Kotaku
-
addiction
Japanese Newspaper Wonders About "Game Addicts"
The Mainichi Daily News is running a three part series on online game addiction. More »
0
49
Comment by Megamoppy: Geh? Biting her and throwing the remote at a tv? How the hell does he do this because of online... 6 Responses | Other threads
-
online gaming
The Great International Online Gaming Awards Caper
Those Koreans know their online gaming. So when the Korea Game Industry Agency sit down to hand out the inaugural Global Online Game awards, the least we can do is check out the winners. More »
0
Comment by SaanZ: "This event will serve as an important opportunity for Korea to contribute to the revitalization of the global online game... 5 Responses | Other threads
-
politics
Chinese Authorities Should Monitor Online Games For Addiction
Well, so said Li Jianguo, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC). According to him, 10 percent of the approximately 40 million Chinese children that use the internet are "addicted" Li pointed out. From Chinese newsite Xinhua: More »
0
Comment by RyuriTatsujin: And this is the VERY SAME China that has tons of other problems? Yes, I'm sure online game addiction is... 1 Responses | Other threads
-
hellgate: london
Hellgate: London Korea's Most Successful Launch
From worst to first! Just last month, Flagship's Hellgate: London made 1UP's list of the top five botched PC game launches of all time, with regular server crashes and people being billed multiple times for premium subscriptions. The Southeast Asian launch went even worse, with Infocomm Asia Holdings nearly wiping all player progress within the first 30 days of launch. It's amazing what a few months can do, because now Hellgate: London is being touted as Korea's most successful online game launch in 3 years. There are over a million active accounts, and the game is the 9th most-played game in the country. Sheesh. "To become the most successful launch in Korea for over three years is an incredible achievement," said Bill Roper, CEO of Flagship Studios."This milestone wouldn't have been possible for us to achieve without the incredible support of our publishing partner, Hanbitsoft, and our dedicated community in Korea."
Wow, that Hanbitsoft must have the most magical marketing team ever! Hit the jump for the press release, which actually contains the words 'Hellgate", 'Successful', and 'Launch', all in the same spot. More »
0
By Mike FaheyComment by Kaizuden: Wow... pretty surprising. Since they fixed all the bugs I'm guessing the game is actually decent to get now. Too... more » | Other threads
-
uk
Raise Your Own Bimbo
The latest game incurring parents' wrath? Miss Bimbo! The online sim has players take their own bimbo clubbing and shopping so that she becomes the "hottest, coolest, most famous bimbo in the world." And if that's not enough, the game apparently tells players to "stop at nothing" and use even "meds or plastic surgery" in their race to become the Queen of Bimbodom. The game is free at first, but eventually dips into PayPal accounts if you want to make any progress. So? What's the guff? Says Bill Hibberd of parents' rights group Parentkind: More »
0
Comment by Menolly: @Byakko: I knew I started following your posts for good reason.:-) more » | Other threads
-
research
Half of Some Japanese People Meh Online Gaming
Americans lurve online gaming. But what about Japanese? Nope! An online questionnaire poled 15,000 members of Japanese internet community MyVoice about their feelings towards online games. The sample was 54 percent female, 2 percent teen, 16 percent twenty-something, 37 percent thirty-something, 28 percent forty-something and 17 percent fifty-something. Over half of them were not interested in online games! That's not including the 12 percent who are totally indifferent. And when asked what their image of online games was, the most common response was "Geekish." And get this, only 1 percent of those poled use Macs to play online games. At least we have that in common! More »
0
Comment by Poltergeist13: Damn man, ease up on all the 360 mudslinging. I get the point, you worship all things Japanese. Haters are... more » | Other threads
-
clips
Second Skin Hits Close To Home
