- Culture
Drown Your Eyeballs in Rayman: Origins’ Gorgeous Concept Art
That’s it. No mahine guns today. No more giant robots, no post-apocalyptic landscapes, no bloodthirsty aliens. Today, we’re looking at video game concept art that’s so damn bright and cheerful it’ll put more peps in your step than you’ll know what to do with. It’s all the work of Floriane Marchix, who is currently at…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 19, 2012 - Uncategorized
More Disturbingly Life-Like Dark Knight Rises Toys
Following up creepy Christian Bale and tiny Gary Oldman, Hong Kong collectible company Hot Toys will also be releasing incredibly realistic Dark Knight Rises replicas of villain Bane and Batman’s old Tumbler. If you were hoping they’d be available in time to take with you to theatres, though, you’ll be disappointed. Bane ($195) won’t be…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 19, 2012 -
UncategorizedSkyrim and Minecraft Collide to Form the Ultimate PC Game
Many Skyrim mods are there to enhance the game in a realistic manner. Better maps, easier menus, improved visuals, etc. This one doesn’t do any of those things. It just turns the game into the most Nordic game of Minecraft you’ve ever seen. Sure, all it really does is add some turn characters in Skyrim…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 19, 2012 - Kotaku East
Plants Are Taking Over Japan’s Nuclear Wasteland
It’s been well over a year since the earthquake and ensuing Fukushima nuclear disaster took place. The crisis is not over, and people living near the reactors have been cleared out. They are yet to return. In their place, the plants are taking over. Japanese website GetNews is running photos that depict reality in the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 18, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallHow Capitol Hill Learned to Love Video Games
Video games used to be, quite literally for many in US politics, the devil. Or something very close. These days, though, you’re more likely to hear about developers getting tax breaks than games being banned. That kind of acceptance from a former enemy didn’t happen overnight. It took years of education and lobbying. Oh, and…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 18, 2012 -
UncategorizedMC Chris Apologises For Kicking Fan Out of Show Over a Tweet
It’s easy to do something stupid. It’s harder to publicly apologise and own up to it. In the past 24 hours, nerd rap superstar MC Chris has managed to do both “I don’t have security, I don’t have a manager,” gets uttered at one point. Maybe today has changed his mind on that.
By Luke Plunkett Published July 18, 2012 -
UncategorizedDouble Dragon‘s High-Def Throwback Headbutts Into Consoles in September
We’re circumspect that a console do-over of Double Dragon could have the same appeal as the quarter-sucking vacuum cleaner that lined arcade walls in the 1980s. The air-guitaring at a stage’s end seems to be a bit much. But Double Dragon Neon will get its shot anyway come Sept. 11. Majesco said the game releases…
By Owen Good Published July 18, 2012 -
Uncategorized
In Memory Of Jubal Early, Firefly‘s Weirdest Bounty Hunter
I still remember when I first watched Firefly, when I saw the final episode of its truncated FOX TV run. That episode is called “Objects in Space,” and in it, a bounty hunter named Jubal Early boards Serenity in pursuit of Simon and River. I thought it was such a peculiar episode at the time—it…
By Kirk Hamilton Published July 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
After 74 Emails, 27 Months and Six Phone Calls, a Sack of Cash Buys One of the Rarest Nintendo Cartridges
Three years ago, J.J. Hendricks (above, left) of Denver paid $17,500 for a rare Nintendo cartridge— Nintendo World Championships, one of about 26 copies of a game for a promotional tournament more than 20 years old. About a year later, he opened negotiations to buy a cartridge even more rare. The game in question is…
By Owen Good Published July 18, 2012 - Culture
I Never Thought The Walking Dead Could Look So Delicious
When I play Telltale’s excellent The Walking Dead game, I rarely get hungry. There just aren’t that many appetizing things in the game, particularly in the ghastly second episode, “Starved for Help.” And yet, when the folks at Gourmet Gaming get their hands on the game, my stomach starts growling. These biscuits from episode 2…
By Kirk Hamilton Published July 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
Fez Won’t Be Fixed Because Microsoft Wants a Ton of Money
Polytron, the developers of indie hit Fez, have issued a surprising statement regarding the potentially game-breaking patch they recently released, then recalled The full statement: We’re bringing the first FEZ patch online. It’s the same patch. We’re not going to patch the patch. Why not? Because microsoft would charge us tens of thousands of dollars…
By Kirk Hamilton Published July 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
One Way Duke Nukem Forever Was Similar To Half-Life
It’s something more than one person noticed while playing Gearbox’s critical lemon Duke Nukem Forever—the game does have a few things in common with Valve’s much-heralded masterpiece Half-Life. No really! Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford agrees, but says that the similarities only go so far. After all, Duke Nukem Forever is closer to base fare like…
By Kirk Hamilton Published July 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
It’s July 18, Check the Security of Your Xbox Live Password Today
The general manager for Xbox Live today told gamers of the more aggressive steps the service was taking to combat online fraud and phishing scams—like those that have recently generated a wave of bad publicity—while reminding everyone to take some steps that would make that job a lot easier. In a post on the official…
By Owen Good Published July 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
Fight Night‘s Handlers Begin Work on EA Sports UFC
At E3, EA Sports’ top man—himself a mixed martial arts enthusiast who trains in the sport—was mum on the label’s plans for how its surprise acquisition of the UFC license would fit into its publishing calendar—or which of its studios would even develop it. “The ink is still wet,” on the deal, as Andrew Wilson…
By Owen Good Published July 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
We’ll Find Out Soon What the Madden Monopoly Settlement is Giving Us
Attorneys in the class-action lawsuit alleging that EA Sports’ exclusive publication of NFL football games constitutes an illegal monopoly last week told a judge that they have finalized settlement terms alluded to back in May, and that no later than a week from today, will file them with the court and a motion for the…
By Owen Good Published July 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
The Bad Guys Are Making Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation. I’m Suddenly Much More Interested.
Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation, the upcoming portable game in Ubisoft’s hit franchise, is being overseen by the core AC team at Ubisoft Montreal. But the identity of the team doing the bulk of the work on the game was a surprise to me, when the game’s writer told me today. That didn’t surprise me as…
By Stephen Totilo Published July 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
How Do You Tell Your Family You’re a Tekken Fan?
Commenter Normalaatsra has never told his parents or brother his darkest secret: he loves Tekken. For many people this would not be a problem. So why is Normalaatsra hiding the disc from his family? Find out in today’s very special episode of Speak Up on Kotaku. I just bought Tekken 6 from a friend of…
Featuring Normalaatsra Published July 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
Layoffs Reported At Dead Rising 2 Developer [UPDATE: 20 Staff Let Go]
Rumors are swirling that Capcom Vancouver, the development studio behind Dead Rising 2, has laid off multiple people. One source contacted Kotaku to tell us he knew several people who were laid off today. Multiple people also reported the layoffs both on Twitter and the gaming message board NeoGAF Yesterday on Twitter in response to…
By Jason Schreier Published July 18, 2012 - Uncategorized
Geek Rap Star Kicks Fan Out Of Concert Over Tweet [Update]
If you’ve been to a lot of concerts, chances are you’ve talked smack about an opening act. It’s something of a time-honored tradition—we don’t really want to see opening bands! They are, after all, just warming us up for the show we paid to see. Sometimes talking smack on an opening act will get you…
By Kirk Hamilton Published July 18, 2012