David Lumb
@outonalumb
Tech/gaming journalist at CNET, WGAE union member, burrito fiend.
Bonus: I’m sure he’s told this a million times, but it was cool to hear R.A. Salvatore explain how he came up with Drizzt. The freewheeling days of early D&D, man.
Also: - The next D&D game Warlock, starring Tricia Helfer, will also star Maggie Robertson (Lady Dimitrescu) as her patron - Updates to D&D Beyond > a Yelp-like Look For Group, and the mobile app overhauled to play from your phone - D&D Arcana Unleashed + Deadfall adventure coming in Sept.
More from tonight’s keynote, which kicked off D&D’s return to GenCon with promised annual roadmaps. In the next year, - Icons: content for Greyhawk, Dragonlance and The Legend of Drizzt, with contributions from Luke Gygax, Tracy Hickman/Margaret Weis and R.A. Salvatore - The return of Dark Sun, and…
Gutted at the loss of Sam Neill, every dino kid’s absolute hero. Presence, class, warmth to give or withhold. Surprising choices in every role. So sad, man.
On top of ruining a program that was on track to improve millions of Americans’ lives at no additional cost, the last bitter pill is that people blame BEAD, and the government broadly, for this failure. Not the Trump administration for hollowing out this opportunity at the finish line.
When I spoke to broadband analysts last year, they didn’t just call the $42+ billion for BEAD et al once in a generation funding — they called it once EVER funding. And all that promise of fiber networks for 30-50 years of fast internet in rural communities is gone to the grift.
The best part? It was a fundraiser, so if one of the DSA candidates rolled poorly, folks in the audience could pay $20 for a reroll or $50 for an instant natural 20 — and they DID. Brennan even anted up to $100+ for specific epic outcomes
Cool seeing @brennanleemulligan.bsky.social stump for @dsa.la candidates in the upcoming primary by running a DnD one-shot for them (w/ @erikaishii.bsky.social + @vicmmic.bsky.social). Naturally, they marshaled worker power & fought the corrupt corpo-landlord hegemony in the form of a literal dragon
Sucks to witness a classic Angels implosion and a stadium full of OC Dodger fans is insufferable, but I’ll die for Gundam-kun
Went to La Brea Tar Pits to check in with LA members of @videogameworkers.bsky.social, then @raeforla.com came to chat about policy stances and priorities for affordable housing, free buses, etc
In Maui, I’m at the #snapdragonsummit2025 keynote with @katiecollins.bsky.social hearing about what Qualcomm’s got in store for next year’s phones and PCs via their chips
Just wrapped #SummerGameFest2025 having seen and played a dozen or so games — excited to share everything in the weeks to come. But playing games is a privilege, mere miles from major protests against ICE, a surreal and somber reminder of injustice in the US.
Got to YouTube Theater right as SGF 2025’s trailer showcase kicked off, but wow — nearly 50 trailers, reveal of Resident Evil 9 AND Mads Mikkelsen + Kojima, blessed
Four hours of playing Doom: The Dark Ages and I like the new flavor of a slow-moving shield-and-shooting slugfest. It kinda feels like airbrushed heavy metal van art in a video game, if you know what I mean.
Correction: the United Video Game Union (UVW) under the @cwaunion.bsky.social launched today at #GDC2025 and after a panel, marched to nearby Yerba Buena gardens
Went to an LGBTQ fundraiser and taught drag queens how to play cornhole, using my SWM powers for good (?)
While fires have devastated Maui, Qualcomm confirmed to CNET that they still plan to hold their annual Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii in late October. The company will "provide financial, technical, and volunteer support" to Maui, according to an official statement (below):