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Talk Amongst Yourselves
Rush to the safe zone and stock up on video game discussion points with like-minded survivalists in Kotaku‘s official forum, Talk Amongst Yourselves. Reader Benevolence brings us today’s Left 4 Dead 2 TAYpic, along with these words of wisdom: “It ain’t right for a man to be ridden like that.” You too can mix video…
By Mike Fahey Published March 7, 2012 - Uncategorized
New Grand Theft Auto, Final Fantasy Games Could Be Headed to Vita [UPDATE]
British retailer Play.com has accidentally leaked the names of four upcoming PlayStation Vita titles, according to a news report published today. Update 2: In a statement to Eurogamer, Play.com confirmed that the above image is fake. Update: Some folks have questioned the validity of this image. More information below. A tipster sent gaming website Eurogamer…
By Jason Schreier Published March 7, 2012 - Uncategorized
World of Warcraft Lures Lapsed Players Back with Cataclysm Upgrades and High Level Characters
What does it take to lure a lapsed player back to World of Warcraft? With subscription numbers slowly-but-surely dropping, Blizzard launches the new Scroll of Resurrection program, granting returning players a free upgrade to the Cataclysm expansion and an instant jump to level 80 — they just need to be asked. Current World of Warcraft…
By Mike Fahey Published March 7, 2012 - Uncategorized
Obey Gabe Newell. Do It.
San Francisco’s 4th Street is covered in Gabe Newell. The Game Developer’s Conference is in full swing, and the iconic Valve boss’s mug is splashed on poles, garbage bins, and newspaper stands. It’s like gaming’s own version of the Obey sticker campaign, but Gabe’s either saying Half-Life 3 or Steam console. I can’t tell which.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2012 - Uncategorized
Map Packs? Bah! Battlefield 3 Changes the Game with Three Themed Expansion Packs
Eschewing the normal practice of releasing intermittent “piecemeal” map packs, DICE intends to deliver three completely new experiences to Battlefield 3 players this year in the form of a trio of expansion packs, delivering new game modes, “innovative” gameplay, and unique environments with each release. It’s maps plus! Judging by the official descriptions, each of…
By Mike Fahey Published March 7, 2012 - Kotaku East
Online Gaming Officially Makes You an Internet Addict in Korea
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF) in South Korea released the results of last year’s survey aimed at studying the causes of internet addiction. The Ministry conducted the study from October to December 2011, which was just around the time when Korean news began to report on school violence. The possible link between…
By Chi Lee Published March 7, 2012 - Kotaku East
Is This Anime Outfit Fashionable? Or Just Freaky?
The photo was snapped in Tokyo’s hipster neighborhood Harajuku. I haven’t seen anyone dressed like this in Japan (and most people online in Japan also seemed surprised). The photo is making the internet rounds with some people saying this get-up looks cool. The guy might even be wearing a hug pillow! The look is interesting,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2012 - Kotaku East
Just Look at All These Metal Gear Shirts
To mark the 25 anniversary of Metal Gear, Konami is teaming up with Uniqlo for a line of Metal Gear t-shirts. They’ll go on sale Apr. 16 at Uniqlo stores across Japan. This isn’t a first for Metal Gear. During MGS4‘s release, there was a line of Uniqlo shirts. Have a look at some of…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2012 - Kotaku East
Sony Ramping Up PlayStation Suite
PlayStation Suite is Sony’s concept that “certified” PlayStation games will be available on Sony’s mobile devices. Today, Sony revealed that it “will offer a more streamlined content development environment for content developers—from large game development companies to small, independent shops.” A closed beta launched last fall, and the upcoming open beta will incorporate feedback to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2012 -
UncategorizedPeter Molyneux Is Leaving Lionhead Studios and Microsoft, Will Finish Kinect Fable
Peter Molyneux, one of the most respected video game developers in the world and one of the top creative minds on the Xbox team, is leaving Microsoft and Lionhead Studios, Kotaku has learned. “It is with mixed emotions that I made the decision to leave Microsoft and Lionhead Studios, the company that I co-founded in…
By Stephen Totilo Published March 7, 2012 - Kotaku East
Cosplaying as a Curvy One Piece Character Ain’t Easy!
Japanese pop singer and AKB48 member Miku Tanabe loves cosplay. Some characters are a snap to dress up as. Others are not. “I love doing it,” blogged Tanabe, “but cosplaying large-chested characters is so tough!” Tanabe is dressed as notoriously curvy One Piece character, Boa Hancock. One cosplayer had better luck. Last fall, a Macau-born…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2012 - Kotaku East
Colonel Sanders Sure Looks Like Hell
In Japan, Colonel Sanders is an iconic part of pop culture. There are Kentucky Fried Chickens across the country. In front of each shop, there’s a glasses-wearing Colonel Sanders statue. And boy, can they ever look scary. Don’t believe me? Above is the Colonel from the Akihabara KFC. When it recently snowed in the geek…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2012 - Kotaku East
This New Japanese RPG Has Soul
Rather, make that, “Sol”. Dubbed Sol Trigger, this Japanese role-playing game is Imageepoch’s upcoming title. It features character design from Shuji Sogabe of Persona 4 (the comic) and God Eater fame and a game scenario from Kazushige Nojima, who wrote Final Fantasy VII and Kingdom Hearts. Big names! Sol Trigger is slated for the PSP…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2012 -
Kotaku EastAll You Need to Punch a Stranger is a $9,000 Watch
An old man in the subway car near the seats reserved for the elderly, the handicapped, and pregnant women, grips the rack above with one hand; next to him is an older hiker, weighed down by heavy gear on his back, who carries his jacket, a second bag, and his age like a shield in…
By Chi Lee Published March 7, 2012 - Kotaku East
Ladies Come for the Comics, Stay for the Pornography
Men aren’t the only ones reading adult comics and watching adult videos. (Shocking, I know!) In Japan, there are mature manga and porno flicks for females. Yet, women might feel reluctant to walk into their local convenience store and flip through dirty mags or rent X-rated DVDs at the video store. Good thing there are…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2012 -
Kotaku EastThese Foreigners Want To Marry 7-Eleven
Now they don’t want to really marry 7-Eleven, but they’re more than happy to sing about going there—and wanting to marry it. Made by a bunch of foreign exchange students, the song is called “Konbini Ikou” (“Let’s Go to the Convenience Store”). In Japan, the vid went viral, racking up well over 100,000 YouTube views.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2012 - Kotaku East
When You Say Japanese Games “Just Suck”
Remember a decade ago? Heck, remember six or seven years ago? I do. I remember telling Japanese gamers that Western games were great and seeing the wry smiles. I remember hearing that the Xbox didn’t have any games on it Japanese people wanted to play—a polite way of saying Western games stink. How things have…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2012 - Kotaku East
Conquering the World with Flying Penguins
Based in Seoul, Korea and Los Angeles, California, Gamevil describes itself as a world class leader in mobile game publishing. While “world class leader” is sometimes the language of arrogance or deceit, Gamevil was able to show the rest of the Korean mobile market this month that it can back its claims with numbers. That…
By Chi Lee Published March 7, 2012 - Uncategorized
Medal of Honor: Warfighter Leaves Afghanistan to Fight Pirates
So, the upcoming Medal of Honor is still trying to say it’s authentic while showing Call of Duty-esque blockbuster moments. Some things will never change, but some things do, like a lot of the trimmings and context of this reboot’s sequel. In a nice nod to the fact video games are enjoyed by people living…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 7, 2012