Culture

This Week In The Business: Mostly PR Nightmares

QUOTE | “Inappropriate conduct or practices have no place at Quantic Dream. We have taken and always will take such grievances very seriously. We value every single person who works at QuanticDream. It is of utmost importance to us that we maintain a safe environment that allows us all to channel our shared passion for…

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

The weekend is for binge-watching a PBS Masterpiece Theater show about a WWI department store, because you’re just that cool. It’s also for playing video games. I’m still playing Frostpunk, because I can’t resist restarting when things go pear-shaped (or, well, being forced to restart when my populace overthrows me). I’m also still working my…

Steam Spy Is Back, But Not As Accurate As Before

Steam Spy, the PC gaming sales-tracking mainstay loved by some developers and loathed by others, was recently presumed dead by its creator, Sergey Galyonkin, after an update to Steam’s privacy defaults. It is now coming back, but it’ll be different. The old Steam Spy estimated a PC game’s sales by sweeping publicly viewable Steam profiles…

Assassin’s Creed Origins, Six Months Later

Half a year ago, Ubisoft released Assassin’s Creed Origins. It was in some ways the most ambitious Assassin’s Creed game ever made, and in other ways noticeably less ambitious than its predecessors. In the months since then, Origins has become considerably more interesting. Join me now as we climb into the Animus and travel back…

The Internet Reacts To Hogwarts Mystery’s Microtransactions

Hogwarts Mystery, a new mobile game based on the popular fantasy books, can be fun, but a lot of its content is gated behind some gnarly microtransactions. Harry Potter fans are not pleased. When I checked out Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery yesterday, I was having a blast living out my dreams of being a wizard……

Track: The Lovers Suicide | Artist: The Bilinda Butchers | Album: The Lovers Suicide (single) Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Nice View

René Aigner is a concept artist and illustrator who has worked in video games and books. You can see more of Aigner’s work at his personal site and 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…

Wolfenstein II, Six Months Later

It’s been six months since Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus launched for PC, Xbox One, and PS4. This sequel to 2014’s Wolfenstein: The New Order appeared during a tense time in US politics, promoted and released while racism and white nationalism were at the forefront of Americans’ minds. Here’s how things have gone six months…

Kratos Isn’t Afraid To Take A Cheap Shot

Today on Highlight Reel we have God of War brutality, Battlegrounds parking, Labo creations 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 on…

The Two-Month Hunt To Beat A Puzzle Game And Win $9,000

When players took their first steps into MonteCrypto’s gargantuan puzzle labyrinth, they had no idea what they were getting into. The game’s creators were equally in the dark. They knew it’d end with somebody winning roughly $9,000, but they had no clue when or how. Unlike most video games, MonteCrypto offered a tangibly tantalizing light…

Why Fortnite Is So Popular

How did Fortnite become a global phenomenon? Today on a very special Kotaku Splitscreen crossover episode, we try to figure that out. First Kirk and I talk about Paris, Valve buying Campo Santo, Quantic Dream suing journalists, and Destiny 2 before we’re joined by Kotaku’s Gita Jackson and Patricia Hernandez of Fave This (43:57) to…

I Can’t Stop Building Churches In Frostpunk

At a certain point in Frostpunk you get the option to choose a path: order or faith. This opens up a new set of laws you can enact, with their own progression. In my playthrough I chose faith. I haven’t used it to much practical benefit, but I like having it around. Frostpunkis a city-building…

Track: On Green Dolphin Street | Artist: Miles Davis| Album: Kind of Blue Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Track: Babygirl | Artist: Anthony Green | Album: Studio 4 Acoustic Session Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

The Art Of Ni no Kuni 2

We don’t get to run too many Japanese games on Fine Art, so it’s a pleasure tonight to be able to feature some of the work that went into Ni no Kuni 2 While Studio Ghibli partnered with Level 5 on the first game, they didn’t officially help out on Ni no Kuni 2. But…

Lesser-Known Moments From World War II That Should Be In Video Games

Call of Duty has returned to World War II. It wasn’t so long ago that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare saved us from drowning in World War II games. Unfortunately, its success meant we spent the next several years drowning in modern military shooters instead, and when we got tired of that, game devs…

Let’s Talk About THAT Scene From God Of War

There are a lot of cool sequences in God of War. Let’s talk about the coolest one. No seriously, that is a spoiler warning! This conversation quickly spoils one of the best surprises in God of War. It happens towards the middle of the game. We don’t actually go into detail about endgame spoilers, final…

Amazing Celeste Speedrun Includes All The Extras

Speedrunners can rush through Celeste in about thirty minutes but collecting everything and completing all challenges is much trickier. Last night, someone finally completed a 114% speedrun, collecting all hidden items and completing the game’s most difficult levels without dying. Achieving 114% in Celeste is difficult even when you’re taking your time. It involves collecting…

Maybe Kratos Isn’t That Strong

Today on Highlight Reel we have Labo creations, God of War laziness, inter-dimensional nut punches, 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…

Boy, Read This: The Internet Pokes Fun At Kratos In God of War

For such a grim, serious and violent game, God of War sure is making people on the internet laugh. God of War is a pleasant surprise. Playing as Kratos, the curmudgeonly dad and his precious son Atreus is both narratively satisfying and has interesting gameplay. It’s also given rise to one of my favorite current…