I waited until today to share this because I wanted to be sure I was communicating from a place of clarity. Intrepid Studios has shut down in a way that I did not expect. What I can share is what I experienced. On January 28, toward the end of the workday, I was informed that we would be laying off 100 developers. I was devastated - these are hardworking people who were going to lose their jobs. Still, I believed it was something we could face together and find a path forward from. On January 29, I shared this information confidentially with my Game Services team. I told them that changes were coming, that I did not yet know who would be affected, and that I wished I had more certainty to offer. I could not live with myself if I did not give them advance notice - these are people who deserve to be treated like human beings. By the end of that day, I received confirmation of which people on my team would be impacted. On January 30, I spoke individually with each of my team members to let them know whether they were affected, so they could begin planning and preparing. Those who were staying began working on ways to move forward. Even those who knew they would be leaving offered their support - showing the grace, professionalism, and strength that defined our Game Services team. On January 31, we were all informed via a confusing email that we would be laid off, along with a WARN notice. It is still shocking. The entire studio gathered to try to understand what had happened and what it meant for our future. In the end, none of us are receiving our final paychecks, the 60 days notice and pay outlined under the WARN Act, PTO payouts, or other compensation owed. What matters most to me now are the people - both the players and developers. To the players: the entire development team was working extremely hard, pulling long hours, and wishes with all our hearts that we could give you Ashes of Creation. There are no words that fully express how sorry we are that this journey ended this way. You should pursue a refund, you deserve it. To my colleagues: this team is truly a family. The culture we built together is something I have never experienced anywhere else. In the midst of heartbreak and uncertainty, we have come together to review resumes, help with portfolios, share job leads, and support one another emotionally. That says everything about who we are as people. For hiring managers and recruiters: we will be hosting a job fair for former Intrepid Studios employees. These are extraordinary professionals who would be amazing assets to any team. If you are interested in participating, we would be deeply grateful if you would fill out the participation form, so that we can coordinate with you. forms.gle/eUeeKffGizBrMBB48 I wish I had better news. I wish our story had ended differently. Margaret

FREE STUFF ALERT. I package a bunch of my stuff into a 50-minute-long playlist, go grab it, It's free. patreon.com/posts/free-50-mi…

I almost dont post anymore in here but recently I really enjoyed my time with Daggerheart from @DarringtonPress So im writing music for it. youtu.be/q7d-oFosP8k?si=SeeV… enjoy :)

GG blizz on the tuning, no nerf, pure racing, insane teams, GG @LiquidGuild GGWP @EchoGuild and @Method

hell yeah !

Where are my ttrpg people at?

YES

Just having some fun experimenting lately youtu.be/bjgWgGUjNYM #fantasymusic

CO is what FF7 was to the playstation 1. Incredible

Imagine that

100%

rip. its going to be a rough 4 year...

