Surprisingly emotional about the launch. It's been a time.

I found that downsampling the music tracks to mono 22050 Hz (or even 18000 Hz in some cases) before encoding to ADPCM helps keep the size not QUITE as bad...

Playdate Catalog Games: Game of the Year Game of the Year

Ok fine, that's pretty cool. #Playdate play.date/games/game-o...

I watched the live stream with some non-Playdate friends and they were like "oh wow, we didn't know there were so many cool #Playdate games!" and I was like "that's what I have been trying to tell you this whole time!"

I'm sad I didn't win any awards, but still incredibly proud and happy to have been nominated. Congratulations to all the winners! I love the #Playdate development community and am excited to see (and be a part of) what comes next!

helloyellow: View Playdate Achievements View a helloyellow user's Playdate Achievements!

Big #Playdate news: #helloyellow now lets you share your Playdate Achievements on the web! Check mine out at helloyellow.app/ach/hy486349.

If you've got a @play.date, grab the free version (helloyellow.app/itch) and post your own!

For more info about Playdate Achievements, visit bit.ly/pd-ach!

If you *did* buy a Playdate at GDC and didn't get a Cranky Cove promo code, message me and I'll hook you up!

At last year's #GDC, there was a huge pro-unionization rally put on by @videogameworkers.bsky.social in Yerba Buena Park. This year, GDC has taken over the park and has asserted control over it. Coincidence??? 🤔

A small pile of buttons with black-and-white character art from Cranky Cove next to a stack of Playdate cases.

Just for fun, the next few people to buy a #Playdate at GDC will get a little bonus: a Cranky Cove button and promo code!

I'm nominated for four awards! Three for Cranky Cove and one for helloyellow. I have no idea if I will actually win, but I will definitely be watching the awards on March 14th. And trying not to obsess about it between now and then. 🫠

I have no words. Cranky Cove was nominated for #Playdate Game of the Year. I... wow. I am incredibly honored. This is wild.

Play the first level in Agents of Groove and unlock new custom emojis for #playdate voice messaging app helloyellow! Get both on Catalog or itch 🪩 🕺

play.date/games/agents...
play.date/games/helloy...

synapticsugar.itch.io/agents-of-gr...
jonsimantov.itch.io/helloyellow

#gamedev #indiedev

My #Playdate game Cranky Cove has been nominated for Best Arcade Game in the 2025 Playdate Community Awards! Holy crank! 😁

I am incredibly honored. Cranky Cove was truly a labor of love, and I am so happy that people have been playing and enjoying it for almost a year now. 🥓

Wow, my #Playdate voice chat app, #helloyellow, was nominated for Best App in the 2025 Playdate Community Awards! It's up against some really fantastic apps (including @blippo.plus!) so I will just say now that it's an honor to be nominated. 😁

helloyellow for Playdate Voice chat for Playdate

Oh, cool! @jonsimantov.bsky.social’s helloyellow voice chat app for the Playdate is now available on the Catalog; it has on-device voice note recording and asynchronous voice chatting between users and via group voice chats of up to 10 people. My user code is hy-512714. play.date/games/helloy...

Guess what: helloyellow is now available on #Playdate Catalog! It's a voice chat app for @play.date that lets you send voice messages to friends, show off your 🏆 Playdate Achievements, and more. And now it's easier to install than ever!

💬 Visit play.date/games/helloy... to grab it!

Guess what: helloyellow is now available on #Playdate Catalog! It's a voice chat app for @play.date that lets you send voice messages to friends, show off your 🏆 Playdate Achievements, and more. And now it's easier to install than ever!

💬 Visit play.date/games/helloy... to grab it!

If I have an itch project with a free version and a paid version unlocked at $5, do you know if my joining the jam would give people who buy it my paid tier?

Playdate with the helloyellow app running

That's fun, @jonsimantov.bsky.social! : D The sound quality is surprisingly good. : )

😑

Google Has Chosen a Side in Trump's Mass Deportation Effort Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, while simultaneously removing apps that report the location of ICE officials because Google sees ICE as a vulnerable…

Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, while simultaneously removing apps that report the location of ICE officials because Google sees ICE as a vulnerable group. “Big tech has made their choice.”

www.404media.co/google-has-c...

Hmm, if there's anyone still looking for a holiday present to get me, I'm size L. 😁

The full spiked 60 Minutes CECOT package, clean & subtitled. 1/5

Oh no! Maybe an alternate email if you have one? 🤷‍♂️

I say this with zero irony: if you are even tangentially a part of a retro video game community, it is your civic duty to push back against this company and shun anyone who doesn't. This is fascism tapping gently at the door and as soon as you let it in, it's going to invite its friends.

The time has come to nominate your favorite games from the past year for the 2025 @play.date Community Awards!

Nominations start now and close on the 22nd of December, so get to it!

The form can be found here:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Join our community Discord here:
discord.gg/zFKagQ2

When there's no non-diagetic music throughout most of the game, suddenly having boss music start could be really dramatic and cool!

A huge menorah in Berlin at the Brandenburg gate surrounded by a joyous crowd. The shamash and one light are burning with fire.

Jon outdoors in Berlin eating a jelly donut.

The only menorah photo I've got is the one I took in Berlin last night as we gathered at the Brandenburg Gate for the lighting of the largest menorah in Europe. And then I ate a donut.