Culture

Kotaku ‘Shop Contest: Sonic Crossover, Winners!

IDW has it’s work cut out for it if it’s going to ever realize even a fifth of the licensed Sonic and friends get togethers you’ve all dreamed up. Which is probably a good thing, because a lot of these are too hot for the page. While comic book Sonic has gone to a lot…

This Week In The Business: No Money In Retro?

QUOTE | “Mostly there’s just no money in it anymore, if there ever was… As much as I love those sorts of games and love to keep making those for years, I’m reaching a point where I know I’d be throwing money away if I continued to do that.” – Super Win the Game and…

Dream Daddy Creators Explain Why You Can’t Smooch All The Dads

In most dating sims, you can rest assured that if you pour time and effort into winning a character’s affections, you’ll have the option of ending up with them. In dad-tastic dating sim Dream Daddy, however, that’s not always the case—a fact that’s made some players upset. I recently spoke with creators Leighton Gray and…

Sadly, Most ‘Survival’ Games Aren’t Really About Survival

Looking over reviews of recent Steam sandbox hit Citadel: Forged With Fire, I was struck by a repeated refrain: Finally, reviewers cheered, a game that eschews survival “busywork” like hunger, thirst, and stamina. It’s true that in many so-called survival games, survival is tedious. But survival is about more than just food and shelter, and…

The Mother Of Dragons

Alex Negrea is an artist who has done work for companies like Crytek and Volta. We’ve actually featured Alex’s art previously: the Mercy piece here was commissioned by Blizzard,and ran in a best-of we made around the game’s launch You can see more of Alex’s work at his ArtStation page To see the images in…

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

The weekend is for going to a new laundromat for the first time. Will it be terrible? Tolerable? Also, video games. So every weekend I decide I’m going to play some Witcher, and then I get busy with other games and I don’t play The Witcher. It cannot stand, readers. The Witcher must be played.…

Ask Dr. NerdLove: I Didn’t Cheat But My Wife Thinks I Did

Hello all you frightening skin machines, and welcome to Ask Dr. NerdLove, the only advice column with a complete walkthrough for the dating sim of life. This week, we’re tackling a couple of complex topics. When it seems like you’ve missed your window, is it possible to turn a friendship into something more physical? And…

Track: The Strongest Person I Know (Live with the Heritage Orchestra) | Artist: The Streets | Album: Everything Is Borrowed Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Battlegrounds Player Weed_Man Dies The Sickest Death

Today on Highlight Reel we have sick deaths, sweet jumps, accurate simulations, 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! Fortnite – UFO Teleporter Bug…

Valve Pulls Popular Sex Game From Steam; Developer Blames Complaints About ‘Pornography’

When sex comedy game House Party launched on Steam last month, seemingly uncensored, people were surprised. Steam doesn’t have a blanket ban on nudity, but it often requires brazenly naughty games to pocket their packages and obscure their unmentionables. In House Party, you can just whip your dick out. Because it’s not a party until…

Jet Set Radio Sure Loved Its Graffiti

It's the heart of the game, even more than its skating

The Low Road Is A Stylish 1970s Spy Adventure

The Low Road opens with one of my favorite video game puzzles of the year. The rest of what I’ve played, sadly, isn’t quite on the same level. The game, a spy comedy adventure set in 1976, begins with rookie agent (and player character) Noomi Kovacs being thrown into the deep end. Her new boss,…

And I Would Have Got Away With It Too If It Wasn’t For You Damn *BZZZZTTTT*

Yi Liu is a concept artist from China with a penchant for cyberpunk futures. You can see more of Yi’s art 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…

Oh God This Waluigi Cosplay

This is how Mick Ignis went to Comic Con this year. I will not sleep easily tonight. He had some make-up help from Cig Nuetron, who was looking just as awful/amazing as Wario (while that’s Rannie Rodil as Mario & Luigi’s Princess Shroob):

Snacktaku Eats Ramen-Flavored Pringles

What happens when the world’s favorite brand of stack-able potato crisps meets Nissin’s popular line of Japanese-style survival rations? Lots of people tilt their heads and go “huh,” for starters. Also, I make a Snacktaku video. Ramen is a traditional Japanese dish consisting of Chinese-style noodles served in a broth with a wide variety of…

What We Liked And Didn’t Like About Dream Daddy

Dream Daddy’s dreamy dads have captured players’ hearts. Riley MacLeod and Gita Jackson sat down to talk about what they were into and what they weren’t. Gita Jackson: Hi Riley! We’re here to talk about dads! More specifically, we’re here to talk about Dream Daddy: A Daddy Dating Simulator, which we’ve both played some of.…

The New 3DS Pikmin Game Is A Bummer

Hey! Pikmin, you are a disappointing game. Kotaku features editor Chris Kohler and I recently discussed our disappointment in this week’s 3DS/2DS adventure that neither of us has been compelled to complete. He’s halfway, I’m earlier in and even with the help of Captain Olimar, we just can’t find the old Pikmin magic. Stephen Totilo:…

The Detective Will See You Now

Liana Anatolevich is an artist from Russia. This is some of the most badass stuff we’ve had on Fine Art in a long time. You can see more of Liana’s work at her ArtStation page To see the images in their native resolution, click on the “expand” button in the top-left corner. Fine Art is…

Battlegrounds‘ New Skins Look Stylish, But They’ll Cost You

You might not be the brightest tactical mind or the sharpest shooter. You may never take home a chicken dinner. That does not mean, however, that you’re barred from winning the most important battle of all: fashion. While PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds won’t be implementing a permanent microtransaction-based loot crate and key system until the game’s out…

Speedrunner Accused Of Cheating Just Had A Really Good Monitor

Speedruns are about completing a game in the fastest time possible, but can someone go too fast? According to rules, absolutely. Equipment can change how fast a game runs, leading to results that are so wild that communities come together to ban those settings entirely. Mathias is a speedrunner from Denmark who streams under the…