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UncategorizedHow Blizzard Saved Diablo III From Disaster
This is an excerpt from my upcoming book, BLOOD, SWEAT, AND PIXELS, which comes out on September 5 and tells the stories behind 10 different games including Diablo III, Uncharted 4, and Star Wars 1313. You can pre-order the book at your favorite bookstore On May 15, 2012, hundreds of thousands of people across the…
By Jason Schreier Published August 1, 2017 - Uncategorized
Night In The Woods Treats Depression Like A Part Of Life
Video games have a spotty history when it comes to addressing mental health. Often, people with mental health issues are demonized, portrayed as the nefarious villains in games like Outlast or Far Cry 3. In other games, mental health is reduced a sanity meter or other mechanic, such as in Amnesia or Darkest Dungeon. But…
By Chloe Spencer Published August 1, 2017 -
UncategorizedThe Toys For The Latest Skylanders-Style Game Are Too Good
Typical toys-to-life games feature figures that are little more than plastic statues that gain personality and character after being ported into a video game. PlayFusion’s Lightseekers are gorgeous high-tech articulated action figures players can interface with a mobile game that doesn’t do them justice. When I first wrote about the video game aspect of Lightseekers…
By Mike Fahey Published August 1, 2017 - Uncategorized
The Nintendo Switch Gets Its First NSFW-Style Game
During a Nintendo Direct this April, it was announced that Senran Kagura, the curvy ninja game, was headed to the Switch. At a press conference today in Tokyo, Senran Kagura creator Kenichiro Takaki showed off the game. Depending on where you work, it looks rather NSFW, especially for a game on a Nintendo system. If…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 1, 2017 - Uncategorized
Soon, Funimation Will Be Sony’s
Sony Pictures Television Networkshas announced that it’s going to acquire a major stake in popular anime distribution Funimation. An agreement has been reached, but the deal has yet to to go through. Once it does, Variety reports that Sony will own a 95 percent stake in Funimation. “Around the world, Sony’s networks have been major…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 1, 2017 - Uncategorized
The Dragon Quest XI Character Japan Has Fallen In Love With
So far, the breakout Dragon Quest XI character is Martina. She kicks ass, spawns hearts and is already inspiring fan art and cosplay. Dragon Quest XI was released last Saturday. As expected, there were long lines and, at some stores, sell-outs. Why is this character suddenly popular? It’s more than Martina being simply attractive or…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 1, 2017 - Culture
Instant Ramen Packaging Looks Like Splatoon 2
Japanese noodle maker Nissin just announced a new Cup Noodle called “Black Seafood” that looks incredibly similar to a recently released game. Hrm. I wonder which one… OH RIGHT SPLATOON 2. The Japanese at the bottom of the label reads “Squid Ink Black Seafood.” According to the official press release, the packaging has a “colorful…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 1, 2017 - Uncategorized
Oh No
Here is how Sony describes this official “Limited Edition” Destiny 2 controller, which is being released in Europe in September: The Dualshock 4 will feature a touch pad customised with the game’s logo, plus the iconic character class insignia, all in striking gold – making it the perfect companion for your next raid! Here’s how…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 1, 2017 -
UncategorizedUpcoming Mod Wants To Take Grand Theft Auto V To Space
Aliens? That’s old hat, baby stuff—a rack of old hats made for babies. Modders have decided to turn Rockstar’s small step outside the bounds of planet Earth into a giant leap. Grand Theft Space is a GTA V mod being made by sollaholla and a team of ten other modders. It isn’t done yet—and may…
By Nathan Grayson Published July 31, 2017 - CultureCosplay
Final Fantasy XV Cosplay Gets Back To Nature
Since camping is such an important part of Final Fantasy XV, it’s cool that this team of cosplayers decided the best way to recreate the game was to get out into the wilds or Arizona and shoot on one of only two nights of the year that the Milky Way is visible to the naked…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 31, 2017 - Uncategorized
Bury Me With This Persona 5 Figure
Here’s the first good look at a Persona 5 figure that won’t be out until next year, but will have already changed your heart: Figma’s Joker, who also includes Morgana whether you want him or not, because of course he would Joker includes three faces (one with a mask and two without), a gun, a…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 31, 2017 - Esports
Smash Champion’s Pop-Off Is Too Big For One Tournament Stream
When Jason “ANTi” Bates won the Super Smash Bros. for Wii U tournament at Smash community major Get On My Level this past weekend, he exercised his rights as champion to celebrate his accomplishment. That said, he may have gotten a little too hype (if such a thing is even possible) when his victory lap…
By Ian Walker Published July 31, 2017 - Culture
How Dream Daddy‘s Creators Avoided Turning Homosexuality Into A Joke
Dream Daddy is the latest unlikely hit rocketing up the Steam charts, a dating sim where you romance a neighborhood block of improbably hot dads. I spoke to creators Leighton Gray and Vernon Shaw to find out more about how they struck a balance between humor and sincerity, criticism the game has faced since release,…
By Nathan Grayson Published July 31, 2017 -
UncategorizedAntihero, A Strategy Game Where You Run The Jewels
Antihero, released on PC earlier this month, is a game about managing a grimy, Victorian thieves guild. Which involves all the expected daily chores, like murdering street thugs, bribing church officials and sending little homeless kids off to occupy banks. Creator Tim Conkling calls Antihero a “digital board game”, and it’s good to get that…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 31, 2017
