Nicole Clark - Mothership

Latest news

Dear Mother

How do I get through my gaming backlog?

"I suspect this will be a common affliction among your readership, but my gaming backlog is quite extensive..."

Maddy Myers Oct 23, 2026

Analysis

The House in Fata Morgana and what comes after

How a game that evokes history, rather than merely reproducing it, gets closer to a human truth

Ash Huntly Oct 22, 2026

Personal Essay

All the choices I made in games until I could finally be non-binary

My childhood self could never have imagined a game where they got to create a character who was neither a man nor a woman

Dr. Redfern Barrett Oct 21, 2026

Nicole Clark is an LA-based writer and editor who covers TV, games, health, and tech. She used to run Polygon’s culture section and you can find her work in the NY Times, Aftermath, and elsewhere. She still owns a Gamecube just for Kirby Air Ride.

4 articles

A person with long black hair wears a pair of over-ear headphones and black wire-rim glasses.

Advice

What's in the feminist games canon?

It's complicated! But here are some recs from our regular contributors

Amanda Tien, Cande Maldonado, Nico Deyo, Nicole Clark, Saoirse Stone, Wallace Truesdale Jul 31, 2026

Three character sketches for Mina from Mina the Hollower showing the front view and two options for the back view of the character.

Feature

Maps, mice, and moody hues: The making of Mina the Hollower

On a studio visit to Yacht Club Games, Nicole Clark learned about the origins of our new favorite mouse hero.

Nicole Clark Jun 30, 2026

Two hands with Push Metagrips on their thumbs are photoshopped to look like they're holding a PS4 controller

Recs

A thumb brace has let me play games pain-free for the first time in years

Finally, I have achieved my fitness goals. My thumbs grow buffer by the day.

Nicole Clark Mar 19, 2026

A screenshot of Hornet from Hollow Knight: Silksong, looking into a bright light and shading her eyes with one of her arms

Opinion

Hornet’s compassion is the heart of Silksong

Hollow Knight’s Ghost was never given the chance

Nicole Clark Jan 26, 2026