- CultureShop Contest
Kotaku ‘Shop Contest: A Bush And His Poncho, Winners!
Last weekend feels like it was a lifetime ago. But even in these times of change, some things remain constant. Like George W. Bush’s penchant for being a goof. Congrats to this week’s winner: barhat518. Among a number of great entries, this GIF sat head and shoulders above the rest. However you feel about the country’s…
By Ethan Gach Published January 29, 2017 - Culture
Sunday Comics: Deadlifts
Welcome to Kotaku’s Sunday Comics, your weekly roundup of the best webcomics that usually occurs on Sunday except when it doesn’t. The images enlarge if you click on the magnifying glass icon. Nerf NOW!! by Josué Pereira. Published January 26. Read more of Nerf NOW!! Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich. Published January 23. Read more…
By Ethan Gach Published January 29, 2017 -
CultureTotal RecallTwo John Hurt Video Games That Couldn’t Be More Different
Tender Loving Care was an experiment in interactive cinema while Privateer 2: The Darkening was an ill-fated Wing Commander spin-off. They were the only two games actor John Hurt ever performed in, but even the rich, rumbling tones of his English voice could do little to save either one. In 1996, two years prior to…
By Ethan Gach Published January 28, 2017 -
UncategorizedGeralt Of Rivia’s Voice Actor Says Doing Witcher 3 Sex Scenes Was Like ‘Being Caught Masturbating’
Doug Cockle, the voice behind The Witcher’s Geralt, recently described his experience working on the series, including how awkward it can be to record intimate lines when he’s the only one present. An American actor who now resides in coastal English city of Bournemouth, Cockle told Eurogamer he more or less stumbled voicing CDProject Red’s…
By Ethan Gach Published January 28, 2017 - Uncategorized
Auschwitz-Themed Escape Room Stops Selling Tickets Amid Backlash
In a move surprising almost no one, an escape room inspired by the Auschwitz Nazi death camp has decided to stop selling tickets amid public outcry over its apparent exploitation of one of the darkest chapters in the world’s history. According to a report by CNN, the company, Dostaň Se Ven, located in the Czech…
By Ethan Gach Published January 28, 2017 - Esports
The Weekend In Esports: The ELEAGUE Major 2017 Hunts For A Champion
Four teams left in 2017’s first major CS:GO tournament will look to set the agenda for the game with a dominating finish in Atlanta this weekend. Under the glare of the lights on the Fox Theater stage, European juggernauts are looking to unseat the Brazilians and return the game to a deathmatch between top European…
By Ethan Gach Published January 28, 2017 - Culture
This Week In The Business: Influencers Passing Their Prime
QUOTE | “These days it is impossible to ‘buy’ endorsements from influencers in a way that makes any economic sense. The videos where someone is paid to promote a game they aren’t passionate about don’t deliver the performance needed to justify repeat spend, and the influencer loses subs, so in the end everybody loses.” –…
Brendan Sinclair Published January 28, 2017 - Uncategorized
For The First Time In Almost 20 Years, Team Rocket Beat Ash In The Pokémon Anime
Team Rocket has had a rough career. Giovanni, their leader, doesn’t always appreciate them. They’re usually broke. And they usually lose. Well, not this time. The official Pokémon Sun and Moon anime continues to delight with its antics, and that is especially true in this week’s installment. The set-up seems run-of-the-mill: Ash and co have…
By Patricia Hernandez Published January 27, 2017 - Culture
What Are You Playing This Weekend?
