#Game-Based Learning Market

[cybersecurityict]

Game-Based Learning Market Pioneers the Future of Skill Development Across Ages

The Game-Based Learning Market size was valued at USD 18.25 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 97.62 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 20.53% Over the Forecast Period of 2024-2032.

Game-Based Learning Market is experiencing a major surge as educational institutions and corporate organizations increasingly adopt interactive learning solutions. With the growing shift toward digital education, gamified platforms are helping enhance engagement, improve knowledge retention, and foster skill development across various age groups and industries.

Game-Based Learning Market is being driven by advancements in AR/VR, personalized learning paths, and adaptive technologies. From K–12 education to employee training programs, game-based tools are proving to be effective in delivering impactful, immersive, and measurable learning experiences in both academic and professional environments.

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Market Keyplayers:

Amazon Web Services, Inc.

Google LLC

Duolingo, Inc.

Mojang Studios

Kahoot! ASA

Epic Games

Age of Learning, Inc.

Breakaway Games

Bublar Group

Frontier Developments

Playgen

Spin Master

Idnusgeeks

Gamelearn

Recurrence

Stratbeans

Tangible Play, Inc.

Simulearn

Raptivity

Banzai Labs

Cognitive Toybox

VR Education Holdings

Fundamental

Market Analysis

The market is evolving rapidly due to the integration of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and gamification mechanics tailored to specific learner profiles. Both developed and emerging regions are investing in scalable solutions to improve digital learning outcomes. With rising internet penetration, mobile accessibility, and the demand for self-paced learning, the sector is poised for continued innovation.

Market Trends

Rise in adoption of AR/VR and immersive simulations in classrooms

Custom game modules for corporate training and onboarding

Increased demand for real-time performance analytics and feedback tools

Growth in mobile-based learning games targeting younger audiences

Integration with LMS (Learning Management Systems) platforms

Expansion of serious games in healthcare and military training

Use of AI for personalized, adaptive game-based learning experiences

Market Scope

The potential of the Game-Based Learning Market spans far beyond traditional learning methods. Gamification is now a strategic tool for educators and trainers looking to boost motivation, participation, and long-term learning retention.

Immersive content delivery for learners of all ages

Cross-platform compatibility and mobile learning support

Real-time assessment and progress tracking features

Solutions catering to K–12, higher education, and enterprise sectors

Enhanced engagement through reward systems and interactive storytelling

Compliance training and soft skills development for professional environments

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Forecast Outlook

The Game-Based Learning Market is anticipated to witness transformative growth, propelled by the demand for learner-centric experiences and digital-first education models. Stakeholders across education and enterprise sectors are expected to increase investments in interactive platforms, promoting a shift from static content to dynamic, gamified curricula. This evolution will unlock opportunities for collaboration between content developers, educators, and tech innovators.

Conclusion

Game-based learning is no longer a niche—it’s a necessity for the future of education and workforce training. Across the USA and Europe, institutions are embracing this paradigm shift to make learning more engaging, interactive, and effective. As digital natives become the dominant learners and employees, integrating play into learning isn’t just innovative—it’s impactful and essential for growth in a knowledge-driven economy.

About Us:

SNS Insider is one of the leading market research and consulting agencies that dominates the market research industry globally. Our company's aim is to give clients the knowledge they require in order to function in changing circumstances. In order to give you current, accurate market data, consumer insights, and opinions so that you can make decisions with confidence, we employ a variety of techniques, including surveys, video talks, and focus groups around the world.

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U.S.A set to revolutionize operations with booming Supply Chain Management Market growth

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[differenttimemachinecrusade]

Game-Based Learning Market Landscape: Opportunities and Competitive Insights 2032

The Game-Based Learning Market size was valued at USD 18.25 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 97.62 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 20.53% Over the Forecast Period of 2024-2032

The game-based learning market is experiencing rapid growth as digital technologies revolutionize education. Interactive and immersive learning methods are gaining popularity, driven by advancements in gamification, artificial intelligence (AI), and virtual reality (VR). Educational institutions, businesses, and training programs are increasingly adopting game-based solutions to enhance engagement and learning outcomes.

The game-based learning market continues to expand as students and professionals seek more engaging and interactive educational experiences. Traditional learning methods are evolving into dynamic, gamified experiences that cater to different learning styles. With the rise of e-learning platforms, mobile applications, and corporate training programs, game-based learning is transforming education across all age groups and industries.

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Market Keyplayers:

Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS GameLift, AWS Educate)

Google LLC (Google Play for Education, Google Expeditions)

Duolingo, Inc. (Duolingo App, Duolingo for Schools)

Mojang Studios (Minecraft: Education Edition, Minecraft: Story Mode)

Kahoot! ASA (Kahoot! Learning Platform, Kahoot! Academy)

Epic Games (Unreal Engine, Fortnite Creative)

Age of Learning, Inc. (ABCmouse, Adventure Academy)

Breakaway Games (HealthQuest, Financial Literacy Games)

Bublar Group (Bublar AR, Bublar Learning Experiences)

Frontier Developments (Planet Coaster, Planet Zoo)

Playgen (Playgen Learning Platform, Playgen Games)

Spin Master (Paw Patrol: On a Roll, Hatchimals)

Idnusgeeks (EduGames, Edutainment Apps)

Gamelearn (Gamelearn Platform, Corporate Training Games)

Recurrence (Recurrence Learning Modules, Interactive Games)

Stratbeans (Stratbeans Learning Management, Gamified Learning Solutions)

Tangible Play, Inc. (Osmo, Osmo Genius Starter Kit)

Simulearn (Simulearn Training Modules, Gamified Learning Solutions)

Raptivity (Raptivity Interactive Learning, Raptivity Game Templates)

Banzai Labs (Banzai Financial Literacy Games, Banzai Mobile App)

Cognitive Toybox (Cognitive Toybox App, Learning Games)

Trends Driving the Market

1. Rise of AI and Adaptive Learning

AI-powered game-based learning platforms personalize content based on individual learning patterns. Adaptive learning engines analyze user progress and modify challenges accordingly, enhancing engagement and retention.

2. Integration of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

VR and AR are reshaping education by offering immersive learning environments. From medical simulations to historical explorations, game-based learning solutions are providing hands-on experiences without physical limitations.

3. Increased Adoption in Corporate Training

Businesses are leveraging game-based learning for employee training, leadership development, and skill-building. Gamified training programs improve knowledge retention, employee engagement, and performance evaluation.

4. Mobile and Cloud-Based Learning Platforms

The rise of mobile learning apps and cloud-based education solutions is making game-based learning accessible anytime, anywhere. This trend is particularly beneficial for self-paced learners and remote education programs.

5. Gamification of Traditional Education

Schools and universities are integrating gamified elements into their curricula, using points, badges, leaderboards, and challenges to encourage student participation and motivation.

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Market Segmentation:

By Component

Solution

Services

By Deployment Mode

Cloud

On-premise

By Platform

Offline

Online

By Game Type

Location-Based Games

AR/VR Games

AI-Based Games

Language Learning

Skill-Based Learning

Simulation

Others

By Application

Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving

Training & Development   

Evaluation

Market Analysis and Growth Trends

Key sectors driving market expansion include:

K-12 and Higher Education: Schools and universities are integrating gamified content into traditional coursework.

Corporate Training: Businesses are using game-based learning to enhance employee training and skill development.

Healthcare and Military Training: Simulated learning environments are being used for medical education and defense training.

EdTech Startups: Innovative game-based learning platforms are entering the market, attracting significant investment.

Despite its growth, the market faces challenges such as high development costs, resistance to new learning methods, and the need for high-quality content. However, ongoing advancements in AI, cloud computing, and AR/VR are addressing these challenges.

Regional Analysis

1. North America

North America dominates the market due to high adoption rates of e-learning technologies, strong corporate investment in training, and advanced educational infrastructure. The U.S. and Canada are key contributors to market expansion.

2. Europe

Europe is witnessing significant growth, with government initiatives supporting digital learning. Countries like the UK, Germany, and France are integrating game-based learning into their national education systems.

3. Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing market, driven by increasing smartphone penetration, government policies promoting digital education, and the rise of EdTech startups. China, India, and Japan are leading in game-based learning adoption.

4. Latin America and the Middle East

These regions are gradually embracing game-based learning as digital infrastructure improves. Governments and private institutions are investing in technology-driven education solutions.

Key Factors Driving Market Growth

Increasing Digital Literacy: The widespread use of smartphones and internet access is making digital learning more accessible.

Rising Demand for Engaging Learning Methods: Traditional education models are being replaced by interactive, gamified approaches.

Corporate Investment in Training: Businesses are prioritizing employee development through game-based training modules.

Advancements in AI and VR: Technological innovations are enhancing learning experiences and improving knowledge retention.

Government Initiatives and EdTech Startups: Support for digital learning programs is fueling industry growth.

Future Prospects

The future of game-based learning is expected to be shaped by:

AI-Driven Personalized Learning: Adaptive learning technologies will continue to enhance individualized education.

Blockchain for Learning Records: Secure credentialing and tracking of learning progress will gain traction.

Expansion of Gamified Corporate Training: More businesses will adopt game-based strategies for leadership and professional development.

Integration of AR/VR in Mainstream Education: Virtual simulations will become a standard in classrooms and training programs.

Global Adoption of Mobile Learning: Game-based learning apps will continue to grow, providing educational access to underserved populations.

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Conclusion

The game-based learning market is revolutionizing education and corporate training, offering interactive, immersive, and effective learning experiences. As technology advances, the demand for gamified learning solutions will continue to rise, reshaping education systems and workforce training programs worldwide. With increasing investment in AI, VR, and cloud-based solutions, game-based learning is set to become a dominant force in the future of education and skill development.

About Us:

SNS Insider is one of the leading market research and consulting agencies that dominates the market research industry globally. Our company's aim is to give clients the knowledge they require in order to function in changing circumstances. In order to give you current, accurate market data, consumer insights, and opinions so that you can make decisions with confidence, we employ a variety of techniques, including surveys, video talks, and focus groups around the world.

Contact Us:

Jagney Dave - Vice President of Client Engagement

Phone: +1-315 636 4242 (US) | +44- 20 3290 5010 (UK)

[boldvalleytrinity]

Game Based Learning Market Overview, EdTech Advancements and Forecast Report (2022-2028) |UnivDatos

According to a new report published by UnivDatos, the Game Based Learning Market was valued at more than USD 13 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 21% from 2022-2028. The analysis has been segmented into Component (Solutions and Services); Deployment (On-Premises and Deployment); End-User (Education, Consumer, Enterprises, and Governments) Region/Country.

Access sample report (including graphs, charts, and figures) https://univdatos.com/reports/game-based-learning-market?popup=report-enquiry

The game-based learning market report has been aggregated by collecting informative data on various dynamics such as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. This innovative report makes use of several analyses to get a closer outlook on the game-based learning market. The game-based learning market report offers a detailed analysis of the latest industry developments and trending factors in the market that are influencing the market growth. Furthermore, this statistical market research repository examines and estimates the game-based learning market at the global and regional levels.

Market Overview

Game based learning is a process of using educational games as a platform to teach students. Educational games are games that are specifically designed for educational purposes or have incidental or secondary educational value. The growing adoption of game-based learning is mainly attributed to the increasing demand for virtual reality and augmented reality and artificial intelligence. The game-based learning is growing on account of its features such as conformational feedback. Conformational feedback is intended to indicate the degree to which a response, action, or activity was correct or incorrect. Furthermore, the growing prominence of gaming industry is expected to influence the market growth. For instance, according to techdigest, the number of gaming apps in the Google Play Store jumped by 40% in a year and hit almost 480,000 in the first quarter of 2021. Moreover, companies are moving to cloud-based models to take advantage of new technologies such as microlearning, augmented learning, and virtual reality. Additionally, cloud-based technology is gaining momentum in the education sector due to its low-cost and flexible teaching methods for students.

