Culture

The Week in Games: Pigskin Picks

Lots of heavy hitters in the lineup this week, as Madden NFL 25 is joined by Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and Lost Planet 3 on Tuesday. New Super Luigi U already is out today on Wii U and the Mac version of SimCity arrives Thursday. There’s more on the jump. Today • New…

Sunday Comics: Planned Obsolescence

Welcome to Kotaku‘s Sunday Comics, your weekly roundup of the best webcomics, chosen by our readership. The images enlarge if you click on the magnifying glass icon in the lower right corner. Nerf NOW!! by Josué Pereira. Published Aug. 20. Read more of Nerf NOW!! Penny Arcade by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik. Published Aug.…

This Week in the Business: When Ads Go Bad

What’s happened in the business of video games this past week … QUOTE | “They’re using words like amateur, crass, gross, disgusting … nothing that you’d want your brand associated with.”—A veteran game marketing executive describes the widespread negative response to Ouya’s ‘vomiting gamer’ ad QUOTE | “The handheld market, in terms of the media…

Here’s How You Can Make Your Very Own Ramen Burger

Remember that ramen burger we wrote about a few months ago? It’s only available in Japan and New York…but it’s not like you can’t make your own. popsugartvyum here walks us through it—mind, this is the kind of ramen burger that uses the ramen as buns, not as the patty. I’m sure you could adapt…

Sunday Comics: Effective Anti-fungal Fighter

Welcome to Kotaku‘s Sunday Comics, your weekly roundup of the best webcomics, chosen by our readership. The images enlarge if you click on the magnifying glass icon in the lower right corner. Another Videogame Webcomic by Phil Chan and Joe Dunn. Published Aug. 16. Read more of Another Videogame Webcomic Penny Arcade by Jerry Holkins…

Potato Girl Loves Their Hash Browns: Who knew that Denny’s were such big fans of Attack on Titan? After someone sent the diner chain a picture of “Potato Girl,” calling her “your mascot,” Denny’s Twitter account sent out this scrumptious mash-up. [CrunchyRoll, h/t mr_raccoon]

This Week in the Business: Fortune Also Favors the Cautious

What’s happened in the business of video games this past week … QUOTE | “Being too ambitious, as we have seen with THQ for example, is not always a good thing.”—Koch Media co-founder Dr. Klemes Kundratitz, on rapid growth at Koch Media and its publishing arm Deep Silver QUOTE | “GameStop has at least 10…

Leaked E-mails Suggest Bethesda Misled Gamers About Prey 2

Arkane Studios is making Prey 2. Officials at the company behind the game just didn’t want you to know yet.

The Week in Games: A Dream Effort

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team on the 3DS kicks off the week of new releases, but it has company coming later in the week. Heist-shooter Payday 2 rolls out on three platforms and the Summer of Arcade continues on Xbox Live with Charlie Murder. Today • Mario and Luigi: Dream Team (3DS) Tuesday • Europa…

Sunday Comics: The Shape of Things

Welcome to Kotaku‘s Sunday Comics, your weekly roundup of the best webcomics, chosen by our readership. The images enlarge if you click on the magnifying glass icon in the lower right corner. Nerf NOW!! by Josué Pereira. Published Aug. 9. Read more of Nerf NOW!! Penny Arcade by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik. Published Aug.…

This Week in the Business: The Customer Isn’t Always Right

What’s happened in the business of video games this past week … QUOTE | “There’s one mistake that they all make, and that mistake is listening to their customers.”—Jesse Schell, noted game designer, on why Microsoft and other big companies can have a hard time introducing new technology QUOTE | “Who knows if there’ll be…

Capcom’s Heroes Look Awesome as Samurai

Ever wonder how Capcom’s greatest heroes and heroines would look as samurai? Or ninja? Or geisha? Well now is your chance! Onimusha Soul is a Japan-only browser (and smartphone)-based customizable card game. Much like in the Valkyria Chronicles browser game, you build your own squad and battle against the squads of other players. But the…

The Week in Games: Pik-Me-Up

Today’s release of Pikmin 3 on Wii U, plus Tuesday’s Tales of Xillia on PlayStation 3 and Dragon’s Crown on PS3 and PS Vita, wake the video game release calendar up from its usual midsummer slumber. Today • Pikmin 3 (Wii U) Tuesday • The Sims 3 Dragon Valley (PC, Mac) • Dragon’s Crown (PS3,…

Sunday Comics: Infinite Variety

Welcome to Kotaku‘s Sunday Comics, your weekly roundup of the best webcomics, chosen by our readership. The images enlarge if you click on the magnifying glass icon in the lower right corner. Brentalfloss the Comic by Brent Black, Andrew Dobson and Dan Roth. Published July 30. Read more of Brentalfloss the Comic Penny Arcade by…

This Week in the Business: ‘Like Having a Dead Body Handcuffed to You’

What’s happened in the business of video games this past week … QUOTE | “I don’t think they should have had a physical drive on Xbox One—it’s like having a dead body handcuffed to you.”—David Darling, founder of Codemasters, discussing the revolution of digital distribution QUOTE | “What I don’t like in the games industry…

It’s A Crying Shame This Video Game Never Got Made

Rodrigo Ribeiro, a senior concept artist at Spark Unlimited (and formerly of Insomniac), recently published these images of a game that sadly never saw the light of day. Pity. Because I’m completely in love with the character designs. The style of the guys and girls below falls somewhere between “Gorillaz” and “The Goon”, which pushes…

Taco Bell is debuting a new Doritos Locos Taco flavor on August 22. They’ve done Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch. What could it be? I’m hoping plain.

League of Legends, Mass Effect & Loads of Rad 80’s Tributes

Since we last saw the supremely-talented Dave Rapoza, he was doing some of the best fan art in the business. Now he’s doing some of the best business art in the business. Like half the planet these days, he’s done some art for iOS card game Legend of the Cryptids, as well as work for…

The Wonderful World of Video Game…World Maps

Thanks to Attract Mode for pointing out Are We There Yet?, a site that’s dedicated to collecting and showing off one of gaming’s most important – and often cutest – aids, the world map. It’s concerned mostly with older stuff, from the 80s and 90s, and covers everything from fighting games to old arcade titles…

There Is A Literal Use For The Term “Lady Killer”

We’re looking today at the work of OXAN, a visual development studio that does work for games, movies and magazines. Some of the stuff below is from Applibot’s Legend of the Cryptids, an iOS card game that is killingit when it comes to art. You can see more of their work at the studio’s CGHub…