Essays on games, screens, and the culture around them.

Independent pop culture criticism by Ben Touati. Written from a European perspective, slowly and on purpose, without chasing hype cycles.

Est. 2026 · Stockholm

Speculative Marvel Studios Phase Seven slate, with movie titles and release dates
A speculative Marvel Studios Phase Seven slate. Mock-up by the author.
Manifesto

I Still Love Pop Culture. I'm Just Tired of Being Managed by It.

Lately there's this thing happening and I still haven't figured out what to call it. I'll put on a show everyone keeps telling me I have to watch. Or I'll boot up a game that landed with a 94 on Metacritic and a thousand YouTube thumbnails screaming about a generational masterpiece. Half an hour in, sometimes sooner, there's that feeling. The feeling of having signed up for something rather than just getting to enjoy it.

Ben Touati · 12 May 2026 · 8 min read

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