Culture

Pepsi Launches J-Cola, A Special Pepsi Aimed At Japan

This is Pepsi J-Cola. According to website NariNari, it is aimed at Japan’s cola-loving “heavy users.” That’s exactly what NariNari wrote: ヘビーユーザー (hebiiyuuzaa), which is, of course, what’s used in the cola industry to refer to people who drink loads of the fizzy beverage. J-Cola was developed after getting feedback from over a hundred Japanese…

Track: Used Future | Artist: The Sword | Album: Used Future Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

PUBG Pro Wins Match By Leaping Off A Cliff 

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has so many issues that the ironic phrase “esports ready” is a meme in its community, but that doesn’t mean the game’s competitive scene can’t produce great moments every once in a while. Case in point: this match in which a player leaped off a cliff to secure a win. Here’s what’s happening…

The Art Of Fortnite

It sometimes feels like Fortnite has come out of nowhere to become the biggest game on the planet, but of course it had to come from somewhere. Like the imaginations of these artists, who helped bring Epic’s shooter to life. Below you’ll find a selection of art involved in the production of Fortnite, not just…

You Don’t Wanna Know How Sea Of Thieves Pirates Fit Into Cannons

Today on Highlight Reel we have tiny pirates, explosive entrances, unreasonable Far Cry 5 NPCs, and much more! Watch the video then talk about your favorite highlight in the comments below. Be sure to check out, like, and share the original videos via the links below. Subscribe to Kotaku on YouTube for more! Catch up…

We Played A Delicious Edible Tabletop Game

I played several different games at the Game Developers Conference last week, but I only ate one of them. That game is The Patisserie Code, one of a series of edible games in the works by Jenn Sandercock, a designer who worked on last year’s delightful adventure game Thimbleweed Park. She came by the GDC…

Why One Indie Studio Gives Every Employee The Same Salary

There’s been a lot of talk in recent weeks about fairness and transparency in the video game industry. On Kotaku Splitscreen, we speak with a studio head who takes things to the extreme, paying every employee the same exact wage. Last week at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, we interviewed Tanya X. Short,…

The Week In Games: Cults And ‘Coasters

This week we’ve got Far Cry 5’s cult-fighting open world coming to lots of platforms and Outlast 2 being ported to the Switch. There’s other stuff, too. This is a strong week for the PS Vita, a console that I thought had been mostly abandoned at this point. If you’ve yet to make the jump…

Track: Don’t Stop | Artist: The Stone Roses | Album: The Stone Roses Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Whatcha Doin’ Out Here Shippy?

Balazs Agoston is a freelance concept artist and illustrator from Hungary. You can see more of Agoston’s work at his ArtStation page To see the images in their native resolution, click on the “expand” button in the top-left corner. Fine Art is a celebration of the work of video game artists, showcasing the best of…

Track: Pristine | Artist: Snail Mail | Album: Lush Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Kotaku ‘Shop Contest: Everyone Loves Boats

Sea of Thieves is out now, and we’re finally able to sail the high seas. What other characters might be getting their boat on now? There’s something about the allure of boats. I’ve spent a lot of time cruising around in my own personal sailing vessel in Assassin’s Creed IV, and Geralt’s little single-person boat…

The Main Game Dev Advocacy Group Is Wishy-Washy On Unions

Here at the Game Developer’s Conference in San Francisco, there’s an increasing momentum for the action that game developers have whispered about for decades: Unionization. In the wake of crunch, layoffs, and heavy burnout in the video game industry, developers are taking to Discord and Twitter to whisper about what it would look like to…

Sunday Comics: Mood Matrix

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 March 19. Read more of Awkward Zombie Corpse Run by Alex Di Stasi. Published March 22. Read more of Corpse Run Double XP by…

Track: Blue Monday [Live in Glasgow] | Artist: New Order | Album: Power, Corruption & Lies Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Kotaku ‘Shop Contest: A New Challenger Appears, Winners!

Image editing brings the best out in everyone, and we’ve had some truly amazing entries centered on bringing different characters together so that they can, well, fight each other. Last week I asked you to put some new fighters in the arena together, and I was not disappointed. There were so many good ‘shops that…

This Week in the Business: The Real Problem With Switch Ports

QUOTE | “Switch is not as powerful as a PS4 or Xbox One. Everyone knows that. But the difference isn’t as big as the general perception would have you believe.” – Abstraction Games CEO Ralph Egas says the studio’s biggest challenge in porting Ark: Survival Evolved to the Switch was not processor power, but getting…

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

The weekend is for making mac and cheese, oh boy! Also, video games. I’m finally going to get the chance to play some Sea of Thieves, which I haven’t touched since the first beta. I had a good time getting into trouble with my friends, so I’m hoping the full game has lots more opportunities…

Ask Dr. NerdLove: My Girlfriend Won’t Throw Out Her Old Wedding Photos

Hello all you burning godnipples of the Twitternet, and welcome to Ask Dr. NerdLove, the dating advice column that’s the latest challenger to join Smash Bros. This week, it’s time to talk about managing relationship issues you never quite expected. How can you tell when your partner’s still holding a flame for their ex? And…

Track: Baba O’Riley (Live) | Artist: The Who | Album: The Kids Are Alright Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.