Richard Tsao has had his fair share of interesting stories about China. Tsao, who headed up Ubisoft's Chengdu office, will be leaving China for personal reasons; but even as he leaves the Middle Kingdom, Tsao says China's game industry is still the place to be.
It seems a few players were a little upset with the way the most recent installment of SimCity turned out. Today a survey is making the rounds suggesting several potential features and expansions that might transform Maxis' train-wreck into the game we wanted in the first place.
Cyberpunk was a big deal in the 80s and in the 90s. Writers like Philip K. Dick and William Gibson, movies like Blade Runner, and anime such as Akira heavily influenced video games. The result was games with a dark, dystopian future, high technology and low life.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--aMxHRAD5--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17k7btw1546cnjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--nz4R2WCz--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17k7btw1546cnjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--K1sXj5E_--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17k7btw1546cnjpg.jpg, (large)])
In this super-sized edition of Speak Up on Kotaku, commenter DocSeuss tells us the difference between being immersed and being engrossed, and explains why he believes the future of gaming depends on games that submerge us in fantasy worlds. You might want to bring a snack.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--aGttp2PO--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j0up7jxwcrhjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--PrAfHCgA--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j0up7jxwcrhjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--4i6IOvUD--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j0up7jxwcrhjpg.jpg, (large)])
Isn't moving from disc-based software to downloadable digital products a step in the right direction? Commenter Paradox Me isn't so sure, and explains why in today's Speak Up on Kotaku.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--6cGqwO3M--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j0v4zss5ygajpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--d10Vu1Wa--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j0v4zss5ygajpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--eq_ohd7B--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j0v4zss5ygajpg.jpg, (large)])
The brainy brains at SCI-Arc and Caltech have designed an entirely solar-powered house that is clean, green, and energy-efficient. It's also remarkably easy to use, thanks to the fact that the entire thing is powered by Xbox's Kinect motion controls.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--XWk5LApK--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j14vpjiwzefjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--nVbbM-bt--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j14vpjiwzefjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--CNxcVGQw--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j14vpjiwzefjpg.jpg, (large)])
Wouldn't it be nice if you could rent an iPad filled with nifty Gameloft-brand game product to keep you occupied during lengthy flights? Next month customers of Australia's Jetstar will find out first hand.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--5aCI0bug--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j205kkl45vrjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--nGdPshb6--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j205kkl45vrjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--KpMewvLY--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j205kkl45vrjpg.jpg, (large)])
Our second look at Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, a year after it was first revealed, shows a much-changed, much more tech-heavy, augmented-reality shooter than what we remember seeing in 2010.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Regh1WaA--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j2aogh4c9q1jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--sqvc82PS--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j2aogh4c9q1jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--rmFlrxKI--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j2aogh4c9q1jpg.jpg, (large)])
Kotaku commenter Jezuz feels that games set in outer space have become too cold and sterile. He shares his idea on how to liven up the airless void in today's Speak-Up on Kotaku.
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata kicks off the Game Developers Conference this morning with a keynote about the past and future of gaming. We'll be live blogging it, starting in about an hour.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--qdbTSr1Z--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j38n3ykfrg6jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Auw9oD92--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j38n3ykfrg6jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--C0IaEadK--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j38n3ykfrg6jpg.jpg, (large)])
"I see great dangers for the human race," begins noted theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking. As a human myself, that's exactly the sort of thing I don't like to hear.
Puzzle fans can look forward to enjoying the third installment in the Professor Layton series for Nintendo DS earlier than expected. Nintendo announced today that the launch date of Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, a tale surrounding a time-traveling letter from 10 years in the future, has been moved up a week…
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--XSsEj673--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18he3ardpryk6jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--mKZl-ocs--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18he3ardpryk6jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--aqpxrM-u--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18he3ardpryk6jpg.jpg, (large)])
We're one step closer to browsing the internet with our mind while our robot butler brings us drinks, and it's all thanks to Intel. PC Magazine tells us about the wonderful tech on display at the company's latest R&D day.
E3 is right around the corner, and the big publishers are rolling out lists of what they'll be bringing to the show. Ubisoft's list includes Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, Shaun White Skateboarding, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, the next installment of the Driver series, and "many other titles" that haven't…
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--V1XSKB3K--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j3geon932q1jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--dvmuXi5N--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j3geon932q1jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--r1UCrRF_--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j3geon932q1jpg.jpg, (large)])
Game Nation is gearing up to make your live-action role-playing dreams come true, now scouting locations for the world's first "Experiential Video Game Theme Park and Resort." Sounds like some expensive LARPing to me!
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--qqtJdsbH--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17iul2d6zgjo9jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--5ZnWyr6j--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17iul2d6zgjo9jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--8I7RIJer--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17iul2d6zgjo9jpg.jpg, (large)])
No word on how Madden is doing with its predictions 175 years from now, but Mass Effect 2, via Cerberus Daily News, says the New York Giants, with a Krogan quarterback (pictured), beat the Beijing Dragons in Super Bowl CCXIX.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--zpGvNUp6--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j41pi0qi382jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--3Cm2wHJP--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j41pi0qi382jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--woP3QC-f--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j41pi0qi382jpg.jpg, (large)])
I may be tempted to one day buy the iPad as a crossover e-reader, but there's nothing magical about the device for me. Not unless you replace one of its vowels with a consonant.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--U0ByVaON--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17it8drzt4hfpjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--x6YSjiT9--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17it8drzt4hfpjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--zI2F_Dom--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17it8drzt4hfpjpg.jpg, (large)])
One perk that an old Ratchet game unlocks in the forthcoming Ratchet sequel is useful. The other perk, is not.
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--koljUIsF--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18hf6lyawqa24jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--eL-oJJXY--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18hf6lyawqa24jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--i4BMVCr8--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18hf6lyawqa24jpg.jpg, (large)])
The title is self-explanatory. But here are the details:
], http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--2gXEnu61--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j4j57pjypc9jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--B4c9Wezq--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j4j57pjypc9jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--jGt8Cgxx--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j4j57pjypc9jpg.jpg, (large)])
The sad, slow decline of gaming print media continues, with the announcement overnight that Future Publishing's PSW (PlayStation World Magazine) is no more.
