justin vachon

In a normal administration, this would be a career-ending, weeks-long scandal

more from the final hours of ds2.

#virtualphotography #photomode #ds2

in the final stretches here on DS2. so excited to power through the last few hours during break and MAYBE…maybe go for the platinum. we’ll see

#ds2 #virtualphotography #photomode

getting back to DS2 (after binging silksong, battlefield 6, pokemon legends, hades 2, TOO MANY GAMES) and i’m around 90hrs in now. gonna be posting some of my favorite photos from the last 30 hrs since my last post

#virtualphotography #vp #photomode #ds2

I would love to be part of the conversation on MSNBC related to the Kimmel story and it's chilling effects on first amendment, but unfortunately I was terminated by MSNBC for stating that "hateful thoughts lead to hateful words which lead to hateful actions".

LOST writer-producer Damon Lindelof says he won’t work with Disney unless Kimmel js reinstated. I’m hearing other talent weighing similar pledges.

How does this all square with all their years of insisting on the importance of free speech? That's very simple, they were lying

DS2

#virtualphotography #ds2 #photomode #vrsupport

the phenomenon of "libs willing to be extremely casually bigoted but won't say 'fuck' on the internet without censoring it" must be studied

about 60hrs into DS2 and MAN what a fucking video game. i wish i had the words to better describe the feeling this game gives me or why it’s so addictive, satisfying, mystifying. the first DS and this one especially are just unlike any series ive ever played.

snapping PLENTY of photos too 👀 #DS2

Today, IGN Entertainment announced that it would be laying off eight members of the IGN Creators Guild. This is 12% of our bargaining unit, and comes just days after our sister union, the Ziff Davis Creators Guild, underwent similar layoffs impacting 15% of their members. It also comes just months after our multibillion-dollar parent company, Ziff Davis, instituted a company-wide buyout that shrunk our unit numbers, with the express intent of avoiding future layoffs. And it comes just a little over one year after three of our members were laid off almost immediately after our union went public. The company has told us that the reason for this layoff stems from a Ziff Davis-mandate to cut costs despite several quarters in a row of year-over-year revenue increases, to which IGN Entertainment responded by coming for our members' jobs. This is perplexing to us, as we are told again and again that IGN Entertainment has had a tremendously successful year thus far thanks to their hard work. In just the last few months, our members have been absolutely essential to major events and livestreams, including San Diego ComicCon, Summer of Gaming, and IGN Live. Every single person impacted today was involved in and critical to the success of those events. Meanwhile, IGN Entertainment continues to spend money on costly acquisitions, only to turn around and gut those companies in the same way it is cutting away at IGN itself. For instance, last year, it acquired Gamer Network, and almost immediately laid off a number of staff critical to making those sites successful. The company has not responded to the union's questions about whether its budget for future acquisitions is being reconsidered as a cost-saving measure alongside these other apparently necessary personnel cuts. At a time when it is more necessary than ever to support its creators, IGN Entertainment is choosing to eliminate the individuals who ensure IGN remains competitive as generative AI

threatens our reach. We have been told that expert opinion pieces, original interviews, and work that leverages our staff's deep knowledge of gaming, tech, and entertainment are all essential to combating AI summarization and regurgitation of our work. Management has responded by cutting several individuals who do that exact work, as well as others whose job it is to ensure that these written and video pieces are published in a speedy manner — another component of combating AI we're told is critical. This continued cycle of repeated, aggressive cuts to our staff and being asked to do more with less, only for management to continue to spend on new business it isn't interested in sustaining cannot continue. We will enforce our interim agreement that guarantees better severance and other protections to laid off members, as well as demand additional support for those impacted. We will continue to bargain over our first contract with the aim of enshrining even better protections against further layoffs, working conditions continuously degraded by understaffing, and the encroachment of generative AI. And we won't stop fighting to ensure IGN remains the best destination for trustworthy, original, exciting, and creative work covering video games, entertainment, and tech. While IGN Entertainment management may not value us, we value one another and the incredible work we can do together. Behind the articles, videos, social posts, playlists, and maps of IGN are human beings, not just numbers on a spreadsheet to be pushed around when some number at the top isn't big enough. Without us, there is no IGN.

Today, IGN laid off eight extremely valuable members of our union and workforce via directive from our parent company, Ziff Davis. This, after two incredibly successful live events IGN Live and SDCC, and yet another corporate acquisition.

Please take a moment to read and share our full statement:

I cried this morning because so many of my wonderful colleagues were laid off today, even after the success of IGN Live and Comic-Con.

After today's layoffs, I am now the only social team member left in LA.
How am I supposed to do my job?

If IGN has layoffs, nobody in games press is safe. If Microsoft has layoffs, nobody in platforms is safe. If Ubisoft and Bungie and NetEase have layoffs, nobody in game development is safe. If the Romeros get their funding pulled, no studio is safe.

It's rough out there, right now.

jesus dude i’m so fucking sorry, yall deserve so much better than this ❤️

Hello! You may have seen it, but I am one of the employees that have been impacted by layoffs at IGN.

It's been a great six years, but this now means I am looking to apply my talents to something new and exciting.

clair obscur is only the second game i’ve ever pushed myself to get the 100% (the other being elden ring) and FUCK, games like this don’t come along very often dude.

it’s a 10/10 all day, every day. a legitimate masterpiece and easy GOTY. i’m so sad my time with it is over but i’ll never forget it.

cycling between doom, blue prince, clair obscur, ac shadows and oblivion this weekend for a few hours each has been so fucking rad.

video games are good as hell

i think i’m very close to that moment too based on your screenshots. he seems like a rad dude, can’t wait to meet him lol

its unreal how good like EVERY aspect of it is, visuals, music, performance, writing, combat, world building, its hitting on everything in a way you rarely see with games and almost never with a new IP

Giantbomb website is back!

Here's the #illustration that was featured on the @giantbomb.bsky.social site that I did.

If you are into #videogame discussion and supporting an newly independent owned company. Subscribe over at giantbomb.com/join

#indiegame #indiedev #giantbomb

Game Mess Mornings back tomorrow at 11ET/8PT. I might forget how to do it, though.

LET'S GO GIANT BOMB

The world is a better place with Giant Bomb in it.

a man with a beard is screaming with his mouth wide open ALT: a man with a beard is screaming with his mouth wide open

We own Giant Bomb
giantbomb.com/join

SO SO HAPPY FOR THESE GENTS!!!!

Long live Giant Bomb

Congrats to @giantbomb.bsky.social and their new owners

They bought giant bomb. Holy shit.