Riley MacLeod
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Co-founder, @Aftermath_site. Previously: Next Generation Audiences @washingtonpost, @LauncherWP, @kotaku. Trans; he/him. riley (at) aftermath (dot) site
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Articles by Riley MacLeod
At A Worker-Run Game Studio, Employees Voted To Lose Their Jobs
In early September, Montreal game studio KO-OP announced it would be “saying goodbye” to 13 people, citing–like so many others–difficulty finding funding. But unlike other layoffs in the games industry, which tend to strike suddenly from on-high, those affected had been involved in the decision from the beginning, and had actively voted for the outcome. “As with all our company's operational decisions, this one was made democratically,” KO-OP wrote in its announcement.
At A Worker-Run Game Studio, Employees Voted To Lose Their Jobs
Crime 3 hours ago 27 GA Prisons On Lockdown After 3 Inmates Injured Patch - Amanda Lumpkin • 3h The Georgia Department of Corrections told Patch the lockdown is a precautionary measure against retaliation. Amanda Lumpkin, Patch Staff Posted Thu, … The Last of Us 2 hours ago Everything We Know About THE LAST OF US Season 3 Nerdist - Michael Walsh • 2h Cordyceps might have destroyed the world of The Last of Us, but it sure had made for a fun(gi) franchise.
Ugly Mansion - Kotaku
You wake in a dark, enclosed space with no visible exit, only clues and strange devices. Explore, solve puzzles, and collect items to unlock paths. You are not alone. An unknown entity is searching for you. Hide, keep distance, and escape.
Bounce Intelligence
BI: Bounce Intelligence is an action roguelite loot game controlled with only the left mouse button. Bounce through a digital world, crush enemy hordes with explosive landings, collect powerful loot, and evolve your weapons to create a unique playstyle every run.
Why More Survival Games Don't Let You Poop
'Escaping a jaguar with food poisoning and requiring a pit stop is a terrible way to die' Abiotic Factor Published: October 27, 2026, 9:46 am | {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to X {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Bluesky {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Facebook {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to LinkedIn {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share by email Every survival game has to limit which facets of human life it simulates, lest it turn into something mind-warpingly complex or...
Gospel Drift - Kotaku
Let grandma take the wheel! Kick Satans whiny little ass and collect the souls of the damned to buy upgrades and slam the hordes that stand in your way…literally.
Inside Baseball Week 2026
Welcome to Inside Baseball Week, our annual excuse to explore topics so niche and weeds-y that no other video game website would touch them: deep dives into the industry’s least-plumbed depths, interviews with people whose jobs you’ve never even considered the existence of, detailed breakdowns of minute decisions like when to delay a game or lay people off, transparent and sometimes unflattering examinations of games journalism, and this time around, poop (ask Riley).
Lonely Hospital: Revelations
Belmont’s Curse Taught Me An Important Lesson About Parrying, Namely I Should Do It More The Normandy SR-2 Is Now A Haunted House, But It Will Always Be My Home Developer Of ‘Ecosocialist’ Game Future? No Thanks! Offers Refunds After Using AI Despite Calling It ‘Technofascist’
Avert Your Eyes From My Masterpiece
Last year I briefly flirted with the ambition to learn to watercolor paint, after too many social media videos made it look cute and appealing. For me, it was neither of those things: I produced some muddy bits of paper and one child's drawing of a sun before stashing my paints and brushes away in shame. Sloppy Forgeries is that experience in video game form. Sloppy Forgeriescomes out in November, and has a demo live now on Steam.
There's An FMV Dog Game
Look, a dog Golden Retriever Simple Life (Rablo Games/Aftermath) Published: October 20, 2026, 10:19 am | {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to X {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Bluesky {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Facebook {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to LinkedIn {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share by email Sometimes when I'm sad, I think about dogs I've pet: the dog that came wagging over to me in the bodega one time, the lady who thanked me for falling to my knees to...
There's An FMV Dog Game
4 hours ago Trump’s complaints about Fox are the latest sign of the wheels coming off his administration. Shortly after noon on Saturday, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, “Heading to Kentucky! Will be landing soon. Big Crowd. I’m watching it now on RSBN. The coverage is spectacular. In fact, it’s …
Crooked Frames - Kotaku
Crooked Frames is a stealth puzzle game about an art thief who cannot walk past a crooked painting. The player sneaks through museums at night, levels each frame with touch controls, and stands still when a guard turns around. The game has a training night, three museums and a final heist, four kinds of guard, and 99 public-domain paintings by artists including Van Gogh, Monet, Hokusai and Vermeer.
