Culture

Nice View, But It Gets A Little Windy

Jedd Chevrier is a lead concept artist at Microsoft, where he’s most recently been working on the very interestingProject Spark. He’s also worked on the 5th addition of D&D, and you can see some of that art below. You can see more of Jedd’s work at his sketch blog To see the larger pics in…

Parental Locks For Video Games Used To Be Crazy

These days, parental locks stop kids from playing games using simple software. In 1990, lacking that kind of technology, things were a little more draconian. This is the “Homework First” video game lock, designed for the NES. It does not fuck around. Looking like a very hefty bike lock, it hooked underneath the console and…

The Internet Reacts To Secret Super Smash Bros. Characters

A lot of the Smash Bros. roster might’ve leaked ahead of time, but that didn’t stop anyone from getting hyped on the secret characters found last night via Japanese streams. It makes sense: while there are a few clones and returning faces, some inclusions in the upcoming Smash game are damned amazing. The internet has…

Let’s Hope The Sims 4 Looks This Good Someday

The Sims has always been a beautiful series of video games. Save for the occasional foray into high fantasy, however, it’s mostly drawn from modern suburbia for its artistic palette. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Some gorgeous concept art that was recently posted online gives an alternate vision of what The Sims…

Have you seen an amazing gaming feat lately? Send it to us at [email protected] to get it included in our new feature, Highlight Reel! We’re looking for fun, exciting, or funny moments to show the world! For Highlight Reel, you can submit a clip of something you did or just something you saw online that…

Mirror’s…Precipice?

Sylvain Sarrailh is a freelance artist based in Toulouse, France. His colours are making my day. You can see more of Sylvain’s work at his DeviantArtand ArtStationpages. He also has a webcomic you can see here. To see the larger pics in all their glory (or, if they’re big enough, so you can save them…

Couple Gets Engaged At The End Of The World

Devon and Joy, both video game artists (we actually featured Devon’s work recently), got engaged the other day. Congrats guys! To celebrate the occasion, then, they got a photo shoot done. A…post-apocalyptic photo shoot. Dawn Bowerytook the shots. I love how they’re actually dual-purpose. I know the intent is post-apocalyptic, but those clean, happy faces…

Track: No Surprises | Artist: Radiohead | Album: OK Computer Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Highlight Reel: Mario Kart AI Finally Gets Revenge

Maybe Wario was just having a bad day. Maybe he was beaten one too many times. Either way, now he’s pissed. It’s Highlight Reel, the show where we round up great moments from around the gaming world and put them all in one easy-to-find video! Today, Mario Kart’s AI finally gets some revenge on a…

Track: Demon | Artist: Entombed | Album: Wolverine Blues Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

A Single Painting Can Transform A Movie

Alex James is a matte painter who has worked in both the video games and movie businesses. If you’re wondering what a matte painter does, that gif you’re seeing above might help explain it. Some of the movies Alex has worked on include Sin City 2, Pacific Rim, Elysium and Oblivion. You can see more…

Zelda Cosplay Moonlights As Music Video

This is actually a music video, for Taylor Davis’ rendition of Ocarina of Time’s Kokiri Forest theme. Both the video, and the role-playing, are fantastic.

Attack On Titan Cosplay Defeats Giants With Cuteness

D Piddy’s Colossal Titan cosplay, last seen being a total creep on the streets of Tokyo, takes a break to break some hearts with a tiny little Mikasa. That’s Cheese cosplaying as Mikasa, and her outfit and gear was made by Yuto Akaboshi

Destiny Players, Which Class Did You Choose?

Before you shoot a single moon wizard in Destiny, you’ll have to choose a class. Titan, Hunter, or Warlock…pick one. As time goes on, it’ll get more common for people to make a couple of alternate characters in different classees, but for your first time through, you gotta pick one and stick with it. So,…

Have you seen an amazing gaming feat lately? Send it to us at [email protected] to get it included in our new feature, Highlight Reel! We’re looking for fun, exciting, or funny moments to show the world! For Highlight Reel, you can submit a clip of something you did or just something you saw online that…

You’re In A Giant Robot Suit. You Could Be Helping, You Know

You know what the 1920s needed more of? Giant mechs. The images you’ll see here are all by Jakub Rozalski, a concept artist based in Germany who works at mobile studio Goodgame. You can see more of Jakub’s work at his Tumblrand ArtStationpage. To see the larger pics in all their glory (or, if they’re…

Highlight Reel: Humans Make Great Bait In The Last Of Us

Coming to you today straight from National Live Internet, it’s Highlight Reel, the show where we round up great moments from around the gaming world and put them all in one easy-to-find video! Today’s clips include a player using wounded enemies as bait in The Last Of Us, and Kotaku readers showing off the many…

Some Questions For People Playing The Sims 4

The Sims 4 came out last week. I’ve been enjoying my time with the game so far. But I’ve also seen a wide array of reactions to it online—some pleasant, some less so. I’d like to understand these better, so let’s talk about the state of The Sims. Here are a few questions I’ve come…

You. Can. Be. Groot (For Just $50).

It would be easy to assume that cosplaying as Groot, from Guardians of the Galaxy, is way out of your price range. All that detail! That scale! Turns out, nope, you can do it for just $50. Remember: twigs are free.

Edwina Kenway, Scourge Of The Spanish Main

This is Othien, a cosplayer based in Poland who not only makes her own outfits, but is able to craft her own steel blades You can see more of Othien’s work at her Facebook page and personal site