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CultureRiot Will Record Valorant Voice Comms To Catch Racists
Riot announced updates to its privacy policy today that will allow the company to record and evaluate reported player voice communications in its team-based shooter Valorant. “In order for us to take action against players who use voice comms to harass others, use hate speech, or otherwise disrupt your experience, we need to know what…
By Ash Parrish Published April 30, 2021 -
OpinionSorry, Your Cis White Woman Protagonist Isn’t Progressive
The future is bright for the current and upcoming crop of AAA releases. Reviews for Returnal are positive. I’m gassed as hell to have Lady Dimitrescu chase me around in Resident Evil Village before I let her snap me in half. Rift Apart looks so sharp on the PS5 that it might become my first…
By Ash Parrish Published April 29, 2021 -
CultureGoogle Revolutionizes Stadia Experience With Search Bar
Today, Google Stadia announced it will add a search bar function to its web store. Yes: Google, the company that literally began as a search engine, finally realized its video game platform could use a search function. “Search bar on Stadia for Web is rolling out now and will reach all players this week,” Stadia…
By Ash Parrish Published April 28, 2021 -
CultureKotaku Game DiaryMy New Favorite Stormblood Character Is A Random Pirate
In a development shocking to absolutely no one, Stormblood is fucking awesome. I started Final Fantasy XIV’s second expansion mere days ago, and it’s already made the leap from, “this is not Heavensward. I want Heavensward back,” to, “Ok, give me more of this.” I was prepared for Stormblood to underwhelm me. In the FF14…
By Ash Parrish Published April 28, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsGoing To See Demon Slayer Was The Perfect Post-Vaccination Celebration
Yesterday, my fully vaccinated partner and I (also fully vaccinated) decided to inaugurate our newly vaccinated life with one of the most bacchanalian things you can do in this mid-pandemic world—we went to the movies. The new Demon Slayer movie Mugen Train (its full title is so unwieldy that I refuse to name it here)…
By Ash Parrish Published April 27, 2021 -
EsportsThe Overwatch League Paid Tribute To Jeff Kaplan With ‘Jeff’ Song
Last week, Jeff Kaplan announced his retirementfrom Blizzard Entertainment, ending a tenure at the developer that lasted for almost 20 years. Kaplan played an important role in developing Overwatch Esports, including the Overwatch World Cup and the Overwatch League. This weekend, the Overwatch League team paid homage to Kaplan with a musical tribute. It’s not…
By Ash Parrish Published April 26, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsEnemy: Tempest Of Violence Is Pure Distilled Batshittery (And I Love It)
I’ve never owned an Amiga, but I am obsessed with Enemy: Tempest Of Violence, a Swiss-developed Amiga game released in 1997. Buckle up, this is about to be a ride. My partner and I have a ritual in which we watch Twitch on the weekends before bed. My partner is a cantankerous old man (even…
By Ash Parrish Published April 23, 2021 -
ReviewsBacklogI Have Backlog Anxiety
We at Kotaku have designated April as Backlog Month, in which we, in light of a looming dearth of new video game releases, turn our attention toward the games that we have wanted to play but missed. But unlike my colleagues, I’m having a problem—I have no idea what to do for Backlog Month, and…
By Ash Parrish Published April 23, 2021 -
CultureKotaku Game DiaryClone Hero Is So Much Fun I Don’t Mind The Carpal Tunnel
As the last of the notes disappeared from the screen, I put my fake, plastic guitar down to look at my hands. They were shaking, and my fingers were curled as if they were still wrapped around the fretboard. I felt pain twisting around my wrist and creeping into my finger joints. Still, I wore…
By Ash Parrish Published April 22, 2021 -
CultureNew Battlefield Game Promised For Later This Year
Today, EA announced it’s working on two new Battlefield games and promised a console/PC release for later this year. “We have our biggest team ever on a Battlefield game for console and PC,” wrote DICE general manager Oskar Gabrielson. “Together, we are creating a jaw-dropping experience for you to enjoy later in 2021.” Gabrielson said…
