Kotaku: Bandainamco

Some of the World's Best Young Gundam Model Makers

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 06:30:00 EST

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You've already seen the best Gundam models made by Japanese fans. Now, you get to see some of the best Gundam models in the world. Lucky you! More »

My Favorite Japanese Commercial of 2011 Has a Plastic Fist

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 05:00:00 EDT

Toriko is a Japanese manga that follows a "Gourmet Hunter" named Toriko who is on the hunt for rare food. More »

So I Guess This Will Be a Movie Within a Game?

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 04:30:00 EDT

Or maybe it's a game within a movie? Or maybe it's just a movie—enough! Okay, .hack, the video game within a video game video game, is getting a movie version. More »

Namco Bandai Ready To Go After Mobile Games

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 06:20:00 EDT

Namco Bandai established a start-up with Japanese mobile gaming giant DeNA to make social games. Dubbed BDNA, the company's funded by Namco Bandai (75 percent) and DeNA (25 percent). DeNA makes the popular "Mobage" titles in Japan. [IT Media] More »

This Trailer Is Armored to the Core

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 05:00:00 EDT

Armored Core V is not the fifth game in the Armored Core series. Funny that. More »

From Super Hero to Buck Naked

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 02:30:00 EDT

Super Sentai is aimed at young boys, who dream of becoming super heroes. Namco Bandai churns out toys and video games to help fulfill that fantasy. But the kids aren't the only ones fantasizing. Their moms are, too. More »

The Trailer for 2011's Hardest Game Is Easy To Watch

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:30:00 EDT

Dark Souls, the spiritual sequel to the challenging Demon's Soul, will not be a cake walk. More »

This Soulcalibur V Trailer Slices Up Gamescom

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 04:00:00 EDT

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As gamers from around the globe descend on Cologne for Gamescom, Namco Bandai is releasing the latest trailer for upcoming weapon-based combat title Soulcalibur V. More »

A Serious Button Pounding You Won't Believe

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 07:30:00 EDT

Arcade superplay footage of Taiko no Tatsujin is dime a dozen—amazing players beating out perfect drum routines, even incorporating their own dance moves and flourishes. But Taiko no Tatsujin isn't only an arcade game. More »

Let a Giant Mecha Show You Around

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 04:00:00 EDT

Bandai Namco is releasing a Gundam themed navigational app for the iPhone. More »

A Tour of Retro Japanese Toy Porn

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 02:00:00 EDT

Japan has a long, proud history of making toys. The Bandai Museum in the rice fields of Tochigi Prefecture catalogues the amazing playthings the country has produced over the years. Can't make it out to sleepy town of Mibu to check out the museum? No worries, Kotaku's got you covered. More »

This Tekken 4 Statue Sure Is Cheeky

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 05:00:00 EDT

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Christie Monteiro is one of Tekken's flashier characters. Maybe it's her swivel kicks, the glitter, or the long hair. But with this new figure, it's definitely the ass chaps. More »

This Is the World Cup of Gundam Model Making

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 04:00:00 EDT

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This December, Bandai Namco is holding the "Gunpla Builders World Cup 2011", the first international competition devoted to Gunpla, or Gundam model building. More »

Take a Tour of the Tales Cafe

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:30:00 EDT

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To promote the latest Tales role-playing game Tales of Xillia, Namco is rolling out a Tales cafe, first in Tokyo and later in Tokushima. More »

Tales of Pricey Merchandise

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 05:00:00 EDT

If playing Tales of Vesperia wasn't enough for you, then there's this: a Yuri Lowell bracelet. More »

Don't Just Sit There, Let These Toys Blow Your Mind

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 04:00:00 EDT

Gundam. Draonball. Kamen Rider. Great Mazinger, even. Namco Bandai's 2011 Tamashii Nation toy show proves just how wonderful (and awesome) Japanese figures can be. Don't believe me? More »

2011's Biggest Selling Game Maker in Japan So Far...

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 08:30:00 EDT

This year isn't over. It's more than half over. Time to look back and see which game maker is doing the best in Japan. So far. More »

Japan's Pop Princess Wants to Give You Tales Loot

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 03:00:00 EDT

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On August 31, Ayumi Hamasaki is releasing a new EP called Five. Since Hamasaki is singing the theme for upcoming role-playing game Tales of Xillia, a limited edition version of her new mini-album will come with a redeemable download code. More »

A Tale of Two Tales Cafes

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 03:00:00 EDT

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Next month, Tokyo's Ufotable Cafe is being turned into a special Tales cafe as part of a promotion for Namco's Tales role-playing games. More »

Girl After Girl Throwing Themselves at You

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Wonder what the new AKB48 game will be like? From the looks of it, it'll be idols saying they like you, and then getting pissed when you turn down their advances. More »

Ready to Turn Down Idols Once More? But Now in Bikinis?