Second Skin is an upcoming documentary by Pure West Films that focuses on the lives of seven MMO gamers, exploring how their games of choice have affected their lives. It touches on many popular MMO topics, such as falling in love, becoming addicted, gold farming, and the effects virtual worlds can have on the handicapped. It's really easy to make fun of the people you see in this, the first trailer for the film, but not so much when you've been there. Having been addicted to MMO's in the past, I see a bit of myself in the film's subjects. In the past I've spent weeks at a time rolling out of bed into my computer chair (if I even made it to bed) and immediately logging into Everquest, to the point where it was really the only thing that mattered in my life, and yeah - I've fallen in love online as well. Maybe one day I'll tell you folks all about it. For now, enjoy the trailer. More »
0
By Mike FaheyComment by Onizuka-GTO: @NotSoCool: i know the feeling, i've got kotaku addiction after i got fired from my first employment. while im back on... more » | Other threads
-
china
Lots of Chinese Gamers, Lots of Free Gaming
There's no way around it: China has A LOT of people. Know what that means? A LOT of gamers! According to the Data Center of the China Internet and the Internet Society of China, there will be more than 59 million online Chinese gamers this year. That's a twenty percent increase from the 48 million online games last year. That's A LOT. At this rate, there should be WAY MORE online gamers in China next year, too. Eighty percent of that market is free-to-play online games, though. More »
0
Comment by Random J: What are the odds that one of those dudes in that picture is going to not have a sip of... more » | Other threads
-
-
mmo
Todd McFarlane Talks About Todd McFarlane
With 38 Studios, Spawn creator and figure maven Tood McFarlane is throwing his hat in the MMO ring. Joining him is baseball pitcher Curt Schilling and R.A. Salvatore. The new developer is Schilling's brainchild, and R.A. Salvatore is taking on the writing duties. Todd explains his role: More »
0
Comment by Purple Dave: @YotaruVegeta: Funny, it's his comic work that's alwasy offended me. The only Batman art I disliked more was Mike McMahon's,... more » | Other threads
-
brats
Kane & Lynch No Online Co-Op, "Good Times"
When people think co-op play, they think online. Sure, you want to game with your buddy, but inviting them over to the house is a real drag! Or because of distance, they may not be able to come over even. But, if you plan on playing online co-op with Kane & Lynch, forget it. The game doesn't have it and only sports traditional co-op. Explains the game's direction, Jens Peter Kurup: More »
0
Comment by Witzbold: @Gouki4u: No there will still be MP just perhaps no co-op, unless they are reworking it for the Pc ver,... more » | Other threads
-
electric boogaloo
Lineage II, The Zippo II
Gaming lighters are exactly promoting good health. Neither do MMOs, really. And when you're sitting in those crowded internet cafes for hours on end, slurping shit coffee and eating salty snacks, health is the last thing you are thinking about. Good thing there's a Lineage II Zippo to fire up your cigarettes. This US $88 "Pink Gold" colored lighter is limited to a hundred pieces — each engraved and numbered. It's the sequel of sorts to the every popular silver Lineage II lighter. Pre-orders start this Friday! So smoke if you've got 'em. If not, burn shit or something. More » -
only in china
China Introduces Anti-Corruption Game
The government of China's Zhejiang province decided to go after children and teach them in no uncertain terms that corruption is bad and everyone ought to do their part in ensuring corrupt party members, their families, and mistresses ought to die a painful death - in late July, they introduced 'Incorruptible Fighter' so players can slash their way through corruption and to a wonderful, corruption-free paradise that has no earthly connection to the China of today: More »
0
Comment by astrixzero: @mcderek3000: Coming from someone who actually lives in China, I'd say that you're full of trash. more » | Other threads
-
executioners song
EA Killing Online Support For 49 Games
If you have an online score to settle in Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects—obviously, you don't—you'd better make it snappy as EA is shutting down the online servers for that game and dozens more. The majority of EA's 2005 and 2006 sports entries will go offline on September 1st with support for Burnout Revenge, Need For Speed Underground and Need For Speed Most Wanted going black on November 1st. This applies to the previous generation console versions, of course, including a few PSP and PC games. The full list of online artifacts is after the jump. More »
0
Comment by Cogswobble: Look at how many of those titles are different platform versions of the same few "06" sports games, which means... more » | Other threads
-
fake money real taxes
Korean Virtual Taxation Start!