April 29, 2025 —If you were watching the Canadian election from a sane perspective, the outcome doesn’t make a lick of sense. Pierre Poilievre campaigned like a man who wanted to win — and he almost did. He drew thousands to rallies across the country, hammered the failing Trudeau legacy into dust, and offered real solutions for a country buckling under inflation, crime, and a collapsing middle class. He should have crushed Mark Carney — a lifeless banker installed by the Liberal swamp to keep the grift running. Instead? The Liberals limped back into power with a minority, and the Conservative movement — though stronger than ever — came up just short. So what the hell happened? Two words: Donald Trump. Let’s be honest — Trump was a political nuclear bomb in this election. Not because Pierre Poilievre embraced him — he didn’t. Poilievre stuck to Canadian issues, refused the bait, and ran a laser-focused campaign. But it didn’t matter. When Trump started talking about tariffs on Canadian goods and even joked about Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state, Ontario voters — particularly the aging boomers in auto manufacturing towns — lost their minds. They weren’t thinking about freedom, taxes, or restoring Canadian sovereignty. They were thinking about their pensions, their mortgages, and whether their Honda assembly plants would still be open in two years. Mark Carney seized the opportunity. Suddenly, this nobody globalist who should have been laughed off the debate stage was being portrayed as “the grown-up in the room,” the guy who could “manage” Trump. It was a joke. But fear is powerful, and it worked. The Trump factor — pure and simple — spooked Ontario and handed Carney the slim margins he needed to survive. And if that wasn’t enough, Poilievre’s campaign took one unnecessary hit that nobody wants to talk about: the women problem. Look, when it comes to conservatives and women voters, let's just be honest about it: we're punting from our own end zone every single time. It's not fair, but it’s the reality. Conservatives — especially right-wing conservatives — start at a disadvantage because the culture has rigged the rules of engagement. And the numbers prove it- Pierre Poilievre ran into a brick wall with women voters — and the numbers prove it. According to a Nanos poll, Poilievre pulled just 29% support among women, five points behind Mark Carney’s 34%. And it was even worse in Ontario, where Carney — a globalist banker dressed up as a “moderate” — beat him by seven points among female voters. I spent time talking to a lot of women during this Canadian election, and let me tell you, the conversations were revealing. When I asked some of them who they were voting for and why, the answers were shocking — and honestly, kind of hilarious. One woman told me, straight-faced, that she was voting NDP because they had the best Instagram account out of all the parties. I'm not making that up. Not policy. Not economics. Instagram filters. But not all of it was funny. A lot of the women I spoke to were very serious when it came to Pierre Poilievre and abortion. It came up again and again, especially in suburban mom groups and online communities. It became a huge undercurrent. Here's the truth, Poilievre, during the campaign, pledged not to ban abortion. Over and over again. He said it clearly: we're not reopening the debate, we're not legislating abortion. It was as clear a position as any conservative leader has ever taken in Canada. But — and this matters — women, especially liberal-leaning women, didn't believe him. Why? Because of his voting record. And yes, there’s material there. Poilievre had previously voted in favor of things like: Motion 312 (which sought to review when life begins, an obvious nod to pro-life sentiment) He also supported Bill C-233, which aimed to ban sex-selective abortion (specifically targeting abortions based on gender). Now, if you're a rational person, you can say: "Supporting a ban on sex-selective abortion isn't banning abortion itself." And you’d be right. But rationality is not the lens these voters are using. The political left framed this as "edging" — suggesting that Poilievre was still dangerous, still harboring secret pro-life intentions. For a lot of single-issue liberal women voters, that was enough. It didn't matter how many times he said otherwise. It didn't matter how much he reassured them. The narrative stuck. And when you have political operatives, activists, and a fully compliant media beating that drum 24/7, it becomes almost impossible to break through. That’s the real story: Poilievre didn't lose women because he said something offensive during the campaign. He lost them because years ago, he cast votes based on principle — and the modern liberal voter doesn’t give a damn about nuance or context. They want pure allegiance to their causes, no questions asked. What’s next for the blue wave? Let’s talk about what comes next for the Conservative Party—because make no mistake, we are now the dominant force in Canadian politics. The numbers don’t lie. Conservatives gained 25 seats in this election. That’s not a shift—it’s a tidal wave. Meanwhile, the NDP lost 18 seats. The Bloc Québécois dropped 9. Even the Liberals, despite clinging to power, only managed to gain a measly 8, and that’s after carpet-bombing the electorate with corporate media spin and taxpayer-funded fearmongering. So now the Conservative movement stands at a crossroads. Pierre Poilievre, the architect of this comeback, the man who dragged the Conservative brand out of the political wilderness, lost his seat in Carleton. Now ask yourself—does that make sense? No, it doesn’t. Because the fix was in. Carleton had 91 candidates on the ballot. That’s not democracy—that’s sabotage. That’s a coordinated effort to confuse the electorate and overwhelm the Conservative base in one of our most high-profile ridings. And while they were pulling that trick, Pierre was out doing what leaders are supposed to do—leading. He was campaigning across the country. Alberta. B.C. Newfoundland. New Brunswick. He was everywhere. He wasn’t padding his own numbers in Carleton—he was working for every single Conservative candidate. And it worked. We didn’t just gain ground—we made history. Under Poilievre, the Conservative Party saw its biggest seat gain in over a decade. He united the base. He pulled in independents. He brought fiscal common sense back to the national conversation. That’s leadership. And the numbers prove it. Now let’s talk about Mark Carney—because if Poilievre is the architect of the conservative revival, then Carney is the Liberal establishment’s last hope. Trudeau is done. Finished. The poster child for virtue-signaling globalism stepped aside, and in walks “Carbon Tax Carney,” the unelected banker with a WEF résumé and a smile so polished it belongs in a toothpaste commercial. Now here’s the thing about Carney: he’s slick. I hate to say it, but he is. When protesters at one of his rallies chanted “WEF! WEF! WEF!”