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 07:30:00 EDT

Last December, Namco Bandai released a PSP game with the goal of turning down the advances of over forty young Japanese idols. Dating simulator? Not quite, it was a dumping simulator, and you were supposed to settle on one of those girls. More »

The iPhone, Not the 3DS, Brings These Kiddy Cards to Life

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 06:00:00 EDT

Bandai's Carddas series of kiddy card games is going AR. Its newest One Piece and Kamen Rider cards are AR enabled and can be played with an iPhone. More »

A Gallery of Bad-Ass Helmets

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 04:00:00 EDT

When Bandai Namco isn't making video games, it's making Gundam toys. And when it's not making Gundam toys, it's making Super Sentai toys. Super Sentai are totally awesome. More »

A Game Release from Beyond the Grave

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Game Republic, the Tokyo-based studio behind PS3 titles Folklore and Genji, appears to be dead. The studio's honcho went from riches to rags, and the studio's been erased from the internet—and the Earth. More »

Japanese Gaming's Greatest Ambassador

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 02:00:00 EDT

It's over. That's what people say about Japanese gaming. While there are bright spots in Japan, Western games (and gamers) now rule the roost. It's easy to forget just how great Japanese games used to be. More »

Dark Souls Might Be Dark, But It Looks Fantastic

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 07:30:00 EDT

Dark Souls Might Be Dark, But It Looks Fantastic" alt="Click here to read Dark Souls Might Be Dark, But It Looks Fantastic" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2011/06/small_dslede.jpg"/>

For all the bitching and moaning about Japanese games being creatively bankrupt, lame, or simply crappy-looking, there's this, Dark Souls. More »

Nintendo Home Consoles Finally Getting a Tekken Game

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:15:00 EDT

Tekken: Wii Successor, a temporary title, is the first Tekken title to come to a Nintendo home console. Tekken is traditionally a PlayStation series, but has also come to the Xbox 360. It's also the first Tekken with face painting. More »

This Street Fighter X Tekken Trailer Packs an Iron Fist

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 06:15:00 EDT

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Who do you expect to see in a Street Fighter X Tekken trailer? Probably Street Fighter and Tekken players! Here, the likes of Chun Li, Julia, Cammy, Sagat, Bob, Hwoarang, and more put in appearances. More »

There's Another Ace Combat Making a Fly-by

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 05:30:00 EDT

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Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is coming to the PS3 and Xbox 360. But it's not alone. There's another Ace Combat game. More »

Dark Souls Is Hard. Dark Souls Screens Are Easy (on the Eyes).

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 19:12:00 EDT

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Dark Souls, the upcoming title from Demon's Souls developer From Software is going to be a hard game. That bittersweet pill is made easier to swallow by the game's beautiful look. More »

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Looks Familiar, but Who Cares?

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 06:18:00 EDT

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Looks Familiar, but Who Cares?" alt="Click here to read Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Looks Familiar, but Who Cares?" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2011/06/small_8-i0fcz4p2w.jpg"/>

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon isn't your typical Ace Combat game. "For us, this is a rebirth of the Ace Combat series, and a chance for us to take the series in a completely new direction," said Kazutoki Kono, Producer at Project Aces, said last year. More »

Ridge Racer Coming to PS Vita

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 06:00:00 EDT

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Cue the Riiiiiidge Raaaaacer jokes! Namco's racing series is bound for the upcoming PS Vita. Details are scant, but Namco did release a single image in an official statement. More »

Inversion's E3 Trailer Is Mostly Right-Side-Up

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 05:43:00 EDT

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Inversion might look like other cover-based shooter, but it's attempting to turn the subgenre on its ear. Literally. The game is Gears of War meets gravity. More »

3DS Update Might Screw Up Ridge Racer 3D

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 06:00:00 EDT

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On June 6 (in the US, June 7 elsewhere), the Nintendo 3DS is getting a system update to stabilize the system and add the 3DS Shop. According to Nintendo, Ridge Racer 3D owners "may experience a disruption in their gameplay experience under certain conditions". More »

This Wii Fishing Peripheral Is Bizarre-Looking

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 05:00:00 EDT

This August, fishing game Family Fishing will reel in players for the Wii. It has a peripheral. An odd looking one! This is it. More »

Not One Space Pirate, a Whole Squad of Them

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 31 May 2011 02:00:00 EDT

They're pirates in space. But they've got more than guns and swords. They've got cell phones and groovy collars. Arrgh! More »

Michael McWhertor's Most Anticipated RPG Gets Tasteful Japanese Box Art

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 20 May 2011 03:40:00 EDT

Kotaku's already posted the game's Western box art—it looks nice. The game's Japanese box art looks nice, too. Maybe, even, nicer? It's tasteful, that's for sure. More »

Soulcalibur V Is Getting How Many Fighters?

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 18 May 2011 05:00:00 EDT

According to the latest Famitsu, the development team want at least 26 characters, including unconfirmed guest characters. The game will have unspecified gameplay changes, too. It's due for 2012 and currently only 10 percent completed. [Siliconera] More »

Chinese Toymaker Forced to Apologize for Gundam Ripoffs

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 18 May 2011 02:00:00 EDT

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China loves Gundam. But China doesn't always love copyright law. That can be a problem! More »

This Is the New Dragon Ball Game in Trailer Form

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 12 May 2011 07:30:00 EDT

Dragon Ball Game in Trailer Form" alt="Click here to read This Is the New Dragon Ball Game in Trailer Form" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2011/05/small_6d2kwfpbjuc.jpg"/>

The recently revealed Dragon Ball Game Project Age 2011 (temp. title) is an upcoming fighting game for the PS3 and Xbox 360. It'll be out fall 2011. This is what it looks like! More »