Culture

Rice Fields. Shiga, Japan. By Brian Ashcraft | Twitter 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! 

Steam Link Finally Comes To iOS

Last year, Valve released an official Steam Link mobile app that let people stream Steam games to their phones. Well, their non-Apple phones, anyway. At the time, Valve said that Apple approved and then un-approved the app, citing “business conflicts” that put it at odds with App Store guidelines. Then nothing happened. For a year.…

Snakeybus Challenges You To Drive A Bus That Keeps Getting Longer

In Snakeybus, as in life, you are your own greatest enemy. The game, in which you drive a winding, multi-sectioned bus that grows longer every time you drop off passengers, skillfully communicates a busload of resonant platitudes. Don’t look back, lest you collide with your own globe-encircling tail. The only way forward is through—at least,…

Games Are Better When You Come To Them Late

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney first came out in 2005. I’m finally playing it in 2019, courtesy of the recent Nintendo Switch port. I’ve never played a Phoenix Wright game before, even though I love mysteries and my friends spent the past decade or so telling me to play one. You know what? I’m glad I…

Track: Ordinary World | Artist: Duran Duran | Album: The Wedding Album  Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Pokémon Rumble Rush Is Heading To iOS And Android

Back in 2017, The Pokémon Company announced Pokéland. Slated for iOS and Android, the game was to feature toy Pocket Monsters duking it out on various in-game islands. But the game went M.I.A. That is, until today. The Pokémon Company has just revealed that the game is now called Pokémon Scramble SP in Japan, while…

A Beautiful Day. Kyoto, Japan. By ShuYung Wu. 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! 

Twitch App Lets Viewers Mess With People Playing Mario, Metroid, And More

The idea underlying Twitch extension Crowd Control is not wholly new. Since the dawn of time, people have messed with each others’ games for laughs. In the beginning, there was Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown. These days, there are games like Choice Chamber, where users in Twitch chat can vote to change…

Somehow, I Can’t Get Hooked On Anime Gambling Games

You know gacha games, right? Those free-to-play anime games with built-in slot machines you can play to collect new characters? They’re everywhere. Smartphone app stores are absolutely lousy with them because you can get them all for free, and people love things that are free, even if they ultimately end up being not free. As…

Track: Sekishun | Artist: My Hair Is Bad | Album: Hadaka – EP Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Cave exploration. Olango Island, Cebu. By MarLin Chen | Instagram  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! 

Drumming On Twitch Helps Successful Streamer Control His Tourette’s

Watching Gregory “Mrgregles” Storey stream, there’s a good chance you’d never even realize he has Tourette Syndrome, a rare neurological condition characterized by repeated involuntary vocalizations and movements, or “tics.” From behind his drum kit, Storey grooves, showboats, and interacts with viewers like he’s been doing it all his life. He regularly puts on rockstar…

Game of Thrones Is Too Far Gone To Save

When the dust is all settled and the fire has turned into ashes, one thing about Game of Thrones will always be clear: They shouldn’t have tried to end the whole damn show in 13 episodes. We spoil the episode in its entirety, and also talk about differences between the show and the books. However,…

What We Loved About Detective Pikachu

Detective Pikachu hit movie theaters this weekend and turned me into a puddle of nostalgic goo. I sat down with senior reporter Cecilia D’Anastasio and video producer Paul Tamayo to talk Pokéballs, Pikachu and a severe lack of Venusaurs. Gita Jackson: I never thought I’d see a live action Pokémon movie in my lifetime, let…

I Can’t Go Through This Again, Final Fantasy VII

One of the most heartbreaking moments in gaming history has a new voice and a new face, thanks to last week’s Final Fantasy VII remake trailer. I have no idea how long it’s going to take for this game to arrive, but I’m already lamenting what’s to come. Aeris is going to die all over…

The Week In Games: Despite All My Rage 2

Another week, another list of games coming out. The big one this week is Rage 2, which is a sequel that I really wanted but I doubt many others wanted. It is really nice of Bethesda, Id and Avalanche Studios to make a game for me and like 12 other people. Thanks! I really loved…

Like A Bullet. Shin-Osaka Station, Osaka, Japan. By Brian Ashcraft | Twitter 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! 

Track: Sealab | Artist: Calamine | “Theme Song From The Adult Swim Show Sealab 2021“ –Sorry. This is now stuck in your head for the next few hours. Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

‘Shop Contest: Happy 10 Years Stephen

This month marks Editor-in-Chief Stephen Totilo’s 10th anniversary at Kotaku. A whole decade! Wow! In honor of this milestone, let’s take a look back at one of his most famous photos and see what fun we can have with it! Your challenge this week: Have some fun with my boss! The portable Wii U is…

‘Shop Contest: Star Wars X Sonic, Winners!

Last weekend was filled with Sonic and Star Wars news. So I asked you, the wonderful readers of Kotaku, to mash up these two franchises in our latest contest. Our winning image this week comes from Mrichston who seems to hate us. Why else would this person ruin our lives with this monstrosity? You win,…