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CultureOdds and EndsThe Wait Is Over: Calculator Debuts For Nintendo Switch
Today, after weathering a presumably blistering fan campaign (Project Nerdfall?), Nintendo added a Calculator app to the Nintendo eShop. For 10 whole-ass American dollars you can purchase what comes in every other phone, tablet, and computer for free. I’m trying to imagine who this Calculator is for. In the app’s description it says, “Calculator has…
By Ash Parrish -
CultureOdds and EndsWhaddaya Buyin? (Ethan Winters’ House, Please)
My partner and I have been looking for our dream home, and I think we found it. It’s somewhere in Eastern Europe—possibly Romania—it’s probably owned by a shady government agency, and I have it on good authority that its previous occupants won’t be coming back any time soon. I’m talking about Ethan Winters’ house in…
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AnimeYasuke Is A Full-Circle Moment For Black Anime Fans
Watching the first episode of Yasuke, Netflix’s new fantastical animated show about the life of a Black samurai, I started to cry. I remembered how it felt to be a 16-year-old girl watching anime in the nighttime darkness of my living room. Watching Yasuke, with its titular Black character kicking ass to a soundtrack by…
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CultureOdds and EndsBRB, Making My Own Mass Effect Legendary Edition Logo
BioWare must have sensed that I had thoughts about the Mass Effect companions on my spirit today, as it released a new tool that lets you pick and choose among the Mass Effect companions to make your own version of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition logo. Would-be custom logo recipients answer a handful of questions…
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EsportsChinese Overwatch Teams Threaten Boycott Of Korean Player For Statements On Taiwan And Hong Kong [Update: Teams ‘Resume Normal Activities’]
One of the most beloved players in the Overwatch League is facing backlash over political comments he made in a stream. On Chinese social media site Weibo, several members of the Chinese Overwatch League teams stated they would boycott any events that include Korean player Jong-ryeol “Saebyeolbe” Park due to his apparent stance on Hong…
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CultureVinny Caravella, Alex Navarro, and Brad Shoemaker Leave Giant Bomb [UPDATE]
Vinny Caravella, Alex Navarro, and Brad Shoemaker, foundational members of the Giant Bomb team, announced today they are leaving the site. During a live podcast recording on Twitch, the three announced that their last day is Friday. Giant Bomb founder Jeff Gerstmann is staying at the site for now. Giant Bomb was established in 2008…
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CultureOdds and EndsPowerWash Simulator Is Why I Shouldn’t Be A Homeowner
Humans are fucked up, anxiety-ridden apes and there is absolutely no telling what causes our brains to light up with feel good juice. But one thing that does it for me is a good pressure washer video. Since being a millennial means I will likely never own a home, the magic of using a pressure…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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)…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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
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