Hi, folks.
Welcome to Save Spot. I’m Nicole Carpenter. I’m a reporter who has covered the video game industry for 10 years. The last six of those years I’ve spent at Vox Media’s Polygon, a leading video game and entertainment publication. I specialize in reported work, investigative features, legal write-ups, and culture stories that break down the intersection between video games and the world around us. The stories I like to tell most are the ones centered on people — the people who make games, the people who play games, and the people impacted by the culture even if they don’t realize it.
I was awarded the New York Videogame Critic’s circles Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism in 2024, for a story about Barbie Fashion Designer, after being nominated several other years prior.
I started this newsletter hastily as a way to bring together all the work I’ve published in the month+ since Vox Media sold Polygon to Valnet, which then laid off everyone who wrote for the site. It’s been a real bummer, to say the least. It feels like a cruel joke to have laid the entire Polygon union off on May Day. I’m still processing it.
And now I’m back to freelancing. I started quickly, maybe as a way from keeping myself from thinking too much about the future. I’ve published a bunch of stories I’m really proud of, largely on publications that are independent, worker-owned businesses. That’s the good to come from all of this. I’ll get you up to speed about what I’ve been up to since May 1. I’ve published 18 stories — one at 404 Media, three at Stephen Totilo’s Game File, three at Rascal, 10 at Aftermath, one at The Verge, and one at Skybox. I have 14 more that I’ve filed for edits or am currently reporting and writing. I appeared on a few podcasts, and I’ve got one bigger reporting project — one that’s pushing me to learn a new format! — that I’m helping with on a month-by-month basis.
I plan on publishing this newsletter weekly, to talk through what I’ve published in the time since the last issue. I want to use this as a space to be transparent about freelancing as a journalist, too — what rates are like, how pitching works, and what stories get rejected and why. If you have questions, ask them! Before I worked for Polygon, I freelanced full-time for a while. The landscape for freelance journalism has changed a ton, but I still have knowledge and experience I can share. Learn what’s changed along with me.
What I’ve published
I won’t bore you with every thing I’ve published over the past month. Instead, for this first newsletter, I’ll share one story from each new publication I’ve written for — one each from 404 Media, Game File, Aftermath, Rascal, The Verge, and Skybox. I’ve got five stories that I’ve submitted and are in line for publishing, one that’s currently in active edits, and seven stories that I’m reporting out and have successfully pitched to outlets. (Many of these are slated for the coming months, so not actively working on everything all at once.)
How video game sex scenes are made
One of the first stories I published — maybe the first? — after getting laid off from Polygon is one I’m really proud of. I reached out to an editor at 404 Media immediately to pitch the story. For it, I interviewed developers, voice actors, and intimacy coordinators to get a sense for how video game sex scenes are made. I learned a lot: about safety on set, Cyberpunk 2077’s tank scene, Velcro mishaps, and how juicy oranges can make better sex sounds.
A new Roblox gardening game is hotter than anything on Steam
This was my second piece for Game File, former Kotaku editor-in-chief Stephen Totilo’s newsletter. Shortly after Polygon laid everyone off, Stephen announced that he was trying something new with Game File: Hiring freelance reporters using a flat rate bolstered by bonuses from subscriptions. I think it’s a really cool way to approach things; both sides benefit from a story blowing up. I’m really proud of this Grow A Garden piece because Game File was one of the first outlets to cover the success of the game. Stephen sent me a press release from Roblox and asked if I was interested; I scheduled an interview with the developer immediately, then got to work.
Tabletop makers push back against tariffs with honest and direct political action
Are you noticing a trend? So many of the pieces I’ve published since getting laid off are from independent, worker-owned outlets. I’m so proud of that, and so thankful for the opportunity to publish with these sites. My first post for Rascal was about how the tariff situation impacted tabletop game makers, a topic Rascal had been covering so intently. Chase Carter, a co-founder at Rascal, suggested I reach out to Ray Chou of Mythworks, then the story grew from there, thanks to fantastic edits from Chase. What we ended up with was an in-depth look at the material impact of the tariffs, and how developers were fighting back.
The Making of ‘Excuuuse me, Princess!’: An oral history of the Legend of Zelda cartoon
Skybox launched the day Polygon laid us all off, and co-founder Will Borger reached out quickly to ask if I wanted to write a story about a story. I loved that idea, and immediately got to work on one of my favorite pieces, an oral history of the wacky 1980s The Legend of Zelda cartoon. It was really nice to revisit this piece; I also listened back to some of the old recordings so I could include some new details in there.
Sour Patch Kids, ranked
Aftermath brought me on as a regular contributor, a gig that I’m so thankful for. I’ve read the work of everyone at the site for so, so long — and it’s a dream to be able to work alongside side them weekly. My first story was about Infinity Nikki, but my second post was a hard pivot to another passion of mine: Sour Patch Kids. When I pitched this in a meeting, I was like, they’re going to either love this or think I’m an idiot. Thankfully, they loved it.
You’ll find my work on Aftermath about two times per week.
The Nintendo Switch was an indie game haven, until it was overrun with slop
Back on Vox Media with this story in The Verge. Weird! The Verge ran a series of stories about the Nintendo Switch and its past and future in the lead-up to the Nintendo Switch 2. I pitched a story to games editor Andrew Webster (who rules!) about the golden age of indie games on the Nintendo Switch, when it first launched, and how things evolved from there. The story was also a look forward to the new console, and how Nintendo could support indies on there, with a bunch of interviews with indie developers.
On freelancing
It truly, truly sucks to be laid off. But I’m also doing fine. I’ve jumped head first into the freelance pool and I’ve had success landing pitches and finding stable work. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about the future; I hope I can sustain the sort of consistency that I landed on in May and June for the rest of my freelancing career. And that’s because I do hope that I’m able to make enough money to freelance full-time for the near future. I don’t want to jump into any full-time job out of panic and fear. There aren’t that many jobs, for one, but I want to take the time to try this career path and be able to pursue stories on my own terms. If I do transition back into a normal, full-time position, I want it to be something that’s a perfect fit — or as close to a perfect fit as I can get. Though freelancing is scary, it does allow me the time, space, and creativity to do my best work. But I also need to be able to make enough money to support myself and my family. So, uh, if you’re an editor reading this, I’d love to pitch you! I have lots of ideas, time to work and report, and the ability to make things happen.
Anyway, that’s all for this newsletter. (I have no idea how to transition out of this!) What can I answer for you in the next issue?
Welcome to Substack! I recommend subscribing to Reconnect Recap, it's sort of the informal way all us video game writers connect on here, Substack doesn't have a dedicated games category so Alex is doing that for us!
It's great to have you here! I read most of the pieces you included in the post—excited to learn from you and see more of your outstanding work.