Communication Is Hard

Say you’re in charge of a 750-person company that develops and manages a massive, complicated video game. Every day you’re making hundreds of decisions both big and small. How do you decide which ones to share with the rest of the team? How do you make sure you’re up to date on everyone else’s decisions?…

YouTube Show Anime Crimes Division Is Naruto Meets CSI

Tracking down a play-for-keeps underground Yu-Gi-Oh ring; rescuing a shipping container of helpless anime body pillows; mediating a gang war between the Subs and the Dubs—these are the anime crimes that Detective Joe Furaya (Vine star SungWon Cho) solves in Anime Crimes Division, the best anime YouTube series I’ve seen yet. The three-episode series debuted…

Bloodborne Fans Find Gnarly Unused Beasts and Bosses In The Game’s Files

Bloodborne’s Lovecraftian setting is full of creative enemies, from multi-eyed brain beasts to half flayed wolf demons. It’s exciting to think about what creatures may still be lurking in the game years later or lost on the cutting room floor. The game’s files recently ended up in the hands of dataminers, one of which decided…

Watch The Makers of Pokémon Play (And Flub) ‘Who’s That Pokemon’

Pokémon fans everywhere have probably played the “who’s that Pokémon” game thanks to the anime, but what happens when the actual developers try it? Turns out, there are some Pokémon that truly defy description. Kazumasa Iwao, director of Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, is joined by the game’s producer, Shigeru Ohmori, in this goofy…

Fallout 4 Looks Better On Xbox One X But Runs Slightly Smoother On PS4 Pro

The Xbox One X update for Fallout 4 arrived this week, and while Microsoft’s machine delivers the best-looking un-modded version of the game on a console, Digital Foundry’s in-depth comparison found the PlayStation 4 Pro’s version ran a tiny bit smoother. That’s the difference full 4K makes. The Xbox One X is a more powerful…

Smash Player Hopes To Go The Distance In Melee‘s Home Run Contest

Mike “Typo” Bassett, the devoted Super Smash Bros. Melee player who continues to shatter distance ceilings in the title’s Home Run Contest mini-game, recently surpassed another decade-old record, this time with Pokémon mainstay Jigglypuff. And now, with a massive goal within reach, he’s well on his way to becoming the mode’s undisputed champion. Typo knew…

Colorful and quirky PS4 puzzle box game Gnog is now available on iOS. The game works well on touchscreen devices, using taps and swipes to open hatches, flip switches and generally poke about in order to solve a series of clever mechanical puzzles. Check out our PS4 impressions for more on Ko-op Mode’s charming little…

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: The Kotaku Review

Inelegant and tedious, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is the anti-Nintendo game. In a year full of triumphs for the spunky Switch, this massive role-playing game is a disappointment. I didn’t love the first Xenoblade Chronicles, a 2010 Wii game from veteran director Tetsuya Takahashi and his team at Monolith Soft. I hated the boring do-gooder Shulk…

Akira Toriyama Reveals The Secret Behind Dragon Ball‘s Super Saiyans

In a recent interview, Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama revealed that for Saiyans to become powerful Super Saiyans, they need to have enough S-Cells. Dragon Ball fans are already comparing this revelation to midi-chlorians When asked if anyone who trains enough can become a Super Saiyan, Toriyama replied (via @Herms98), “It’s not like anyone can…

First Look At The Batman Ninja Anime 

When the Batman Ninja anime was first announced this October, a short clip was shown at New York Comic Con. Now, the animated feature’s first footage has been uploaded online, and it’s glorious. Story writer Kazuki Nakashima (Kill La Kill) and character designer Takashi Okazaki (Afro Samurai) have created a Batman unlike any we’ve seen…

Production I.G Is Making An Ultraman Anime

Next year, iconic Japanese superhero series Ultraman is getting an anime. It seems to be titled Ultraman. Clever! Production I.G is working with Sola Digital Arts on the full-CG anime, which will be directed by Kenji Kamiyama and Shinji Aramaki. Have a look at the the debut teaser, via Kai-You. Kotaku East is your slice…

The Pokémon TV Anime Recreated A Scene From Pokémon Sun‘s Ending

If you’ve finished Pokémon Sun, keep reading. But if not, you might want to sit this one out. During the game’s closing credits, there is a photo of Lillie affectionately embracing Solgaleo. In a neat touch, that image was recreated in this week’s Pokémon Sun Moon anime. Rather sweet, no? Kotaku East is your slice…

Debut Teaser For PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile For China

As previously reported, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is getting a mobile version in China. Via website EAA!!, here’s the debut teaser: Tencent, the game’s Chinese operator, is having the game modified to conform with “socialist core values.” No word whether or not PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds mobile will be released internationally. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet…

Kyoto Back Alley. Kyoto, Japan. By Thomas Ito JPGs is a photo peek into wherever gamers might find interesting. If you’re a photographer and have images you want to share, drop us a line! 

The Investigation Into Toad’s Head Continues 

In case you didn’t know Toad is at the center of a heated, ongoing debate. On one side are the people who think the mushroom on his head sits there like a hat. On the other side are people who think the mushroom is part of his head. Thanks to the latest Boundary Break video,…

Game Of Thrones Cosplay Is Ready For Winter

You see a lot of Daenerys cosplay around, but most of it tends to focus on her earlier appearances in Game of Thrones. So it’s nice to see someone focus on something a bit more recent. This S7 outfit is by GreatQueenLina, a cosplayer from Russia. Photos by Sergey Ivanov