Dylan Bishop

“We wanted another Shovel Knight game,” says Alec Faulkner of Yacht Club Games, “but we didn’t want to make it. We’re sick of making Shovel Knight games. And we’re still making one of our own!” It’s safe to say that developing Shovel Knight has probably been exhausting. In 2014, the game launched after a successful Kickstarter campaign and subsequent development process. It became an instant indie darling, lauded by fans and critics alike.

Donut County, a 2018 game by Ben Esposito, is overflowing with dumb jokes, an aspect of the game I was immediately taken with. Its music, dialogue, and even “Trashopedia” are full of obscurity just for the hell of it. Donut County leans into its nonsense, and in doing so, speaks directly to a nonsensical audience: my generation, “the Millennials.”

Character movement in Smash Bros. is central to the series, and has evolved with each release. Ahead of Ultimate's launch, we look back at how the mechanics have shaped the game as we know it today.

As you may know, we went hands-on with Fallout 76 last week, and we didn’t need a trip to the Greenbrier Resort to tell you the game is set in the idyllic hills of West Virginia. But seeing as I grew up near Huntington, WV and know its area well, I was curious as to why the game was set there. Did the rustic, rural culture, country tunes, and enthralling folk tales steal the hearts of Bethesda Game Studios? Did they simply enjoy the sheer amount of green? Maybe they liked mountains?! According to a roundtable interview, it’s a solid mixture of all the above.

Chances are you’ve caught wind of Minit between its initial release and the clamor for a Switch port. It’s a wee, wonderful, one-bit adventure where, thanks to a cursed blade, you die every 60 seconds. While it’s a romping hoot of a game, it also blatantly wastes your time. I mean that in a good way: Minit tosses away precious seconds with so many fun, sincere, and clever tactics that this shines as a pro, not a con.

Asmongold is undoubtedly one of the top World of Warcraft streamers on Twitch. He’s gained 32,000 followers in the past two weeks, and averages around 25,000 viewers per stream. The Texan streamer’s sudden spell of fame doesn’t seem to have phased him. He’s matter of fact, honest – our first conversation is about his new webcam and a piece of armour he was about to nab in Warcraft’s auction house – which is exactly why he’s good at telling stories while streaming Warcraft, and why so many people have flocked to watch him.

In the past few weeks, World of Warcraft has shot up Twitch’s viewing ranks. Even with a new expansion out, that’s strange, as Warcraft has never been known as a ‘stream friendly’ game. It’s esoteric in nature, appealing mainly to an audience that’s willing to put the time in to keep up with its rich lore and monthly subscription. With its many spells, cooldowns, and user-defined macros, it can be hard for casual viewers to understand what’s happening. How and why has World of Warcraft suddenly gained this dedicated Twitch audience?

Earlier this month, pro Dota 2 player Peter “PPD” Dager announced a surprising new venture: he’s forming a Dota league. Dubbed , the organization shifts the focus away from the upcoming International Dota 2 Championships, if only for a moment. And while third-party leagues already exist in the Dota scene, the NADCL hones in on an aspect that most others don’t.

This column is a reprint from Unwinnable Monthly #101. Inflated by the success of the first-ever WVGDE, Joseph reached out to more game developers and personalities in the area. He formed partnerships with more Appalachian developers and schools, and strengthened bonds that were already in place. More exhibition invitations were extended to student programs at Marshall University and Eastern Kentucky University. Joseph got in contact with Multithreaded Games in Portsmouth, Ohio, and asked for their attendance. He even reached out to Huntington resident Justin McElroy, and asked him to do an opening keynote address.

Quiet, rural towns are mystifying. They offer entirely different opportunities than most regions, yet their charming and calm lifestyles allure people from all walks of life. One such city is Portstmouth, Ohio, the home of Shawnee State University. Despite being nestled deep in the hills of Southern Ohio, Shawnee boasts one of the top-ranking undergraduate game design programs in the US. That kind of feat can attract interesting students–some of which happen to be avid Hearthstone players.