-
Culture
The Official Oreo iPhone Game Isn’t Nearly as Bad as It Should Be
The rise of mobile phone games has done wonders for the normally dark and seedy world of advergaming. With Oreo Twist, Lick, Dunk, PikPok has created an interactive advertisement I’ve actually wanted to play more than once. The setup is pretty simple: Oreo cookies fly into the air. One swipe twists the tops off. The…
By Mike Fahey Published November 26, 2012 -
Culture
The Week in Games: Blank Friday
For the rest of the year, the major release calendar is looking at Far Cry 3 on Dec. 4 and Hawken on Dec. 12, which means this week—the Tuesday after Black Friday—is looking at very little in the way of new releases. Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault is the big name leading the lineup.…
By Owen Good Published November 25, 2012 -
Culture
Sunday Comics: The Kitchen Sink
Welcome to your Sunday read of the week’s best in web comics. Make sure to click on the expand button in the bottom right to enlarge each comic. ActionTrip by Borislav Grabovic and Ure Paul published Nov. 17.—Read more of ActionTrip Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich published Nov. 19.—Read more of Awkward Zombie Nerf NOW!!…
By Owen Good Published November 25, 2012 -
Culture
This Week in the Business: ‘Nintendo Has Set Up the Wii U for Failure.’
What’s happened in the business of video games this past week … QUOTE | “Nintendo has set up the Wii U for failure.”—Dan Hsu, editor in chief of GamesBeat, talking along with journalists and analysts about the mixed critical reception to the Nintendo’s launch of the Wii U STAT | $500 million—Amount that Call of…
By Steve Peterson Published November 24, 2012 -
Culture
Whatever You Do, Don’t Look Down
David Smit is a concept artist with a ton of experience working in video games, from stints with studios like Guerilla Games (Killzone 2) and Crytek (Project: Ryse). He’s now a freelancer, who in addition to his video game work has also provided art for clients like Adidas and Playboy. If you like what you…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 23, 2012 -
Culture
Happy Thanksgiving, Here’s Some Pin-Up Girls vs Zombies vs Clowns
Damian Schouweiler, of BioWare, works at the company’s social division, meaning he’s contributed to games like Age of Champions, from which all of today’s images originate. In the past, however, he’s been employed at places like Trion and Sony Online Entertainment, where he helped out on Legends of Norrath, Everquest 2, RIFT and the Untold…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 22, 2012 -
CultureTotal Recall
A Gentleman’s Reading Collection Should Always Begin With Duke Nukem
That up there isn’t some joke image someone tossed up on Tumblr. It’s a real photo, taken from the Library of Congress’ video game collection, and it features vintage strategy guides, rebound and preserved for the ages. The image was taken from a recent in-house interview held on the Library’s site, which goes into detail…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 20, 2012 -
Culture
It’s a Dark, Lonely Frontier In Assassin’s Creed III
William Wu is a concept artist, formerly of Ubisoft, who spent two years of his life drawing fantastic images of colonial America for the just-released Assassin’s Creed III Prior to his work at Ubisoft, Wu was employed at Intel, where he was involved in the ill-fated Project Offset. If you like what you see, you…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 20, 2012 -
Culture
Burger King’s Gingerbread Cookie Shake: The Angry Snacktaku Non-Review
One of my favorite flavors in the entire world is the warm and spicy snap of gingerbread. The taste instantly transports me back to my childhood, to the warm glow of Christmas lights, the scent of pine and the safe feeling of being surrounded by people that love me. People unlike the folks working at…
By Mike Fahey Published November 19, 2012 -
Culture
Free Wii U With $5,000 Box of Twinkies? Now There’s a Bargain.
