed their initial stumble into something genuinely impressive through sheer persistence and dedication.

Looking at the brewing storm around Trump’s proposed tariffs on electronics, I can’t help but feel a mix of frustration and déjà vu. My teenage son and I were just discussing upgrading his gaming setup next year, but these plans might need some serious reconsideration.

The proposed 60% tariff on electronics isn’t just another political headline - it’s going to hit close to home for millions of households. From gaming consoles to monitors, the impact will ripple through the entire tech ecosystem. What’s particularly maddening is how we’ve been down this road before.

The gaming giant Valve just made another consumer-friendly move by requiring developers to explicitly disclose when their games use kernel-level anti-cheat systems. While this might sound like technical jargon to some, it’s actually a significant step forward for transparency and user privacy.

Sitting here in my home office, glancing at my Steam library, I’m reminded of how far we’ve come from the days when gaming platforms treated users as mere wallet-carriers. Valve has consistently shown that it’s possible to run a profitable business while respecting user privacy and choice. Their move away from Google Analytics, preference for privacy-focused solutions, and tireless work on Linux gaming through Proton demonstrates a commitment that goes beyond mere lip service.

As a Melburnian and a gamer, I’ve always had a fascination with the world of video games. From the early days of Pac-Man to the vast, sprawling universes of modern titles, I’ve always been curious about the dedication and passion that goes into creating these immersive experiences. Recently, I came across an incredible story that really drove home the impact that developers can have on their players’ experiences.

In the world of No Man’s Sky, a fan had sunk an astonishing 611 hours into the game, only to find themselves stuck on a save that couldn’t be resolved. The problem was so complex that even the average player or support staff couldn’t help. Enter the developers, who took it upon themselves to address this issue head-on. They rolled up their sleeves, listened to the fan’s problem, and implemented a fix that got the player back on track.