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Dead Island DLC Shambles Forth Later This Month
Here’s something I didn’t know: Those who pre-ordered Dead Island got a code for free DLC, which includes the “Bloodbath Arena” and a weapon called “the Ripper.” They just can’t use the Arena until it releases for everyone, evidently. That will be “later this month,” says publisher Techland, with rumor having it around the last…
By Owen Good Published September 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Melanoma Head’s Coming
I don’t think I want to know a six-year-old who isn’t a dreamer, or a sillyheart. And I sure don’t want to know one who takes their student career seriously. I don’t have a college degree. I don’t even have a job. But I know a good kid when I see one. Because they’re all…
By Owen Good Published September 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Canadian Cable Giant Admits It Could be ‘Inadvertently’ Throttling Games
In March, Canadian gamers were upset to learn that World of Warcraft traffic was being throttled by Rogers Cable and Telecom, the country’s largest broadband provider. Now the company has admitted that other games’ online traffic might trip its pipeline monitors and result in their throttling, which Rogers called “inadvertent.” Canadian gamers do not accept…
By Owen Good Published September 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
The Sims Social Overtakes FarmVille, but Don’t Worry, Of Course We Know You Don’t Play Either
EA’s designated Zynga-killer, The Sims Social just toppled FarmVille from its No. 2 perch in “daily active users,” the key stat describing a Facebook app’s popularity, according to app-watching site AppData. The 9.3 million DAUs, as they are called, come about a month after The Sims Social launched. Farmville, by comparison, launched in July 2009.…
By Owen Good Published September 9, 2011 -
UncategorizedQuite Possibly the Most Mega Flute/Guitar Duet Of All Time
There have been so many Mega Man soundtrack reinterpretations over the years; the classic games and their sequels feature bouncy, soaring melodies that lend themselves wonderfully to performance. But still, this one stands out: it’s an acoustic reinterpretation of “Splash Blue” from Mega Man 9, performed as a duet between nylon-string acoustic guitar and flute.…
By Kirk Hamilton Published September 9, 2011 - Uncategorized
Corpse Party
Wait a second! It’s Friday? Hell yes! This shortened workweek totally threw off my inner calendar. Let’s celebrate my surprise early weekend by wrapping up this Friday with some off-topic conversation. By the way, if you’re in LA this weekend, there are a few video game related things happening. The SUPER iam8bit book signing/gallery closing…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 9, 2011 - Uncategorized
Despite a Lockout and Disappointing Reviews, Madden Looks to One of Its Best Years Ever
When the NFL lockout hovered over the release of EA Sports’ Madden series earlier in the year, investors were told to expect lower sales of Madden NFL 12. Analysts pegged the potential losses at up to half of all sales. The label’s exclusive pact with the league was renegotiated to terms that would help mitigate…
By Owen Good Published September 9, 2011 - Uncategorized
Amnesia Developer Eyeing Consoles While Working On New, Slightly Less Terrifying Projects
You guys all played Amnesia: The Dark Descent, right? That whole game “happened” before I came onboard at Kotaku, but I hope that everyone here had a chance to play it and talk about it to the extent that it deserved. Because seriously: scary, rad game. Thomas Grip, the founder of Frictional Games, the studio…
By Kirk Hamilton Published September 9, 2011 - Uncategorized
Regarding the Ridiculousness of In-Store HDMI Cable Prices
I realize that this comes as news to basically no one, but felt it was worth railing about anyway. I am the proud owner of a sweet-ass new HDTV, and so I decided it was finally time to drop the VGA cables from the back of my computer monitor and hook my game consoles up…
By Kirk Hamilton Published September 9, 2011 - Uncategorized
EA has a First Amendment Right to Depict Real College Football Players, Judge Rules
Electronic Arts on Friday won the dismissal of one lawsuit against it regarding its use of identifying characteristics of real college football players in its NCAA Football series. A federal judge said EA’s right to free expression under the First Amendment supersedes a former quarterback’s right to control the use of his likeness. The dismissal…
By Owen Good Published September 9, 2011 -
UncategorizedEVE Online Now Just One Fashionable Degree of Separation From Lady Gaga
What do Lady Gaga and CCP Games, maker of massively multiplayer online role-playing game EVE Online, have in common? They’ve both worked with fashion director Nicola Formichetti and his muse, the model with a full body corpse tattoo, Rick Genest. Let’s take a step back. CCP has teamed up with Formichetti to create a “virtual…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 9, 2011 - Uncategorized
Check That, From Dust Hits PSN Next Week
Announced yesterday for a Sept. 27 release on the PlayStation Network, god-game From Dust has had its delivery date moved up two weeks to Sept. 13. It’s still $14.99. Because some have wondered, no, the game does not support PlayStation Move.
By Owen Good Published September 9, 2011 - Uncategorized
Alice Minimates Returns
My Desk – I can’t seem to find Alice’s tiny little knife. She seems OK with that. The Flex-Fire Is PlayStation Move Shooting, But with a Bender We are about a year into hardcore shooter gaming played with the PlayStation Move-an experience that, from day one, is assumed to demand one play it with something…
By Brian Crecente Published September 9, 2011 - Uncategorized
Minecraft‘s Big Adventure Update ‘Leaks’ A Lil’ Early
The next release of Minecraft—the so-called “Adventure” update, AKA Minecraft 1.8—is now, somewhat unexpectedly, in the wild. And its creator is perfectly fine if you go ahead and grab the leaked release. “Ooh, looks like 1.8 has leaked, not that I’d ever admit that,” writes Marcus “Notch” Persson on his Twitter account, winking coyly and…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 9, 2011 - Uncategorized
From Play-Fakers to Music-Makers, Here Are Your Gaming Apps of the Week
Between vacations and major gaming events, we’ve spent far more time playing gaming apps than writing about them over the past few weeks. This week we bounce back with something old, something new, something NFL-related, and something oddly musical. Are you ready for some football? No? Then are you ready for a music creation app…
By Mike Fahey Published September 9, 2011 -
UncategorizedResistance 3 Really Captures the Details of Burly Geek Beards Beautifully
If you’re playing Resistance 3, you’ve likely come in contact with the digital recreation of two Resistance super-fans, the winners of the “Get in the Game” contest. In fact, they’re some of the first people you’ll meet. So see where that impressive in-game beard originates. Developer Insomniac Games scanned in the likeness of two fans,…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 9, 2011 - Culture
This Week in the Business: “Xbox 360’s Massive Lead”
QUOTE | “Xbox 360’s massive lead.” – SCEA SVP of Publisher Relations Rob Dyer acknowledges Microsoft’s big lead in hardware but asserts that software sells better on PS3 relative to the installed base STAT | 27% – The reduction in the number of games rated 80 or higher so far in 2011, as EEDAR notes…
James Brightman | IndustryGamers.com Published September 9, 2011 - Uncategorized
All of the Life-Changing Power of Video Games
Video games cause depression. Video games cause violence. Video games are a waste of time. The next time someone pulls out one of these arguments against our favorite hobby, send them to read the stories at How Video Games Saved My Life, and hope they’re not sharp enough to refute them with cold logic. Created…
By Mike Fahey Published September 9, 2011 -
UncategorizedSuper Mario Bros. Done DIY In A Beautiful Little Cardboard Box
There’s a little surprise in this unassuming cardboard box: a physical side-scroller, a paper-based re-imagining of Nintendo classic Super Mario Bros.. It’s all powered by servos, some open source code and a little device named the Teagueduino. Oh, and some popsicle sticks, painters tape and a soda straw. Developed by the folks at Teague Labs,…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 9, 2011