In Penguin Colony, Lovecraft's Imaginary Horrors Are Very Real
A big takeaway from a lot of HP Lovecraft’s work is that human life and struggles are meaningless, and that really understanding the scale of the universe’s indifference will destroy you. Penguin Colony uses that indifference as a starting point, but rather than coming to the conclusion that it’s better not to know, it ferociously demands that knowing isn’t enough. Penguin Colonyis the latest game by Origame Digital, the developers of Umurangi Generation.
There’s No Conspiracy For GTA VI To Be In The Game Awards
While GTA VI just makes The Game Awards eligibility cutoff, voting outlets tell Aftermath the deadline for code is much sooner Rockstar Published: October 16, 2026, 4:20 pm | {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to X {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Bluesky {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Facebook {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to LinkedIn {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share by email There was a small but breathless news cycle yesterday around the fact that GTA VI will make the...
There’s No Conspiracy For GTA VI To Be In The Game Awards
8 hours ago PlayStation has revealed GTA 6’s PS5 features, including DualSense support, 3D audio, and PS5 Pro Enhanced status. Here’s what to expect. Sony has revealed the PS5 features players can expect when GTA 6 launches on November 19. From DualSense haptic feedback to faster loading, here is every confirmed …
Chaotic Virus - Kotaku
Fight to survive by controlling a cell in this top-down action roguelite. Destroy waves of viruses, gain experience, evolve through transformations, and create powerful combinations of active and passive abilities.
A Folklore Puzzle Game That's As Charming As It Is Tough
Sometimes there are games that stick with me even if I wouldn't list them among my favorites, some experience that isn't necessarily standout but which I always think of fondly. One of those games for me was 2016's Burly Men At Sea by studio Brain&Brain, a small narrative game with a distinctive, minimalist art style.
Kitman Gets That Most Of Sports Is Actually Just Laundry
I'm notably terrible at sports games because I'm notably terrible at team sports, but maybe because I spend too much time with Luke, I keep trying them. So I've been intrigued by Outlier Games' Kitmansince its announcement earlier this year, because it looks like a sports game where I don't have to know that much about sports. Kitman, which currently has a demo on Steam, can be played solo or multiplayer.
Kitman Gets That Most Of Sports Is Actually Just Laundry
Puff quilt pillows are the cosy sewing trend you'll want ready for autumn nights in Autumn is here and, as such, it's time to get your cosy home interiors ready for rainy days spent indoors, cuddled up on the sofa watching a good …
Alphadia F - Kotaku
Embark on an epic fantasy JRPG in Alphadia F, the remake of Alphadia IV. Explore Valhalard, uncover the mystery of six fallen crystals, and save four kingdoms in strategic turn-based battles. Master the energi system, character progression, cooking, and classic anime-style RPG adventure.
Who Killed Arthur?
Who Killed Arthur? is an offbeat, murder-mystery, puzzle game telling a story of heartbreak, loss, body horror, and the fear of growing up. The game is rife with rich storytelling elements, strange, talking animals, curious children, and a killer original soundtrack to boot!
Drowned Echo - Kotaku
Drowned Echo is a narrative-driven VR horror experience in which you explore a sunken ship, using your hands to swim, interact with tools, and uncover a Lovecraftian presence that is corrupting the environment.
Smiley Arena - Kotaku
Smiley Arena is a single-player game that combines tower defense with direct, action-based combat. The player controls a smiley character on the battlefield, moving with WASD and aiming with the mouse, while placing and upgrading turrets across five lanes to stop incoming waves of enemies.
Once Again I Did Not Win A Zohran Mamdani Scavenger Hunt
Published: October 12, 2026, 12:30 pm | {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to X {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Bluesky {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Facebook {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to LinkedIn {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share by email In August 2025, before he was mayor, Zohran Mamdani hosted a New York-themed scavenger hunt.
Echo Resonance - Kotaku
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites. ©2026 KOTAKU USA LLC. All rights reserved.
