• Delay Of Game

    GameStop Pushes Rise of The Argonauts To 2009

    Dammit! Several readers have dropped us a line to let us know that the release date for Codemasters' action RPG Rise of the Argonauts, according to retailer GameStop at least, has slipped to 1/1/2009, which in release date speak means sometime after the beginning of the new year. I just called my local GameStop where I had a reserve down and they confirmed that they are now showing the new date in their system. I've dropped a line to Codemasters, but GameStop isn't generally in the habit of pushing back a title's release date arbitrarily - pre-order now and have it in a month sounds a lot better than pre-order it now for sometime next year. More »

    8:40 AM on Fri Sep 26 2008
    By Mike Fahey
    2,141 views, 24 comments

    Most discussed NorthernAvengeR: Looked forward to this, but I think it needs a visual overhaul. The cutscenes, and character conversations looked horrible with more »

  • rock band 2

    Rock Band 2 Jukebox Mode Died

    Remember back during E3 a couple months back when I got a chance to go lungs-on with Rock Band 2, telling you about all of the nifty new features coming, including the ability to just let songs play in a randomized Jukebox Mode in the background while you do other things? Yeah, not happening.

    Lastly, some folks have been asking about the status of the previously discussed Jukebox Mode. This mode was removed from Rock Band 2 in the final stages of development. We have no immediate plans to bring this feature back to the platform in the future.

    I am majorly bummed. Jukebox mode was going to be the background noise and images to months and months of news post writing, and now I am lost like a ship without one of those ship-steering dealies. I guess it's back to hooking my MP3 player to the Xbox. Oh well. At least I've still got 20 free DLC songs coming my way eventually.

    20 Free DLC Tracks Note/Jukebox Mode Clarification [Rock Band Forums]

    11:20 AM on Tue Sep 16 2008
    By Mike Fahey
    5,824 views, 55 comments

    Most discussed kayven: there's this program called iTunes, i think it's new, but basically it does what this "jukebox mode" does, but better. more »

  • sadness

    'Metal Gear Solid 4' And The Lack Of Sad Games

    Like Kotaku's very own Leigh Alexander, I was interviewed by the New York Times for the paper's weekend story about Metal Gear Solid 4. But, perhaps unlike Leigh, I wasn't confident I gave the reporter a solid interview.

    So, shortly after hanging up the phone, I sent him a follow-up. There was one MGS4 idea that we hadn't discussed that I thought was deserving of an NYT spotlight: How sad the game is. And how rare it is that we get a chance to play a sad game.

    In my letter, I wrote:

    MGS4 is the rare effort of video game blues and tragedy. Gamers are used to being asked to save the day and be the hero. Metal Gear Solid 4 is so unusual in that it's the rare game that asks them to be interested in something else: a march toward defeat, an interactive tragedy.

    I've printed my full e-mail below. No spoilers beyond what was in the game's trailers.

    Anyone else want more video game tragedies? (cue mention of Conker's Bad Fur Day) More »

    9:00 AM on Tue Jun 24 2008
    By StephenTotilo
    15,243 views, 185 comments

  • vaporware

    Sadness Is "Real"

    Remember Nibris' Sadness, the survival horror title for Wii that sounded so awesome and then disappeared with nary a trace after teasing us all with little more than concept art? Developer Frontline Studios ditched the publisher, and the last we heard was a promise from the Polish studio to keep at it.

    Well, now The Wiicast has gotten on the phone with Adam Spencer of Nibris partner Fog Studios to mess with our heads some more, saying that things are still underway:

    Obviously there’s only so much I can say. I can tell you for sure that the project is real, they’re actively developing it. There’s no publisher for the game yet and as such it’s impossible for us to say when the game is going to be released. Basically, that’s the official statement.

    Spencer says he's even seen the game in action, but they haven't found a "fit" yet in a publisher.

    Breaking News! Sadness is Real! [The Wiicast]

    2:20 PM on Fri Jun 20 2008
    By Leigh Alexander
    3,436 views, 72 comments

    Latest by V.Volker: Snif snif :( more »

  • retail woes

    Blockbuster Not The Best Game Store So Far

    So I ran out today to pick up Iron Man the video game, exciteable little fanboy that I am, and decided to purchase it at my local Blockbuster Video, to see how they were doing with the new retail push. They had one copy for the PlayStation 3 and one copy for the Xbox 360 available, and on a whim I chose the PS3 version, seeing as my poor system hadn't been getting much attention since Hot Shots Golf last month. Upon getting the game home I hastily unwrapped it, only to discover that my PS3, which I have long considered the best of the three current consoles when it comes to reliability, would no longer accept any Blu-ray media. PS2 games work fine, and DVD's, but PS3 games and blu-ray movies were a no go. I was completely crushed, and jonesin' for some Iron Man, so I took the game back to Blockbuster, hoping they would show pity on me for buying a game I couldn't play. They swapped out versions for free and I lived happily ever after!

    Unfortunately I'm lying. More »

    7:00 PM on Fri May 2 2008
    By Mike Fahey
    19,279 views, 178 comments

    Latest by K-FleX: @bondiinsider: Agreed, now you feel our pain. If I paid under $90 for a game from EB in Aus more »

  • sadness

    Gamebryo Evokes Wii Sadness

    Is Gamebryo the most powerful game engine available for the Wii? Polish developer Nibris seems to think so. They've tapped Gamebryo to power their upcoming black and white adventure game Sadness, and they're saying the engine lets them achieve the impossible on Nintendo's plucky little.

