Culture

Today, Twitch added new moderation tools that include channel-specific details about each user. Mods can now see number of messages, bans, timeouts, and user-specific comments from other mods. This will hopefully allow them to more effectively keep chat, er, not terrible. Take that, improbably named user BabyRage.

Sunless Skies Is A Grim, Thrilling Adventure Through Victorian Space

My first death in Sunless Skies was equal parts embarrassing and fitting. My crew was desperate, starved and half-mad from the horrors they’d witnessed. We’d just narrowly escaped what we initially thought to be a friendly vessel, until a bouquet of otherworldly tentacles burst from its bow. There were no ports in sight. It wouldn’t…

Ask Dr. NerdLove: How Do I Tell My Boyfriend I Also Have A Platonic Life Partner?

Hello all you walking slabs of haunted pork, and welcome to Ask Dr. NerdLove, the only dating advice column that’s a certified keyblade wielder. This week, we’re tackling the tricky art of relationship maintenance. How do you introduce future boyfriends into a platonic polyamorous relationship? How do you turn down a friend who’s looking for…

The Sheer Joy Of Kingdom Hearts

Is Kingdom Hearts brilliant or incomprehensible? Hackneyed or joyful? Today on Kotaku Splitscreen, we decide that the answer is… all of the above! First we talk about the many games we’ve been playing, including Resident Evil 2, Wargroove, Bloodborne, and Destiny 2. Then we take a deep dive into Kingdom Hearts (34:01), debating whether the…

There’s Something Weirdly Comforting About Playing Games That Are Just ‘Okay’

When I started playing My Time At Portia, I wasn’t expecting much. A few YouTubers I liked were playing it and I just wanted to check it out. It didn’t really wow me, but also wasn’t egregiously bad. It was just… fine. I still played it until midnight. I love perfectly crafted, engaging, smart games…

The Internet Reacts To Piranha Plant’s Smash Debut

Piranha Plant has finally joined the fray in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Players are welcoming their new pot-bound friend. I didn’t get Piranha Plant when it was announced. As a secret final fighter, a potted plant didn’t wow me, even if it did spit poison and spiked balls. Now that it’s actually out in the…

Track: Future | Artist: Chai | Album: Wagama Mania Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Kinkakuji Temple in Snow. Kyoto, Japan. By Takeshi Kuboki | Flickr JPGs is a photo peek into wherever gamers might find interesting. If you’re a photographer and have images you want to share, drop us a line! 

Wargroove Is A Very Good Strategy Game

There are two things you should know about the indie game Wargroove, which comes out for PC, Switch, and Xbox One on Friday. The first is that it’s a smart, challenging turn-based strategy game that’s essentially Advance Wars for the modern era. The second is that you get to play as a puppy who wears…

Track: Bloom (Live from Electric Lady Studios) | Artist: Thom Yorke | Album: The King of Limbs Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Parliament Hill. Ottawa, Canada. By joiseyshowaa | Flickr JPGs is a photo peek into wherever gamers might find interesting. If you’re a photographer and have images you want to share, drop us a line! 

A Very Studio Ghibli Road Trip

Artur Sadlos is an artist based in Japan. He’s worked on stuff like League of Legends, The Witcher 3 and For Honor, but alsothat wonderful Ghibli x Oregon tourism ad from last year We actually featured Sadlos’ work as one of the first ever Fine Art posts, butsince that was eight years ago I figured…

For Streamers Dealing With Stalkers, Twitch’s Solutions Fall Short

For the last 41 days, a Twitch user named Mosheddy has been persistently harassing a streamer named Tanya DePass. She quickly banned him from her channel, but now he lurks, follows her to other people’s Twitch chats, sends private messages to everyone he can, and has friends drop into chat with messages “from Mosheddy.” Twitch…

Chrono Trigger’s Writer Made A Mobile JRPG That’s Not Defined By Its Microtransactions

Can two of the people who helped make Chrono Trigger one of the most amazing games of all time find a balance on mobile between the nostalgic appeal of classic Japanese role-playing games and the economics of free-to-play? Based on a couple hours with Another Eden: The Cat Beyond Time and Space, the answer is:…

Here’s February 2019’s Xbox Live Games With Gold Lineup

February’s Games with Gold is an interesting mix, from retro stylings to series like Star Wars and Assassin’s Creed. As always, these games are only “free” if you have an active Xbox Live Games with Gold subscription. February’s Games with Gold are: Xbox One Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (February 1-20) Super Bomberman R (February…

Track: Come To Daddy | Artist: Aphex Twin | Album: Come To Daddy Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Fake Maps Are The Best Maps

Karl Vesterberg is a freelance artist from Sweden who has a particular thing for fictional hand-drawn maps and city illustrations. This is the kind of work you normally see on a map screen, or board game board, or coffee table guide book, and it is very much my fetish. In addition to the fantasy stuff,…

After Two Controversies, Twitch Says It Will No Longer Run Ads For Other Twitch Streamers

In the past couple months, Twitch has gotten into the habit of running ads for big streamers’ events on other streamers’ broadcasts—first with the Tyler “Ninja” Blevins New Years Eve extravaganza last month, and, more recently, ahead of a Pro Bowl event hosted over the weekend by Imane “Pokimane” Anys. Streamers don’t love it, and…

The Difference Between Horror Movies And Horror Games

I hate horror movies. I hate having to sit and watch as helpless people walk headlong into traps or hide fruitlessly from killers. I hate the moments of quiet leading up to the next jump scare. But I love horror games. I review them enthusiastically. So much of the distinction comes down to doors and…

The Week In Games: Grab Your Keyblades & Get Ready!

Sora, Goofy and Donald Duck team up once more to take down evil in this week’s biggest release: Kingdom Hearts 3. I hear a lot of folks enjoy them some Kingdom Hearts and they now will finally be able to play this long awaited sequel. Which is great! Hope it was worth the wait! As…