Culture

French Consumer Group Sues Valve Over Ban On Steam Resales

Valve has come under fire from a French consumer association called UFC Que Choisir (slightly different from that other UFC). The organization litigates on behalf of the public, and they feel that Steam is letting customers down. I like what they’re trying to do, but I don’t love their chances here. UFC Que Choisir believes…

The Biggest Changes Hidden In Team Fortress 2‘s New Update

Team Fortress 2 recently got a new update. In broader strokes, it’s pretty standard stuff: new contracts, new weapons, new maps, coordinated aerobics, etc. Players, however, have uncovered some small details that impact the game in a big way. The update, titled Tough Break, includes four community-made maps and a new $5.99 campaign with 26…

Fallout Aircraft Can’t Decide If It Wants To Crash

Today on Highlight Reel we have Just Cause 3 human rockets, time lapses, drunk vertibirds and much more! Watch the video above, 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. Just Cause 3 –Rocket Propelled Tank! – Defecating…

Podcast: What’s The Future For Hideo Kojima?

Former pachinko star Hideo “Big Boss” Kojima officially parted ways with Konami this week. Let’s talk about it! On today’s episode of Kotaku Splitscreen, our friend and yours Evan Narcisse joins the crew to discuss what we want to see next from Hideo Kojima (and Konami). We also briefly talk about Star Wars: Wake Up,…

Track: Xenogears – Light from the Netherworld | Artist: Yasunori Mitsuda | Album: N/A Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Marcus Fenix, Lonely Guy

Andrew Porter is a concept artist who has worked on games like Batman: Arkham Origins, Gears of War Ultimate Edition and Dirty Bomb You can see more of Andrew’s work at his personal site and ArtStation page To see the larger pics in all their glory (or, if they’re big enough, so you can save…

Steam’s Latest Hit Is Like A More Realistic Battlefield

“It just feels like we’re dying for nothing, trying to take this base,” lamented one of my teammates during a multiplayer match of Squad. “Well, that’s war,” replied another in a remarkably somber tone. “A whole lot of dying for nothing.” Squad is a large-scale (current max is 72 players in one match, but the…

Someone Got Danny Trejo To Promote Their Counter-Strike Weapon Skins For Them

In Counter-Strike, players can submit their own weapon skins, which Valve will then consider for use in the actual game if they get enough upvotes. One player decided his self-promotion efforts weren’t enough, so he called in a little assistance. Yes, that’s Danny Trejo—of Desperado, Machete, and, er, Spy Kids fame—telling you to check out…

A New Way To Play Street Fighter With The Steam Controller

Street Fighter is a game of precise input and output—a delicate tightrope walk of fistic physicality. Hacked together Steam controller motion controls? Maybe not the best idea. And yet… On a whim, ConstableBento took a crack at a motion-centric Ultra Street Fighter IV control scheme that—among other things—replaces the joystick with movement of the controller,…

Track: Comin’ at ya, my girl | Artist: Mitsuharu Fukuyama | Album: Yakuza 5 – Original Soundtrack Vol. 2 Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment. To contact the author of this post, write to: [email protected]

The Steam controller got another big update. Now in open beta, it allows you to register your Steam controller for easy access to your configurations anywhere. It also adds a selection of adorable chime noises for when you power on. Watch PocketEngi’s video of them above. I’m especially partial to “triumph.”

You’re Killing It, Evie Frye

This is Lady Angelus as Assassin’s Creed Syndicate’s Evie Frye, perhaps the best-dressed video game character of 2015. Making this one of the best pieces of cosplay for 2015, as the work that went into the fine details of Evie’s suit (in this case the Bloofer Lady Outfit from the Victorian Legends DLC) is just…

Valve Admits Controversial Counter-Strike Changes Didn’t Work Out

The most recent big Counter-Strike update pissed off a lot of players, first with an overpowered new pistol, then more subtly with an overhaul of the way rifles and pistols work. Now, though, Valve’s admitted that they messed up. In the wake of the changes, members of the Counter-Strike community spent a whole week lobbing…

Track: Sunset Riders – Shoot out at the Sunset Ranch | Artist: Motoaki Furukawa | Album: N/A Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

In Memory of Ralph McQuarrie, the Artist who Designed Darth Vader & R2-D2

I run theFine Art feature on Kotaku because it’s an aspect of the creative process that I have a big interest in, and the utmost respect for. Indeed, there was a point in my life where I hit a fairly substantial crossroads, and if I hadn’t gone down the path that led me here, I’d…

Full Suit Of Titan Armor Looks Like It Fell Out Of Destiny

Frank Ippolito and his team were asked by Sony to build a contest winner a full set of Titan armour from Destiny. After five weeks of work, they delivered, and then some. Here’s a kinda-gross ad/video that you can skip through to get to the parts where they’re showing the build progress and the suit…

Track: Train in Vain | Artist: The Clash | Album: London Calling Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Beautiful Maps Of Fake Places

Robert Altbauer calls himself a “fantasy cartographer”. If maps of places that don’t actually exist are your fetish, then Robert is your man. Over the years Altbauer has created maps for video game publishers, RPG companies and authors, with some actual, historical map work thrown in for good measure. You can see more of Robert’s…

Track: Ten Crack Commandments | Artist: Notorious B.I.G. & Otaku Gang | Album: Life After Death Star Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

See You Later, Random NPC

Today on Highlight Reel we have NPC slingshots, surprise Skywalkers, powerful punches, and much more! Watch the video above, 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. Uncharted 4 Beta – One punch man got nothing on Cutter’s…