Hiya, I missed you!

It’s been a minute, but there is some exciting news and updates from the world of Essay Games that I thought it was high time I sent a proper newsletter. Thanks for continuing to subscribe, and I’m hoping to get back into the practice of posting these semi-regularly.

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BoJ Turns 1!

The big thing I wanted to let folks know is that Bundle of Joy will be turning 1 on March 25th! I can’t believe it’s been a year. I’ve been able to show it to a lot of folks at MAGFest, Gameapalooza, and Narrascope this past year, and it’s had an amazing reception.

To celebrate, I’m doing a lil’ community campaign to reach 25 reviews for the game by its birthday and put the game on %50 off as part of the Steam Spring Sale (March 19-26). The game is currently at 17 reviews, but you can help me reach this goal by either sharing the game with your friends (or soon-to-be-dads) or leaving a Steam review if you haven’t already.

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PAX EAST

Funnily enough, right around the time BoJ turns 1, I’ll be heading up to Boston for PAX East. I’m going to be helping the Pratt Game Arts booth for Friday-Sunday (March 27-29), and I’d love to get together while in town.

My calendar is just starting to fill up, so please reach out and let me know if you plan to be in Boston. I’d love to connect with GodotCon folks that I met last year and check out what you’re working on!

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Narrascope

Speaking of events and travel, I’m thrilled to share that my proposal for NarraScope was recently accepted!

My talk, entitled I know narrative designers who use branching dialog and they’re cowards, is a tongue-in-cheek reference to a meme from UK cult-classic comedy Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace. For my session, I’ll deliver a critique of linear games that use branching dialog in ways that don’t advance gameplay and plot, while also offering technical insights into avoiding that storytelling “trap.”

Or at least that’s the current plan, I’m sure it will develop further as I finalize my materials in prep for my short train ride up to Albany the weekend of June 12-14th.

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Odds & Ends

So that’s the main news for now, though I’ve also been slowly working on my next game and prototyping the core loop. I hope to share news/updates on that in future footnotes.

Here’s some other stuff that’s happened since we last spoke:

• I was a guest lecturer for Clark University’s IGDA chapter

• I conducted a couple of workshops & mentored game devs in Ireland as part of Ardán / IMIRT Irish Game Makers Alliance (special thanks to Katie Canning for connecting me!)

• Luis Auguasvivas interviewed me for his recurring column in Debug Magazine.

• Bundle of Joy was included in The Gamer’s 2025 GOTY editors’ picks.

• I deleted my Spotify (and you should too!)

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Ok doke, that’s the news! I hope my updates find you safe and healthy, wherever you are and whomever you are with.

<3z

Nicholas
Essay Games