Culture

A Strategy Game That Finally Made Me Take Stealth More Seriously

I’m not very good at stealth games. I like the idea of trying to sneak around undetected, but as soon as I get caught all hell breaks loose. In real life I’m happy to be a wallflower, but in games I often want to be at the center of the action, or violently creating it…

Indie Developers Don’t Like Steam’s New Revenue Sharing Policy [Update]

Steam is constantly evolving behind the scenes, but the latest reorganization of the storefront’s molecules has left some developers scratching their heads. Now, if a game makes $10 million, developers have to share less money with Valve. And if it hits $50 million, even less than that. Valve announced tweaks to Steam’s revenue sharing system…

Damn, It Feels Good To Be A Healer

Lately I’ve been playing a lot of violent games for work. In the last week, I’ve thrown knives and lit people on fire in Battlefield V, blasted people away with my revolver in Red Dead Online, and engaged in all sorts of wacky assassinations in Hitman 2. It’s often a lot of fun, but every…

The Week In Games: Just Throne Breakin’

As we approach the end of the year, the game releases get even more extreme. We’ve got Just Cause 4, the PlayStation Classic, Mutant Year Zero, and lots of other interesting stuff. I’m very interested in what it is going to be like to drive a car through the tornado. What can I say? I…

Track: Arepeggio | Artist: Alexandros | Album: Sleepless in Brooklyn 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! 

Excellent Predator Cosplay Is Thirst-Inducing

At this year’s Tokyo Comic-Con, cosplay collective Harashiylabo’s Predator was in full force. You better believe that donning a get up like that makes one thirsty. Drinking while still in costume can’t be easy. I bet going to the bathroom is tricky, too.

Track: Cold Summers | Artist: Earl Sweatshirt | Album: Some Rap Songs 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! 

Lord Of The Rings Cross-Sections!

Combining literally two of my favourite things—Lord of the Rings and isometric cut-away illustrations—WETA artist Adam Middleton has lifted the lid on some of Middle Earth’s most important buildings and given us a sneaky peek inside. You can see more of Adam’s work at his ArtStation page

Devil May Cry Cosplay Gets A Little Romantic

A lot of DMC fans are shipping Dante and lady, so a couple of cosplayers thought hey, if we’re doing a shoot based on the series, why not just run with that. This is Leon Chiro as Dante, while Lady is Glory Lamothe. All photos by Photographes Sans Frontieres

Receiver Speedrun Is A Masterclass In Efficiency

In a world of simple video game guns, Receiver is a game that makes guns complex. Originally released in 2013, it’s still a unique experience, and speedrunner meanwhile_0 has trivialized it by beating it in 10:06. What I find so impressive about the speedrun is that it really does make the game look incredibly easy.…

‘Shop Contest: Agent 47’s Vacation

Agents: this week it is your task to show your co-worker 47 what it is like to “have a good time.” That’s right, it is Agent 47’s vacation week, and I want him to see the sights. Agent 47 of Hitman fame is no stranger to world travel, but I think he might be a…

Why Obra Dinn Is One Of The Year’s Best Games

On this week’s Kotaku Splitscreen, we implore you to not miss Return of the Obra Dinn, a phenomenal game and contender for 2018’s greatest. First we dive into why Obra Dinn is so great, also taking some time to dissect Hitman 2, the Sega Genesis Classics collection, and other games we’re playing. Then it’s time…

‘Shop Contest: Ocarina Appreciation Station, Winners!

Last week I asked all of you to help me celebrate the 20th anniversary of Ocarina of Time, and you did some excellent work. It takes a lot of commitment to create a game centered on tooting a little oval woodwind, and yet it is a game that has continued to resonate with audiences for…

This Week In The Business: What’s It Worth To Ya?

QUOTE | “Contrary to assertions, loot boxes are not gambling. They have no real-world value, players always receive something that enhances their experience, and they are entirely optional to purchase.” – In response to the US Federal Trade Commission’s decision to investigate loot box practices, the Entertainment Software Association insists they are not gambling because…

Guy Hacks Printers Around The World To Tell People To Subscribe To Pewdiepie

Despite an avalanche of over-the-line jokes and gaffes that cost him deals and a show, as well as an ever-changing YouTube landscape, Felix “Pewdiepie” Kjellberg remains the king of YouTube mountain. For now, anyway: An Indian music production company called T-Series has been fast on his heels for a while and—with their subscriber counts at…

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

Is the weekend for getting up the courage to try to make bread for the first time? No, it’s probably for reading a whole lot about how to make bread and then playing video games instead. I’m still playing Red Dead Redemption 2, even after playing it for three days straight last weekend. I will…

Ask Dr. NerdLove: I Fell In Love With My Best Friend And Now Everything’s Ruined

Hello all you thought criminals of the Internet, and welcome to Ask Dr. NerdLove, the only dating advice column to help you speedrun to the Good Ending of your love life. This week, it’s all about the choices we make in pursuit of love. Dropping everything to take a gamble on love makes for great…

I’m Playing Assassin’s Creed Rebellion For The Haystack Assassinations

I am living the true modern gaming experience these days when I fill the empty moments during Assassin’s Creed Odyssey load times by playing the mobile game Assassin’s Creed Rebellion on my phone. I won’t keep this up for long. Rebellion is too much of a Modern Mobile Game for my taste, but I’ve discovered…

Inside Livestreamfail, The Controversial Forum That Fuels Twitch Drama

Ice Poseidon. Sweet_Anita. Trainwreckstv. “Twitch thots.” “Boobie streamers.” If any of these names and phrases ring a bell, you may have a subreddit called Livestreamfail to thank—even if you’ve never heard of it. With nearly 400,000 subscribers, Livestreamfail has become one of the biggest external hubs for Twitch content. Maybe even the biggest. Users generally post…

Farming Is A Lot Of Fun When You Aren’t Actually Farming

“I’m the farmer. I work in the fields all day.” The chorus from Barenaked Ladies’ “Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank” plays on repeat in my head as I sit in front of my computer tending virtual crops in Farming Simulator 19. That’s as close to hard outdoor work as I like to get. I…