Culture

The Week In Games: Villains Reign

We’ve got a week of melee battles, Lego villains, and resonant fates ahead of us. This week offers a small amount of respite in the face of the relentless pace of autumnal releases. We’ve got a new Lego game in Lego DC Villains, which promises to have a similar amount of charm as the other…

Track: Kowashite (Live) | Artist: Drop’s | Album: (Studio Session) Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Beachhead

Tahir Tanis is an artist at DICE, where he’s worked on series like Battlefront and Battlefield. Indeed we’ve featured some of his work in roundups of those games, but tonight is just a personal showcase. You can see more of Tahir’s stuff at his ArtStation page

Our Favorite Cosplay From The 2018 New York Comic-Con

Around 200,000 people went through the doors of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center earlier this month, making the New York Comic-Con one of the biggest nerd shows on the planet. A big part of the con was of course cosplay, and below you’ll find photos and video (taken by Mineralblu) showcasing some of the…

Track: The Killing Moon | Artist: Echo and the Bunnymen | Album: Ocean Rain Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

I Am Bread World Record Speedrun Is A Master Class In Bread Manipulation

Speedrunner “PootLoops” has defeated the bread simulator I Am Bread in a blistering six minutes and twelve seconds while pontificating about ABBA songs. As someone who doesn’t pay a lot of attention to I Am Bread speedruns, I was legitimately flabbergasted by this run. Apparently you can just flip a piece of bread through the…

‘Shop Contest: Expanded Ops

We’re now living in the world of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and I just think that the magical battle royale experience could be a bit more expansive. That’s where you come in. This week’s ‘Shop Contest is all about taking a game that is fundamentally concerned with zombies, hardcore PVP, and battle royale…

A Long And Hopefully Interesting Conversation About Microtransactions

If you’re looking for a lengthy, complicated, nuanced conversation about microtransactions in video games—and why they trigger so much rage—then you sure have come to the right place. That’s what this week’s Kotaku Splitscreen is all about. First, Kirk and I briefly talk about our love for Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, a big, beautiful game…

Sunday Comics: Additional Spy Kids

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 October 8. Today’s entry is part of the 24 Hour Comics event. Read more of Awkward Zombie Corpse Run by Alex Di Stasi. Published October 10.…

‘Shop Contest: Wonders Of The Greek World, Winners!

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey has been out for more than a week now, and people are discovering the wonders of Ancient Greece. Last week, I tasked our loyal ‘Shop Crew with the job of showing us some of the strangest stuff from the Classical Period. I was not disappointed. I’ve been having my own fun as…

This Week in the Business: Red Dead Is Number Two With A Bullet

STAT | 2 – The ranking of Red Dead Redemption 2 on Nielsen’s list of the Most Anticipated Holiday Games of 2018. The only title to beat it out was Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 QUOTE | “The future of gaming is a world where you are empowered to play the games you want,…

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

The weekend is for being pretty pumped about how it’s suddenly become fall in New York, and also regretting that I neglected to get my coat cleaned before it turned coat weather. The weekend is also for video games. I’ve been poking around The Light Keeps Us Safe this week, the new game from the…

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

Japanese Fast Food Chain Mos Burger Is In Trouble 

This hasn’t been a good past few months for one of my favorite fast food chains, Mos Burger. With more than just tasty burgers, Mos Burger (Mountain Ocean Sun Burger) has cultivated its image of being a healthy alternative to McDonald’s. Advertisements tout domestic produce and freshness, going as far as listing where the veggies…

Brazilian Government Calls For Removal Of Violent Far-Right Game From Steam

Does an overtly low-budget game in which a controversial politician smacks down black and gay people count as “straight up trolling” by Valve’s new anything-goes standards? Is it an effort to “incite and sow discord”—which Valve also recently said can be disqualifying? These are the questions surrounding Bolsomito 2K18, a game that’s now being investigated…

Track: Street Fighting Man | Artist: The Rolling Stones | Album: Beggars Banquet Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Tokyo’s New Fish Market Opens, Things Didn’t Go Well

Today is the first official day of the Toyosu Market, the new fish market that is replacing the beloved Tsukiji Fish Market. The opening wasn’t exactly smooth. In September, I visited the Tsukiji Fish Market one last time. The Tsukiji Fish Market had loads of charm (and loads of rats!), while the Toyosu Market doesn’t…

The Art Of The Banner Saga 3

The final instalment of The Banner Saga has been one of my games of 2018, so it’s a pleasure to be showcasing loads of the gorgeous art that went into the making of the game. Led by art director and company co-owner Arnie Jorgensen, Stoic’s art team absolutely killed it here, bringing about one of…

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s Sharks Are Killing Me

Dive to the bottom of the ocean to search a shipwreck and get jumped by four huge man-eating sharks? Get me the fuck out of here.

The Internet Reacts To Overwatch‘s New Halloween Skins

Halloween is on the horizon, which means that Overwatch’s Halloween event is now here. The new skins revealed in it have fans ready and raring for the holiday. Halloween is the best holiday. What’s better than wearing a costume and eating candy? I feel like the Overwatch development team must agree with me, because every…