Some of the major players operating in the market include Kahoot, Frontier Developments plc, Mojang Studios, BreakAway Games, Schell Games, Monkimun Inc, Smart Lumies Ltd, Cognitive ToyBox Inc, Paratus Knowledge Ventures Pvt Ltd, and Indusgeeks Solutions Pvt Ltd.

COVID-19 Impact

The recent covid-19 pandemic has affected the global game-based learning market in different ways, such as directly impacting the production and supply chain. Moreover, due to covid-19, the income of the urban population was significantly impacted due to which the demand has also shown a downfall.

The global game based learning market report is studied thoroughly with several aspects that would help stakeholders in making their decisions more curated.

On the basis of deployment, the market is bifurcated into on-premises and cloud. The cloud segment is expected to grow with a significant CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of the cloud segment is mainly governed by factors, such as easy deployment, flexibility, and cost-effective pricing structure. Furthermore, the cloud enables project managers to synchronize and connect with multiple teams to get real-time information across the project sites. It has become the most preferred way to deploy learning games and is predicted to maintain its growth over the forecast period.

Click here to view the Report Description & TOC https://univdatos.com/reports/game-based-learning-market

Based on end-user, the game-based learning market is classified into education, consumer enterprises, and governments. The education sector accounted for a significant share in 2020 and is expected to showcase similar growth during the forecast period. Features such as amplified recalling ability for better retention and its potential to foster creative thinking and problem-solving capabilities are expected to drive the market during the forecast period. Furthermore, the implementation of games enables healthy competition amongst students and simultaneously introduces them to goals and feedback. 

Game Based Learning Market Geographical Segmentation Includes:

·       North America (United States, Canada, and Rest of North America)

·       Europe (Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, and the Rest of Europe)

·       Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, and the Rest of Asia-Pacific)

·       Rest of the World

North America is expected to lead the game-based learning market in 2021 and is expected to retain its domination throughout the forecast period. The rapid adoption of game-based learning solutions in the region is attributed to the growing integration of superior technology such as AI, AR/VR, and cloud technology. Furthermore, the presence of developed economies in the region such as The United States and Canada have advanced connectivity, which gives their citizens access to uninterrupted network connectivity. In addition, the robust growth of the ICT sector in the region coupled with the presence of key players is expected to elevate the market during the forecast period.

The major players targeting the market include

·       Kahoot

·       Frontier Developments plc

·       Mojang

·       BreakAway Games

·       Schell Games

·       Monkimun Inc

·       Smart Lumies Ltd

·       Cognitive ToyBox Inc

·       Paratus Knowledge Ventures Pvt Ltd

·       Indusgeeks Solutions Pvt Ltd.

Competitive Landscape

The degree of competition among prominent global companies has been elaborated by analyzing several leading key players operating worldwide. The specialist team of research analysts sheds light on various traits such as global market competition, market share, most recent industry advancements, innovative product launches, partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions by leading companies in the Game Based Learning Market. The major players have been analyzed by using research methodologies for getting insight views on global competition.

Key questions resolved through this analytical market research report include:

• What are the latest trends, new patterns, and technological advancements in the game-based learning market?

• Which factors are influencing the game-based learning market over the forecast period?

• What are the global challenges, threats, and risks in the game-based learning market?

• Which factors are propelling and restraining the game based learning market?

• What are the demanding global regions of the game based learning market?

• What will be the global market size in the upcoming years? What are the crucial market acquisition strategies and policies applied by global companies?

Contact Us:

UnivDatos

Contact Number - +1 978 733 0253

Email - contact@univdatos.com 

Website - www.univdatos.com

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/univ-datos-market-insight/mycompany/

[univdatos-aman]

Game Based Learning Market: Size, Trends and Forecast (2022-2028) | UnivDatos

According to UnivDatos’ research report “Game Based Learning Market”, the market is expected to witness robust growth during the forecast period (2022-2028). This is mainly due to constantly increasing disposable income coupled with the growing trend of gaming around the world.

Game-based learning incorporates the characteristics and principles of games into learning activities. Here, learning activities promote student engagement and motivation to learn. Components of game-based learning include points systems, badges, leaderboards, discussion boards, quizzes and classroom response systems. Playing the game encourages critical thinking and problem-solving abilities while providing learning opportunities to students.

Access sample report (including graphs, charts, and figures): https://univdatos.com/reports/game-based-learning-market?popup=report-enquiry

The game-based learning market is expected to witness a CAGR of around 21% during the forecast period owing to the growing trend of gaming coupled with the technological advancements in the game development industry. The growing prevalence of gaming across the globe and increasing adoption of cloud-based learning models in both developed and developing countries are boosting the market growth. For instance, according to exploding topics, there are approximately 3.09 billion active video gamers worldwide. Additionally, companies are moving to cloud-based models to take advantage of new technologies such as microlearning, augmented learning, and virtual reality. Additionally, cloud-based technology is gaining momentum in the education sector due to its low-cost and flexible teaching methods for students.

Based on component, the market is segmented into solutions and services. The solutions segment is expected to achieve a higher market share during the forecast period. The increasing implementation of modern and interactive teaching approaches for maintaining quality education is expected to drive the market during the forecast period. Furthermore, the introduction of tablets and smartphones for e-learning in schools and colleges around the world is expected to drive the market during the forecast period.

Based on deployment, the market is bifurcated into on-premises and cloud. The cloud segment is expected to grow with a significant CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of the cloud segment is mainly governed by factors, such as easy deployment, flexibility, and cost-effective pricing structure. Furthermore, the cloud enables project managers to synchronize and connect with multiple teams to get real-time information across the project sites. It has become the most preferred way to deploy learning games and is predicted to maintain its growth over the forecast period.

North America to witness extensive growth

For a better understanding of the market adoption of the game based learning industry, the market is analyzed based on its worldwide presence in the countries such as North America (U.S., Canada, Rest of North America), Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Rest of Asia-Pacific), Rest of World. North America is expected to lead the game-based learning market in 2021 and is expected to retain its domination throughout the forecast period. The rapid adoption of game-based learning solutions in the region is attributed to the growing integration of superior technology such as AI, AR/VR, and cloud technology. Furthermore, the presence of developed economies in the region such as The United States and Canada have advanced connectivity, which gives their citizens access to uninterrupted network connectivity which helps them to get seamless gaming experience is also expected to influence the market growth during the forecast period. In addition, the robust growth of the ICT sector in the region coupled with the presence of key players such as Schell games, Cognitive ToyBox Inc, is expected to elevate the market during the forecast period.

Click here to view the Report Description & TOC: https://univdatos.com/reports/game-based-learning-market

According to UnivDatos, the key players with a considerable market share in the Game Based Learning market are Kahoot, Frontier Developments plc, Mojang, BreakAway Games, Schell Games, Monkimun Inc, Smart Lumies Ltd, Cognitive ToyBox Inc, Paratus Knowledge Ventures Pvt Ltd, and Indusgeeks Solutions Pvt Ltd.

“Global Game Based Learning Market” provides comprehensive qualitative and quantitative insights on the industry potential, key factors impacting sales and purchase decisions, hotspots, and opportunities available for the market players. Moreover, the report also encompasses the key strategic imperatives for success for competitors along with strategic factorial indexing measuring competitors’ capabilities on different parameters. This will help companies in the formulation of go-to-market strategies and identifying the blue ocean for its offerings.       

Market Segmentation:

1.     By Component (Solutions and Services)

2.     By Deployment (On-Premises and Cloud)

3.     By End-User (Education, Consumer, Enterprises, and Governments.)

4.     By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Rest of the World)

5.     By Company (Kahoot, Frontier Developments plc, Mojang, BreakAway Games, Schell Games, Monkimun Inc, Smart Lumies Ltd, Cognitive ToyBox Inc, , Paratus Knowledge Ventures Pvt Ltd, and Indusgeeks Solutions Pvt Ltd.)

Key questions answered in the study:

1.     What are the current and future trends of the global Game Based Learning industry?

2.     How the industry has been evolving in terms of component, deployment and end-user?

3.     How the competition has been shaping across the countries followed by their comparative factorial indexing?

4.     What are the key growth drivers and challenges for the global game based learning industry?

5.     What is the customer orientation, purchase behavior, and expectations from the global Game Based Learning suppliers across various region and countries?

Contact Us:

UnivDatos

Contact Number - +1 978 733 0253

Email - contact@univdatos.com 

Website - www.univdatos.com

Linkedin- https://www.linkedin.com/company/univ-datos-market-insight/mycompany/

[delusionsofgrandeur13]

canine

your roommate!simon “ghost” riley x reader

eighteen plus or else. i'll literally find you i stg.

you buy a toy that’s marketed as ‘deathly silent.’ too bad your roommate is a highly trained soldier.

“deathly silent”: that’s what the box said. that’s what the ad, the website, the product name, all said. 

and it was, in and of itself, silent. 

but you and your noises weren’t. 

at least not to your roommate, government trained, experience-laden, finger on the trigger, simon “ghost” riley. 

you’d been amicable, cordial roommates for two years. it’d gone without a hitch: he responded to your post online, went through your vetting process. agreed to get a background check. 

once he’d moved in, (if that’s what you’d even call it) it was like you still lived alone. even when he was deployed, rent was deposited right on time, every month. 

but somehow a man that size had learned to move silently. you’d never quite been able to figure it out. sometimes he’d scare you, sure, but he always apologized and moved on. made sure to make his footfalls heavier for the rest of the day. 

over the course of two years, you’d managed to learn a couple of things about him. 

he likes his coffee black—he buys the same brand they keep on base. 

but when it comes to tea, simon buys artisanal earl grey. 

he’s got a couple masks, so he’s always wearing a clean one. 

he puts his boots next to yours at the door. jackets are the same story. 

he has to make huge portions for himself when he does cook, so you’re always offered some. you stopped declining a month in: the man knows his way around a kitchen. 

he likes chocolate chip cookies, but not as much as he likes brownies. 

it’s almost weird to know so much about someone you’re not quite friends with. not quite family with. 

you’ve never lived in such close quarters with a man you’re not related to or in love with. so this purchase was extremely necessary. 

if you never had to hear him.. 

then he should never have to hear you. 

“mm, fuck!” you whispered around clenched teeth. at the sound of simon’s feet walking down the hallway, into his room, you slap a hand over your mouth. 

his presence next door just puts words to your unconscious thoughts. every sliver of fantasy pulling you closer to the crest is roommate related. 

you’re reminded of his eyes above the skull mask, the bulk of his shoulders in a black shirt. how he spreads his legs when he sits on your couch watching the game. it’s inescapable to you, inexplorable. it’s a safe place in your mind. 

your roommate, whose cologne lingers in the hallway. whose empty cups of tea sit in your sink. 

inescapable. inexplorable. 

a high pitched whine escapes from between your fingers, your back arching from the mattress. 

this thing was a lot stronger than you realized. 

your legs shake as you reach orgasm number three, your toes clenching. you can barely keep a grip on the toy itself, you’re so wracked with sensation. 

pleasure coats your bones, a slickness that oozes out of every pore, out between your legs. 

simon heard the buzzing from the kitchen. he’d seen the ‘discreet packaging’ in the trash. this wasn’t his first day on earth. his roommate's got a new toy. 

he can’t get the sound out of his head. he can hear it over the sound of water boiling in the kettle, over the football talk show on low in the living room. it’s utterly inescapable. 

an attack animal trained to hear frequencies he shouldn’t—simon was cursed with the knowledge that you were fucking yourself stupid behind closed doors. 

the thought alone had him throbbing under his joggers, blood swelling the piece of meat between his legs. 

it was already torture, living with someone like you. 

someone with such a light inside. someone who smiled at him like he wasn’t a monster with a kill count in the tens of hundreds. someone with great legs, that peeked out from tiny sleep shorts. if you asked he’d toss you a pair of his boxers to wear instead. 

he was waiting for you to ask, like you ever would. 

it was torture, knowing he had a bird waiting at home for him that wasn’t exactly his. 

torture that he had to hear your whines as he walked down the hallway, and couldn’t do anything about it. 

shouldn’t do anything about it. 

he shut his door with a loud click, giving you the chance to stop if you wanted. 

you didn’t. 

it was torture, but he couldn’t resist any longer. 

leaning against the wall, his head tipped back to hear better, he gives in.

simon slips his hand under the waistband of his sweats, fist immediately around his cock. 

his thumb brushes over the tip, and he’s making his own noises. 

they blend in with yours to soundtrack his thoughts, a scenario where he’d be the one under those sheets with you. instead of some stupid piece of machinery. 

you grow louder, your poorly muffled whimpering seeping through the thin walls. 

it’s obvious: you’re not trying to hide it anymore. 

you can’t. 

pleasure has taken over. sensation has gained command of your good sense. 

the finish line nears, and you can barely keep the buzzing piece of rubber on your clit as your whole body shakes, shudders. a full-bodied moan rips from your mouth as you soak the sheets, liquid squirting from underneath your fingers. 

the next room over, cum coats simon’s knuckles as he shudders into his own fist, the room spinning. 

he can’t remember the last time he came so hard. 

simon coughs, thankful for his mask. his cheeks are burning hot. 

