- Culture
Steam User Develops His Own Way To Find New Games
These days, Steam is one-part library, one-part labyrinth. The sheer volume of games on the service is overwhelming. Valve’s solution to the problem has been to double down on algorithms, but many still don’t feel like Steam is helping them find diamonds in the rough. Enter Steam 250. Steam 250 is a site whose goal…
By Nathan Grayson Published February 22, 2018 - Uncategorized
Firewatch Inspires Teenager To Save Real Life Lookout Tower
Jack Kelley knew he wanted to play Firewatch since seeing the first pieces of artwork. After the game released in 2016, Kelley became fascinated by the real world lookout towers that inspired the game, culminating in the 14-year-old fan saving a historic lookout tower from demolition. “Campo Santo really changed my life with Firewatch,” Kelley…
By Ethan Gach Published February 22, 2018 -
UncategorizedAfter Finding A Tumor, He’s Learning How To Play Video Games Again
A man who credited the Switch with detecting a tumor in his hand had the tumor removed Monday. Now he’s come up with a clever way to play games during recovery. Last week we wrote about Chris, an Australian programmer, who discovered a tumor in his hand after experiencing pain while playing Mario Kart using…
By Gita Jackson Published February 22, 2018 - Uncategorized
Developers Paul Reiche and Fred Ford today filed a counterclaim against Stardock in U.S. District Court in Oakland claiming to be the creators and sole copyright owners for Star Control I and II. This was in response to Stardock’s December lawsuit alleging the opposite. Ars Technica has a great write-up of the topic.
By Ethan Gach Published February 22, 2018 - Uncategorized
We Discuss The Best And Worst Overwatch Maps
Overwatch maps are like candy grab-bags. Sometimes, you get an M&M. Other times, you get a black licorice chew. Recently, Blizzard posted a pollasking players to vote on their favorite maps. Seventeen thousand players responded, a small sample size for a game that’s played by tens of millions. But everyone’s favorite map won by a…
Cecilia D'Anastasio & Nathan Grayson & Eric Van Allen Published February 22, 2018 - Uncategorized
How to Clean Your Video Game Consoles
Your video game console is filthy. Choked with dust, smeared with fingerprints or riddled with insects. Your game controllers are a horror show, the seams in the plastic filled with unidentifiable gunk. Let’s clean them. The biggest threat to your video game consoles and accessories isn’t a flung controller. Today’s hardware is generally built sturdy…
By Mike Fahey Published February 22, 2018 - Uncategorized
The Endless Quest To Make My Windows PC Stay Asleep Overnight
My PC can do a lot of things. It can play video games at high resolutions and snappy frame rates. It can run the latest virtual reality software, transporting me to fantastical virtual worlds. It cannot, however, reliably sleep through the night. I built my current gaming PC in 2014. I love it to death,…
By Kirk Hamilton Published February 22, 2018 - Uncategorized
Trump Says Video Game Violence Is ‘Shaping Young People’s Thoughts’
Today during a meeting on school safety at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that violent video games are partly responsible for school shootings. His train of thought was hard to follow—as it often is—so here’s the full comment: “We have to look at the internet, because a lot of bad things are…
By Ethan Gach Published February 22, 2018 - Uncategorized
Steam’s Notorious Sex Game Publisher Keeps Churning Out Incomprehensible Games
While Steam has gained a lewd reputation, the specifics of who brings risque games onto the platform is largely unknown to the general public. In trying to find out whether or not Steam was actually being overrun by sex games, I accidentally stumbled on a controversial yet popular publisher who distributes incomprehensible erotic games on…
By Patricia Hernandez Published February 22, 2018 -
UncategorizedLuigi Will Comment On Your Super Mario Odyssey Outfits
Luigi is finally in Super Mario Odyssey as part of the game’s new Balloon World update which went live today. What strange wind brought him and his balloons to New Donk City is anybody’s guess, but while he’s around he has some thoughts to share about Mario’s clothes. Last fall we wrote about how Bowser…
By Ethan Gach Published February 22, 2018 - Uncategorized
The LAN Cafe Is Making A Comeback
At a modern LAN cafe in downtown Manhattan, a teenager with floppy brown hair zones out to a Kingdom Come: Deliverance Twitch stream. He’s lounging with a Mountain Dew and an empty cup of coffee. Behind him, 30 PCs glow with light from rounds of League of Legends and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. Waypoint Cafe, which opened…
By Cecilia D'Anastasio Published February 22, 2018 - Uncategorized
Oh yes, it’s already time to start thinking about E3. EA said today that it will again host EA Play, which will still take place in Los Angeles from June 9 to June 11, 2018. Attendees will get to play the next Battlefield, lots of sports games, and “get an inside look at the stunning…
By Jason Schreier Published February 22, 2018 - Uncategorized
Metal Gear Survive‘s Credits Thank Hideo Kojima, But Not By Name
Metal Gear Survive is the first game in the longrunning series to not involve director Hideo Kojima, which may make you wonder: Is he in the credits? The answer is yes, sort of. The credits for Metal Gear Survive, which came out earlier this week, include a “Special Thanks” section dedicated to “Metal Gear Solid…
By Jason Schreier Published February 22, 2018 - Uncategorized
Batman: Arkham Knight Is Still Worth Going Back To
I’m not sure Batman: Arkham Knight is a game anyone can ever finish. There’s so much to it, even if you skip the 200+ Riddler trophies and the mountains of “AR” challenges. I’ve needed to clear space on my PS4 and was considering deleting it, but then I realized there’s more interesting stuff in this…
By Stephen Totilo Published February 22, 2018 -
EsportsThe Best Players In Fighting Games Are Meeting In Dragon Ball FighterZ
The so-called “fighting game community” is really a blanket term for an archipelago of dozens of games and scenes of wildly varying size and content. Each has its champions, but they rarely get a chance to cross lines and challenge one another. But that’s exactly what’s happening with Dragon Ball FighterZ The game, created by…
By Eric Van Allen Published February 22, 2018 - Uncategorized
Rise And Shine, Noctis Lucis Caelum
Players who pick up Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition on Steam before May 1 will receive the Half-Life Pack, allowing Noctis and multiplayer characters to cosplay Gordon Freeman. There’s even a crowbar. It’s completely ridiculous, almost as ridiculous as there being three different pre-order incentives for Steam (a fashion pack), Origin (a decal pack) and…
By Mike Fahey Published February 22, 2018 -
UncategorizedWe Played Metal Gear Survive‘s Bizarre Single Player
Metal Gear Survive tosses players into a giant wasteland full of zombies and dangerous animals, where they have to loot supplies and build up a massive base. Heather and Paul pilfered potatoes and gaped at nanotech dinosaurs in the game’s single player mode. The early hours of Metal Gear Survive are a one hell of…
By Heather Alexandra Published February 22, 2018 -
UncategorizedFixes for Dragon Ball FighterZ’ connectivity issues are coming. In a video released today, producer Tomoko Hiroki laid out plans for one patch late this month that “might not fix everything,” and another in mid to late March. The plan is to “gradually resolve the issue.” That is certainly a plan.
By Mike Fahey Published February 22, 2018 - Uncategorized
Warcraft III Gets Some Big New Changes
Alongside the announcement of a Warcraft III tournament, Blizzard last night said it will add some significant features to the 16-year-old game, raising the inevitable question: Is a remaster coming? The list of changes, which will be added to Warcraft III’s Public Test Realm (did you know Warcraft III had a Public Test Realm?) includes balance…
By Jason Schreier Published February 22, 2018
