Splinter Cell: Blacklist Won’t Have Interactive Torture, But It’ll Still Have ‘Interrogations’

One of the more inflammatory aspects of 2010’s Splinter Cell: Conviction was the fact that it included a number of gruesome interactive torture sequences. The game, in which you play as rogue spec-ops badass Sam Fisher, featured a number of ticking time-bomb scenarios in which Sam would torture various bad guys to get information. True…

Wizardry Online Launches. Prepare to Die, Permanently.

The free-to-play massively multiplayer online extension of one of the world’s oldest role-playing game franchises is now live in North America, luring players to its servers with the sweet embrace of permadeath. How long will you survive Wizardry Online? The selling point of Sony Online Entertainment’s Japanese import, besides the prestigious name, is the fact…

The Goriest, Nastiest, Bloodiest Video Games

The evolution of graphics and physics engines (just think about ragdoll physics) in video games introduced a whole new level of violence and blood. Despite the continuous debates, like it or not, this trend won’t fade away anytime soon. We collected some of the nastiest examples, games where gore is an essential part of the…

Where’s My Water? for iOS just added a feature that lets players share pics their strategies on Facebook and Twitter.

Satoru Iwata told Japanese investors Nintendo will put out 10 or so big, first-party titles for 3DS in the next quarter.

Gamers Also Like Cheetos and Fedoras, According To Facebook’s New Search Tool

Graph Search debuted recently—it’s Facebook’s social search—and some of us have had the chance to try the beta out. Taking a cue from the Actual Facebook Searches Tumblr, here are a few fun searches I conducted about people who ‘like’ video games on Facebook. Click for full size. And, for the record: the sidebar will…

Gabe Newell Says Apple, Not Consoles, Is The Biggest Threat To The Steam Box

Most of the talk of Valve’s recent excursion into the world of living-room PCs has focused on how their hardware, née the “Steam Box”, would compete with gaming consoles like the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. But Valve co-founder Gabe Newell has another competitor on his mind: Apple. Polygon reports that Newell, speaking today to…

Anita Sarkeesian’s First ‘Tropes vs. Women in Games’ Video May Come Out Next Month, But Her Tumblr’s Live Now

Anita Sarkeesian, the controversial feminist critic whose plans to produce a crowdfunded video series about female tropes in video games led to someone creating a video game all about punching her in the face, is almost ready to show her work. Sarkeesian quietly launched a Tumblr called “Bits of Tropes Vs. Women in Games” this…

Take a look at our Tumblr. It’s like Kotaku on a visual high.

Gather Round For One Of Ni no Kuni‘s Lovely Fairy Tales

The splendid new role-playing game Ni no Kuni is, in many ways, a game about stories. It’s a fairy tale of the purest sort, full of morals and messages, overflowing with heart. So it’s fitting that within the game lies a book filled with richly-drawn fairy tales. Early in the story, the protagonist Oliver is…

EA is putting Medal of Honor on hold after the disappointing Warfighter, the publisher said during an earnings call.

Midweek Moneysaver: Bundle Up

This Wednesday edition of Kotaku’s The Moneysaver catches all the offers, promotions and bargains that can’t wait until the weekend. The Midweek Moneysaver is brought to you by Dealzon. Software Amazon PC digital bundles • Desert to Sea Bundle – BioShock, BioShock 2 & Spec Ops: The Line is $9.99 (3 downloads, separately $45) •…

Just announced during an EA earnings call: Insomniac’s Fuse has been delayed to EA’s next fiscal quarter (April-June).

Nintendo and the Cult of Personality

Mario. Link. Donkey Kong. These are the faces of Nintendo. But those aren’t the only Nintendo icons. There’s also this guy This guy is Satoru Iwata. He is the President of Nintendo Co., Ltd. Chances are, however, if you like Nintendo games and Nintendo game news, Iwata is more than just a corporate suit. Way…

Can You Spot the Error in This Temple Run 2 Menu?

Osbervant reader Jon has been playing Temple Run 2 on his Android device since it launched last week and didn’t notice the error on this menu screen until last night. I didn’t notice it until he pointed it out, so he wins. I point out the error not to call out Imangi Studios’ tiny team…

Anti-Censorship Group Scolds Massachusetts Over Arcade Game Removals

Gamers have good reason for feeling beat up as the American conversation on gun violence seems to lurch inevitably toward scary scary video games as a scapegoat. The Entertainment Consumers Association—the voice of the gamers—went to Washington last week and came back convinced that lawmakers have made up their minds about games as a culprit.…

The Beautiful Short Film Disney Showed Before Wreck-It-Ralph

Posted online yesterday, this gorgeous Oscar-nominated short, directed by John Kahrs, is well worth your time. If you saw Wreck-It-Ralph in theaters, you might have seen this already. If not… well, what are you waiting for? Paperman – Full Animated Short Film [YouTube]

Lordy, The Last of Us Art Book Is Scary Beautiful

The Last of Us comes out on May 7th and there’s still lots of mystery surrounding the post-apocalyptic world of Naughty Dog’s upcoming PS3 game. A few glimpses of The Last of Us‘ ruined world have surfaced but you’ll get a chance to get a deep look at the making of the game’s ravaged world,…

It Doesn’t Get Much More Social Than a Game That Teaches You How to Flirt

You’re an alien from a distant planet, sent to Earth to harness the most powerful force in the universe, generated by a Living Organism’s Volatile Emotions—LOVE. That’s the strangest backstory for a dating simulator I’ve ever heard. It’s the backstory to Flirt Planet, a social game aimed at helping awkward internet denizens learn social interactions…

The Launch Commercial For Skulls of the Shogun Has A Morbid Twist

Children die. I promise that isn’t as horrible as it sounds. This commercial for Skulls of the Shogun, a turn-based strategy game that came out on Xbox Live today, is actually kinda great. Dead children and all.