Azario Lopez

More like Lowguard amirite!?

Thanks for reminding me how much I spent 😫 I was considering it a Christmas present lol

Yea, I wanna do some capture and maybe streaming of my PS2 so this is the best way.

Got the retroTink 5x cause I want to play my PS2 games at their very best 😮‍💨

Great weekend ahead.

I think freelancers find it sexy because it's the only time they get paid for a day's work from the company that sends them.

January 2026 suuuuuuucked

Dude! It’s a pretty crazy game. The soundtrack is by fucking Yuko Komiyama and Tsukasa Masuko! With a baller ass VA cast too. I only reviewed this cause every one else on staff had projects, but a few minutes in, I wasn’t complaining.

Also, can I just say that I didn’t know this game was a Hitler mystery 🤣

What a surprise that was

I reviewed Dark Auction. It was amazing.

Let’s get a new Hotel Dusk now.

lol

When I said “the option is open,” I didn’t mean “it’s equally achievable for everyone.” I meant “anyone can try,” but the system decides who can sustain it. And right now that system is ugly and narrowing.

I should’ve said that more clearly, without flattening what you were calling out.

What I was pushing back on was the idea that indie/worker-owned ventures are a clean “escape hatch,” because most of them still require some level of runway and industry trust to survive.

On worker-owned journalism, I think I talked past Joshua’s point. I agree the instability hits BIPOC journalists first and hardest, and that access to money, connections, and credibility isn’t evenly distributed.

I’m not arguing it’s easier or harder for some. I can say that the effort of my teams work is far better than the effort of that more popular teams work.

But launching more reader-funded websites has a clear ceiling of personality and character. It’s never going to be fair. I’m frustrated, too.

I love and support this push for more websites and voices, but the truth is, in the industry’s current state, no one feels sustained.

Either you’re kissing the ass of sponsors or Patreon’s there’s no room for indie websites to truly work as we once did,and it’s the Wild West in the current form.

I’m not using my disadvantage as a way to explain my situation. Our work should speak for itself, and I feel like every day that realization is reaching more people, but the industry, the way it’s funded, isn’t built for that.

So we rebuild. Pivot, and prove a sustainable path.

You’re telling me. I lived in my car for almost 2 years in Oakland to be in PR and launched Noisy Pixel while I was homeless.

I know my struggle is unique, and I know others didn’t have to sacrifice so much to get to where I am, but that’s life.

While I enjoy more homes for writers, I respect their work. The core issue of "no one is making ANY money" has yet to be addressed.

Sorry for the rant. It's just an everyday issue for me.

All this to say, I'm a bit frustrated by the launch of more reader-funded websites without the industry providing an actual path forward for them to survive.

We like to preach solidarity, but when it comes down to it, we have to do what's best for ourselves.

Now, that brings us to an entirely new probability: writers are also expected to have charisma. You're now expected to prove you can move traffic and reach numbers as high as the jobless 20-year-old making reels.

It's not going to happen.

I get frustrated by the constant growth of the freelancers' pool only to shut out new voices.

Sites aren't hiring anymore; they're contracting. They won't make the same mistake they made with the Kinda Funny crew, boosting personalities and names for them to leave. You gotta do everything yourself.

I don't think that's fair. I think the option is open to anyone who wants to create something, but the path to doing so isn't entirely clear.

On Noisy Pixel's success, we funded the entire thing ourselves; not everyone is in a position or willing to do that, so here we are left to point fingers.

I love replying to comments accusing me, Azario Lopez, of being pro censorship. Bro. I grew up on the christ-less streets of La Pucelle and the terrible western version of Xenosaga III you people have no idea how to even spell censorship.

I reviewed Code Vein 2.

The story and supporting cast are so damn good in this game. It’s cool to see Bandai investing in the narrative more with some really cool twists and player agency.

Yikes.

Did I forget this was embargoed for today and not tomorrow? Yes.

But aye, it’s out now! I played Resident Evil Requiem and talk about how Grace differs from Leon.

yea, the intro to this what-if arc was f'ing epic, haha

I think this is the year we see enthusiast gaming coverage further define itself over corporate-funded coverage.

I mean YOU didn’t invite me!

I didn’t get invited!

Every morning is a struggle to get out of bed.