—he didn’t crack. He smirked, cupped his hand to his ear, and joked, “Hold on, they’re giving me orders.” That’s a seasoned operator. And it’s dangerous, because charisma sells—even when it’s wrapped in globalist policy. But don’t be fooled. Carney isn’t here to change the Liberal Party—he’s here to rebrand the same corrupt apparatus that gave us blackface scandals, carbon tax hikes, and censorship bills. This is Trudeau 2.0—new face, same swamp. So what now? Poilievre’s out of Parliament—for now. But does that mean he’s lost his position as leader? Not a chance. Let's remember: John A. Macdonald—our first Prime Minister—lost his seat and simply ran in a by-election. This isn’t unprecedented. This is politics. All it takes is one Conservative MP in a safe riding—maybe someone with a pension and no more to prove—to step aside and let Pierre run again. We clear the runway, he wins the by-election in a walk, and we put him right back where he belongs—on the front lines, crushing Carney with cold, hard facts and a real plan to get Canada back on track. The Mark Carney factor Let’s be honest about why Mark Carney is here. He wasn’t dropped in out of nowhere. He was brought in for one reason, and one reason only: to stop Pierre Poilievre. Because let’s call it what it is—Poilievre ended Justin Trudeau’s political career. Period. The Conservative surge didn’t happen by accident. It wasn’t some economic shift or lucky timing. It was Pierre, day after day, hammering Trudeau on inflation, corruption, censorship, and incompetence—until Trudeau had no cards left to play. The polls turned. The base collapsed. Trudeau folded. He resigned. And he did it because Poilievre made him irrelevant. That’s not just political skill—that’s a strategic kill. And Conservatives should be proud of that. But here’s the part no one’s talking about: while Pierre was delivering that knockout blow to Trudeau, the Liberals were already scheming. They saw Trump on the horizon, threatening auto tariffs. Now if you’re in Ontario, that’s no small thing. The auto sector is sacred. It props up the middle class, feeds pension funds, keeps entire communities afloat. So when Trump signaled he might bring the hammer down on Canadian manufacturing, the Liberals saw their opening. They panicked. They knew Trudeau couldn’t carry that weight—so they brought in the banker. Mark Carney. Calm. Corporate. Smooth. The kind of guy who can show up in a suit, whisper “stability” into a microphone, and make retirees feel like their pensions are safe. He was never brought in to “renew” the Liberal Party. He was brought in to shield it—to stand between Poilievre and a voter base the Conservatives were about to run away with. And for a lot of Ontarians who don’t live and breathe politics, Carney seemed like the adult in the room. He wasn’t yelling. He wasn’t grandstanding. He was the polished bureaucrat saying, “I’ve got this.” It was a play straight out of the globalist handbook—replace the face, keep the system. But let me say it again: Carney isn’t here to change anything. He’s here to preserve the swamp. He’s here to protect the Laurentian elite, keep the carbon tax grift going, and make sure the same Liberal operatives that ran this country into the ground stay employed. Final Thoughts: What This All Means for the Conservatives Moving Forward I was planning to sit down and write a formal article about this, but let’s be honest—sometimes it’s better to just speak plainly. So here it is: Pierre Poilievre should absolutely stay on as leader. He earned it. He gutted Trudeau’s credibility. He broke the Liberal-NDP firewall. He delivered a historic seat gain. And more importantly, he gave the Conservative movement its spine back. The next six months are going to be brutal—for the Liberals, not the Conservatives. And here’s why: without the NDP holding their hand, the Liberals don’t have cover anymore. I’ve sat through the committee footage. I’ve watched hours—hundreds of hours. The NDP’s role wasn’t opposition, it was obstruction. Anytime a scandal got too close, they shut it down. That’s gone now. The NDP is too weak to play gatekeeper. The Bloc Québécois? They’re not interested in protecting Carney—they want leverage. They’re going to dig for dirt, and they’re going to find it. So what happens next? The Liberal Party gets exposed. Fully. Committees will get teeth again. Accountability will creep back into Ottawa, and it won’t be pretty for a party that’s gotten used to operating in the dark. Meanwhile, on the global front, Trump is back in the picture—and if you think Chrystia Freeland is going to stand up to him on tariffs, you’ve been living in a fantasy. These people couldn’t negotiate their way out of a paper bag, let alone hold the line against an America-first trade policy. Carney? Please. His loyalties lie with central banks and Davos—not Windsor autoworkers. The idea that this Liberal crew is going to protect Canada’s manufacturing base is laughable. If you believe that, I’ve got a carbon tax to sell you that’ll single-handedly cool the planet. What saddens me most is how many Canadians are going to fall for it again. They think Carney is something new. He isn’t. He’s the reboot. The sequel nobody asked for. The swamp didn’t get drained—it just put on a fresh coat of paint. So here’s where we stand: Poilievre stays. The Conservatives have momentum. They’ve got a strong bench, a sharper message, and a public that’s finally waking up to the fact that the Liberal promise of “sunny ways” was just fog and mirrors. The party needs to stay aggressive. Stay focused. Be the watchdog this country desperately needs. Because this isn’t over. This is the calm before the political reckoning. And anyone thinking the Liberals are going to lead Canada through it with strength and principle? You’re about to be very disappointed.