Why spend a ridiculous amount of cash on one thing that’s not as scarce as people think it is when you can get two in one stupid eBay auction? Sent to us by reader Chris, this timely twofer combines the joy of milking a potential Christmas Wii U shortage with the chance that Hostess will…
By Mike Fahey Published November 19, 2012 -
Culture
The Week in Games: Say U, Say Wii
The Wii U’s release opened a floodgate of new releases today, and also made about a dozen early launches on the new console finally playable. Tuesday returns things more to normal, with Hitman: Absolution arriving on consoles and Assassin’s Creed III coming to PC. Kotaku thanks our bargain-hunting watchdogs Dealzon for assembling The Week in…
By Owen Good Published November 18, 2012 -
Culture
Sunday Comics: A Lot Harder Than It Looks
Welcome to your Sunday read of the week’s best in web comics. Make sure to click on the expand button in the bottom right to enlarge each comic. Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich published Nov. 12.—Read more of Awkward Zombie Nerf NOW!! by Josué Pereira published Nov. 16.—Read more of Nerf NOW!! Penny Arcade by…
By Owen Good Published November 18, 2012 -
Culture
This Week in the Business: ‘There is a Dark Underbelly to Xbox Live.’
What’s happened in the business of video games this past week … QUOTE | “There is a dark underbelly to Xbox Live.”—Rob Fahey, former editor of GamesIndustry.biz, talking about what can be done to rescue Xbox Live and online gaming from abusive bullies QUOTE | “The idea that Microsoft would make a game console was…
By Steve Peterson Published November 17, 2012 -
Culture
Snackopalypse 2012: Hostess Products Disappear from Store Shelves, Internet Price Gouging Begins
This morning I reported on the closing on Hostess Brands Inc., the company that’s been keeping America in Twinkies, Ho-Hos and Ding Dongs for 82 years. I suggested readers rush to the store and buy all of the Hostess snacks they could before they disappeared. If you didn’t heed that advice, it may already be…
By Mike Fahey Published November 17, 2012 -
Culture
Snacktaku Special Report: Hostess Struck Down, Fate of the Twinkie Uncertain
Stop reading this and go to the store. Buy all the Twinkies, Ho-Ho’s, Ding Dongs, Fruit Pies and chocolate cup cakes with the swirly line of “frosting” on top that you can afford. Take out a loan if you must. Hostess Brands, Inc., a national snacking institution for more than 80 years, is closing its…
By Mike Fahey Published November 16, 2012 -
Culture
The Haunting, Beautiful Art of Peter La
Canadian Peter La is a former user interface specialist who’s recently shifted over to concept art. He’s done work for mobile games like Sushi Smash and the gorgeous puzzle game Nuculus, but really, saying he’s just a casual games artist is really selling his talents short. Those more ethereal sci-fi pieces below are some of…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 15, 2012 -
Culture
Yes, Master Chief, I Know You’re Part Robot, But I Want You To Get In This Bigger Robot
My sincerest apologies if you’ve had your fill of Halo 4 concept art over the past week because, well, I have not. As is common, now that the game is on shelves the artists involved can begin sharing more of their work. One of those artists is Chris Durso, whose stuff you’ll be seeing today.…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 14, 2012 -
Culture
Nobody Told Me Assassin’s Creed III Featured Such Dapper Gentlemen
I haven’t played much of Assassin’s Creed III. I put the 360 version down around an hour in, figured I’d wait and play it on PC instead. So I have no idea who the guy above with the sharp uniform and the tiny dog is. But I like him These images are all the work…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 13, 2012 -
Culture
It’s Like a Reference Book. Only, For Halo’s Spartans.
I have a long-standing love of old-fashioned reference books. Like, the ones where the whole thing, cover-to-cover, is devoted entirely to illustrations of, say, Napoleonic cavalry uniforms. One day I’ll sort out just what that fetish means, but in the meantime, I’m going to indulge it with these pieces of Halo 4 concept art by…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 12, 2012 -
Culture
The Week in Games: Black is Back
Black Ops II is this week’s glamor release, and has been for a very long time. LEGO Lord of the Rings, Just Dance 4 and RIFT: Storm Legion make it a varied week for new video games. You’ll also notice a ton of Wii U titles hitting shelves. You can’t yet play them, but they’re…
By Owen Good Published November 11, 2012