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Console Companies Continue to Keep Inspectors Out of Factories
We’ve written many times before about the working conditions at Foxconn and other Chinese plants at which nearly all of the electronics used for gaming are manufactured. The short version is, its not great. Factory workers manage extraordinary hours for very little pay, living in cramped conditions. Following a spate of suicides in 2010 and…
By Kate Cox Published March 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
Nominate This Week’s Best Comment
You may have noticed that we’ve stopped running out daily notes. And you also may have noticed last week’s “The Best of Kotaku, This Week” feature. Well, this is going to be a regular thing. Part of this thing includes nominating a Best Comment of the Week. That’s you guys. We want to highlight the…
By Tina Amini Published March 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedShepard’s War Begins In This New Mass Effect 3 Trailer
Mass Effect 3 launched three days ago, but that hasn’t stopped publisher Electronic Arts from releasing new trailers for the sci-fi action-roleplaying game. Not that I’m complainingā€”this one is pretty awesome. Explosions, spaceships, and dramatic proclamations round out this look at Commander Shepard’s latest adventure, which developer BioWare released Tuesday for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3,…
By Jason Schreier Published March 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
Barbara-Freaking-Gordon Proves How Clever She is in this Batgirl #7 Preview
Back in action years after being crippled by the Joker, Batgirl’s biggest problem in DC Comics’ New 52 reboot seems to be all the men in her life worried about her getting hurt again. Batwoman doesn’t have to deal with this crap. After a tense confrontation with Batman in issue #6, writer Gail Simone explores…
By Mike Fahey Published March 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedShepard Makes A Last Stand Against The Infamous Mass Effect 3 Reporter [Minor Spoilers]
If you’ve played any of BioWare’s Mass Effect titles, you might have come across Kalisah Bint Sinan Al-Jilani, a reporter that you meet on the Citadel. She’s abrasive, though masked by her cool and collected reporter skills. Of course, Shepard has his/her own way of dealing with the conflict. Kirk was hoping that the reporter…
By Tina Amini Published March 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
Which Is The Best Final Fantasy? All of Them!
When people talk Japanese roleplaying games, there’s one question that comes up quite a bit: Which is the best Final Fantasy? Plenty of JRPG fans have wasted hours debating this question, each making his or her own case for which of Square Enix’s ubiquitous roleplaying games is the cream of the crop. It’s a stale…
By Jason Schreier Published March 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
Former LulzSec Leader a Troublemaker Both Offline and Online
It’s now a well-worn adage that online, each of us can be anyone. You recognize an individual by their typed words and actions. It’s possible to get to know someone very personally indeed, and yet know virtually nothing about their daily lives. Where do they work? What city do they live in? How do they…
By Kate Cox Published March 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Resigns After Spending Campaign Money On PlayStation
South Carolina Lt. Governor Ken Ard resigned this morning following a longrunning scandal during which he admitted he used his campaign funds to buy iPads and PlayStation 3s, news outlet TalkingPointsMemo reports. According to the report, Ard spent $3000 on a PlayStation, clothing, iPads, and his wife’s cell phone bill. He spent a total of…
By Jason Schreier Published March 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
Fez Creator Says People Have Gotten His “Japanese Games Suck” Comment All Wrong
Phil Fish doesn’t want to talk about Japanese games anymore. Like, really. The Fez creator’s been smothered by haters after his controversial remarks earlier this week. But he does want to set the record straight on some things. Fish is sick of the controversy that’s dogged him, saying that it’s blown up totally out of…
By Evan Narcisse Published March 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedWTPT: Wario and Waluigi Paint Their 8-Bit World, And Then Dance Around It
Graffiti artists Edertron Onerski and Kid NES have teamed up to present this awesome mural. But for the sake of hilarity and a little bit of fun, they danced around in Wario and Waluigi costumes while painting it. Even Gumby makes an appearance to spin tracks for the painting/dancing party. The mural was made as…
By Tina Amini Published March 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedThe Latin Inspiration Behind One of Final Fantasy VII‘s Biggest Songs
You’ve heard “One Winged Angel,” the memorable dark melody that plays during Final Fantasy VII‘s Sephiroth’s most chilling moments, but did you know that much of it was inspired by the Latin cantata Carmina Burana? Kotaku video editor Chris Person has put together this video showing some of the similarities between the two pieces.
By Jason Schreier Published March 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
NFL Kicker Is Up, and It’s Good
I figured I had the perfect last name for an NFL placekicker. I’d come in and toe an impossibly long game-winner in the Super Bowl, and the next day, over a picture of me with both arms raised, the banner headline would read “IT’S GOOD.” Of course I am. The truth is that the breed…
By Owen Good Published March 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedFive People Playing the Tetris Theme on One Guitar? Sort Of…
Either these five people look amazingly similar, or there’s some brilliant digital trickery going on. Either way, this clip is bound to remind you of a video game you used to play. Of course there’s video trickery going on here, but you’d be surprised how many people in the YouTube comments for this splendid little…
By Mike Fahey Published March 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
GDC Notebook: Day 4: How Many Times Will They Play The Same Game?
The Game Developers Conference is nearly done. And what have I learned? On day 4 I learned that the Valve console, should it ever exist won’t be out soon. So said Valve, proving that a little shoe-leather-burning can get you the answers you need. Thank goodness for the weeks when just about anyone who makes…
By Stephen Totilo Published March 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
The Future Does Not Look Like Fun for Retail Chain GAME
Trouble first appeared to be brewing for major games retailer GAME in February, when pre-orders of Mass Effect 3 were suddenly canceled. All other new EA titles followed suit, and reports began to surface outlining the company’s troubled financial state. GAME’s prospects have (perhaps unsurprisingly) failed to turn around as March progresses, MCV reports. The…
By Kate Cox Published March 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
Retailer Shoots Down Grand Theft Auto Vita Rumors
Earlier this week, we reported a rumor that retailer Play.com had accidentally leaked the existence of a Grand Theft Auto for Vita and three other games. In a statement to Eurogamer today, Play.com confirmed that this report was false. [Eurogamer]
By Jason Schreier Published March 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
Mass Effect 3 Has Serious Intimacy Issues
Don’t get commenter KillerIri5h wrong; he loves Mass Effect 3. He just wishes the game would love him back just as accurately. What does that mean? Find out in today’s Speak Up on Kotaku. Could someone ask Mass Effect 3 to stop looking away from me? Mass Effect. This series is one of the reasons…
By Mike Fahey Published March 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
Talk Amongst Yourselves
Gather around, friends. We have the finest surgeons ready to take care of your every medical need, or we could just discuss video games in Kotaku‘s official forum, Talk Amongst Yourselves. Your choice! Pan1da7 makes his triumphant return to the TAYpic spotlight with this startlingly accurate commentary on American healthcare. You too can mix video…
By Mike Fahey Published March 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
BioWare Says Mass Effect 3 Shipped 3.5 Million Copies
Mass Effect 3 has shipped 3.5 million copies in its first week on sale, BioWare said today. The sci-fi action-roleplaying game has received a number of positive reviews across the board, boasting a 95 on Metacritic’s critic score aggregation. [BioWare]
By Jason Schreier Published March 9, 2012