Buy, play it, thank me later. This game is amazing

Guys maybe it’s less about the new fancy stylish jrpg and maybe that people just aren’t as into anime/otaku games so yea they get turned off by the cartooney bright colors (amazing games like DQ11 or the persona series). Maybe people don’t like 2dhd, maybe they don’t like monster tamer/catcher games like pokemon - maybe they want something that feels, looks, and plays modern and oozes style and isn’t so “real” like something like yakuza (which I can’t wait to play but don’t feel drawn to). Maybe they don’t like social link stuff or calendars that feel like arbitrary time limits. THATS why people are vibing with e33 so hard. Not because there aren’t turn based rpgs but because they feel drawn to it due to where they are in their own gaming journeys. It’s why I am…and I’ve played and tried a bunch of jrpgs (most of which I’ve bounced off of and just go back to ff9) Instead of taking a big fat shit on people who are raving about e33 consider inviting them to your table instead of throwing your food at them saying WHAT ABOUT THIS MEAL?! WHAT ABOUT THIS MEAL? What about THIS? You have to guide people to the table. For some people this does feel like the natural evolution of final fantasy. It does to me! Also: Parasite Eve (find a way to play this)

A quick Clair Obscur Expedition 33 fan art absolute gem of a game and my game of the year so far.

Super happy with the support from the #ttrpg #TTRPGs community. Since the release, this thing has exploded. Its 33 tracks crafted to bring you an epic and dark journey through the lands of barovia. It was heavily inspired by dark souls, elden ring and of course, bloodborne. Its available everywhere including Youtube. open.spotify.com/album/5x37s…

Just buy it. incroyable.

thats the spirit

Clair Obscur Expedition 33 reviews! 10 - RPG Site 10 - Areajugones 10 - Critical Hits 10 - DualShockers 10 - CGMagazine 9.5 - Destructoid 9.5 - XboxEra 9 - IGN 9 - GameSpot 9 - Game Informer 9 - PSX Brasil 9 - Noisy Pixel 9 - Push Square Metacritic - 92 OpenCritic - 92