Speak-Up On Kotaku: Extreme-Gs, The Wireless 60, Kotaku Sneakers, And Sadness

Yes, we’re back to this again. This week on Speak-Up on Kotaku, Subterpunk, AnnexOne, StrategyMonk, and Mr. Pie! punctuate the return of this feature with Extreme-G, console knock-offs, some awesome shoes, and the sad state of the Dreamcast. Don’t like the gallery layout? Click here to view everything on one page. About Speak-Up on Kotaku:…

Blood Stone gallery

Zynga Sued Over Mafia Wars Name

Popular Facebook game Mafia Wars comes under fire today as creator Zynga is sued for trademark violation by Digital Chocolate, the creator of the Mafia Wars mobile phone game series. Digital Chocolate, a developer of mobile and PC games founded by EA founder Trip Hawkins, is the creator of the Mafia Wars mobile phone game…

The Latest James Bond 007: Blood Stone Screens and Teaser

When McWhertor got a second look at James Bond 007: Blood Stone last week in Germany he said the game may have won him over Here’s a look at some of the new trailers and screenshots of the game to perhaps explain why. In it we see Daniel Craig’s Bond taking down some bad guys…

How To Succeed As A World Of Warcraft: Cataclysm Beta Tester

Getting into the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm beta is all about having fun and experiencing new content, right? Wrong! Machinima.com sets Cataclysm beta testers straight in this guide to winning the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm beta test. Beta testing is your chance to have a say in what direction a game goes in, while helping…

Problematically In The Voice Of A Night Elf Woman

I never did put much stock in the idea that video games were “just games.” Indeed it’s an underlying thesis of this site‘s mission [Editor’s note: Referring to Border House blog, where this post was originally published] that video games and other cultural properties can have a huge impact on how we see the world.…

Need For Speed Hot Pursuit Hits Chicago

Need For Speed Hot Pursuit continues its cross country tour with Electronic Arts bringing the upcoming racing title to Chicago to show it off to some gamers, non-gamers and celebrities. Next stop: Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle.

Apple Holding A Musical Special Event Next Week

It’s time for another Apple event next Wednesday, with music themed news of some sort teased by this fruity guitar picture. What other news could be coming on September 1? Our sister site, Gizmodo, speculates on several different bits of news that could come of next week invitation-only, internet clogging special Apple event in San…

Slot Machines Beat Nintendo To Glasses-Free 3D Gaming

I heard from a reader who has already experienced his own glasses-free 3D gaming… at a casino. I’ve not seen this myself; I’m not sure I want to. A company called IGT has been offering 3D slot machines since late 2008, I learned, following up on the reader tip. These Reel Depth slots have genies…

Digital Devices Are Reducing Your Brain’s Processing Power

Getting in a quick hit of gaming on the bus or in the bathroom may seem like a good thing, but playing with your portable devices could be depriving your brain of important downtime needed to process memories. Technology is everywhere today, and we’re using it constantly. I sit in front of a computer all…

Are Video Games Just Soap?

Consumer products like soap aren’t risky; they have a fairly reliable recipe for success. Nobody demands innovation from soap. Are games just consumer products, too? When I was a kid, my dad was a video game journalist. Well, sort of. Actually, no, not really. Dad wrote about VCRs, home computers and Hi-Fis in a “home…

Final Fantasy XIV’s Play-Limiting Fatigue System Explained – Update

A game mechanic that drops the amount of experience points earned after a set amount of play time has Final Fantasy XIV fans in an uproar. Game director Nobuaki Komoto explains the eight hour a week limit. Fans have been railing against the Final Fantasy XIV experience limiting system for a while now, but Komoto…

What Do You Want To Know About Halo: Reach?

Our very own Stephen Totilo just spent half a day with the retail version of Halo: Reach in New York City. I spent some time with Bungie last week at GamesCom. We have answers, do you have questions? We’re also going to be talking about the oodles of games we saw and played at last…

Dragon Age: Origins Ends With A Witch Hunt

BioWare ties off a major plot thread in preparation for the coming of Dragon Age 2 with Witch Hunt, the climactic ending to the Origins storyline where players will finally uncover the secrets held by Morrigan, the incredibly under-dressed witch. “Never follow me.” With these words, Morrigan vanished into the shadows. Her plans and her…

Sonic’s Mushroom Hill Zone Looks Lovely In 2.5D

Sonic fan Robert Medina uses his experience in creating 3D video and imagery to reinvision Sonic & Knuckles’ Mushroom Hill Zone as the 2.5D game we always wished Sega had released. The only thing bad about this 2.5D rendition of Sonic & Knuckles’ Mushroom Hill? It’s only a video, and not a playable game. Uploaded…

LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars Features Massive Ships, Minor Upgrades

When LEGO returns to the Star Wars universe it will bring with it a new form of picture-in-picture play and chunkier, more detailed graphics. Last week I sat down with Matt Shell, senior marketing manager for LucasArts, to talk about and then play a bit of LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars. Due out…

Dungeon Defender Is Tower Defense Of The Ancients

Combine the strategic planning and placement of tower defense with the leveling, skills, and fast-paced combat of defense of the ancients, and you’ve got Dungeon Defenders, coming this fall to Xbox Live Arcade, the PlayStation Network, and PC. Developed by Trendy Entertainment using Epic’s Unreal Engine 3, Dungeon Defenders might have a generic name, but…

Atlus Gets Into The Naruto Business

The publisher known for bringing quirky Japanese titles stateside is getting into the Naruto business this fall, with two new Naruto Shippuden games coming to the Nintendo Wii and DS this November courtesy of Atlus. The company that brings us regular installments of the Shin Megami Tensei series has signed an agreement with Tomy to…

Halo Reach’s Spartan Voice Isn’t Too Chatty

Several readers of our Halo Reach preview yesterday were wondering about the voice of the lead character in Halo Reach. Some clarification: You can choose whether your Spartan will be male or female, which will determine not just their body type but their voice. You don’t hear much from your Spartan in the game, though.…

Disney Epic Mickey’s Delightful Platforming

I really wish Disney Epic Mickey was just a platformer. I love the concept of the third-person action game, of using paint and thinner to warp and build the animated environment around you. And when I played the game earlier this year it was a ton of fun. But every time I catch a glimpse…