“nice shirt, eh?” he remarks, his eyes trained on the ‘RILEY’ painted over your shoulders. 

you turn your head, smiling. it almost hurts to see you like this. like you’d just been rolled around in bed. 

“thanks?” you reply, a little confused. it was just the first clean shirt in your drawer. 

your roommate’s acting kind of odd.

he shakes his head. you have no clue what you’re wearing. what you’re doing to him. 

“s’mine,” he growls out. tone a little harsher than he means for it to be. 

you finish stuffing your dirty sheets into the washing machine, dropping a soap pod in after them before slamming the lid closed. 

looking down at the shirt you’re wearing, the fact that it’s simon’s is becoming increasingly obvious. it smells like him, it’s about three sizes too big, and it’s sporting a logo reading TF141 over the left breast. pulling at the shirt until you can read the back, your eyes widen at the huge letters of his last name. 

“i’m sorry! d’you want it back?” you squeak out, mortified. 

“nah, keep it.” simon says, tone flippant. devil-may-care. 

if that’s the way it’s gonna be, maybe he’ll slip a pair of boxers into your laundry later.

༄ first time writing cod! writing simon! i thought of this prompt and just knew i needed to put fingers to keyboard about it. lmk if i need to explore this more! ❤︎

divider: @viviansturns

[tonyzaret]

How are you able to make so many relatively accurate observations about fandom culture?

Because I have been researching fandom culture for over a year (using only Reddit arguments as a source) and this is what I’ve learned:

Fandom does not mean being a fan of something. Fandom refers to a group of adults creating and consuming romantic (also known as “shipping”) “smut” (p*rnography) content based on a handful of commercially-produced intellectual properties catering to the Teen Demographic.

Although these intellectual properties are marketed to 12-16 year-olds, fandom “spaces” are NOT for teens. This is because when minors are in fandom spaces fandom adults cannot comfortably share their Shipping Smut, due to Purity Culture.

The relationships in this shipping content may feature 2 or more canon characters (that is, characters created by people outside of Fandom) or a mix of canon characters and “OC’s” (characters created by someone in fandom). However, if you make shipping content that contains ONLY original characters, what you have created is not fandom but “mainstream media.” This means that the rules of fandom etiquette such as “ship and let ship” and “don’t like don’t read” no longer apply to people who consume your work. You made the mistake of, for example, creating a webcomic with 5 readers that earns you $0.84/month and now your fandom is free to harass you for ruining their comfort characters and head canons. Also, do NOT complain about people making smut out of your OC’s as you will get a lecture about the Death of The Author.

But the good news is, even if everyone is making smut out of your OC’s, at least your name & likeness will be left out of it, right?

WRONG. You, the non-fanwork content creator, are now a “public figure,” making your private life fair game for RPF (real person fan fiction), which hopefully you will never see unless one of the billions of internet users unfamiliar with fandom etiquette sends it to you.

So, in conclusion, fandom is a joyful and creative space for anyone over 21 who wants to get into endless arguments about which cartoon characters are ******* each other

[prokopetz]

Doesn't Hasbro have a strong incentive to make a "lite" version of D&D with a pared-down paperback rulebook and sell it as a casual-friendly overpriced starter kit with a bunch of dice, figures, treasure cards, etc.? It could be a strict subset of the normal 5E rules (I guess - not that knowledgeable about TTRPG design). That way they could sell you all the same books. Seems like a slam dunk

Hasbro's present marketing strategy for Dungeons & Dragons is to try to position every D&D group as potential purchasers of every D&D product. Among other things, this is one of the main reasons that every campaign setting other than the Forgotten Realms is being repackaged as a series of tourist destinations for Forgotten Realms based campaigns to visit, and why there's been a strong move away from focused, topical sourcebooks and toward big, messy "book of everything"-style anthologies that consciously avoid focusing too much on any one type of character or campaign. It's also why the core books make a lot of noise about how wonderfully modular the rules are without actually providing any meaningful modularity in practice – if the game was designed to make it easy to pick and choose modular components, they'd risk fracturing the player base into distinct subsets with different preferred sets of modules.

All this in mind, it's fairly easy to see why there's currently no official "light" version of D&D. Under the paradigm of every single D&D group as a potential purchaser of every single D&D product, a version of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition that was actually, meaningfully simpler than the core product would function in practice as a competing game (what if people decide they like the simpler version better and just play that instead?), and the last thing you want is to compete with yourself. TSR learned that the hard way! With substantive simplification off the table, the only introductory version of Dungeons & Dragons Hasbro can offer is one with exactly the same rules which simply has less content, and tells people to buy the full version if they want more – which is exactly what they're selling in the various starter sets that are presently available.

[bedlam-barbie]

Mine

Pairing: yandere!Salesman x wife!recruiter!reader

Warnings: canon adjacent violence, suggestive sexual themes 

Summary:  when the Salesman’s wife is targeted in broad daylight, a routine morning turns into a blood-stained warning. love, after all, is just another word for possession. Salesman’s name is Nam Shin for this one.

Category: hurt and comfort (twisted) ; mild explicit/ fade to black

Word count: 2.8k

Request: yes, “Hi! Could you write about yandere salesman × wife reader. Where the reader also works with him, and Kim jeong-rae and woo-seok begin to follow her in order to kidnap her. Please”

It had started out as an ordinary morning, slow, almost deceptively so. She was meant to meet Nam Shin for lunch later, their usual weekday ritual when they weren’t working a job. He recruited by day. She preferred the night shift. That rhythm worked for them, smooth, clinical. Clean. But her mornings were hers, and today, she'd chosen to spend them shopping for groceries in Apgujeong, combing through the pristine aisles and artisan stalls for ingredients he’d approve of.

Shin was the one who usually cooked, always had been. He liked the control, the ritual precision of it. Each knife stroke, each carefully measured gram, it soothed something in him. She’d never minded, not really. She could burn water if she wasn’t paying attention, and aside from two meals she could barely manage, the kitchen was his territory. But with their anniversary creeping up, she’d made a quiet vow to herself: this time, she would cook for him. Something good. Something real.

It was just after she passed the dry-aged hanwoo stand that she felt it, that electric snap at the base of her neck. Not fear. Not yet. Just the sense of something…off. Wrong, and watching.

It was a feeling she’d learned to trust. You didn’t last in their line of work, not in the Squid Game system, without learning to listen to your instincts. She didn’t react. Not immediately. That was the first test. You don’t turn around. You don’t let them know you know.

Instead, she kept walking,  slow, deliberate, as if she had all the time in the world. Past the fresh produce, past the artisan seaweed display, pretending to examine jars of soy-cured garlic. She tilted her head just slightly, catching reflections in the brushed steel surface behind the counter.

There, two men, a few paces back. Too casual to be casual. One of them had been at the tea shop when she entered the market, she remembered the eyes. The other was new. Both were dressed like any other Seoulites in summer: light jackets, neutral tones. But they weren’t shopping. Not really. They were watching. Tracking.

Following.

Truly, it was almost cute how they tried to pass unnoticed. She picked up a jar, pretending to read the label, her fingers tightening subtly on the lid. Her pulse didn’t rise, not much. Just enough to make her sharpen. Not enough to panic. Not yet. Her hand slipped into her purse, slow and unhurried, just a woman about to pay for her groceries. But instead of reaching for her wallet, her fingers brushed against her phone, warm from the press of her palm.

Psycho Killer. The name still made her smile, soft and secret. Equal parts truth and endearment.

Without looking down, she typed a message, fast and fluid: followed. 2 men. apgujeong market.

She hit send, then plucked the jar from the counter with a graceful nod, offering the cashier a small, composed smile as she paid. There was no real need to tell him where she was. He always knew. She knew better than anyone: he was always tracking her. But they both played the game, she pretended not to notice, and he pretended it was not obsession.

It was the rhythm of their relationship: sharp edges tucked beneath clean surfaces. And if those two men following her had any sense, they’d already be running.

And now here she was, outside the market, guiding them like stray dogs on a leash of silence. Her steps were unhurried, her posture relaxed, but every movement was calculated. She led them away from the crowds, away from witnesses, toward a side street that narrowed and quieted the deeper she went. A turn to the left. Then another.

She didn’t recognize the men, but she could guess what this was about. Seong Gi-hun. It always came back to him. Shin had warned her: the man hadn’t stopped digging. Three years of chasing shadows, trying to claw his way back into something he never fully understood. What she couldn’t quite figure out was how they’d managed to find her.

Maybe Shin would figure it out before she did. He usually did.

She entered a narrow alley, quiet, boxed in by brick walls and heavy stillness. A dead end. Perfect.Her heels slowed, then stopped. She reached down to straighten the hem of her dress, smoothing the fabric as if this were just another stroll, another errand. Then, at last, she turned around. The two men stood at the mouth of the alley, still pretending to be subtle. She smiled, slow, amused, like a cat watching mice convince themselves they were lions.

“Gentlemen,” she purred, cigarette already between her fingers. “If you’re going to attempt to kidnap me, the least you could do is buy me dinner first.”

She lit the cigarette with a flick of her thumb, the flame briefly illuminating the glint in her eyes , not fear, not surprise but anticipation.

One of them chuckled at her comment, a sharp, ugly sound that echoed off the alley walls. The other stepped forward, drawing a knife from inside his jacket. Not flashy, not theatrical. Just clean, curved steel. A tool for taking someone quietly.

She sighed.

“Knives? Really?” she said, flicking ash off the end of her cigarette. “Bit dramatic, don’t you think?”

They didn’t answer. They didn’t have to. She let the cigarette drop to the pavement. Then she moved.

Her grocery bag swung up in a wide arc, heavy with the jar and groceries she’d just bought, glass and weight behind it. The first man didn’t expect it; it cracked against his temple with a sickening thud, and he dropped with a grunt, dazed. The second lunged, she pivoted, slamming the edge of the bag into his wrist, knocking the blade just far enough off course to avoid her throat.

She kicked back, fast, efficient, and he stumbled. But the first one was already recovering, blood running down his face now, fury replacing stealth.

It wasn’t graceful. It wasn’t some trained choreography. But it was desperate, and she’d always been good when desperate. She dodged, fought, twisted, landed a heel square into one man’s knee, felt it give, but she was only one person. Unarmed. Tiring.

One of them tackled her.

She hit the pavement hard, the concrete scraping her palms, her head snapping back against the ground. For a moment, her breath left her chest in a sharp gasp. A boot pressed to her shoulder.

“Got you now, bitch,” one of them hissed.

She didn’t panic. She laughed, breathless, blood in her mouth, but still laughing.

