Richard Rouse III

For any game developer or designer type folks out there - do you have any rules-of-thumb that you use in development that you would describe as "counter-intuitive"?

Title slide for Rules of the Game 2026 with all the speakers I mentioned in the main text huzzah!

Back this year at GDC with Rules of the Game - honored to feature @joelburgess.bsky.social @tduringer.bsky.social Steve Meretzky @writnelson.bsky.social & @ashleyruhl.bsky.social !
Come by Wednesday 10:30 to hear some rules you will definitely for sure love and not disagree with at all. Mostly.

Food flavor themed attacks and weaknesses. Samara attacks with a boosted Spicy Wokarang attack. Hit the right timing on each hit to keep it going for multiple hits. Dosa Divas is a narrative turn-based RPG. Demo is live on Steam. store.steampowered.com/app/4316300/...

bringing the late great man's words back to speak on netflix ted's assertion about watching movies on your phone

Today’s xkcd made me cry.

In a good way.

xkcd.com/3172/

Homeworld: Vast Reaches is out today on Steam! Our new tale set between Homeworld 1 & 2 reimagines the game for VR and we even added a new challenge mode for this release. The classic Mothership really is stunning when it is gigantic next to your head!

Homeworld: Vast Reaches on Steam Command a fleet of spaceships in real-time strategic battles as the beloved Homeworld saga comes to VR. Your fleet is at your fingertips to lead to victory in a bold new story and challenging levels.

Fleet, prepare to engage! Homeworld: Vast Reaches is coming to SteamVR on October 23rd with upgraded visuals & new challenging levels designed with Homeworld players in mind. Try the free demo during Steam Next Fest 🎉 store.steampowered.com/app/2949240/...

Following up the announce of The Hearth and Harbour last month, you'll shortly be able to pre-order a physical release of the team's first game, the Pale Beyond.

Rules of the Game 2025: Uncommon Techniques from Insightful Designers YouTube video by Game Developers Conference

Learn from our Studio Creative Director, Richard Rouse III, and other veteran #gamedevs in the industry how wide-ranging design opinions can be 💭 Watch the popular "Rules of the Game" session from #GDC 2025 available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTE_bVUeHCQ

Fellow Traveller publisher sale on Steam buff.ly/fFDFakq

I was motivated to finish since I've been watching #alienearth

PAX Rising with the homie.

Full PAX Rising booth.

See you tomorrow at #PAXRising Seattle. We've got a dope demo and lots of sour candy.

DAY 3 of #PAXWest is here!

Thanks to everyone who's been stopping by to play the Never's End demo 🖤

Come check it out at Booth 825 🦇

#gamedev #indiegame

The Killing Stone on Steam Beat the Devil at his own game. The Killing Stone is a deckbuilding card battler wrapped in a 17th century folk horror narrative. Clean the sins of a cursed family by bargaining against a series of de...

And we're announced!

The Killing Stone, a folk horror card-based strategy game from the team at Question (The Magic Circle, The Blackout Club), is coming soon to Steam.

This has been one of the most exciting and unusual games I've worked on in my career!

store.steampowered.com/app/2781470/...

When making a game, which medium/platform will suit your story the most?

During #LudoNarraCon - @richardrouse.bsky.social‬ Deborah Hendersen, and Jesse Schell discussed how different mediums can alter our experiences of game narratives 🧠

Watch the full discussion below 👇
📺 youtu.be/pXQnO93XAAg

Dosa Divas Announcement Trailer YouTube video by Outerloop Games

Our next game, Dosa Divas. Battle an evil fast food empire in this spicy narrative turn-based RPG. Two sisters and their upgradable spirit-mech cook delicious meals, fight corpos, build up your reputation with local communities, and reconcile with loved ones. youtu.be/jzOKSPSVYwY?...

Sequence of images showing the journey of an artist nearly tortured to death by their editor.

Teamwork, that's what does it! by Frank Kelly Freas

Cover to a Peter David issue of The Incredible Hulk

Rest in peace to Peter David, who I followed from Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man to Hulk to X Factor to But I Digress... Was just reading his autobiography, which reminded me how much I love his voice.

TMNT: Tactical Takedown, a turn-based, Strange Scaffold take on the iconic universe, is out RIGHT NOW!

- 20 evolving levels📍
- Turn-based beat-em-up action ⚔️
- Irresistible soundtrack 🎵
- Kick a mouser off the dang planet 🌎
- Only $17.99 💵
- Please share!!
store.steampowered.com/app/3229100/...

We've all been there, right? Right?

How it's going

Spiritbox

And so I turn all my tears into a tsunami sea
Tumultuous down to the bottom where I know
How deep it goes

Irène Jacob in two by Krzysztof Kieślowski! THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VERONIQUE (1991) screens tonight & tomorrow, Monday & Tuesday May 5th & 6th, at 7:30pm paired with THREE COLORS: RED (1994) at 9:40pm.

Very Different Tales - How Game Stories Change by Genre & Medium YouTube video by Fellow Traveller

My talk with Deborah Hendersen and Jesse Schell from #LudoNarraCon is now up on YouTube - come hear us talk game story changes between genres or from PC to console to VR/AR to mobile and everywhere else.

Thx again @fellowtraveller.games for having us!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXQn...

Ha ha I think Zelda is a good one for that hearth experience. Some of the stuff I like to play, not so much....

Panel description for Very Different Tales at LudoNarraCon with Jesse Schell, Deborah Hendersen and Richard Rosue III

Happy to be back at #LudoNarraCon, which starts right now!

Our talk "Very Different Tales" is up first - come watch Jesse Schell, Deborah Hendersen & I talk about different ways that game stories work across games/genres/mediums.

Thx @fellowtraveller.games for hosting!

bit.ly/LNC_Steam

ICYMI: the #LudoNarraCon 2025 schedule is now available! 🗓️

📺 Tons of amazing panels, fireside chats, and demo streams across May 1 - 2
🔴 Catch all the content LIVE on the #LudoNarraCon Steam page and the Fellow Traveller YouTube channel.

Click the link for more info!
🚶‍♀️ www.ludonarracon.com

happy indie bookstore day!
I wouldn't be writing books today if it weren't for independent bookstores and I am forever grateful. Now more than ever, in the face of some truly insidious forces, show your favorite indie some love. ❤️

Lab Rat - Official Launch Trailer [4k] YouTube video by Klei Entertainment

🎉 LAB RAT is out now!! 🎉

- A comedic puzzler that satirizes your favorite games
- Over 100 puzzles
- At least 10 good belly laughs

👇 Check it out Here 👇
store.steampowered.com/app/1304610/...

You're Not Broken: Finding Your Creative Way Through Difficult Times YouTube video by Game Developers Conference

Last week at GDC as an intro for our Rules of the Game session I talked about our very first speaker, Laralyn McWilliams. I recommend her "You're Not Broken" talk for anyone going through a hard time while trying to stay creative. Laralyn is so missed.

youtu.be/eTWchlLFL-Y?...