Culture

Nearly 200,000 Steam users play PC games with SNES controllers. That’s the most surprising factoid from Valve’s data about controllers. Xbox 360 controllers are most used (27.2 million), while Xbox One and PS4 are nearly neck-and-neck (11.5 million and 12.2 million). The Steam controller, at 1.5 million, remains niche.

Speedrunner Achieves ‘Impossible’ Super Mario Bros. Record Time

The original Super Mario Bros. is tightly optimized, as far as speedruns go. Runners have been shaving off milliseconds using highly-skilled play and glitches, all in the hopes of someday reaching a theoretically perfect run. Previously, this was only achievable using special programs, but last night, a runner did what some people thought impossible, matching…

Japanese Publishers Should Go Bigger At Tokyo Game Show

Another Tokyo Game Show has come and gone, and Kotaku’s Brian Ashcraft and I were both there to see the sights, play some games, and score some merch. Now that it’s all over, we have some thoughts. Chris Kohler: Brian, we’ve just returned from our annual hangout at Tokyo Game Show—me to America, you to…

Once Upon A Time…

Gray Rogers used to be an artist at Telltale, where he worked on series like Game of Thrones, Batman and The Wolf Among Us You can see more of Gray’s work at his ArtStation page

Total War Game Gets Review Bombed On Steam Over Women Generals [Update]

Over the past 24 hours, strategy game Total War: Rome II has picked up over 350 new negative reviews, triggering Steam’s graph-based review bomb alert system. The reason? A controversy surrounding women generals that appears to be largely contrived. It began last month with a handful of Steam forum posts and reviews in which players…

The Internet Has Been Replaced By Bowser Wearing The Super Crown

A concept introduced in a single fan-made comic strip has absolutely destroyed the internet. In the port of New Super Mario Bros. Wii U for the Switch, called New Super Mario Bros. Wii U Deluxe, Toadette has an item called the Super Crown that turns her into a character called Peachette. That was two weeks…

If you read Stephen Totilo’s’s preview of Red Dead Redemption 2 but want to hear more about it, check out this bonus episode of Kotaku Splitscreen. Maddy Myers and I grill him about train robberies, horse balls, and plenty more. Splitscreen is also on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and other major podcast services.

The Week In Games: Strange Tactical Soccer

This week gives us a new Valkyria Chronicles, FIFA 19, and South Park on the Switch. This is a heavy week when it comes to games, and we’re slowly moving into an absolutely jam-packed fall of big, exciting games every single week. If you’re a soccer (or “football”) fan, then this is the big week…

Lindsay P is a cosplayer, make-up artist and props builder. You can see more of Lindsay’s work at her Behance page

Our Favorite Cosplay From Fandemic Houston 2018

Fandemic—a con that tours the country, and which has already visited Sacramento this year—was in Houston earlier this month, as was some fantastic cosplay from attendees. All photos below were taken by Mineralblu

Track: Ceremony | Artist: New Order | Album: Singles Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

‘Shop Contest: Make Sense Of Death Stranding

We’ve got some new Death Stranding footage, and it is just as confusing as ever. Your task this week is to make sense of the whole thing. When that guy whips off his golden mask in the footage, I thought, for just an instant, that something might become clear. I thought that there might be…

We’re Worried The New Tomb Raider Is Getting Overshadowed

This week on Kotaku Splitscreen, we raided some tombs. Jason’s on vacation, so I was joined in his stead by my colleague Maddy Myers to talk about the PlayStation Classic, Nintendo’s new Switch Online service, the exciting Destiny 2 raid, and new safety concerns among professional streamers. Then Stephen Totilo came on to talk with…

Sunday Comics: True Name

Hello! It’s time for Kotaku’s Sunday Comics, your weekly roundup of the best webcomics. The images enlarge if you click on the magnifying glass icon. Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich. Published September 17. Read more of Awkward Zombie Corpse Run by Alex Di Stasi. Published September 20. Read more of Corpse Run Double XP by…

‘Shop Contest: Princess Peach Forever, Winners!

The Mushroom Kingdom is in turmoil. The divine right of princesses has been challenged. Princess Peach must assert her authority. I asked you to ‘shop up some images that promoted Princess Peach, and you did not disappoint me. When we talk about the Mario video game universe, we often forget about the political machinery that…

This Week In The Business: I Can’t Believe It’s Not Gambling

QUOTE | “Psychologically akin to gambling” – A phrase used to describe loot boxes by two researchers who conducted a survey of more than 7,000 gamers. Their report said loot boxes as they exist right now can provide publishers with an unregulated way of “exploiting gambling disorders among their customers”. STAT | 16 – Number…

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

The weekend is for coming back from being away and dealing with the bag of lettuce you left in the crisper all week. Blugh. Also, video games. Risk of Rain had a surprise release on the Switch yesterday, thus adding to my tendency of only owning games I already own on PC. The game makes…

Ask Dr. NerdLove: I Just Want Closure With My Ex

Hello all you love-cobras of contagion, and welcome to Ask Dr. NerdLove, the only dating advice column to give you the DLC to find your OTP. This week, we’re getting in people’s heads. How do you respond when everyone has a preconceived notion about you based on how you look? And why can’t you get…

Frostpunk‘s New Expansion Is About Digging Through The Past

Frostpunk, a post-apocalyptic city builder, somehow manages to get even darker and more brutal in its latest expansion, a story-based scenario called The Fall of Winterhome. Rather than create and navigate my own messes, the game’s new scenario required me to clean up after somebody else’s with a feverish sense of urgency. In the main…

The Art Of Destiny 2: Forsaken

A look behind the scenes on Destiny 2's latest expansion