“Are you sure?” she whispered.

And then, everything changed. The air behind them shifted. Not wind but presence. A blur. A flash of movement .And then the Salesman was there. Her Salesman.

No sound. No warning. Just sudden violence.

The first man was yanked off her, slammed into the alley wall so hard the bricks cracked. The second barely had time to turn before Shin drove something ,it could’ve been a blade, or maybe just his hand, into his ribs with brutal precision.

No shouting. No theatrics. Only silence, and the wet sounds of pain as he drove his briefcase to hit the attacker’s head. She sat up slowly, her dress torn, her lip bleeding, and watched him finish it like someone painting, controlled, exact, terrifyingly intimate.

He turned to her when it was over. Not winded. Not shaken.Only watching.

And for a moment one long, electric moment he just stared.Then he stepped toward her, his hands still red, and knelt beside her on the cold concrete.

“You’re hurt,” he said, his voice soft. Too soft.

She smiled, dizzy, her head still ringing. “A little.”

He knelt beside her, one knee grazing the blood-stained pavement, the scent of copper and cigarette smoke lingering between them. For a moment, he didn’t speak. He only looked — at her torn dress, the blood drying on her skin, the bruise blooming just beneath her jaw. His expression didn’t shift. But his eyes?

His eyes were murderous.

He reached out and touched her lip with a fingertip, featherlight, reverent, then pulled his hand back and looked at the blood like it had personally insulted him. Something cold and precise tightened in his face.

Without a word, he reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a handkerchief, crisp, monogrammed, absurdly clean. Gently, he took her hands, one at a time, wiping away the blood on her palms with practiced care, like he was performing a ritual. His fingers lingered at her wrist, tracing the faint tremble beneath her skin.

Then, finally, he touched her mouth again — dabbing at the corner with the handkerchief, slow and careful, like she was something fragile.

“You should’ve messaged me the moment you felt eyes on you,” he murmured, voice low and dangerously calm. “Not after.”

She tried to roll her eyes, but her breath caught as the cloth pressed against the cut on her lip. “Don’t be so dramatic, jagi,” she said, forcing a smile. “I’m still breathing, aren’t I?”

He stopped, just for a second, that pet name softening something dark inside him. But only for a second.

“Barely,” he said. “And that is the problem.”

Her smile faded. “Who were they?”

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he turned his head slightly, eyes flicking back to the bodies crumpled at the far end of the alley, still twitching with residual pain. One was trying to crawl. The other wasn’t moving at all.

“That’s what I intend to find out,” he said coldly. “They followed you. Touched you. Hurt you. That’s more than enough.”

She shifted to stand, but he caught her wrist again, steadier than she felt, and rose with her. In the silence that followed, the city returned — a distant hum of cars, laughter from a café around the corner, the normal world.

But in this alley, time felt suspended.

“Come,” Shin said, his voice back to that unnervingly gentle cadence. “Let’s get you home. Frontman sent a car”

He didn’t say what he would do to the men once she was gone. He didn’t have to. She already knew.

Nam Shin’s penthouse ; Gangnam district; 07:30 PM

A few hours later, the world had quieted.

She stepped out of the bathroom, skin warm and flushed from the shower, the steam still clinging faintly to her limbs. A thick robe hung loosely from her shoulders, the tie knotted at her waist without much effort. Her hair, damp and curling at the ends, left cool traces down her back.

The bedroom was dim — not dark, just muted. Heavy curtains were drawn against the night, and the soft glow of a single bedside lamp cast amber light across the space. The bed itself was too large for two people who rarely shared it at the same time, dressed in black silk sheets and a blanket in muted charcoal. Clean lines. Cool tones. But hers was the only scent in the room now, faint citrus and soap, curling into the corners like memory.

She sat on the edge of the mattress, letting herself sink into the softness. Every muscle ached, not with pain anymore, but with the thick, echoing weight of exhaustion. She curled beneath one of the blankets, the comfort instant and quiet. Her limbs heavy. Her breath slowing.

And exactly one hour later, she heard the door open.No knock. Just the familiar, measured rhythm of his footsteps.

She didn’t need to open her eyes to know it was Shin. She knew how he walked — calm, controlled, almost silent, but never quite. Like even his silence had purpose.

He crossed the room without a word, stopping at the edge of the bed. The mattress dipped slightly as he leaned in. He reached for the blanket she’d barely pulled up and adjusted it gently, tucking it beneath her shoulder. Then, without hesitation, he pressed a kiss to her forehead — soft, slow, reverent.

Her eyes fluttered open, half-lidded, her lashes brushing the curve of her cheek. A small smile crept across her lips.

“You’re so sappy when I almost die,” she murmured, voice hoarse with sleep. “Psycho.”

He exhaled , not quite a laugh. But close.

“I’d be devastated if you did,” he said quietly, his hand brushing her damp hair back from her face. “Then I’d have to kill someone for ruining the only thing in this world I actually care about.”

She sighed, not out of fear, but with that strange, fragile affection that only they shared. A love forged in blood and silence and violence too quiet for the world outside.

She sighed into the pillow, the silk cool against her cheek, her body too tired to move but her mind humming — not fear, not adrenaline anymore, just the warm, woozy aftermath of survival. Of being hunted, and protected. Of being his.

He was still kneeling beside the bed, his fingers in her hair, carding through the damp strands like he was memorizing her all over again.

Her voice was barely more than a whisper, thick with sleep and something heavier. “Is that a love confession, Salesman?”

A pause. Then a breath, low, amused, dangerous.

“You’re my wife,” he said, brushing his knuckles down the curve of her jaw. “You know exactly what it is.”

His hand slid lower, from her cheek to her neck, soft at first, then firmer, his thumb stroking the pulse point like he was feeling her heartbeat just to reassure himself it was still there. Still his. Still alive.

“I spend all day getting blood off my shoes,” he murmured. “But you bleed, and I lose my mind.”

She smiled again, slow and wicked, eyes still closed. “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

Shin laughed, a low sound, intimate and dark. “You married a lunatic,” he said, letting his lips brush just below her ear, voice warm as breath. “What did you expect?”

“I expected to be spoiled.”

“You are.”

One hand slid under the blanket, possessive, unhurried, trailing down her side as he leaned further in. His mouth followed the curve of her neck, his breath hotter now, his restraint thinner than it had been moments ago.

“Almost lost you today,” he said quietly, more to himself than to her. “That doesn’t happen again.”

There was no question in it. No room for argument. Just that awful, beautiful certainty. Her fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him closer. Her voice was softer now, and far more dangerous.

“Then remind me who I belong to.”

He growled low in his throat, and the rest of the blanket was gone.Her fingers curled into his shirt, tugging him closer, and Shin moved without hesitation — smooth, quiet, controlled. Like a weapon unsheathed. He climbed onto the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight, the silk sheets shifting around them like water. One hand braced near her head, the other sliding beneath the edge of her robe with no pretense of shyness.

His eyes trailed over her like he was checking for injuries — not just concern, but possession. Obsession.

“You don’t get to almost die on me,” he said, voice low, cold. “Not without consequences.”

She arched a brow, amused despite the echo of bruises beneath her skin. “What, are you going to punish me for surviving?”

“No.” His hand closed around her hip. “For not letting me kill them sooner.”

She laughed, breathless, wicked. “God, you’re insane.”

“I know,” he said simply. “And you're still here.”

He leaned down and kissed her, not soft, not tender. Feral. Claiming. His teeth grazed her lower lip, and when she gasped, he deepened it, hand moving to her throat. Not tight. Not yet. Just a reminder. A warning.

Her robe parted easily beneath his grip, her skin still warm from the shower, vulnerable in a way he both worshipped and resented. He hated seeing her like this after a fight, after a scare  but he couldn’t help needing her like this, too. Just to prove she was his. Still breathing. Still here.

“You don’t get to leave me,” he whispered into her mouth. “Ever.”

She didn’t answer. She didn’t need to.

She pulled him in harder, her kiss just as vicious as his, nails dragging across the back of his neck. His hand tangled in her damp hair, tilting her head to kiss her deeper, rougher. She let him welcomed it, the edge of violence always laced into their affection.

The room went quiet but for the sounds of silk rustling, breath hitching, and the low growl in his throat when she bit his lip in return.

He pushed her down against the pillows, breath hot against her ear.

“Mine,” he said. Not a question.

“Yours,” she whispered. Not a lie.

The lamp flickered. Her robe slipped. And the city outside never heard a thing.

[whatifitis]

♡ Silly Love Songs - LN 4 ♡

Summary: Lando is playing Tarkov during Christmas break and you're playing your silly little love songs. Lando defends your honor and

Author's Note: this is based off this request. IM SO SORRY ITS TAKEN SO LONG, IT WONT HAPPEN AGAIN

WC: 1511

CW: fluff, max being a little shit, lando being in love, overuse of song lyrics again

When your boyfriend had invited you to spend Christmas break with him and his family in London, you thought it would be filled with learning about their holiday traditions and going out to explore London and going to the Christmas market. So you did not expect to be sitting at Lando’s family home, sitting on his bed as he spends the night on Tarkov with Max, Bankai and some other people. 

You didn’t really mind as during the day, he spent time with you and his family. And his gaming sessions give you time to catch up on some reading. The scene is painted, Lando is at his desk playing Tarkov while you sit on his bed, bundled up with a book in your hands and your headphones playing your reading playlist. 

After about an hour, you start to get bored and decide to pick up your guitar off the floor and attempt to play a new song. You’d fallen in love with the song ‘we’re in love’ by boygenius so you wanted to learn it and play it for Lan sometime. 

Lan couldn’t hear shit with his headphones on and his mic sensitivity was low enough that you could barely hear your guitar and voice in the back. So you start strumming and softly singing. 

That’s how i know that we’re in love

“Am I playing music? Who’s singing right now? I can hear bits every so often.” Bankai asks through Lando’s headphones.

“Oh, I think that’s y/n. She’s playing a bit of guitar right now.”

At the mention of your name, you look up, “Oh shit, I didn’t think you guys would be able to hear me. Sorry. I’ll stop.” you say, moving to set your guitar next to the bed. 

“Tell her to keep playing. It makes beautiful sounds in my ears to make up for Max’s yelling.” Bankai says. 

You watch as Lando turns to look at you, “Bankai says that he wants you to keep playing cause he wants to listen to you and not Max’s incessant screaming. Also I really like when you sing. That song is one of our songs now by the way. Since you showed me it, it’s been a favorite and it’s always on repeat.”

…but you listened like it mattered

Max was quick to shout back “He did not say my screaming was incessant. So shut your mouth or I will shoot your leg.”

Lando goes back to playing the game and messing with Max when you start playing again. Through the mic, only small bits can be heard but it’s enough to know what song you’re playing. 

Max’s chat starts spamming things like ‘omg shes playing ‘we’re in love’, ‘omg that's the best love song ever’, ‘she’s so in love’

Max reads some of the messages out loud, “Oh, she’s singing her silly little love songs again. Chat, did you know sometimes she writes songs for Bob? You’d think that people would have had enough of silly little love songs.”

“Oi” Lando says as he shoots Max’s character's leg, “Call her songs ‘silly’ or ‘little’ one more time, I dare you.” 

I feel crazy in ways I never say

Will you still love me if it turns out I’m insane?

“Ya know, chat. Some people just want to fill the world with silly little love songs.”

Pew

“Mate, what the fuck…” Max says in a low voice as he drags his hands down his face in frustration. 

“Told ya. Don’t fuck with me. You can sniff my pits and tell me I stink, all you want. But I don’t stand for y/n slander.” Lando jokes (kinda). 

“Fine. Just try and bring back some of my stuff, please.” Max groans.

“No promises, Max. But I will try. Maybe do not trust Bob with that task.” Bankai tells Max. 

Lando laughs, “Yeah, don’t trust me right now. I will run in front of bullets with your stuff on me.”