The weekend is for taking a shower that’s longer than 10 minutes because you have to run out the door to work. It’s also for playing games! I have not been able to play The Witcher 3 ALL WEEK LONG because I’ve been very busy. Last weekend I finally made it to Skellige but it…
By Riley MacLeod Published January 27, 2017 - Culture
Developer Admits He ‘Deserved’ To Have Game Removed From Steam After Fake Reviews
There are plenty of sketchy games on Steam, but some are so fishy that the stink even causes Valve’s eyes to water. Platformica was one such game, and now it’s off Steam. Somewhat surprisingly, the game’s developer has admitted that, yeah, he screwed up. Steam users sussed out that Platformica’s developer, Lunyov Artem Pavlovych, was…
By Nathan Grayson Published January 27, 2017 - Uncategorized
The Sims 4 Celebrity House Update: Vampire The Weeknd
The Celebrity House has a new neighbor, and he’s tryna to put them in the worst mood. Tilda Swinton hasn’t been feeling great for the past few days. She keeps passing out and waking up in strange places, and her neck is hurting all the time. But that’s all okay, because she’s made a new…
By Gita Jackson Published January 27, 2017 - Esports
Top Smash Players Want Duck Hunt’s Stage Banned [UPDATE]
Competitive Super Smash Bros. 4 players are asking for silly dog Duck Hunt’s stage to be banned from tournaments. Its architecture forces players into boring, long sequences where they stare at each other and wait. Dunk Hunt’s stage is, of course, based on the NES title Duck Hunt. It’s a grassy, flat plane. Sometimes, ducks…
By Cecilia D'Anastasio Published January 27, 2017 - Uncategorized
Top World of Warcraft Guild Boots Raider Over Sabotage Scandal
In World of Warcraft, major guilds race to pull off world firsts in new raids. It’s serious business. There are, however, limits. One member of a guild called Method thought it would be cool to sabotage another top guild’s efforts. It was not. Jadelolz, a member of Method, hatched a plan to prevent a rival…
By Nathan Grayson Published January 27, 2017 - Uncategorized
A Normal Lost Phone Tries To Explore Queer Identity And Falls Short
A Normal Lost Phone bothers me. As an adventure/puzzle game, it is experimental and intelligent. Players must learn more about a lost phone and its owner. But as the game begins to explore LGBTQ themes, it takes a turn for the uncomfortable. The set up is simple. You have found a phone. Examining text messages…
By Heather Alexandra Published January 27, 2017 -
UncategorizedFlappy Bird Creator Releases Cute, Frustrating New Game
The creator of Flappy Bird, Dong Nguyen, is back after over three years with Ninja Spinki Challenges, which was made in conjunction with the publisher Obokaid’em Games. The new game is absolutely adorable. It’s also very hard. Like Flappy Bird, Ninja Spinki Challenges works with limited controls to create surprisingly complex puzzles. But instead of…
By Gita Jackson Published January 27, 2017 -
UncategorizedFour Must-Watch Anime of Winter 2017
Winter 2017’s anime selection is a desert. Out of the nearly 50-title lineup Kotaku East’s Brian Ashcraft detailed in his seasonal guide, I found only four anime I can recommend. It’s disappointing. There’s a special pleasure in breathlessly telling your friends, “There’s this new anime and it will blow your fucking mind.” Over the last…
By Cecilia D'Anastasio Published January 27, 2017 - Tips & Guides
How To Enjoy Resident Evil 7 If You’re A Big Scaredy Cat
So you’ve been hearing good things about Resident Evil 7, and you want to play it. There’s only one problem: you’re a huge coward. Don’t worry! I’ve got you covered. It may seem counterintuitive that easily frightened people would want to play a scary new game, but I actually think there are a fair number…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 27, 2017 - Uncategorized
A Small Detail You Might Have Missed In Mass Effect: Andromeda’s New Trailer
Yesterday, we got to meet some of the new squadmates introduced in Mass Effect: Andromeda. One of them, pictured above, is named Cora Harper. Harper is your second-in-command on the Pathfinder mission to find a new home for humanity. “To be brief, I am a biotic, the team’s operation’s specialist in charge of ground missions,…
By Patricia Hernandez Published January 27, 2017 -
UncategorizedWhat We Love And Hate About Overwatch‘s Chinese New Year Update
On the latest episode of our semi-regular Overwatch show, Let’s Break It Down, Cecilia, Heather, and I discuss the pros and cons of the Year Of The Rooster update. Pro: Roadhog’s new hook is actually kinda cool. Con: his new skin makes him look like a Texas chainsaw massacre. Also, capture the flag? Not super…
By Nathan Grayson Published January 27, 2017