With online gaming as huge as it is in Korea, no wonder the Korea National Tax Service has just started virtual taxation. Basically, virtual asset transactions get a value-add tax. Here's the kicker: the actual items and currencies don't belong to the gamer but to the game's publisher. Site im69.com lays out the policy: More »
0
Comment by subnet6: "Well, I'm a libertarian (= hates taxes and big government), but anyone who profits from online games should be taxed... more » | Other threads
-
all red
China Arrests Sex Game Operator
From anti-addiction systems to cybercafe crackdowns, the Chinese government has taken multiple steps to fight online game addiction. It's latest effort? Arresting the operator of online sex game Girlfriend Hut. Says an official spokesperson: More »
0
Comment by Onizuka-GTO: ahh. gotta love the country! the place where free breast can roam free with naked proud nudist, Brothels of tax... more » | Other threads
-
too real
Voice Chat Is A Mood Killer
Few like the sound of their own voice. And even fewer like the voices of their World of Warcraft buddies'. Sure, voice chat is nothing new to online, but has become more and more common in MMORPGs. With text chatting giving way to in-game voice chat, good old internet anonymity is being threatened in the virtual world. Writes Clive Thompson over at Wired.com: More »
0
Comment by JASONSPAZ: I agree with most of you in regards to the voice chat option in games. Nothing is worse than a... more » | Other threads
-
0
Comment by Shumina: Situations like gamer's addiction are non-participatory problems. The person playing does not see a problem until it truly becomes... more » | Other threads
-
new digs
Koei Shows Online's Importance With Building
Dynasty Warriors maker Koei has wrapped up construction on a new building in Yokohama. Yes, a NEW BUILDING. Design was overseen by Osaka-born graphic designer Kazumasa Nagai. That crazy eye art? Nagai made that, and it probably can see into your soul. Dubbed Koei Gemini, the building is dedicated to online gaming in Asia. So, if anyone ever doubts the power of online gaming in Asia, please point to this building. More »
0
Comment by Witzbold: @jajimo: Thats to keep the employees from fleeing. You know, cut off all the possible means of escape and all.... more » | Other threads
-
rumor
Sega Shutters Chinese Online Division
SEGA's Shanghai-based online game unit has reached the end of its run reports website 17173.com. An unnamed SEGA China employee told the site that the subsidiary has The reason? Poor performance. Founded in fall 2005, the division hosted casual games like Rainbow Knight which would peak at meek 1,000 players online at any time. Online game Tong Tong Online was a complete failure. Pretty sad! Remember this is a rumor at the movement, but with poor performance like that, we'd be more inclined to disbelieve that SEGA was keeping the subsidiary up and running. More »
0
Comment by RonJeremy4Pres: Did the Chinese division just pirate the Japanese games or did it also figure out how to make the discs... more » | Other threads
-
new study
Game Addiction And Aggression Link "Weak"
An article in journo CyberPyschology & Behavior offers these factoids about game addiction based on surveying 7,000 online gamers using online questionnaires; More » -
0
Comment by laesperanzapaz: the guy in the pic has his head foto-shopped..... more » | Other threads
-
taiwan
The Verdict is In: Taiwan's Gaming Market Thriving
A recently released report confirms what anyone who has walked into a Taiwanese convenience store can tell you: the online gaming segment is thriving, expanding, and expected to top $300 million in sales this year. OK, so I couldn't have guessed that last part. Pearl Research's Online Games Market in Taiwan examines the trends and potential of the Taiwanese online gaming market, and comes to some not-very-surprising conclusions: More »
0
Comment by bluerei: It's interesting how they push those games too - Most of the time, they are located above the magazines right... more » | Other threads
-
china
China Rolls Out Anti-Addiction Software
Gaming is getting get harder in China for the 18 and under crowd. The government is forcing online game operators like NASDAQ-listed Shanda, NetEase and The9 to use anti-addiciton software that limits the time underage gamers can play. Games not embedded with the new software by July 16th will be shut down! With the installed program, kids can play up to three hours of online games like WoW or whatever no problem. In the two hours following that, the player's points are cut in half, and after five hours, the points are reduced to zero. It's not possible to earn anymore. What's more, a warning will also start popping up every 15 minutes warning of "unhealthy game time." This new system will require players to log-in with their real names and i.d. card numbers. Analyst Liu Bin More »
0
Comment by onikuwagata: @"Oh my God commies suck!" What good is freedom without responsibility? If you sit inside all day, play MMORPGs while pissing... more » | Other threads
-
gaming
Large Chinese Man Dies, Gaming Blamed
A 330 pound (150 kilogram) Chinese man spends "almost all" of his seven day holiday playing online computer games and dies. And guess what's blamed for the 25 year-old's death? Yup. Says a local teacher in LIaoning province where the man passed away: More »
0
Comment by nerosephiroth: Dateline Bejing: A 150 kg man was found dead in his apartment on Thursday last week. When police were going through... more » | Other threads
-
0
Comment by TitillatedOcelot: I don't dig Second Life at all, but it seems to have developed quite a following, and from what I... more » | Other threads
-
hollywood
Drew Barrymore Loves Online Poker More Than "Doing It"
Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore *hearts* casual games. In fact, she spends all her free time in front of the computer, ignoring boyfriend and Strokes drummer Fab Moretti. It's so bad that she all but forgoes copulation so that she can play online poker. The two are talking of spawning a child, but Fab confides: More »
0
Comment by PetiePal: He loves him some Fig Newtons! But her shirt should seriously say Have More Sex, Play Less Poker. Man it was all... more » | Other threads
-
0
Comment by GOLD5: I personally love to outstretch my arms as wide as possible when I grip my throttle and stick... Just like... more » | Other threads
-
0
Comment by SkullEtcher: Looks like its been awhile since anyone left a comment so ill leave my two cents. Well I think anyone... more » | Other threads
-
0
Comment by UNDERSTAR: Add one more nail to the coffin for the Shenmue series. Who the hell needs a MMO when the whole... more » | Other threads
-
0
Comment by Trackback: Bright colors, new MMO market share numbers, and an excuse to say the word "pie"? Heck, who could resist this... more » | Other threads
-
0
Comment by SunilaAutesion: If you are saying that this is wrong or that they need to get over it etc. etc. Your kinda... more » | Other threads
-
thq
THQ Scared of Blizzard... Are You?