The boys continue playing as you sit and serenade anyone listening. You and Lando are doing your own thing while still being near the other and it feels nice. The two of you spend time apart for a majority of the year and the times where you are together, are spent doing extravagant things like going on yachts and going to races and galas. While you do enjoy doing those things, especially with your love right by your side, you enjoy moments like this more. 

It’s plain and simple. Nothing more and nothing less. You’ve found that oftentimes, simplicity is hard to find because most people want all those heart racing, adrenaline filled moments. Sometimes people forget, or don’t know how to appreciate the quiet. The silent filled moments. 

By the time Lando finishes up playing Tarkov, you’re finishing up fine tuning your techniques for the song. You’re not really paying attention to him, fully locked in on getting the song right for him. So you don’t notice when Lando takes his headphones off and turns to watch you from his chair. 

Sing the song you wrote about me, never once checking the words

I hope that no one sings along, I hope that I’m not a regular

You rarely have time to practice music due to work so considering the conflicting schedules, Lando barely ever gets to hear you play and sing. So he’s grateful for this moment with you, in his room, just completely enamored by you. 

He’s so entranced that he doesn’t notice that his parents are standing in the doorway, holding each other as they watch the beautiful scene before them. They heard you playing so they wanted to sneak by and listen for a bit. 

The two of them watch the two of you. They’re grateful to have you in their lives. Since the first day Lando had spoken of you, he never stopped. And since he spoke of you so often, his parents got to know you before they’d even met you. And they’d grown to love you just based on Lando's words. 

If you rewrite your life, may I still play a part?

In the next one, will you find me?

Once Lando joined F1, they knew a lot of people would want to use him for their own benefit. A lot of people threw themselves at him just for one minute in the spotlight. They worried that it would be difficult for Lando to have the right people around him. But once they saw you, they knew that you were good. You were gonna be his person. Through the time you’ve been with Lando, there have been many challenges and ups and downs. Lando’s parents watched the two of you go from best friends to something more. 

They saw the look of love in yours and Lando’s eyes. It didn’t matter if one of you fell, cause the other would pick you back up. If one of you fell behind, the other would turn back. Cause to turn back is to love. 

And if you do, I’ll know it’s you

I can’t imagine you without the same smile in your eyes

There is something about you that I will always recognize

Lando’s parents went back to their own room as you finished up your strumming. You looked up and got startled when you’d seen Lando was just staring at you. 

“You scared me, Lan. Why are you staring like a freak?” you giggle.

“I wasn’t staring. I was simply watching my favorite show.”

“Show?”

“Yeah. I don’t really get to watch you in moments like that so I wanted to watch and try to mentally record it for later.”

You look at him with a confused look on your face but you shrug it off, “Whatever you say, freak.”

“Freak for you.” he says as he stands up and walks over to lay next to you on the bed. 

The two of you lie on your backs, Lando’s arm acting as a pillow for you as he holds you close. There’s a comfortable silence that both of you welcome with a warm embrace. It stays like that until Lando breaks it, “I think there’s something you should know.”

That sentence terrifies you cause what the fuck should you know? Did he cheat? Is he in debt from buying too many cars? Is he getting kicked out of Monaco? Is he leaving Mclaren? 

“What?” you ask hesitantly. 

“I’m in love with you.”

“Lando, what the fuck? You just gave me a heart attack. I swear to god.” you breathe out and cover your face with your hands. 

He’s laughing his ass off, “I’m sorry for scaring you, darling. But I just wanted you to know that I, I, I… I’m in love with youuu. I. I. I. I. I’m in love with youuu.”

There he is. The way to your heart… serenading you… 

You’re not gonna stop him. He helps you with the crossword every morning. 

“Yeah, I got it, I found it, I’ve just gotta keep it. Don’t fuck it, you MUPPET!”

[truly-sincerely]

Even More Comprehensive BG3 Timeline

(Now with citations!) Years in (paren) are confirmed, all other lines are approximations. For my own sanity this timeline is based on available in-game information and not the Forgotten Realms at large.

1450s

Enver Flymm born

Gale Dekarios born (1457)

Enver Flymm sold to Raphael by his parents, renamed Gortash

Gortash learns about Crown of Karsus while a prisoner of Raphael

Karlach Cliffgate born

1460s

Gortash escapes the House of Hope

Gale Dekarios summons Tara the Tressym (1467)

Wyll Ravengard born (1468)

1470s

Lae’zel of K’liir born (1470)

Gortash in his Heapside Reavers period

Gortash rebrands as a black market arms dealer

Orin the Red born to Helena and Sarevok Anchev

Durge begins their serial killing spree in Baldur’s Gate (1477)

The Emperor dominates Duke Belynne Stelmane (1479)

1480s

Elminster resurrects Mystra (1480)

Gortash trades Karlach to Zariel for infernal machines & iron (1482)

Baldur’s Gate’s Beloved Ranger statue goes missing (1482)

Duke Abdel Adrian murdered during Returning Day speech (1482) - Bhaal resurrected - Ulder Ravengard replaces Adrian as Marshall and as Duke

Orin kills her mother Helena in self-defense

Gortash recruits Franc Peartree to distribute infernal iron weapons

Gortash establishes a cult of Bane in Baldur’s Gate

Gortash approaches Durge about an alliance

Gortash moves against the Zhentarim & Knights of the Shield

Ulder Ravengard named Grand Duke

Wyll Ravengard pact with Mizora, leaves Baldur’s Gate (1485)

Dead Three made aware of the Crown of Karsus (most likely informed by Gortash)* - Gortash becomes Bane’s Chosen - Durge becomes Bhaal’s chosen - Gortash & Durge are instructed to recruit Ketheric

Gortash tells Durge about Crown of Karsus (via correspondence)

Hall/House of Wonders test mission* - Durge gets Bhaalist memorabilia - Gortash gets a bunch of Gondian designs - Durge & Gortash get companionship

1490s

The Chosen visit Ketheric at Moonrise, learn about Illithid colony

Gortash & Durge visit the House of Hope (for intel on Mephistar?)

Gortash & Durge raid Mephistar - They get the Crown of Karsus - They get the book on the accelerated grand design

Gortash & Durge return to Moonrise - Their identities are kept secret from Ketheric’s people - Durge impresses the Moonrise Gnolls, but not Steelclaw - Ketheric yells at Durge in the throne room for an unknown reason

Durge proposes their plan to the Elder Brain who accepts

Raid on the illithid colony (1491) - Durge puts the Crown on the Elder Brain - Orin gets Durge alone during the raid & stabs them in the head - Orin tadpoles Durge, making them the first True Soul - Orin declares herself the Chosen of Bhaal

1492

Durge is found by Kressa Bonedaughter

Minsc captured by Absolutists at a recruitment rally in the Undercity

Gortash gets weird and intense with unethical experiments - Some futzing to get the tadpoles to consistently remain in stasis - This is when the name ‘True Souls’ gets coined - Extremely questionable fun with brains - Getting the Absolute’s voice sorted out - Tadpoling his parents - Poorly conceived experiments on children & their parents

Gortash has Iron Throne converted to hold hostages

Gortash presents prototype Steel Watcher to the city council

Gortash captures the Emperor

Jaheira tracks cult to shadow-cursed land, meets Isobel

Minthara Baenre is 'recruited' by Orin and Ketheric

The Descent, Elturel fall into Avernus happens

Duke Vanthampur revealed as a diabolist, killed by adventurers

Guild Bursar Uktar launders money for Gortash’s Campaign funds

Isobel is resurrected by the Dead Three

The Elder Brain sends the Chosen dreams about the Astral Prism

Gortash researches the Prism, finds out that Vlaakith has it

Gortash tasks Ketheric with sending a team to get the Astral Prism - They send a nautiloid piloted by the Emperor and other illithid - The Elder Brain lets the Emperor slip its leash - Magthew Budj arranges for Durge to be on the nautiloid as well

Gortash deploys Steel Watch in Lower/Outer City

At this point Elturel is no longer in Avernus

First Druid Halsin captured by goblins

Nautiloid picks up Shadowheart & the Prism from Astral Plane

Nautiloid picks up Lae’zel

Nautiloid goes to Baldur’s Gate, picks up Gale & Astarion

Nautiloid goes to Avernus, picks up Karlach & Wyll

Nautiloid crashes, (20 Eleasis, 1492)

Some helpful links:

A page from Sarevok’s book: Sarevok - (Murder tribunal)

Accelerated Grand Design: Gortash - (Gortash's Office)

An Offer: Gortash - (Peartree basement)

Aquatic Labor: Gortash - (Flymm’s Cargo Basement)

Baldur’s Gate Temple of Bhaal: Yanthus - (Gortash’s Office)

Balthazar’s Notes: Balthazar - (Necrotic laboratory)

Clasped Book: Balthazar - (Balthazar’s chambers)

Devil’s Fee Observer’s Report**: Himberloo - (Nine-Fingers’ office)

Elder Brain Domination: Ketheric/Yanthus - (Ketheric’s Room)

Enhanced Weapons - Sales Ledger: Peartree - (Peartree basement)

Experiment on Cruor: Orin - (Temple of Bhaal)

How To Build a Watcher: deceased Gondian - (Steel Watch foundry) 

Journal of Enver Gortash: Gortash - (Gortash’s Office)

Magical Histories: Volume 2: The Spellplague: unknown - (Sorcerous Sundries)

Memoir Notes with Recent Addenda: Gortash - (Gortash’s office)

Missive from Gortash: Gortash - (Ketheric’s room)

Missive from Ketheric: Ketheric - (Moonrise, 2nd floor)

Mistress of Souls’ Research Log: Kressa - (Mind flayer barracks)

My Gratitude: Gortash - To Peartree (Peartree basement)

Next Steps: Gortash - (Gortash’s office)

Prayer for Forgiveness: Durge - (Necrotic laboratory)

Scrapbook of Letters: Gortash/Durge - (Flymm’s Cobblers)

Special Operations - Infernal Arms: Uktar - 

Studies of the Elder Brains: Gortash/Yanthus - (Gortash’s Office)

Suspended Ceremorphosis: Gortash/Yanthus - (Tadpoling center)

Test Mission with Gortash: Durge - (Temple of Bhaal)

The Astral Prism Heist: Gortash - (Gortash’s office)

The Dukes of Baldur’s Gate: unknown - (Baldur’s Mouth/Peartree’s house)

The Grand Design: Gortash/Yanthus - (Mind flayer colony)

The True Life of ‘Lord’ Gortash: a skeleton - (Wyrm’s Rock Prison)

The Ultimate State: Gortash - (Gortash’s office/Flymm’s Cobblers)

*an in-game contradiction between Gortash and Durge. See: ‘Test Mission with Gortash’ and ‘Memoir Notes with Recent Addenda’. I’ve placed it after, but there’s also a legitimate argument to be made that Gortash and Durge met and became allies much earlier, possibly around the same time as Gortash’s betrayal of Karlach

Additionally, the House of Wonders (church/workshop) and the Hall of Wonders (museum) are two different buildings in the Upper City. Durge writes that the Hall is their target, while Gortash writes that the House is their target. It is my opinion that they hit both locations.

**no link cuz the bg3.wiki doesn’t have it??

[cybersecurityict]

Game-Based Learning Market Size, Share, Analysis, Forecast, Growth 2032: Strategic Collaborations Fueling Growth

Game-Based Learning Market size was valued at USD 18.25 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 97.62 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 20.53% Over the Forecast Period of 2024-2032.

Game-Based Learning Market Shows Accelerated Growth Driven by Digital Adoption The game-based learning market is experiencing a powerful surge as educational institutions, corporate trainers, and edtech companies embrace interactive and immersive solutions to boost learner engagement and retention. With digital transformation sweeping across sectors, game-based platforms are no longer just optional enhancements—they are central to modern training and education frameworks. These platforms integrate compelling storytelling, rewards, real-time feedback, and adaptive learning paths, making learning more effective and enjoyable.