    "Without a doubt, Gamebryo is the most powerful engine available for the Wii. After getting familiar with the engine several months ago we made the decision to choose Gamebryo. Since then, our team has been working on Sadness and we are quite impressed," said Tomasz Wisniowski, Project Manager of Nibris. "We will have quite a few graphical effects in our game, which some believe are impossible to attain on the Wii. Gamebryo helped make it possible. We are firmly convinced we made the right choice."
    So what exactly is impossible on the Wii? Well nothing now. Gamebryo has apparently ruined that for us, making it possible, therefor negating the whole impossible thing. Oh well, moving along. More »

    7:00 PM on Mon Apr 14 2008
    By Mike Fahey
    7,687 views, 79 comments

    Latest by SkutSkut: @brieeyeball: Well see, DNF has more concept art than Sadness, I WANT Sadness but DNF is more likely to come out more »

  • make mine mmo

    Why Microsoft Murdered The Marvel MMO

    The rumors are true. Marvel Universe Online as gone the way of True Fantasy Live Online, another Microsoft MMO project killed before ever seeing the light of day. MTV Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo spoke with Microsoft Game Studios' head Shane Kim, who confirmed the cancellation of the highly anticipated title and explained why it had to die.

    When we first entered into the development and agreement of the development of 'Marvel Universe Online,' we thought we would create another subscription-based MMO. And if you really look at the data there's basically one that's successful and everything else wouldn't meet our level or definition of commercial success.
    Wow. Yeah, so basically Kim explains that they had gone too far to change the pricing structure into something more likely to bring money in, such as item and transaction-based models, so they let the project die. Hit up the rest of Totilo's story to see him pump Kim for information on Fable 2, Alan Wake, and the future of Halo while I go mourn the official loss of MUO.

    Microsoft's Shane Kim On 'Fable 2,' Why Marvel MMO Was Canceled And More [MTV Multiplayer]

    8:40 AM on Mon Feb 11 2008
    By Mike Fahey
    7,877 views, 83 comments

    Latest by botbotbotbotbot: imho, i think he's lying. wow shows there is a large market. eventually wow players will move on to something more »

  • price cut

    Xbox 360 HD DVD Price Plummets

    In case you're still holding out hope that somehow, someway HD DVD will make a last minute comeback and triumph over blu-ray as the high definition DVD format of choice, then has Microsoft got the deal for you. Effective today, the MSRP of the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on is dropping from $179.99 USD to $129.99. The price drop effects the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. As Microsoft's Larry Hryb points out, once you figure in Microsoft's ongoing five free HD DVD movie offer, which is still in effect until the end of this month, they you've got one hell of a good time to get in on the Betamax of the 21st century!

    Xbox 360 HD DVD Player price drop (now US $129.99) [Xbox Live's Major Nelson - Thanks Scott!]

    9:20 AM on Wed Feb 6 2008
    By Mike Fahey
    6,088 views, 155 comments

    Latest by bobtheduck: Fire Sale, what to do when you are up a creekMaybe you will stay afloat for a week When you more »

  • free games

    Auran Lets Fury Go Free, Bad News Follows

    Auran's "financial disaster" of an MMO brawler Fury is about to be slightly less of a financial disaster, at least from a purely player perspective. Auran has announced that starting with December 14th's Age of the Chosen update, players will be able to download and play the game completely free using a new mode called "Chosen", which gives access to all items and powers included in the game, only they will earn money and essence at a slower rate and will not be able to trade with other players. For a fee players can upgrade to Hero or Immortal status, where they gain powers and cash at an increased rate. Good news for players, though Auran CEO Tony Hilliam delivered the news to Kotaku Australia along with ominous tidings.

    We will then have some bad news to follow (unless a miracle occurs), but there will be a very positive end to the week.
    All they need is a miracle. All they need is you.

    Fury Goes Completely Free With Dec 14 Content Update     [Kotaku Australia]

    8:40 AM on Tue Dec 11 2007
    By Mike Fahey
    2,259 views, 27 comments

    Latest by K-Squad! (Badass Edition): I feel like a lot of games are failing lately. Or becoming free. Maybe some games just have a monopoly more »

  • rumor smash

    Dreamcast 2 Remains A Dream

    Yesterday we reported on rumors swirling about regarding the possibility of a Dreamcast 2 somewhere in Sega's future, sparked by a recently updated trademark application. From there it really just became a race to see who Sega would respond to first with a statement. Sega of America PR Director Charlie Scibetta spoke to GameDaily for the win!

    "We're very happy being a platform agnostic company and have moved up the ranks the past three years from #11, to #9, and now stand at #6 in terms of our market share by units among third-party publishers. We like our current strategy and have no plans to change in the middle of this outstanding growth."
    Scibetta said he would look into why the trademark was being updated and then went back to ordering giant "We're Number 6!" foam hands for his team. Sorry Dreamcast fans. I share your disappointment. You know what we need? A Dreamcast cake.
    Updated Dreamcast Trademark Sparks 'Dreamcast 2' Rumor [GameDaily]

    10:00 AM on Fri Dec 7 2007
    By Mike Fahey
    2,875 views, 44 comments

    Latest by HackJenkins: There was already a "Dreamcast 2", people. They just named it the Xbox. more »