In MMOs, World of Warcraft is the grand pooba. The game is so huge that game maker THQ is staying far, far away from MMORPG for the time being. According to THQ honcho Brian Farrell: More »
0
Comment by DannoHung: Look, all I want is a Star Wars MMORPG without all the suck. more » | Other threads
-
top
Play a Real Cult Leader Online
Cult leader Rael, who received enlightenment from little green men and now supports human cloning, claims to have been taken to an alien planet where he met Jesus, Buddha, Moses and Muhammad. The cult has been accused of being nothing more than a sex cult.
More » -
india
Next Online Gaming Center: India
By 2010, India's online gaming market will exceed $200 million. "While long dormant, the online games market in India is starting to head up," says Allison Luong of Pearl Research, a consulting firm that's studying the region. More »
0
Comment by asTer0id: hahah! ur so funny! just because they're indian they can only play cricket! right? why don't you go back to... more » | Other threads
-
gta
Next GTA Going Online?
The editors at Gamespot apparently had some free time on their hands this week as they noticed a job posting on the Rockstar North listings calling for network programmers. Rockstar North, located in Edinburgh, Scotland, is the development house responsible for the console versions of GTA, which has yet to officially feature proper multiplayer the masses have been salivating for. More » -
-
crime
Counter-Strike Clan Leader Allegedly a Pedophile
GamePolitics retells the sad, disturbing tale from GotFrag concerning 52-year-old George Finley's recruitment policies for the Green Berets, a competitive Counter-Strike clan. Finley was arrested in London, Ontario on the heels of accusations that he "solicited obscene pictures of young boys" he recruited for the Counter-Strike clan. Allegations against Finley have him using Ventrilo voice chat to solicit the pictures. Supposedly, Finley promised the boys PC hardware if they complied. More » -
0
Comment by peel: I am not, never have been and don't ever expect to be addicted to MMORPGs. However I do try to... more » | Other threads
-
sony
PS3 to Deliver Games Online in Southeast Asia?
Before everyone flips out, the article at Ars Technica indicates that Sony's online delivery program - which would distribute full versions of games via the Internet - is being planned for Sony's southeast Asian markets. That digital distribution could be the start, however, of Sony's next generation online program - something people are concerned with, given Microsoft's Xbox Live service's solid infrastructure. More »
0
By lsmithComment by worldgamer: The major problem with online games is the lack of high speed broadband among most people.When this is available then... more » | Other threads
online gaming
Denver, 2:55 AM
Mon Jul 6
8 posts in the last 24 hours
Tip us: tips@kotaku.com
Editor-In-Chief:
Brian Crecente
Email | AIM
Deputy Editor:
Stephen Totilo
Email | AIM
Senior Editor:
Michael McWhertor
Email | AIM
Night Editor, Japan:
Brian Ashcraft
Email | AIM
Associate Editor, East Coast:
Michael Fahey
Email | AIM
Associate Editor, Oceania:
Luke Plunkett
Email | AIM
Associate Editor, Weekends:
Owen Good
Email | AIM
Correspondent, San Francisco:
AJ Glasser
Email | AIM
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
