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How Working at the ESRB Can Be the Best Job in the World
The Entertainment Software Ratings Board used to manually assess the content of the games it was awarding a classification to. Now, computers do most of the work. Which must be a bummer to anyone hoping to get a job there. A story appearing on Slate yesterday, written by Jacob Rubin, outlines his time in a…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 13, 2011 - Uncategorized
The Ghost of a Cancelled Video Game Lives On In a…LEGO Game
Last year, there were two Pirates of the Caribbean games in development, one called Armada of the Damned, the other a LEGO title. The former was sadly cancelled, but in a neat twist, its music lives on in the LEGO game. Disney’s John Vignocchi said earlier today that while the LEGO game has 15 songs…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 13, 2011 - Uncategorized
Dead Wii Is Funny. Dead Lady Is Not.
In Japan, pin-up model Aki Higashihara’s blog is notorious. It’s called the “Death Blog”, after manga Death Note. In the popular comic, writing people’s names in the “Death Note” notebook leads to their demise. On the Japanese internet, the same is said about Higashihara’s blog. The notion that Higashihara (above) pens Death Blog has been…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 13, 2011 - Uncategorized
Deus Ex Website Hacked, Customer Information Stolen
According to a report on KrebsOnSecurity, the public websites for upcoming sci-fi title Deus Ex: Human Revolution and that of its publisher, Eidos, have been hacked, and a ton of information and code stolen. Using logs from the alleged culprit’s chatroom, KrebsOnSecurity says that among the data lifted were 9000 resumes, personal information from around…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 13, 2011 - Uncategorized
Portal 2’s Wheatley Found it all “Exhausting”
Actor Stephen Merchant, who put in a masterful turn as Portal 2’s Wheatley, found giving life to the crazy little metal ball a lot tougher than his roles in front of the camera. “I have to say, I found the entire thing really exhausting” he told MTV. “More than anything I’ve ever done before because…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 13, 2011 - CultureTotal Recall
The Day the Secret Service Raided a Role-Playing Game Company
Steve Jackson Games is a company well known for its tabletop RPGs and card games. An innocent enough trade, then, so why in 1990 were its offices raided by the United States Secret Service? It wasn’t because SJG’s products were somehow illegal, or that the company was peddling counterfeit currency. It was because, at the…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 13, 2011 - Uncategorized
The Potty-Mouth Origins of a Video Game Mainstay
As an avuncular living-room presence for three generations, it’s easy to forget John Madden was the head coach of the Oakland Raiders back when they were the Raiders, and he had to lead characters like Ted Hendricks, Phil Villapiano, Jack Tatum and Ken Stabler. So Madden’s proficiency with the F-word should not be astonishing. But…
By Owen Good Published May 12, 2011 - Uncategorized
The Sleeping Giant Awakes
Well, today’s been something! Has yours? If you want to chit-chat with your fellow game-loving, Kotaku-reading compatriots, this open thread is the ideal nighttime place to do so. My day started with a taping of GameTrailers TV across town, a chance to see the personable Geoff Keighley in television show hosting action. Before that, however,…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 12, 2011 -
UncategorizedMorrowind Theme Helps Harpist Fund Her Next Album
This is Gillian Grassie, a Philadelphia-area harpist. That’s not the sort of instrument that gets a record deal; harpists typically fund their recordings by playing weddings, dining rooms and the like. To raise money for her next album, Grassie took requests, and found that video game patrons are very willing to support the arts. Here’s…
By Owen Good Published May 12, 2011 - Uncategorized
Fully Posable Star Wars Action Figures, in Pixelated Form
Thirtysomething gamers will recognize plenty in this isometric pixelated depiction of the original run of Kenner Star Wars action figures from the first film to Return of the Jedi. I remember Luke Skywalker: Bespin Fatigues, the first action figure with two weapons. Spent the entire summer of 1980 coveting that one. Isometric Star Wars Toys…
By Owen Good Published May 12, 2011 - Uncategorized
What Does Ubisoft Think of the Wii 2?
According to the French publisher’s CEO, not only is Nintendo’s Wii successor—currently known as Project Cafe—a “fantastic platform,” it’s also bound to be home to many a port from the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Ubisoft’s Yves Guillemot said during an investor call today that the company’s a huge fan of the Wii 2, according…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 12, 2011 - Uncategorized
Xbox Live Indie Studios Can Now Pick Their Publishing Dates
The Xbox Live Indie Games channel just put through a key change that should help publishers with marketing efforts for their games. Now, once a title has passed peer review, the developer may pick the date it publishes to the service. What this means for consumers is that collaborative events such as the Indie Games…
By Owen Good Published May 12, 2011 -
UncategorizedThis Turkish Rendition of Super Mario Bros. Music is Definitely Dance-Worthy
From the Republic of Turkey comes this wonderful impromptu rendition of the Super Mario Bros. theme song, a familiar tune in an unfamiliar place. Unfamiliar that is unless you live in Turkey, where Çağrı Ulusoy on the darbuka and Emre Kaya on clarinet add a distinctively Turkish flair to the song that propelled a million…
By Mike Fahey Published May 12, 2011 - Uncategorized
Mario, This is Why You’re Fat
We know why Mario has a mustache. We know why his uniform is blue and red. These were the most distinctive features Nintendo could render on the character sprite due to the limitations of the Z80 processor, the venerable workhorse of the arcade. And it’s the same reason Mario’s proportions are a little on the…
By Owen Good Published May 12, 2011 - Uncategorized
My Other, Other Office
WORKING 7 To 7 | My third office is whatever seat I can find on the daily commuter train. The gin and tonic is extra. (Photo by Crecente) Home Sheep Home May Have Been Nominated for a BAFTA, But It’s Just Too Thin to Win Home Sheep Home, you’re no Angry Birds-at least not when…
By Brian Crecente Published May 12, 2011 -
UncategorizedEven More Insane Portal 2 Cube Tricks? Now You’re Just Showing Off!
Few people know how to handle a Portal 2 cube better than James, here—aka “Schrobot.” Continuing his extremely impressive cube tossing and portaling techniques from his first video, we delve deeper into Aperture Science, finding new ways to blown away by Schrobot’s cube-jockeying prowess. Obviously, spoilers and puzzle solutions abound in this latest Portal 2…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 12, 2011 - Uncategorized
How Sony Is Explaining the PlayStation Network Outage to Its Developers
Sony execs have already apologized to PlayStation customers by way of the company’s official blog and with extremely deep bows, but what’s the message to game developers affected by the PlayStation Network outage? Industry Gamers has the internal memo in which they “deeply regret that this incident has occurred,” but don’t offer many new details.
By Michael McWhertor Published May 12, 2011 - Uncategorized
Tugboat Ran Aground as Captain Played Video Games, Says Coast Guard
More than 6,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into Alaska’s Prince William Sound – the very same spot as the infamous Exxon Valdez disaster – because the captain of a tugboat was playing video games while the ship ran aground, says the Coast Guard. The Pathfinder, a “safety-escort” tug, was returning to port after an…
By Owen Good Published May 12, 2011 -
UncategorizedMeet Diablo III‘s New Enchantress, Scoundrel and Templar
Who are these three mysterious additions to Diablo III? They’re not new character classes in Blizzard’s upcoming action-role-playing game; they’re “Followers,” the co-op companions you’ll play alongside in the next Diablo game. The Enchantress, Scoundrel and Templar appear to be the Diablo III equivalent of the Mercenary, the hirelings introduced in Diablo II. From the…
By Michael McWhertor Published May 12, 2011