At Last, A Big Budget Minesweeper
I need to sweep these mines Mike Lacher Published: October 09, 2026, 3:19 pm | {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to X {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Bluesky {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Facebook {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to LinkedIn {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share by email Following the tradition of old-school games getting the "Focus, M" treatment, you can now play a gritty, plot-heavy version of Minesweeper, the 90s game that used to come with Windows.
What Killed Rachel
A story-driven psychological horror that chases the truth behind Rachel’s death. As you follow scattered memories, you slowly come face to face with the reality of the tragedy. Blaming someone is easy. But answering what truly killed her is not.
Fortnite Will Give Kids What They've Always Wanted: AI Pride And Prejudice Fan Fic
I have covered Fortnite for years, and if there’s one thing I’ve heard time and again, it’s that the kids long for more classic literature in the dizzying zoo of crossovers the game has become. Sci-fi author Neal Stephenson is giving them what they want, with the announcement Thursday that his company Whenere is bringing Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice to Fortnite.
GeoGuessr For The Long Dark, Yes
A player has made GeoGuessr for The Long Dark, a survival game that gets part of its challenge from becoming lost in a snowy wilderness where everything looks the same. As a long-time player who’s spent an inordinate amount of time muttering “goddammit I’ve seen this rock before” while wandering areas I should know by now, I am here for it. TLD Guessris the work of player henhau, who released the game a few weeks ago.
We Kinda Sorta Dig Digger
Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Tom Cruise-led movie is the Marty Supreme of climate change cinema By Isaiah Colbert and Riley MacLeod Warner Bros.
AI Companies Would Love The Backrooms
Over the weekend I, an avowed horror movie wuss, finally worked up the courage to watch Backrooms, A24’s big screen take on the popular YouTube series. I was relieved that I didn’t find it that scary, especially in the back half. Part of the terror, and the allure, of the Backrooms mythology is that viewers can map so many fears onto it, from run-of-the-mill monsters to societal issues like capitalism, the internet, and AI.
Primetime Is A Gorgeous, Sleazy Portrait Of Early 2000s TV
The fictionalized account of the rise and fall of Chris Hansen's "To Catch A Predator" explores the motivations underneath the show's justice-seeking premise By Riley MacLeod and Chris Person A24 Published: September 30, 2026, 1:32 pm | {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to X {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Bluesky {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Facebook {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to LinkedIn {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share by email The mythos of Chris Hansen and his...
The Jigsaw Puzzles Got Me
I’m visiting my parents in Cape Cod, where I arrived by bike last week just in time to be stuck indoors for days due to an early-season nor’easter. Despite being right on the coast, we were fine, with the exception of needing to find ways to entertain ourselves. At some point my sister rustled up a jigsaw puzzle from a basement closet, and god help me, I might be a jigsaw puzzle guy now. I’ve never totally understood the allure of jigsaw puzzles.
A Tempting Life with My Neighbor
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites. ©2026 KOTAKU USA LLC. All rights reserved.
A Remastered Witcher 3 Means A New Bathtub Geralt
Reviews are out for the snazzy remaster of The Witcher 3 today, which I cannot yet play because I’m away from my computer and also because I haven’t updated to Windows 11. People who have spent some time with the remaster, out on Tuesday, seem to be feeling pretty positive about the changes, but I’m not sure how I feel about the new bathtub Geralt.
Weavers of Life - Kotaku
A story of two brothers who must navigate the Fantasy World of Forvos after being reborn and reshaped by a powerful Rune Weaver. Will you, the Hand of Fate, be able to guide them to safety? To riches? To death? I who led the willing and dragged along the reluctant relinquish my control to you.
Relicta In Memoriam
Relicta In Memoriam is a 2.5D pixel-art noir detective game. Explore the secrets of a world where supernatural phenomena threaten human life. Encounter and battle folklore creatures in intense turn-based combat, gather clues, and solve puzzles to unravel dark mysteries.
A Sniper Game Where The Goal Is Not To Shoot Anyone
Sniper Dan is a surprisingly cute game where everything is solved with a gun Denki Published: September 23, 2026, 3:05 pm | {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to X {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Bluesky {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Facebook {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to LinkedIn {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share by email Sniper rifles are one of my least favorite weapons in games– they require patience, confidence, and accuracy, none of which are my strongest skills.
