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The PSP Is Going Out with a Bam (and a Vroom)
With the PSP’s days numbered in North America, there won’t be too many more offers like this before the handheld is taken out back and shot The new, and wonderfully-named “Madden NFL 12 & Need for Speed SHIFT PSP Entertainment Pack” is a bundle that includes a PSP-3000 system, a 2GB memory card and copies…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 11, 2011 - Uncategorized
Mega Man Fans, Capcom is Reading Your Mail. All of it.
Ever since Mega Man Legends 3 was canned, fans of the franchise have been going bananas, wondering how Capcom could ever do such a thing. (It may have something to do with the fact Mega Man fans aren’t as numerous as they think!) While that’s resulted in the expected amount of angry words typed anonymously…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 11, 2011 - Uncategorized
The Greatest Cosplay in the World
Last weekend, cosplayers from around the world flocked to the Wold Cosplay Summit. This is more than simply the Olympics of posing and priming in character costumes. Cosplayers perform on stage, giving the competition an air of theatrics. Held since 2003 and supported by the Japanese government, the World Cosplay Summit invites cosplayers from across…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 11, 2011 -
UncategorizedNo Filming is Allowed Inside Valve’s Offices
If you ever get the chance to visit Valve’s offices in Bellevue, be sure to enjoy the trip. Just remember: no filming. There are severe consequences. Note, though, regular humans could get Team Fortress 2 statues as well. At least, I think I’m a regular human. You guys can fry an eggs on your bare…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 11, 2011 -
UncategorizedMan has Jaw Broken, PSP Stolen During London Riots
One of the sadder stories to come out of this week’s London riots is that of Malaysian student Ashraf Haziq, who bleeding profusely from a broken jaw is helped to his feet by passers-by…before summarily having his PSP stolen right out of his backpack. It’s indicative of the kind of materialistic lawlessness that’s gripped the…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 11, 2011 -
CultureTotal RecallThe Secret of the Secret Nintendo Song
When you talk about music in Nintendo games, the first person that pops into most people’s minds is the work of legendary composer Koji Kondo, the man behind the iconic scores for games like Zelda and Mario. We’re not talking about Koji Kondo today. Instead, we’re going to talk about Kazumi Totaka, who in addition…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 11, 2011 - Uncategorized
FortressCraft Breaks the $1 Million Barrier on Xbox Live Indie Games
Last year, Minecraft made about a zillion kroner in the time it takes to nuke a Hot Pocket. This year, FortressCraft, the Minecraft knockoff homage on the Xbox Live Indie Games channel, has now bagged a cool million inside of the first six months it was available on the service. That’s a gross sales figure,…
By Owen Good Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Long Rumored Syndicate Reboot Now Rumored for Gamescom
Starbreeze Studios, maker of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay and The Darkness, have been working on the secretive “Project Redlime” for years, a game frequently rumored to revive Bullfrog Productions Syndicate. After years of speculation, we may finally see that game next week. Or so goes the latest Syndicate/Project Redlime rumor. According…
By Michael McWhertor Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Let The Wookiee Win
In tonight’s open thread, we can talk about getting stoned and porn, if you’d like. This is the place for off-topic discussion after all. And it’s relevant to tonight’s links! So, yes, Kotaku is posting porn today (update your blog) or at least a teaser for the Star Wars-themed porn coming from Vivid Entertainment. To…
By Michael McWhertor Published August 10, 2011 -
UncategorizedA Fantasy RPG Sails into Pirate-Infested Waters with Risen 2
Deep Silver has a game forthcoming that features islands, water, and people in pirate costumes, and it ain’t Dead Island. No, it is Risen 2: Dark Waters, the sequel to a game that was a fantasy RPG. What Deep Silver is doing is listening to its customers. One of the most popular side quests in…
By Owen Good Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
A Lockout Could Cost NBA 2K12 $40 Million, Says Analyst
You thought we were done with this lockout nonsense when the NFL and its players came to terms about two weeks ago. Nope! The NBA and its players are in a similar dispute and, good news, it seems to be even more intractable. What does this mean for its premier licensed video game? Arvind Bhatia,…
By Owen Good Published August 10, 2011 -
UncategorizedFeel the Parental Fury of the Super Nintendo Launch, As Told By Local News
You may have fond memories of the 1991 launch of Nintendo’s SNES, but according to a recently unearthed local news broadcast, some parents were steaming at the notion of the new 16-bit console. The segment “Video Mania,” via NeoGAF, from Los Angeles affiliate KNBC features Rogue from the X-Men and the upper torso of newsman…
By Michael McWhertor Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Co-Op Multiplayer May Have to Wait in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Earlier today, a post on the official forum for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine said that cooperative multiplayer for the game would not be available at launchand would be added into the game 30 days after launch “give or take.” The post has since been removed, but publisher THQ has yet to confirm any plans or…
By Owen Good Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
I’ve Played Deus Ex. She Hasn’t. Now We’re Playing It Together
Earlier this year, games journalist-about-town (and Kotaku columnist) Leigh Alexander and I did a little experiment—I had never played the classic JRPG Final Fantasy VII, a game that she counts among her very favorites. The idea was that I would play the game for the first time, and as I went through it, we’d write…
Kirk Hamilton & Leigh Alexander Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Activision Says No Thanks to Facebook Gaming Because It’s Already Kicking Ass In Pay-to-Play
The CEO of Activision Publishing (that’s not Bobby Kotick—he is the CEO of Activision Blizzard) pointedly said his division does not share rival Electronic Arts’ interest in Facebook gaming because “Call of Duty has more players who pay-to-play online than any Facebook game.” Ruh roh. That’s another bon mot offered by Eric Hirshberg at the…
By Owen Good Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
A Whole Lot of Mega Man and 8 Million new Spider-People Headline a Big Week in New Comics
There are new comics out every week, but this week doesn’t just have a strong batch of new books that are hitting store shelves. It’s also got an unusually strong amount of legitimate digital downloadable comics, including a re-issuing of a few issues of the Detroit-era Justice League of America. You know, the worst incarnation…
By Stephen Totilo Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Marvel Vs. Cute Capcom
MvC – Yes, yes. I’m going a bit Minimates crazy lately, but those tiny bat wings are just SO cute. Gamification is Bullshit In his short treatise On Bullshit, the moral philosopher Harry Frankfurt gives us a useful theory of bullshit. We normally think of bullshit as a synonym-albeit a somewhat vulgar one-for lies or…
By Brian Crecente Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Epic Mickey Lands In Japan, But Is Less Epic Than Kirby
Disney’s Epic Mickey made its (rather late) to the Wii in Japan last week, debuting in the top ten, but not in the top five. Another adorable mascot, Nintendo’s Kirby, fared much better overseas. The week’s real winner, however, was Sega’s J-League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou! 7 Euro Plus for PSP. The soccer sim…
By Michael McWhertor Published August 10, 2011 - Uncategorized
Mortal Kombat: Legacy Komes to Blu-ray This November
The nine episode web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy will come to a Blu-ray near you this November, courtesy of Warner Bros. and director Kevin Tancharoen, delivering live action Jax, Sonya, Scorpion, Sub-Zero and more onto one high-def disc. Hi-Def Digest has details on the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Blu-ray, hitting November 8 for $19.98 USD, revealing…
By Michael McWhertor Published August 10, 2011