Kotaku: AOL

Sign Up for AOL, Get a Free PS3, Ratchet & Clank

Brian Crecente — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:00:29 MST

AOL is giving away a 40GB Playstation 3 with a copy of Ratchet and Clank Future and a wireless Sixaxis controller to customers who sign a two-year contract for AOL Broadband Wireless Plus.

The 24-month contract also requires you to sign up for AOL Talk call plan (not sure what that is) and runs £19.99 a month. Once you stick around for 24 months you can keep your PS3 forever. The only catch, besides the ironclad two-year contract, is that you have to pay a deliver charge of £14.99 for the console, controller and game. Not a bad Christmas present, especially since it comes with Ratchet and Clank.

Judging by the price and location of the source, I suspect this is a UK only deal.

AOL Broadband now offering a free Sony PlayStation 3 [Think Broadband]

AOL: Don't Buy a PS3

Mike Fahey — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 11:20:31 MST

AOL Money & Finance has compiled a list of the Top 5ive Gadgets You Shouldn't Buy (note the uber-trendy number letter combo there), and guess who made it to number 2? Citing the current lack of titles and the steep price tag, Stacy Bradford places the PS3 in the second spot, beaten to number 1 by high definition DVD players...so you could almost say it took the top two spots. They even goes as far as to offer alternatives.

If you're simply looking for a fun game system, you can find a Nintendo Wii (try eBay) or Xbox for around $400. You could also simply wait for more PS3 games or for the system itself to come down in price.

I own 4 out of 5 of the gadgets the writer warns against, so obviously they are wrong. I mean, I do wish the PS3 had more games, and Vista slows down my stuff...but other than that, they're completely wrong. There's PS3 game relief on the horizon, and what are you people doing reading AOL anyway? Michael Fahey

Top 5ive Gadgets You Shouldn't Buy [AOL Money & Finance - Thanks Chad & John]

AOL Markets "WeeMee", Nintendo Not Laughing

Brian Crecente — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 09:00:20 MDT

AOL, always one to steal an idea and make it their own, seems to be trying to soak up a bit of the Nintendo Wii glow. Reader X (coolest name ever) writes to say he was greeted with the above image when he logged onto AIM this morning. A WeeMee? As in a Mii for your Wii? You've got to be kidding me? Spelling something different doesn't make you clever, it just highlights what an idiot you are. I guess we shouldn't be suprised, it is AOL afterall. Brian Crecente

AOL Buys GameDaily

Brian Crecente — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 09:57:10 MDT

AOL has purchased GameDaily from Gigex, the company announced today.

As part of the agreement AOL gets both GameDaily and Biz.GameDaily. This is the second major game site purchased by AOL. Last year the company bought up Weblogs Inc, which includes gameblog Joystiq.

GameDaily will become the flagship of the AOL Games network, which will still feature stories from their current writers and properties. The AOL Video Games editorial team will be combined with the GameDaily editorial staff to create content for GameDaily.

"Video game sites have become a valuable resource for advertisers wishing to reach the young male audience, and GameDaily is a brand that resonates with these highly sought after consumers," said Ralph Rivera, Vice President and General Manager, AOL Games. "We look forward to continuing to serve this audience, maximizing GameDaily content with AOL's community features, and further expanding the AOL Games community."

It looks like AOL is building up to become a powerhouse in the industry. Brian Crecente

AOL Acquires GameDaily From Gigex [Biz.GameDaily]

Rupert Murdoch Getting His Game On

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 08:22:26 MDT

Super rich Rupert "My ultimate plan is to rule the world" Murdoch is planning to tighten his grasp on gamedom. He already owns game site IGN and isn't showing any signs of stopping. According to industry site MCV:

Murdoch-owned broadcasting giant Sky has revealed details of a monumental move into PC gaming by openly looking for a new 'head of PC gaming'.
The media behemoth is currently advertising for a candidate who will be charged with the task of managing the firm's forthcoming 'broadband games destination', and is also looking for a marketing manager to join whoever spearheads the new operation.

The pundits think he's got his sights on AOL, which owns game blog Joystiq. This is believed to be part of his plan into ease into the broadband and game space. And make a truck load of cash in the process. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Games Blog]

Will Wright, Sid Meier - Cool Dads

Michael McWhertor — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 11:10:59 MDT

Look, I love my Dad, but he has got to be one of the worst "gaming dads" ever. He had a brief flirtation with Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 that ultimately bordered on obsession, but these days he wouldn't know his Wii from his w00t. I had to fend for myself when it came to having excellent taste in video games. But I had my tough times, including actually buying things like Deadly Towers for the NES and specfically asking for Last Battle for the Genesis. I was a video gaming orphan, raised on the mean streets of crap licensed titles.

But not Will Wright's kids. They play Guitar Hero. Meier's offspring play Oblivion. Oblivion! AOL Games has a feature on the coolest gaming dads in the biz, including those two and many more.

What about you, commenting crew? Tell us how cool (or uncool) your gaming dad is. Michael McWhertor

Father's Day Game Time

Oh, Here's J Allard

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 18 May 2006 15:23:10 MDT

We found 'im. Again. During E3, we were wondering when exactly Microsoft was going to drag former ~~compulsive eater~~ Xbox poster child J Allard out of the dungeon for a press conference. Sadly, we were disappointed, but we did track him down in our hotel. Apparently, hipster J is being allowed to mingle with other humans as AOL Joystiq says Allard recently made an appearance on reality-show The Apprentice. Microsoft, is J Allard the face of the Xbox or not? Personally, I prefer Peter Moore. He's kooky. — Brian Ashcraft

More Here [AOL Joystiq]

E306: AOL Makes a Game Dashboard

kotaku.com — Fri, 12 May 2006 14:20:00 MDT

Microsoft may have announced their intention to integrate your PC, mobile phone, Xbox 360, and subdermal temple transciever into one massive gaming/messaging transfer station, but AOL didn't get where it is today by dropping out of saturated markets. The AOL game dashboard, called PlayLink, will integrate AIM with game forums, messages, matching, downloads, and other add-ons necessary for the continuing existence of the modern gamer. No partnerships with publishers have been announced yet, but PlayLink should be rolled out in a couple months, according to Director of Industry Relations Carter Lipscomb.

Valve, Microsoft, and now AOL. How many all-in-one game portals will the average PC have in 2007?

Win A Chance To Play With Revolution Before E3

Brian Crecente — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 11:40:43 MDT

Nintendo has announced that some lucky fan will be able to play a Revolution game on the new console at their pre-E3 press conference on May 9.

The winners will be flown to LA and invited to step up on the stage at the Kodak Theater during Nintendo press conference to play a game on the system. I guess that means will be seeing some game play on May 9?

To enter you just have to click on the link below by April 28. Three finalists will be selected at random to be flown with a guest to Los Angeles and put up in a hotel for two nights. The three will then sit in the front row (maybe next to me, I promose I'll say hi) at the press conference. During the presser one of the three will be randomly selected to go up on stage and play with the Revolution in front of the world's media and not a few Nintendo execs.

The gamer will be the first consumer on the planet to play the Revolution. Hit the link for you chance to enter and the full rules.

Nintendo Sweepstakes [AOL]