By Ash Parrish Published April 22, 2021 -
CultureHOLD IT! The Great Ace Attorney Games Are Finally Getting Released Outside Japan
Time to brush up on your jurisprudence, y’all, because today Capcom announced The Great Ace Attorney games are finally being released outside of Japan. Dubbed The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles. The collection features both Ace Attorney spin-offs, The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures and The Great Ace Attorney: Resolve, which will come to the PS4, Nintendo…
By Ash Parrish Published April 21, 2021 -
CultureKotaku Game DiaryI’m Going To Miss You, Heavensward
Last time on my journey Heavensward, I said it was too hard to level my fifty ‘leven jobs evenly, so I decided to focus on solo-leveling my healer. Turns out, I may have been a bit premature in that decision. See, what had happened was I belatedly realized I fit the level requirements to pick…
By Ash Parrish Published April 20, 2021 -
EsportsAnatomy Of A Perfect Overwatch Earthshatter
Overwatch League season four kicked off this weekend, with new players, a couple of fantastic upsets and a perfect, game-winning Reinhardt Earthshatter by Houston Outlaws player Myung-heum “Jjanggu” Cho. Two-time Overwatch League Champions the San Francisco Shock played the no-time Overwatch League nothings Houston Outlaws on Sunday. Traditionally, this is a one-sided match. The last…
By Ash Parrish Published April 19, 2021 -
CultureSony Reverses Course On PS3 And Vita Store Closure
Today, Sony announced it will no longer shut down the PlayStation Store for PS3 and PS Vita users. “Recently, we notified players that PlayStation Store for PS3 and PS Vita devices was planned to end this summer,” wrote Sony Interactive’s president and CEO Jim Ryan on the PlayStation blog. “Upon further reflection, however, it’s clear…
By Ash Parrish Published April 19, 2021 -
CultureMass Effect Legendary Edition Will Have Photo Mode
Today on Twitter, Mac Walters, project director of Mass Effect Legendary Edition confirmed that the remaster will have a photo mode. Fuck. Yes. Photo modes have become the standard for cinematic, single-player games and this will be the first time a Mass Effect game will have the feature. Fans will have the opportunity to capture…
By Ash Parrish Published April 15, 2021 -
CultureKotaku Game DiaryOde To The Bard Who Saved My FF14 Dungeon Run
My journey through Heavensward has slowed down considerably. I have other games to play and review. And generally, the steam that powered this expansion leading up to The Vault encounter has petered out significantly. That’s not to say Heavensward’s sluggish back-end pacing wasn’t punctuated with a few bright spots. After losing Haurchefant, I didn’t think…
By Ash Parrish Published April 15, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsHere’s What Would Happen In A Dragon Age 2 ‘Snyder Cut’
Yesterday on Twitter, former BioWare employee and Dragon Age 2 lead writer David Gaider explained what he’d do with the opportunity to give Dragon Age 2 it’s own “Snyder Cut.” The tweet thread covered a wishlist of changes to the game, including vastly altering the sequence of events and the ability to make different critical…
By Ash Parrish Published April 14, 2021 -
CultureOverwatch League Live Games Are Back, But Only In China
Overwatch League Homestands are back, kinda. Today, the Overwatch League announced Homestands—live match events—will be returning during the 2021 season, but only in China. “Due to improved health and safety conditions in China, we are excited to announce the planned return of live events to three cities during the 2021 season,” the announcement read. Live…
By Ash Parrish Published April 14, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsGarrus Vakarian, I Am Free For Dinner On Thursday
The Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a month away. Today, BioWare put out a new video and developer blog detailing the process that went into graphically updating the Mass Effect trilogy. Weeding through all the technical information, I have come away with an important conclusion: Somehow, some way, BioWare has made Garrus Vakarian hotter. Through…
By Ash Parrish Published April 13, 2021
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