The Visual Evolution of the Halo Series This Generation

We’re nearing the end of this console generation—which makes it easy to reminisce about where this generation has taken us. In the graphical department, it’s hard to deny how far we’ve come. Look no further than the Halo franchise, which has had multiple iterations this generation, to see evidence of a visual leap in the…

A Day Before Egyptian Coup, Protestors Flashed Giant ‘Game Over’ Sign

Pinball machines and video games (oh, and the movie Aliens) popularized the phrase “Game Over.” Those two words are also used at times of political unrest. Google Images turns upplenty of examples. And here’s a new one, via Facebook, photographed on July 2 during a laser light show on the side of a government building…

Every Game Would Be Better With Blink From Dishonored

The best part of Dishonored—a phenomenal game in just about every way—is the Blink spell, an ability that lets you instantly teleport a short distance in front of you. Blink is really, really cool. So cool that we think it should really be in every video game. Witness: See? Feel free to make your own…

CNBC Calls Zynga a ‘Buy’ Now That Former Xbox Boss Is CEO

Sure, some people think that former Xbox czar Don Mattrick isn’t going to turn Zynga’s miserable fortunes around. But, other individuals— business-minded folk—think the exact opposite. The most interesting thing about this clip is the perceptions being quickly flung around about the executive leaders of companies like Microsoft, Zynga, EA and Activision. It’s one thing…

College Humor Takes On The Xbox One

Best part of this wonderful video, produced by the very funny folks at College Humor? The blurb: “Microsoft is screwing everybody, especially us by retracting all these policies one day after we filmed this.” Whoops. Still, this is awesome. “Alls I wanna do is be sad and alone in my basement!”

Ten Minutes That Remind You Why Grand Theft Auto Mods Are Hilarious

HelixSnake, mostly famous for his amazing Skate 3 compilations, recently switched his attention back to Grand Theft Auto IV, another great game with a physics engine just begging to be glitched out beyond recognition. Carefully cut and edited, this is an outstanding compilation. Considering what HelixSnake was able to manipulate in Skate 3, it’s no…

Report: Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Will Come With A Brand New Ending Scene

Did you ever think to yourself, “Hey, Final Fantasy X and X-2 are good and all, but what they really need is another 30-minute cut-scene during the credits?” You’re in luck! According to the Japanese publication Shounen Jump (as translated by Siliconera), the upcoming HD remakes of FFX and FFX-2 (to be released on PS3…

How (Some) Pro League of Legends Players Got Their Names

Online handles are important, and that’s especially the case if you’re a pro player. Your name frames how people will see you as a public figure. Maybe you want to sound threatening. Maybe you want people to hate saying your name. People think about this stuff! It should be no surprise, then, that pro League…

Runescape 3 Launches July 22

It’s been 12 years and change since Jagex first unleashed the ridiculously popular free-to-play MMO Runescape on the world, and it’s finally starting to look like something I might play. The game’s largest upgrade ever, Runescape 3 has been confirmed for a July 22 launch. Along with some relatively smoking-hot graphics upgrades and the return…

The Moneysaver: Playstation Plus, Dust, Arena Of Heroes, Stargate

What deal through yonder window breaks? Happy Independence Day Eve dear readers. Complete your collection of Rockstar’s games for cheap on the PC today, or take advantage of the ongoing summer sales on the consoles. PS3 owners should not miss out on the discounted $20 PSN Card/3 Months Plus combo from Best Buy, and if…

Ouya: The Kotaku Review

If I was writing a book of personal gaming records, I’d mark up a page for the Ouya: New console that stayed in the box, unplayed, longer than any other one I’ve ever had. Three days. Sealed. No urgency to play the tiniest console I’ve ever seen. It’s so tiny, yet I still wasn’t sure…

Creator Of Adventure Time Plays Animal Crossing At Beyonce Concert

Pendleton Ward must really like Animal Crossing: New Leaf—why else would he play it during a Beyonce concert? Then again, the game makes sure to give you time-sensitive events; maybe Ward just had a date with a villager that he couldn’t miss. But let’s not front, many of us have done stuff like this. I…

Here’s Destiny‘s Entire 12-Minute E3 Gameplay Demo

Who wants to watch twelve minutes of Bungie’s Destiny in action? Anyone? Would you like to watch that demo accompanied by some goofy and highly scripted player-banter? Even better! This demo made its debut at Sony’s E3 press conference in June, with Bungie developers playing the game on PlayStation 4s. Now Bungie has sent along…

How the Owners of ‘WiiU.Com’ Won Their Case Against Nintendo

Over the weekend it was learned that Nintendo lost its case to take over the website name wiiu.com—a domain registered way the hell back in 2004, before “Wii” even existed as a word or trademark. So what exactly did “wiiu.com” stand for nine years ago? According to the full text of the World Intellectual Property…

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Is So Big It Entered Alpha, Beta, AND Gamma

Most video games, during development, enter QA/fine-tuning phases called “alpha” and “beta.” Not Mario & Luigi: Dream Team! Mario and Luigi’s next RPG outing is so big it gets its own buzzword: Gamma. “This time, we divided the entire development phase into the one to create an alpha version, one for a beta version and…

This Game Feels Like an Underground Rock Zine. That’s a Good Thing.

Demon Chic feels like something my teenage niece would make, like an alt-comix zine, photocopied at a Kinko’s and stapled over a couple of beers with friends. (I hope you’re not drinking, young lady!) It’s rough but the amount of charm and humor pulsing through the mobile game can’t be denied. The game from Michael…

Mega Man, Made Out Of 97 Rubik’s Cubes

Anyone can grab some colored Post-It Notes and bust out some impromptu pixel art. It takes real skill to transform 97 mini Rubik’s Cubes into a pixel-perfect Mega Man. Impressed? Wait until you see his Pokemon. YouTube user and Rubik’s Cube expert Kyudan2 has been quietly busting out these incredibly impressive works of puzzle art…

Francis’ Oddly Appropriate Analogy Links Former Xbox Boss To Farts

Everybody’s favorite combustible video game commentator usually doesn’t comment on companies’ personnel moves. But, clearly Don Mattrick’s move to Zynga has inflamed Francis more than, say, the departure of former EA CEO John Riccitiello. The result? Lines like this: “It’s like hiring the pilot from the Hindenburg to captain the Titanic.”

Here’s what’s going on Talk Among Yourselves, our reader-written blog: Zarnyx chimes in with another edition of Gil Toss and explains how she bought a real-life sculpt of her Rock Band avatar. Odin updates Ani-Club with recaps of Ouran High School Host Club And you can always go join the voices talking about video games…

Did Saints Row Actually Make Keith David Say ‘Anal-Probing Overlords’?

Oh, yes it did. And Volition made Captain Anderson say a whole bunch more, too. You’re gonna want to see and hear this, but not in the office/on public transportation/at daycare/your probation hearing. Keith David stars, This-is-the-End style, as Keith David, vice president of whatever the fuck it is America has become in Saints Row…