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Child Soldier Goons are Being Undone by Video Games
The thugs in charge of recruiting kids for use in bloody African wars are finding their efforts are being hampered in Somalia. Not through the direct actions of the government or the UN, but because kids now have enough things to do in their spare time to keep them off the streets. A report in…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 7, 2012 -
UncategorizedBinding of Isaac is Getting an Expansion
No joke, it really is! It’s called Wrath of the Lamb, and for $3 you’ll get new chapters, new enemies, new achievements, new bosses, new room types and even a “new final (final) chapter and boss with new endings”. It’s out on Steam on May 28.
By Luke Plunkett Published May 7, 2012 - Uncategorized
The Avengers Spelled a Game Company’s Name Wrong, Reveals the Worst Job in Hollywood
If you’ve seen The Avengers, you’ll know there’s a mildly awkward moment where, of all games, Galaga is mentioned, then actually shown. Aside from coming across as an advertisement, it’s short, and it’s relatively harmless. Thing is, because it needs to be officially mentioned, Galaga and its publishers Namco Bandai are then listed in the…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 7, 2012 - Culture
Have a Lollipop, Batman. You’ve Earned it.
Leonid “leopardsnow” Enin is currently working as a concept artist with mobile gaming powerhouse Gameloft. He’s also done work for other video game companies like Sidhe and Realtime Worlds. Say what you will about Gameloft’s games, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this artwork. On the contrary. It’s fantastic, even if a lot of it is…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 7, 2012 - Uncategorized
Video Games are Coming to Life and Destroying (or at Least Confusing) San Francisco
Kenny Kong is an artist who, for the past three years, has been working with Zenimax on The Elder Scrolls Online. Having since chucked that in to pursue a Masters at California College of the Arts, he’s been able to do things a little more interesting. He’s working on a series of sculptures where video-game…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 7, 2012 - Uncategorized
Mr. Potato Head Goes to Rapture
Thank Ginger Troll for this custom Mr. Potato Head figure, swapping out his standard attire for something a little more nautical, from the underwater world of BioShock. In the spirit of recent Mr. Potato Head licensing efforts, though, he needs a stupid nickname. I’m looking at my shelf right now and seeing things like “Optimash…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 7, 2012 - Uncategorized
Well, at Least GlaDOS Won’t Drink a Jar of Piss
We of course have a ton of inspiring video game cosplay to get through this morning in our weekly roundup. But before we begin, in case you were wondering what the redhead above was doing, well. She’s Firefox. You know. Browser cosplay Most others this week, you’ll spot straight off the bat, including a wonderful…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 7, 2012 - Uncategorized
Fez’s Village in Minecraft is an Amazing Thing
Yup, people are still making other people’s stuff in Minecraft. Like this village, modelled after the starting point of Fez, and which thanks to the use of a custom texture pack looks terrific. While the creator admits its not pixel perfect – he built the “front” perspective first then moved on from there – it’s…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 7, 2012 - Uncategorized
When Internet Memes Become Art
Nerd stronghold Gallery 1988 is currently holding quite the exhibition, showcasing a ton of works done by artists all inspired by the one thing: internet memes. The memier the better. So be warned: while there are awesome pictures to follow, there are also a lot of rainbows, cats and keyboards. The show runs until May…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
The Avengers’ Wonderful Weapons are Made From LEGO
To celebrate last week’s release of The Avengers, LEGO builder Ken Robichaud has gone to town building a range of weapons and props from the film out of little plastic bricks. He’s built Thor’s hammer (and brace), Captain America’s shield, Hawkeye’s bow and a set of arrows and some of Black Widow’s equipment. Sadly, he…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Pretty Mugshots of Mass Effect’s Bad Guys
Indonesian artist Machine56 has come up with these pictures of Cerberus troops from the Mass Effect series, making them available as some rather fetching wallpaper fodder. He’s also looking to get them printed up as shirts (the “order form” in this gallery is just a mock-up), which would be great; the same artist came up…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Drug Smuggler Hides Cocaine in Xbox 360, Fails Miserably
Carlos Valenzuela was driving around Texas the other day, minding his own business, when he forgot to signal a turn at an intersection. For this oversight, he was pulled over, and probably would have got off with a warning/ticket if he hadn’t, you know, had three enormous bricks of cocaine inside his car. Two of…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 6, 2012 - Culture
What’s Yours is Mine
Mother’s Day isn’t typically a huge sales weekend for video games and the upcoming launch schedule reflects that. Minecraft‘s console release is the week’s only highlight. Tuesday Warlock: Master of the Arcane (PC) Asura’s Wrath: Lost Episode 1 – At Last, Someone Angrier Than Me (PSN, XBLA) Datura (PS3) Wednesday Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition (360)…
By Owen Good Published May 6, 2012 -
UncategorizedOne Man Getting Hit by a Bus Is Another Man’s Frogger
At the University of Texas “every Friday before finals there’s a thing called ‘Foam Sword Friday,'” writes Austin H., a computer sciences major at the university. Students go to the university district’s main drag, cross the street during a red light, and then battle it out with foam swords. This Friday, a freshman named Nick…
By Owen Good Published May 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Eight Men In: Cheating Tarnishes Everyone in 2K Sports’ Million-Dollar Scandal
When Phil Humber threw the 21st perfect game in Major League Baseball history two weeks ago, he didn’t get to choose the batters he faced. When Dallas Braden threw a perfect game on an emotional Mother’s Day in 2010, against the winningest team never to put a runner on base, he didn’t stock the heart…
By Owen Good Published May 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Skullgirls Getting Cross-Platform PC/PS3 Play
This was somewhat lost in the shuffle of Wednesday’s announcement that Skullgirls, the 2D fighter currently available on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live, would be getting a PC version. The game’s official Twitter feed says that PC and PS3 gamers will be able to play together thanks to cross-platform compatibility, but it won’t be implemented…
By Owen Good Published May 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Sex Offender Who Inspired New York’s ‘Operation Game Over’ is Sentenced
Richard Kretovic, whose sexual abuse of a 12-year-old boy inspired New York State’s push to have all of its registered sex offenders permanently banned from Xbox Live and other major gaming services, was sentenced on Friday. Kretovic, 20, only got six months in jail, but the larger punishment may be stripping his access to Xbox…
By Owen Good Published May 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Oh Sure, Now Eli Manning Wants to Do an Appearance for Madden NFL
The biggest irony in this Saturday Night Live sketch from last night featuring Eli Manning is the idea of him working this closely with Madden NFL on anything. Widely believed to be too expensive even for EA Sports, if the two-time Super Bowl champion, or his brother, had any intention of making a signature appearance…
By Owen Good Published May 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Suspects of the Old Republic
We had an open-ended theme last week and, I’ll take the rap, it kinda thudded. So we’re going back to bread-and-butter subjects with source images, and mugshots have been reliable comedy inspiration in the past. The tale of a guy actually named Obiwan Kenobi getting arrested in California and charged with hit-and-run, is too good…
By Owen Good Published May 6, 2012