Skullgirls Developer Lays Off Everyone Who Hadn’t Already Quit

Lab Zero Games’ controversial owner Mike “Mike Z” Zaimont fired the studio’s entire staff last week following a series of high-profile departures, leaving several full-time employees and contract workers scrambling for support. News of these mass layoffs became public yesterday thanks to former Lab Zero artist Jonathan “Persona” Kim, who helped promote fellow departee Marial…

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Attention Highlight Reel fans! While the long-running show featuring amazing (and ridiculous) gaming feats is no longer running on Kotaku, you can keep up with it—and support the creation of new episodes—over on Patreon, where host Chris Person is giving the show new life. Go to Patreon to find out more about what Chris has…

Nintendo Just Threw Super Mario Galaxy 2 Down The Memory Hole

One of the best mainline Mario games ever was nowhere to be found during today’s Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary Direct Nintendo celebrated 35 years of Super Mario Bros. today by announcing that a number of the most beloved games in the series would finally make their way onto Switch, including Super Mario All-Stars, Super…

So, Is Marvel’s Avengers An Endless Grindfest Or Not?

There’s a cloud hanging over Marvel’s Avengers. Since the third-person action game was confirmed to be a Destiny-style online game, one question has persisted: Just how much of a grind are we looking at? Is Marvel’s Avengers, officially out tomorrow for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, more of an endless toil than an entertaining…

Serious Sam 4 Devs Dropped ‘Planet Badass’ Subtitle Because It Wouldn’t Make Sense In Other Languages

The latest installment of the tongue-in-cheek Serious Sam franchise was first announced in 2018. While the game was known then as Serious Sam 4: Planet Badass, it will arrive on PC and Stadia later this month without the subtitle. Why this happened is different depending on who you ask. According to a comment on the…

Free-To-Play Online Games Still Aren’t Really Free On Xbox One

Yesterday, Rocket League developer Psyonix announced that when the game goes free-to-play later this year you’ll no longer need a paid subscription to play it online on PS4 or Switch. Unfortunately, that won’t be the case on Xbox One. Rocket League will instead be the latest in a long line of free-to-play online games that…

School’s Out In Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 Due To Covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned schools into a very different place, with numerous countries closing schools or adding new safety measures and rules for children and teachers. These changes are a part of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2’s reimagined School level. The new Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game, out tomorrow, takes all the levels from…

Everything Nintendo Just Announced In Its Mario Showcase

In celebration of Mario’s 35th anniversary, Nintendo released a Super Mario Bros. Direct stuffed with all Mario everything. Here’s a look at all the goodies the company announced. A New Novelty Handheld Coming November 13, 2020 is a new Game & Watch-style handheld loaded with the original Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost…

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit Turns Mario Kart Into An AR Game With Real Toys

For some time, Mario Kart has famously been playable in virtual reality, which you can do at the VR Zone, in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Now, Nintendo’s long-running racing series is getting the augmented reality treatment. Announced today during a Mario-themed video presentation, Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit will bring Mario Kart to the entire living room.…

Mario Is Getting A Battle Royale Game Called Super Mario Bros. 35

Mario is finally getting the battle royal treatment in an online multiplayer game called Super Mario Bros. 35 that’s coming to Switch on October 1. In it you’ll battle against 34 other players across what look like levels from the original Super Mario Bros. for the NES. Defeat enemies and they’ll be transported to other…

Nintendo Finally Announces 3D Mario Collection For The Switch, Out This Month

Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and other classic 3D Mario games are coming to the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo confirmed today. The collection has been rumored for months and now looks to be the Switch’s premiere release for the fall season. The collection, called Super Mario 3D All-Stars is out for Switch on September 18…

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2: The Kotaku Review

Let’s just get this out of the way: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 is a masterpiece. In perfectly mimicking the iconic skateboarding series’ first two outings, this remaster gives me everything I could ever want out of a game. I am dumbfounded by there somehow being something so good and pure in the world. I…