Dr. Rachel Kowert

Coming up on the deadline for Games And Thirst.

DON'T MISS OUT as it is sure to be the magnum opus of the academic careers of everyone involved.... (she said earnestly)

playstorypress.org/2025/12/09/c...

Does anyone know who Taylor Swift is pulling for this year?

A comic panel that reads: My Canadian Lovebird is the Canada Goose. With an image of a married goose saying to someone offscreen “Did you just honk at my spouse?!” The other goose looks on in admiration.

Obsessed. Thank you @michellecyca.com @gabrielledrolet.bsky.social and @thenarwhal.ca for this quiz that I will now make absolutely everyone take.

projects.thenarwhal.ca/lovebirds-quiz

YouTube video by Psychgeist How to find reliable sources of information on the internet

The kids are going to be alright. It's not the games. Move on.. and as you move on consider how you might find a way to stay better, more scientifically informed on these issues

youtu.be/UdEAi7TvMdk?...

YouTube video by Psychgeist Moral Panic in Gaming: Debunking 50 Years of Hype

Do humans love simple solutions to complex problems? Yes.

But does this also lead to obfuscating the actual problem and deter effective decision making? Also, yes.

youtu.be/IESsWK8AYo0?...

YouTube video by Psychgeist Violent Video Games: What Does the Research Say?

"He explained that an attraction to such games can lead to the normalization of violence and ultimately push young people to commit crimes"

This is patently false.

youtu.be/owxk7LMzUSQ?...

The President of France does not rule out banning violent video games in the country | Game World Observer All for the protection of the mental health of French children and adolescents.

What year is this??? A (small) thread

gameworldobserver.com/2026/02/06/t...

Important issue to raise but I think we need to talk a lot about the harmful impacts of social media arguably being much greater on older millennials/gen x/boomers. The kids are, generally speaking, alright. Their grandparents are conspiracy theorists now.

Aww 💜 I gave this book to one of my kiddos teachers last week and was immediately reminded how absolutely excelled the collection is. Bluey just hits different 💜

Oh, THE SIGN. It makes me ugly cry. Also idk if you've seen this, but this book is 10/10 (and the PDF is free to read). The chapter on baby race 😩♥️

share.google/OPXaN6WmfRkv...

Job offer!!
I’m helping a PBS series look for a social media manager/content creator for an upcoming promotional campaign. The start date is ASAP, and a project timeline that currently goes to July.

This is for a series on American Muslim history, so candidates with cultural familiarity preferred!

SCREENCRAFT WHAT IS "MA"? In an interview with film critic Roger Ebert from 2002, Ebert tells Miyazaki he appreciates what he calls "gratuitous motion" in his films, adding that, "Instead of every movement being dictated by the story, sometimes people will just sit for a moment, or they will sigh, or look in a running stream, or do something extra, not to advance the story but only to give the sense of time and place and who they are," said Ebert. Miyazaki answered with, "We have a word for that in Japanese," he said. "It's called Ma. Emptiness. It's there intentionally."

My piping hot take on PLURIBUS is that it’s one of the most Ghibli-esque shows on TV today, and people who think its pacing is too slow ought to really sit with and examine why they feel that slow pace = bad.

Its first season has several minutes worth of “mā”, and is much stronger for it, IMO

I really hope people advocating to ban kids from SM read this. Some kids are isolated by disabilities or circumstances. Furthermore, some kids grow up in abusive households. “Ideally, a child’s exposure to online worlds should be moderated by their parents” isn’t a reassuring sentiment for everyone

YouTube video by The Academy Tim Curry Breaks Down His Most Iconic Roles

Teary-eyed through this whole video because I love him SO much

Also I learned through this that Hexxus was originally supposed to be a woman, and I really wonder how that would have shaped so many lives differently

Apple Bread Moist cinnamon apple bread made with homemade applesauce, small chunks of fresh apples and walnuts in every bite. It's so moist and delicious, you won't believe it's light!

I made this twice now when it's phenomenal. The key is to make the slow cooker applesauce to put in it.

10/10. One of the small joys of life.

Apple Bread Recipe - share.google/mqvKulNgv4RK...

Felix Barrett Unveils the Origins and (Possible Future) of 'Sleep No More' (Book Excerpt) An exclusive excerpt from 'The Psychgeist Of Pop Culture - Sleep No More,' a new critical book delving into the “various psychological underpinnings of the aesthetics, fandoms, and experience of 'Slee...

Grateful to @noproscenium.com for this lovely write up about The Psychgeist of Pop Culture: Sleep No More

www.noproscenium.com/psychgeist-s...

YouTube video by A Kids Co. Video Games, Screen Time, and Healthy Gaming Habits | Dr. Rachel Kowert | A Kids Co.

I had the absolute joy of joining journalist Elise Hu on A Kids Co. new podcast Raising Us. We dive into video games, from the tough questions to practical ways to grow with our kids. Fellow parents and educators, this one is for you.

youtu.be/NcRYdOL8IgM?...

Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue

Dosa Divas, a spicy narrative turn-based JRPG, launches on April 14 for PC, PS5, Xbox, Switch, and Switch 2. Demo is now available on Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/2950710/...

I was a guest speaker at my kids school yesterday to talk about online safety and at the end of my presentation I got a fist bump from a 7th grader so... It's all downhill from here.

This is my shocked face

Pretty telling that Cathy Wilcox has become a more effective political commentator with her powerful sketchings than practically any of her non-cartoonist colleagues who expend literally thousands more words every week but somehow manage to say very little or gutlessly avoid the issues altogether.

Finally! My book Super Nintendo is out TODAY in the US + Canada. Here's where to buy it: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/753986...

"MacDonald is one of the best games journalists... Here is a book bursting with love. Bop your head against it and see if a shower of gold coins comes out." -The Times

Good morning!

February marks the 10th anniversary of Stardew Valley. I had the great pleasure of speaking to ConcernedApe ahead of the occasion about the last ten years and his plans for the future. It's a nice long one, please enjoy:
www.ign.com/articles/sta...

Game UX Summit 24 - YouTube Relaxed online edition of the Game UX Summit. More info: gameuxsummit.org

The #GameUXsummit ‘24 (online) videos are finally on youtube! Take a peek at the amazing insights from the #gameUX community ☺️
#ux #gamedev

youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Book Review: Super Nintendo: How One Japanese Company Helped The World Have Fun Super by name, super by nature

Book Review: Super Nintendo: How One Japanese Company Helped The World Have Fun.

Ya know talk to text will never fail me. Please forgive my lack of early morning proofreading 🫠

Sleep No More was a TRANSFORMATIVE experience for me and I am incredibly proud to have been able to bring this book to life in honor of The one you're anniversary of its closure in NYC.

youtube.com/shorts/_TV47...

The Muppet Show: this thrilling return is so great I can’t even count how many times I laughed Sabrina Carpenter fangirling Miss Piggy, Beaker losing his eyes … yes, Kermit and co are back for a trip down memory lane – and it’s a perfect, saucy joy

The Muppet Show: this thrilling return is so great I can’t even count how many times I laughed