During the demo Harmonix gave me of its new Rock Band Network, I started imagining things: Lots of rap songs in Rock Band. Opera arias in Rock Band. Suddenly it all seems possible for those who want to try it. The Rock Band Network, which I described in detail earlier today, allows people to digitally…
For years Rockstar Games has been developing a PSP successor to Beaterator, its 2005 web-based beat-producing application. Beaterator finally emerges in September. But you can see it in action here on a PSPgo, with music producer Timbaland at the helm. I recently got an advance demo of Beaterator in action and will have coverage of…
I had played 29 hours and 56 minutes of Mass Effect, but last night I could not reach the new content in the game’s add-on release, Pinnacle Station. I had forgotten one of the common complications of downloadable content. In this era of common downloadable content releases for big games, it’s worth remembering: You can’t…
This November, the musically inclined among you will be able to turn any music into playable Rock Band music, for profit, in under a month. The game’s developers showed me how, unafraid their populist invention would cost them their jobs. Here comes Rock Band’s public option. Launching on the Xbox 360 in November and coming…
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Here’s a rundown of the new video game-based comics going on sale in comics shops in the U.S. this week, including Warcraft, Chun-Li and Sonic (always!). Click the thumbnails for more details. Sonic Universe #7 … Written by Ian Flynn. Drawn by Tracy Yardley. Summary Via Publisher Archie Comics: PART THREE OF THE EPIC “MOBIUS:…
Word from Electronic Arts today is that Maxis, the studio behind The Sims and Spore, suffered layoffs today. No word on how many people were affected. EA described the cuts as an attempt to “focus” the studio. “Often in the video game industry, the size of a studio fluctuates in response to business conditions,” an…
The Minneapolis Star Tribune finds one journalism student who is making some money testing an unnamed, unannounced Activision game. Video game tester Kelly Watkins is 20 and hopes to break into the industry. Watkins has already mastered the art of not naming the secret game he or she is working on — as well as…
In an un-extraordinary coincidence, Valve announced that a new level of Left 4 Dead 2 will be playable at next week’s Penny Arcade Expo — on the same day Fahey and I did a lot of PAX booking. Valve announced that “Dark Carnival,” the third of the November PC and Xbox 360 game’s five campaigns…
Hear PlayStation 3 debates featuring live calls from Kotaku readers. Listen to our Mike Fahey reveal the secrets of his strange interview with Ozzy Osbourne. Take Crecente’s podcast-naming challenge (Kotalku???). Laugh at my jokes. It’s our newest podcast episode. If you missed the live call-in show you can stream the full episode right here or…
If only, for Sony, it was always so easy to argue that the PlayStation 3 version of a game is the superior edition. When Sony launched the PS3 in 2006, stressing the advantage of games being on the console was certainly was part of Sony’s plan: Flaunt the positives of games being pressed on Blu-Ray…
We’re in the first Pinata-free gaming year since 2005. Bummer. Overcome your sorrow and comment here about video games. Confused about commenting on Kotaku? Read our FAQ.
The Wii shows up in all sorts of places, like in a story today about Mohammed Jawad, a young man who spent six years in the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba before an American court ordered his release. A report carried in the McClatchy Newspapers today explained that Jawad, who may have been…
Rockstar Games just dropped an October 20 date for Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars PSP. The official release date for the new GTA was announced on Rockstar’s official Twitter feed. Rockstar has been quiet about how they are transforming the game that launched this past March on DS into a PSP game, maintaining for months…
If three is a trend, we’re not quite there yet. But, watch out: Video game characters are on Twitter too. Earlier this summer, Capcom started Twitter feeds for Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield, the protagonists of Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles. Their upcoming Wii game, a light-gun shooter sequel to Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, just got…
Mario meets Days of Thunder? Special effects meet low budget? Fan dreams meet impossibility of big box office return? It’s the fan-made Mario Kart movie trailer. The video was created by the comedy troupe Dr. Coolsex. They seem to be based in New York. And I am based in New York. Hmmm. If they make…
There will be 12s in Rage, I was told recently. This was mentioned by an id Software developer as I tried to gather facts about id Software’s next game. 12s? Oh, yes. 12s. I learned about this key Rage feature a couple of weeks ago in Texas, as I was wrapping up a chat with…
Let’s lament the plight of the Boy Wonder today as you talk here about video games. Confused about commenting on Kotaku? Read our FAQ.
Thank you, Spike TV, for making me look tall. And for labeling my fellow games reporters as “the most evil villain of them all.” It’s all part of the channel’s new Batman: Arkham Asylum special. Batman: Arkham Asylum Launched premieres tonight on Spike at midnight eastern and pacific. The half-hour show features just one soundbite…
All that Gamescom, Quakecon and Blizzcon news last week distracted from a key story reported by the LA Times: Why Barack Obama didn’t get a Wii for his 48th birthday on August 4. The Times ran a story last week about how America’s vice president, Joe Biden, has been trying to strengthen his relationship with…
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