Impressions - Aftermath
Where we write about the games we've played and are playing. Woodo describes itself as a "cozy diorama puzzle game", in which you have to match a succession of items on the side of your screen to their counterparts / 23 Sep 2026 Sniper Dan is a surprisingly cute game where everything is solved with a gun / 23 Sep 2026 It's a shooter that asks you an important question: do you want to feel like a badass every 3.5 seconds? / 17 Sep 2026 Half-Life: Alyx remains the big budget killer app of VR.
Xbox Lays Off More Workers, Combines Studios
Xbox entered the next phase of its "reset" today, following on the cuts and studio closures it undertook in early July. According to a message from Matt Booty, there will be more layoffs, Ninja Theory couldn't find a buyer, and several studios will combine.
Canada Clash - Kotaku
A memory game with a VHS twist! Match cards, beat your high score, and immerse yourself in retro glitch aesthetics. How far can you go?
Downtown Secrets
We Asked Blizzard Why Diablo 5 Is Confirmed For PC But StarCraft Is Not Team Behind Popular Ocarina Of Time PC Port Admit To Using AI For Years And Now Fans Are Freaking Out About ‘Vibecoded Slop’ Choosing Who To Play In Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Made Me Realize This Game Is Gonna Take Forever Bungie Shoots Down Viral ‘Leak’ About Marathon And Destiny 2 ‘Merging’
Wardogs CEO Says Workers Who Speak Out Against Crunch Won't 'Be Happy Here'
Bulkhead CEO Joe Brammer told The Game Business the studio scans the social media of potential hires, and that those who speak out against crunch 'often don't make it in the door' Bulkhead Published: September 16, 2026, 10:47 am | {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to X {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Bluesky {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Facebook {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to LinkedIn {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share by email Crunch is a pervasive and long-standing...
Wardogs CEO Says Workers Who Speak Out Against Crunch Won't 'Be Happy Here'
2 hours ago The ‘Axios’ CEO says the answer to AI-fueled overload is a ruthless three-step system: confront, delete, amplify. AI isn’t simplifying your life . . . yet. It’s mass-producing more options, more decisions, and more noise. Axios CEO Jim VandeHei makes the case that the antidote isn’t a better …
It's 2026, And I'm Playing GTA V For The First Time
I’ve been broadly immune from the GTA VI hype, not for any principled reasons but because I’ve just never played a Grand Theft Auto game. This has been largely circumstantial, as someone who didn’t own a console when they all released and who tends to dislike driving games. But the recent flurry of GTA VI looks got curiosity gnawing at my brain, wanting to share in the excitement of my peers and feeling drawn to a big open world to explore.
It's 2026, And I'm Playing GTA V For The First Time
CDPR wants to make The Witcher 3 Remastered feel like any other game released today: 'It's so easy to get used to these new improvements that it's hard to go back' Geralt's glow up. As if September wasn't busy enough, The Witcher 3 is calling us again. CDPR's remaster will be launching as a free update on …
Junk Trash Hop - Kotaku
The Outer Worlds 2 Gave Me Exactly What I Wanted From An RPG Inventory System And I Hated It An RPG without encumbrance seemed like the holy grail, but it didn’t exactly turn out that way
Hozy Hideaways - Kotaku
A free DLC for all Hozy players, invites you to explore three new levels – each with its own unique atmosphere and personality. Meet the characters who call these spaces home, discover the little details that make each place unique, and take your time turning them into something special.
Your 'Focus M' Zelda Jokes Have Become Reality
The creator of the "Focus M" meme has given the Ocarina of Time remake the same treatment RyanStewartVO Published: September 14, 2026, 4:11 pm | {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to X {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Bluesky {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Facebook {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to LinkedIn {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share by email When Nintendo showed the first footage from The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake last week, its new, detailed look...
Narrow Holes - Kotaku
An relaxing erotic anime puzzle game. Complete five different mini-games to unlock new artworks, and enjoy your hot collection in the gallery. • Disney’s 23 Best And Most Memorable Songs Ever, Ranked These are the singing genies, lions, and ballroom-dancing beasts that raised us all • How To Defeat Metyr, Mother Of Fingers In Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree We’ll tell you everything you need to know about dealing with one ugly motherfinger.
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