Game-Based Learning Market Shows Accelerated Growth Driven by Digital Adoption This shift is catalyzed by the rising need for personalized and gamified experiences among digitally native learners. Educators and enterprises recognize the power of game mechanics in boosting knowledge absorption and behavioral change. From K–12 classrooms to professional development programs, game-based methods are revolutionizing learning dynamics. As a result, innovative startups and established players alike are investing in rich, interactive content that leverages AI, AR, VR, and advanced analytics to create smarter learning environments.

Get Sample Copy of This Report: https://www.snsinsider.com/sample-request/3560 

Market Keyplayers:

Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS GameLift, AWS Educate)

Google LLC (Google Play for Education, Google Expeditions)

Duolingo, Inc. (Duolingo App, Duolingo for Schools)

Mojang Studios (Minecraft: Education Edition, Minecraft: Story Mode)

Kahoot! ASA (Kahoot! Learning Platform, Kahoot! Academy)

Epic Games (Unreal Engine, Fortnite Creative)

Age of Learning, Inc. (ABCmouse, Adventure Academy)

Breakaway Games (HealthQuest, Financial Literacy Games)

Bublar Group (Bublar AR, Bublar Learning Experiences)

Frontier Developments (Planet Coaster, Planet Zoo)

Playgen (Playgen Learning Platform, Playgen Games)

Spin Master (Paw Patrol: On a Roll, Hatchimals)

Idnusgeeks (EduGames, Edutainment Apps)

Gamelearn (Gamelearn Platform, Corporate Training Games)

Recurrence (Recurrence Learning Modules, Interactive Games)

Stratbeans (Stratbeans Learning Management, Gamified Learning Solutions)

Tangible Play, Inc. (Osmo, Osmo Genius Starter Kit)

Simulearn (Simulearn Training Modules, Gamified Learning Solutions)

Raptivity (Raptivity Interactive Learning, Raptivity Game Templates)

Banzai Labs (Banzai Financial Literacy Games, Banzai Mobile App)

Cognitive Toybox (Cognitive Toybox App, Learning Games)

VR Education Holdings (ENGAGE, VR Classroom Experiences)

Fundamental (Fundamental Learning Platform, Educational Games)

Kuato Studios (Homo Machina, Asterix & Friends)

Schell Games (The Amazing World of Gumball, TInkRbox)

Monkimun (Monki Animal Academy, Monki Farm)

Smart Lumies (Smart Lumies Learning Games, Interactive Activities)

Market Analysis The market is evolving at a dynamic pace due to a convergence of factors such as technological advancements, increasing smartphone and internet penetration, and a growing preference for experiential learning. Educational content is shifting from static formats to game-infused formats that stimulate critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Organizations across industries are seeking scalable and cost-effective learning tools, further fueling demand.

Key players are expanding their offerings beyond traditional e-learning to include serious games, simulation-based training, and gamified platforms. The growing adoption in non-traditional sectors such as healthcare, military, and aviation is broadening the application base, pushing the boundaries of conventional learning.

Market Trends

Gamification of Corporate Training: Enterprises use game mechanics to boost employee motivation, improve onboarding, and track performance.

Integration with Emerging Technologies: AR, VR, and AI-powered tools enhance immersion, making learning more contextual and real-time.

Mobile Learning Platforms: Mobile-first game-based apps are rising due to their accessibility, especially in developing regions.

Data-Driven Personalization: Learning analytics enable real-time tracking of learner progress and adjustment of content to fit user needs.

Collaborative Multiplayer Formats: Multiplayer and team-based gaming are fostering social learning and peer-to-peer engagement.

Hybrid Education Models: Institutions blend in-person instruction with gamified virtual content to support remote and hybrid learning.

Increased Focus on Soft Skills: Games targeting emotional intelligence, communication, and leadership are gaining traction.

Subscription-Based Models: Monthly and yearly plans are becoming a preferred pricing strategy for gamified learning services.

Market Scope The scope of the game-based learning market extends across age groups, industries, and geographies. It encompasses early childhood education, K–12, higher education, and lifelong learning programs. It also includes diverse corporate training needs ranging from technical upskilling to compliance training. Geographically, both developed and emerging markets are contributing to the expansion, with regional customization and language localization becoming critical success factors. The market is highly versatile, serving a wide array of learning outcomes from cognitive skills to behavioral training.

Market Forecast The future outlook of the game-based learning market is marked by innovation, integration, and diversification. As more sectors recognize the measurable benefits of interactive learning, demand will continue to climb. Strategic partnerships between content developers, tech firms, and educational institutions are likely to increase, creating an ecosystem of collaborative growth. With the ongoing evolution of EdTech, the market will remain agile, absorbing newer trends such as microlearning, adaptive learning, and immersive simulations. Market players who prioritize user experience, data-driven insights, and cross-platform delivery will be best positioned to capitalize on upcoming opportunities.

Access Complete Report: https://www.snsinsider.com/reports/game-based-learning-market-3560 

Conclusion Game-based learning is no longer a trend—it's a transformative force reshaping how knowledge is delivered, experienced, and retained. By fusing entertainment with education, it captures the imagination of learners while aligning with organizational goals. In a rapidly changing digital world, it offers a future-ready approach to education and training that is both impactful and scalable. As innovation continues to break barriers, the game-based learning market stands poised to redefine the future of learning—one game at a time.

About Us:

SNS Insider is one of the leading market research and consulting agencies that dominates the market research industry globally. Our company's aim is to give clients the knowledge they require in order to function in changing circumstances. In order to give you current, accurate market data, consumer insights, and opinions so that you can make decisions with confidence, we employ a variety of techniques, including surveys, video talks, and focus groups around the world.

Contact Us:

Jagney Dave - Vice President of Client Engagement

Phone: +1-315 636 4242 (US) | +44- 20 3290 5010 (UK)

[thatsthat24]

Sanderstober 2024

SANDERSTOBER IS HERE! Once again, my friends and I are creating art prompts for you all to try your hand at for every day of this month, if you'd like! Try one, try some, try all! If you miss a day but still want to do a prompt from a day you missed, please go ahead! This is all just for fun. If you'd like to share your creations, you can use #Sanderstober2024. I'd love to see! Hope you enjoy them! 🍁

October 1: Always gotta start out this day with the traditional prompt! take a character from media or OC and draw how they look on September 30th vs. how they look on October 1st!

October 2: Create a sheet ghost, but featuring the pattern of a sheet/blanket you own or maybe used to own when you were younger. - This idea came from my friend, Andrea!

October 3: A quick Google search of “keyblade designs” (the weapon from Kingdom Hearts) would show you how the weapon changes based off the property the character goes to! Design a keyblade based around any piece of media, as if the main character from Kingdom Hearts traveled there… - This idea came from my friend, Rene!

October 4: There’s a lot of fast food and cereal mascots out there… I think you know where I’m going with this. Take any of those mascots and turn them into a MONSTER or KILLER.

October 5: This one’s a play off a prompt from last year AND it’s a writing prompt! Take any famous character from a horror film, and create a nursery rhyme about them. You can make it completely innocent, or, like many nursery rhymes, remain dark but disguised in pretty language.

October 6: Take your favorite animal… and dress it as your dream profession. - This idea came from my friend, Talyn!

October 7: Take one of your favorite movies and reimagine if it had been marketed as a different genre (e.g. Hellraiser as a family comedy, Goodfellas as a romance, etc.) - This idea came from my friend, Joan!

October 8: Turning things into Pokemon tends to be a favorite prompt of mine, and this year, the category is… fast food! Take any fast food of your choice, create a Pokemon, and name it!

October 9: Take any foreign animation cartoon and draw them in the style of a western animation! - This idea from my friend, Dominic!

October 10: Definitely a sucker for fall fashion and aesthetic, so take any character or group of characters from one of your favorite pieces of content and give them a fall aesthetic makeover.

October 11: Crows collect shiny things… what things might the nest of a crow contain from one of your favorite fictional universes? - This idea came from my friend, Lev!

October 12: Take any color and ONLY use that color in order to depict a Halloween, horror movie, or fall scene.

October 13: A very expressionistic vibe for this prompt: draw the aura which you hope to be walking in during fall or Halloween. - This idea came from my friend, Valerie!

October 14: There’s LOTS of new words and sayings out there (skibidi, rizz, Ohio, ick, etc.). Google some, you’ll learn a couple new ones. I want you to create a Halloween monster/creature/cryptid based off one of these new words, as if they were the names of the creatures themself (Oh my gosh… it’s the legendary Los Angeles Ick…)

October 15: Sure, people are scared of Halloween monsters… but are there things that would be scary to those monsters? Get creative and depict some things/scenarios that would be terrifying to a typical Halloween creature! - This idea came from my friend, Jackie!

October 16: Those new horror-fied versions of fast food/cereal monsters from October 4 need weapons… take a meal or the cereal from the brand you got your mascot from, and create a weapon inspired by it!

October 17: There has been lots of theorizing in the fields of science on how the human body may evolve in order to either perform modern tasks better or survive… SO, imagine up a human evolution that has adapted to survive some environment (fire, spider bites, rejection), or one that has adapted to perform a certain task (tennis, gaming, folding clothes). - This idea comes from my friend, Joan!

October 18: So, Toy Story 5 has been announced… draw the next toy that’s gonna be introduced as a character in it.

October 19: Returning to an annual favorite of mine… take any character(s) from a piece of media and depict them in the style of a Tim Burton character.

October 20: As a play off of Dominic’s suggestion from an earlier day, take any western animation’s characters and depict them in the style of a foreign animation!

October 21: Taking inspiration from the movie, Hocus Pocus, take any character from a piece of media and depict them riding what *they* would probably bewitch into a broomstick if they had to in a pinch!

October 22: They’re giving your favorite background character a spin-off series. What does the poster for it look like? - This idea is from my friend, Dominic!

October 23: Ok… that monster/killer mascot you made on October 4th? The movie has to have a setting. Maybe an appropriate building? Maybe an entire town… Depict that setting…

October24: Take a character from your favorite movie/tv show and depict them as if they were a character in a fighting game like Smash Bros. or Street Fighter! What does their special/ultimate move look like? - This idea came from my friend, David!

October 25: Take any fun/special memory from your life and create a children’s book cover inspired by it. - This idea came from my friend, Stephanie!

October 26: Take your favorite classic Halloween monster and use them as inspiration for a new species of insect… - This idea came from my friend, Dahlia!

October 27: This feels like a classic for any time of year: take any favorite piece of media and cast the Sanders Sides in it.

October 28: [Any of your favorite pieces of media] … and Zombies

October 29: Think of a very important key object from one of your favorite movies or tv shows that the protagonist(s) finds. Now imagine they never stumbled upon it. What would it look like 100 years later? What else may have happened to it if the protagonist never found it? - This idea came from my friend, Chantz!

October 30: Now… we combine the ideas together to make the ultimate new Halloween villain! Take your creations from October 4th, 8th, 16th, and 23rd, and place them all together to create a scene of them terrorizing the main protagonists!

October 31: And, as a classic end-of-the-month tradition, today’s prompt is about celebrating the reason for the season, Halloween! Imagine if Halloween was like New Year’s Eve for Halloween creatures/characters. What would they look like, dressed all fancy for the occasion and celebrating?

Got the list fully completed! Looking forward to whatever you all create! 

[justafewberries]

Themes of Implicit Submission in The Hunger Games (Book One)

I’ve just finished re-reading The Hunger Games (book one) and there are a few themes that I expect SOTR will develop based on Hume’s implicit submission theory. Specifically, these are the main six tactics I believe the Capitol uses to thwart another rebellion present in the first book alone: 

Societal Pressure:

District 12 has a “keep your head down” culture. Any talks of rebellion are frowned upon. Any anti-government statements will cause social repercussions. It’s not just Katniss rolling her eyes at Gale in the woods, it’s how she has been groomed by the culture to keep quiet about the issues pervading life in the district:

“When I was younger, I scared my mother to death, the things I would blurt about District 12, about the people who rule our country, Panem, from the far-off city called the Capitol. Eventually, I understood this would only lead us to more trouble. So I learned to hold my tongue and to turn my features into an indifferent mask so that no one could ever read my thoughts. Do my work quietly in school. Make only polite small talk in the public market. Discuss little more than trades in the Hob.… Even at home, where I am less pleasant, I avoid discussing tricky topics. Like the reaping, or food shortages, or the Hunger Games. Prim might begin to repeat my words and then where would we be?” (p.6)

All of this proceeds the statement:

“Even here, in the middle of nowhere, you worry someone might overhear you.” (p. 5)

Under this point, it is also telling that during the reaping ceremony, Katniss says the “boldest form of dissent [the audience] can manage,” is silence. Not outrage, not yelling, not like district 11, but silence (p. 24).

2. Division between Classes 

The Capitol has created conflict within the districts to draw hatred to a local target. In the case of the first book, Gale remarks tesserae is a tactic to keep them divided. 

“Gale knows his anger at Madge is misdirected. On other days, deep in the woods, I’ve listened to him rant about how the tesserae are just another tool to cause misery in our district. A way to plant hatred between the starving workers of the Seam and those who can generally count on supper and thereby ensure we will never trust one another. “It’s to the Capitol’s advantage to have us divided among ourselves,” he might say if there were no ears to hear but mine.” (p. 14)

Interestingly, tesserae is already known as the “courtesy of the capitol” as stamped on Haymitch’s shorts in SOTR. The Capitol markets tesserae as something it does out of goodness. It attempts to make itself seem well-intentioned via the distribution of necessary goods. It’s their courtesy, after all. 

This point also includes the division between the districts. In the games, Katniss remarks how allying with the careers is essentially traitorous. 

“No one from District 12 would think of doing such a thing! Career tributes are overly vicious, arrogant, better fed, but only because they’re the Capitol’s lapdogs.” (p. 162)

By treating certain districts better, the Capitol promotes distrust between the districts, dampening potential unionization with planted hatred. By choosing favorite children, the parent that is the Capitol forces the districts to fight. 

3. Weaponized Language

The name of the Treaty of Treason, the treaty that makes the Hunger Games necessary per the law, is definitive of how the districts are forced to see themselves. They are the ones who committed treason by rebelling, and therefore they are guilty. They must repent by sending the children to the games. The permanent treaty, read during every reaping ceremony, enforces the guilt the districts are supposed to feel. In turn, the fact it is a “treaty” means the districts must have agreed to and signed it. Regardless of the circumstances around the signing of the treaty, the capitol then has the ability to wave it over their heads henceforth. 

The name itself points a finger and keeps the districts forever at fault. 

Furthermore, the fact Katniss is referred to by her district number until and even after she is given something to remember her by (the fire) further dehumanizes the tributes. During the parade, she says the citizens of the capitol have liked her and Peeta enough to "read the program" and learn their names (p. 70).

There are many more examples of villainizing and dehumanizing language in the book, but I have chosen those examples for the sake of brevity.

4. Propagandizing Education

A major theme in many dystopian novels is how the system treats education. In District 12, Katniss tells the reader:

“Besides basic reading and math, most of our instruction is coal-related. Except for the weekly lecture on the history of Panem. It’s mostly a lot of blather about what we owe the Capitol.” (p. 42)

A weekly lecture in a school is quite a lot of time to devote to any one subject. Seeing as how the rest of their curriculum revolves around district-specific content, the weekly lecture must be mandated across all districts, likely leaving the rest up to the discretion of the district itself. The Capitol once again emphasizes how the districts were wrong. It is repeated week after week, and eventually, it becomes ingrained in the social psychology of the district. 

5. Hunger and Deprivation of Needs

Continuing from the section about Katniss knows the weekly lecture must be propaganda, saying,

“I know there must be more than they’re telling us, an actual account of what happened during the rebellion. But I don’t spend much time thinking about it. Whatever the truth is, I don’t see how it will help me get food on the table.” (p. 42)

This point coincides with my second point about the division of classes. By keeping the people hungry, they are too busy thinking about the lowest rung on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. They see those who have food, and they are the opposition in front of them, rather than examining the source of the problem. By keeping the people hungry, they are less likely to have the time or ability to even think about a collective uprising. 

6. Limiting Flow of Information

The Capitol limits the flow of information between districts. In doing so, the districts are forced to make bridging assumptions about one another. This is revealed through Katniss and Rue’s discussion in the games: 

“It’s interesting, hearing about her life. We have so little communication with anyone outside our district. In fact, I wonder if the Gamemakers are blocking out our conversation, because even though the information seems harmless, they don’t want people in different districts to know about one another.” (p. 203)

By keeping them separate, they can turn any district against another. They rely solely on the Capitol for information about other districts, and therefore the Capitol has all of the power. 

Interestingly, another division between classes is shown through Peeta’s knowledge about other districts. He knows the different types of bread from the districts, implying the merchant class may have more access to information than those of the seam, leading to further division between classes. 

All in all, these are the themes I expect to be addressed in SOTR based on the pretense of implicit submission.

See Catching Fire's themes here

See Mockingjay's themes here

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Tariffs and monopolies

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in PITTSBURGH on May 15 at WHITE WHALE BOOKS, and in PDX on Jun 20 at BARNES AND NOBLE. More tour dates here.

For all that orthodox economists hate tariffs in all their forms, the question, "do tariffs work?" is a complex one, which can't be answered unless you specify which tariffs, in what context:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/04/02/me-or-your-lying-eyes/#spherical-cows-on-frictionless-surfaces

The orthodox case against tariffs goes like this: tariffs raise the price of goods before they reach the market. Sellers will raise the price of goods to recover those costs from buyers, so it's you, the person buying a car, a phone, or a board-game, who will bear that additional cost:

https://www.sjgames.com/ill/archive/April_03_2025/Tariffs_Are_Driving_Up_Game_Prices_Now

As is ever the case with economics, this critique builds in certain assumptions. And as is especially the case with neoliberal economics, this critique builds in certain assumptions that are never tested for veracity – indeed, neoliberal economists pride themselves on their reliance on incorrect assumptions:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/02/17/caliper-ai/#racism-machine

The main assumption built into the orthodox case against tariffs is that sellers can't afford to eat the costs of tariffs. In the thought-experiment land of neoliberalism, market competition erodes sellers' profits so that everything being sold is only slightly marked up above the cost of making it, getting it to the store and selling it to you. Companies are said to be making a "competitive" rate of profit, which is tautologically defined as "whatever profit they're making." If Nike pays $20 to make a pair of shoes in Vietnam that it sells in America for $140, that $120 profit is "competitive" – if it wasn't, it would be lower, and it isn't, so it is.

Trump's own explanation for how the tariffs will work is no better. Trump has made a variety of incoherent claims about who will pay the tariffs. On the campaign trail, he insisted that the tariffs would somehow be paid by America's trading partners, either by their governments or by overseas companies. This is literally untrue: when you order something from overseas, the customs broker sends the bill to you, not the company that sold you the goods.

But the smarter elements in the Trump orbit have a slightly more reality-based theory: they claim that importers, faced with tariff costs, will push back on sellers and insist that they discount their products to offset the tariff bill. That's how the costs end up being paid by foreign sellers – and if their governments step in to help pay the bill, that's how foreign governments will pay the bill.

This explanation has the benefit of actually being an explanation, in that it is a series of cause-and-effect relationships that end up with the costs being borne by someone other than stateside buyers. However, this explanation is also founded on (at least) two demonstrably untrue assumptions: first, that buyers have the power to force sellers to lower their prices; and second, that this power comes from the availability of substitute goods that are made (or could be made) in the USA.

It's possible for there to be a market economy in which buyers can force sellers to eat tariff costs. For that to happen, the sellers have to be in real competition with one another. Competition requires competitors: companies that consider themselves rivals, directly attacking one another's margins. But that's not how American big business operates: 40 years of lax antitrust enforcement has produced an American economy in which nearly every sector is dominated by a monopoly, a duopoly, or a cartel:

https://www.openmarketsinstitute.org/learn/monopoly-by-the-numbers

Take Nike: Nike controls 86% of the US athletic shoe market. Nearly all the remaining market share is owned by its main rivals, Adidas and Reebok – companies that merged in 2005. It's clear that Adidas/Reebok would like to get some of Nike's market share, but in 20+ years of duopoly rule over the sector, neither Nike nor Adidas/Reebok have tried a serious discounting strategy to win that market. Instead, the duopoly has found it easy to tacitly collude to rig margins of more than 600%. What's more, the collusion may have been explicit, not tacit – when a sector is dominated by two giant firms, the upper ranks of both companies are dominated by people who've worked at both companies. These people aren't rivals, they're peers. They're executors of one another's estates, godparents to one another's children, members of the same charitable boards and pickup sports leagues. They're lifelong pals. If you think they never explicitly conspire to rig markets – over drinks at someone's wedding or funeral, say – then I envy you your touching faith in humanity.

A market controlled by a handful of firms doesn't have to solve the thorny "collective action problem" of deciding on a regulatory priority and then holding that line as the cartel captures its regulators:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/05/regulatory-capture/

That means that these companies end up with pricing power, because they can maintain solidarity while they raise prices. If everyone hikes prices together, consumers can't exert market discipline by buying from someone less greedy. And the same solidarity that confers pricing power to a cartel also insulates it from regulatory discipline, because all the companies will tell the same lie to regulators about why prices went up.

This was on display for all to see during the covid inflation shocks. Companies like Pepsi boasted to shareholders that "consumers are willing to pay more for our brands," as they hiked prices way above any inflationary rises, meaning that they didn't just force buyers to cover their higher costs, they actually raised prices more than was needed to cover those costs:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/11/price-over-volume/#pepsi-pricing-power

Needless to say, Coke didn't respond by slashing its prices in order to capture Pepsi's customers. They did the opposite: they also raised prices over and above the inflationary costs. Coke and Pepsi might be rivals on paper, but when it comes to questions like, "Should sugar-water have higher margins?" they are the best of friends.

The same is true of the fossil fuel industry, another highly concentrated sector with sky-high margins that raised prices over inflation during the covid supply-chain shocks, and boasted about it on investor calls, without facing any regulatory scrutiny:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/03/15/sanctions-financing/#soak-the-rich

Neoliberal economists have an answer to this kind of thing: "it's fine." In the self-referential world of economism, whatever happens was meant to happen, because markets are efficient, so whatever happens in the market is efficient, and can only be made worse by state intervention. This theory of efficient markets is full of beautiful, self-equilibriating processes that can be precisely modeled using equations, but only because the field discards all the nonquantifiable elements of society, assuming that because you can't do math on these qualitative factors, they must not matter:

https://locusmag.com/2021/05/cory-doctorow-qualia/

Of all the qualitative factors that clearly matter that are treated as if they don't matter, the most obvious, glaring omission is power. Power is hard to measure, but if you try to model a transaction without factoring power in, you end up in very dark places, for example, in systems where people should be allowed to "voluntarily" sell themselves into slavery.

It goes without saying that a theory of economics without a theory of power relationships is a great deal for powerful people. In Careless People, the whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams's excellent new tell-all memoir about Facebook, Wynn-Williams recounts how shocked and offended Sheryl Sandberg became when she was told that other countries wouldn't allow her to go and buy a kidney for her son, should he ever need one (her kid wasn't sick – she just wanted to know that if he ever did get sick…):

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250391230/carelesspeople/

This is economics without a theory of power: if I offer to buy your son's kidney, and you accept my offer, then we have achieved a voluntary exchange of value that is – tautologically – assumed to be fair. Indeed, this transaction isn't merely a way for kidneys to change hands – it's a way to "discover" the "market price" of a kidney. We're not just buyers and sellers, we're brave explorers of the vast, uncharted space of market prices.

Economics without power relies on tautology: if you assume the market is efficient, then whatever you get is what you were supposed to get. If Nike can charge a 600% markup on a $20 pair of shoes, then that is the "natural" price. Everyone in the chain – the workers who made the shoes, the subcontractors who employed the worker, the freighters who shipped the shoes, the logistics company that brought the shoe to the store, the clerk who rang up the purchase – is making what the market says they should be making. The price you pay? That's the price you should pay.

Perhaps you've heard people say that the most important thing is to "grow the pie," and that it's foolish to argue about how big any given "slice of the pie" is:

https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/405403/abundance-ezra-klein-building-costs-housing-energy-democrats-polarization

But this doesn't stand up to even cursory examination. If your slice of the pie is way too small to live on, and the pie grows, and your slice doesn't grow with it – or if it does, but not by enough to keep you solvent, then the size of your slice of the pie is the only thing that matters.

Economists call this the "distributional outcome" question, and orthodox economists insist that only fools and ideologues talk about distributional outcomes. They consider distributional outcomes to be a trap that sucks in well-meaning people who back "market-distorting interventions" that end up making everyone else poorer.

But you know who really cares about distributional outcomes? The finance sector. Think of the 2015 American Airlines pilot strike, which ended with a raise for pilots. When the company announced this on an investor call, Citibank analyst Kevin Crissey declared: "This is frustrating. Labor is being paid first again. Shareholders get leftovers":

https://www.thestreet.com/investing/american-airlines-flight-attendants-bash-citi-analyst-who-put-shareholders-before-workers-14134309

Investors have a lot of power. After all, capital is concentrated into just a few hands, with trillions being wielded by institutional investors – index funds, hedge funds, etc – and they get to elect the board, who have the power to hire and fire corporate executives. A corporate board is like a trade union for wealth, a small committee that wields solidaristic power to threaten companies with dire consequences if their interests aren't given priority over the interests of workers and buyers.

No wonder that corporations are so ardently opposed to other forms of solidaristic power, like trade unions – who might shift value from investors to workers – and regulators – who might shift value from investors to buyers. Without these sources of countervailing power, unified capital will not only pass on any additional costs to workers and shoppers, they'll raise prices over and above any inflationary hikes. This does indeed "grow the pie" – while beggaring both shoppers and workers.

In other words, Nike could eat the tariff costs on its goods, but it won't because it doesn't have to, because it's part of a duopoly that both tacitly and explictly colludes to screw its customers and workers. Indeed, the cartelized big businesses that run the US economy just spent the pandemic years doing greedflation – using the excuse of the pandemic and their monopolistic pricing power to raise the prices of everything, from your rent to a dozen eggs:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/10/demand-and-supply/#keep-cal-maine-and-carry-on

If you've got the right kind of especially smooth market-pilled brain, you insist that this is impossible. These giant margins are so tempting that they will inevitably coax "new market entrants" into opening competing businesses. That does happen – sometimes. But not when the dominant companies can figure out how to build Warren Buffett's cherished "moats and walls" around their businesses. For example, if you're Amazon and 90% of middle class US households prepay for their shipping through Prime, you can charge sellers whatever the traffic will bear, because they have to go through your chokepoint in order to reach their best customers. That's how Amazon ended up taking 45-51% out of every dollar platform sellers earn:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/08/14/the-price-is-wright/#enforcement-priorities

In Trumpland, the point of tariffs is to create friction on imports so that investors back businesses that do their production onshore. There's plenty of reasons to want things to be made in America. Manufacturing key resources in the US creates resiliency against geopolitical events (like wars), environmental disasters (like shipping-disrupting superstorms), and epidemiological events (like pandemics). Moreover, the low cost of overseas manufacturing often comes at the expense of human rights and environmental protection: making things in the US is no guarantee that they'll be made by fairly compensated workers in safe workplaces that don't pollute their environments, but it's a lot easier to enforce those priorities when production is within US borders.

But US investors spent the past 40 years gleefully demolishing the capacity of America to make things. As Apple CEO Tim Cook said:

[V]ocational expertise is very deep here [in China]. And I give the educational system a lot of credit for continuing to push on that even as others were de-emphasizing vocational.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2018/01/17/how-much-would-an-iphone-cost-if-apple-were-forced-to-make-it-in-america/

The US doesn't have enough qualified tool-and-die makers and other skilled tradespeople to produce the machines that will make the goods that Americans want to buy. New tradespeople can be trained, but acquiring these skilled trades is a process of many years. For the US to reshore its manufacturing, it needs substantial, sustained public investment in capacity-building: loans and grants to train workers and investment in basic research and other non-market goods needed to recover the US manufacturing base.

America should do all that, but if it wants to try, it needs a robust, predictable, orderly system of government to build upon. It needs the kind of reliable and orderly processes that make people feel safe about changing trades and going back to school. It needs imports of goods from overseas that can be used to restart the US manufacturing capacity that can replace those imports.

But in a market like this one, dominated by monopolies who needn't fear the Trump-gutted FTC, DOJ and CFPB; where cartels have captured their regulators; where Doge-style chaos spreads existential terror about the future, tariffs will only raise prices, without any significant re-shoring or capacity building. The Trump tariffs are a gift to giants like Nike, who have the logistics sophistication to exploit loopholes, demand preferential rates from shippers and brokers, and to pass on costs to their customers. Any domestic company that seeks to compete with Nike will not have these advantages. For Nike – and other dominant companies – the Trump tariffs are just another moat, another obstacle which they can hurdle, but which stops smaller competitors dead in their tracks:

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/with-high-tariffs-has-trump-ended

Trump's tariffs, weak antitrust and weak consumer regulation are a recipe for shifting billions from the American public to the investors in the largest companies. It's still going to result in a huge economic collapse, but the most profitable companies of today will be best poised to stay on top of the pile after the crash. One hopeful outcome of this is that a bunch of the One Percenters are extremely fucked off about the plan:

https://coreyrobin.com/2025/04/06/is-the-conservative-crackup-finally-here/

The New Civil Liberties Alliance is a nonprofit impact litigation shop funded by Leonard Leo, the mastermind of the Federalist Society and its takeover of the Supreme Court. They're the ones who got Chevron Deference overturned last year, and now they're suing the Trump administration over the tariffs:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/04/05/trump-tariffs-sink-conservatives-challenge-whether-theyre-legal/

As Corey Robin writes, tariffs have a long history of breaking up conservative coalitions, "the leading edge of political conflict in the 19th century." Robin writes that the conservative movement has spent years shifting tariff power from Congress to the president, never anticipating that someday, a president might preside over a Mad King tariff strategy. Now, Robin says:

The tariff is going to be the major issue that leads the judicial right to confront the empowered executive that they’ve turbo-charged in so many other ways.

Last year, Rick Perlstein pointed out that the true significance of Project 2025 lay in its contradictions, the irreconcilable, mutually exclusive policy prescriptions found in its pages:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/07/14/fracture-lines/#disassembly-manual

Perlstein said that these contradictions were a map of the fracture lines in the Trump coalition. Trump's tariffs clearly represent a major fault-line, and we need to seize this opportunity when it presents itself.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/04/07/it-matters-how-you-slice-it/#too-big-to-care

[magiturge]

unfinished ref for pasquale, don't have a desire to finish it but i will talk about some details, some of it can eventually be outdated as i learn / understand more.

one of the biggest things is t he writing of "heaven is .." accompanied by the bunnies on the inside of his coat running. i've mentioned it before somewhere that pasquale is in particular a bunnyfolk, a big bunnyfolk due to his greed in vulcanic heights.

these two details are in relation to the text that shows up when a big bunny in dream game jumps and lands

the text as transcribed from the wiki discusses perenniality.

it's hard to describe, though it's important to me.. so bear with me... mafia have a dialogue saying "we are soldiers, and soldiers don't go to hell". in infinite silver, there's a paper discussing fissure and it's barbarities. while it definitely is referring to fissure and the brutality of their leader wegottman ..

i feel like it can lightly apply to mafia, in the sense that they invade other areas, sick big psycharpaxes on targets with significant debth ( of which the mastery of big psycharpaxes is illegal ), leave bombs that leave long lasting fire in its wake while chiding the person on the other end. its brutal, as they say they have no room for empathy.

move from one target to the next, invade another area in the dreamsphere and leave again, over and over, the same game but slightly different everytime.

their is destruction in their wake even if their presentation can be so goofy.

the "heaven is.." of his belt is finished with the cyclical movement of the bunnies on the innerside of his coat, running and running in a circle, in a cycle around the inside.

( gesturing my hands wildly because i don't know how to explain it ) ..pasquale is a little strange sometimes, in the head at least. he recognizes the remorseless and very greedy behavior he and the rest of mafia exhibit across the dreamsphere with the denial that they could ever go to hell.

he'll believe in a god when it benefits him. even with josafa's influence and silent presence across the dreamsphere, he'll only believe and pray for them in death.

if soldiers don't go to hell, where do they go. hell is empty. heaven is perennial.

-

more straight and direct details are the gradients of his coat and his hair going from dark to lighter from top to bottom. it's intended to reference the bunny pattern he's based on, which are silver marten rabbits!

his fur is mostly a dark color, to a slight blue / teal coloration to reference feral bunnies in game.

pasquale has eyes but they are hidden in the thick crest of fur in his face. it is rare to actually see them since he is usually looking straight ahead or has his fedora tipped at an angle where you may only see the lower half of them.

-

the bunnies of his coat's collar are semi-alive, semi-extensions of his will. they're sort of like pets at the same time, they are in all terms, his.

the bunnies are generally sleeping and are all individually named by pasquale. they can wake up and jump off or exist as their individual named self. they are not bunnyfolk.

in a more feral state that mafioso can be in ( usually in pursuit of a target or just being angered ), the bunnies are no longer visually domesticated bunnies but become wild hares that join in the pursuit of a target. they become noticeably less friendly, losing the round softness they had in their sleep.

-

pasquale owned a big psycharpax as a pet that he lost ownership of in the events of the meat market arrest.

[starry-agere]

Hello!! I was wondering if you had any suggestions for age regression related activities to do that don't include looking at something with a screen (phone, computer, etc)? My eyes get dry really fast so staring at these things can cause some pain. If it helps to narrow things down any, I'm a middle regressor (tween-teen) so some activities around that age work! Thank you in advance!!

hi !! here are some ideas that will hopefully work for you :)

offline activities for tween/teen agere

make friendship bracelets, loom bracelets, or kandi

do activity kits! there's tons of types, like science, painting, jewelry, and so many more. i know that michaels sells lots of these !

visit science or history museums! there's always so much to learn, and you can always bring a journal or sketchbook and write about or make drawings based on what you see

if you have a friend or family member to play with, play board games, card games, chess, or checkers!

jump rope! try learning more complex tricks for an extra challenge

bake some treats! it doesn't have to be complicated; you definitely can make something from scratch, but using a mix from the store is easy, fun, and delicious

make something out of duct tape, like a wallet! (remember when that was a thing?)

build with legos! there's so many different kinds of sets, for any kind of skill level and age. i've completed space, animal crossing and minecraft sets !

put together jigsaw puzzles !

buy coloring books or print out coloring pages! there's such a big market for adult/more detailed coloring books these days, so you're bound to find something fun to color

make origami - all you need is some origami paper, and it's tons of fun

make slime! you can even buy kits from the store to make specific kinds of slime

garden! you could plant native wildflowers outside, plant a vegetable plant or herb, or you could even just plant a flower in a pot on your windowsill. there are also gardening kits that you can buy; i've done a couple of Back to the Roots' sprouts kits, and they're really fun!

i hope that these provide some good ideas for tween + teen age regressors looking for some offline activities! have fun <3