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  South Korea Gets Face-Slapping StarCraft Commercial

  If there were ever two things made for each other, that would be real-time strategy game and South Korea. They love each other so much it hurts. The game is hugely popular in South Korea — and has been for some time. Korean Air is sponsoring the OnGameNet StarCraft League this spring, and the date…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published April 16, 2010
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  2K Studio Name Madness Continues With New XCOM Game

  Thanks to a confusing set of press releases and an even more confusing name change, most people aren’t sure who to thank/blame for the development of the new XCOM game. So let’s set the record straight. I spoke with Martin Slater, studio director of the former 2K Australia office in Canberra this morning. The fact…

  By Luke Plunkett Published April 16, 2010
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  FIFA Promotion Doesn’t Get More Bizarre Than This

  What do you get when you mix a washed up sumo wrestler, a cross-dressing fighter and a 14-year-old YouTube idol? You get a press conference for EA Sports’ FIFA soccer game. Yuichiro “Jienotsu” Nagashima, the cross-dressing kick boxer, showed up like he usually does — in a wig and wearing women’s clothes. Hey, relax, he’s…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published April 16, 2010
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  EA: Call Of Duty’s Publisher Shoots Race Horses (?)

  How much you enjoy petty squabbles between large multinational companies will determine how much you enjoy the latest instalment of the increasingly public soap opera surrounding Activision, EA and Call of Duty developers Infinity Ward. Me? I enjoy them immensely Earlier today, Activision put out a press release boasting of the success of Modern Warfare…

  By Luke Plunkett Published April 16, 2010
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  Current Pokemon Anime Series Coming To An End

  An entirely new Pokémon series doesn’t just mean new Pokémon games, it also means something else. This fall the anime version of current Pokémon series Diamond and Pearl will conclude its run to make way for the totally new Pokémon Black and White franchise. The original Pokémon anime first ran in 1997, and the second…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published April 16, 2010
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  Mario’s Creator May Never Retire

  Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary Nintendo game designer behind classic series like Mario and Zelda, is nearly 60. Which for most people is approaching retirement age. Not Miyamoto! No, while he recognises that there’ll eventually be a time he stops working for Nintendo, he can’t envisage a day where he stops making games altogether. “Well, I…

  By Luke Plunkett Published April 16, 2010
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  Another New “X-Com” Game, And It’s Not A Shooter

  The new XCOM game isn’t the same as the old X-Com games. Some people are cool with this, while others are not cool with this. If you’re in the latter group, you should check out Xenonauts, an upcoming indie PC game. It is, essentially, X-Com. Or, as the developers Goldhawk Interactive call it, a “planetary…

  By Luke Plunkett Published April 16, 2010
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  World Of Warcraft Pet Sales Made Millions For Blizzard Today

  No sooner did Blizzard offer up two new virtual beasts for World of Warcraft players to buy—one mount, one pet—than did the fanbase queue up in the tens of thousands to buy them, netting Blizzard millions. Blizzard put the Celestial Steed mount and Lil’ XT pet up for sale today, priced at $25 USD/20€ and…

  By Michael McWhertor Published April 15, 2010
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  Kotaku Off Topic: The Uncanny Tax Men

  Oh no! It’s tax day! I hope all U.S.-based Kotaku Off Topic socialites have already filed or the tax man will get you while you sleep. Let’s not talk about taxes, though, let’s talk about everything else. Anyone going to see Kick Ass this weekend? I think our own Mike Fahey is going to a…

  By Michael McWhertor Published April 15, 2010
• Reviews

  Star Wars Cantina Micro-review: Serve Greedo First

  Not since Bea Arthur’s spin as Ackmena the bartender in the Star Wars Holiday Special have we been as thrilled to revisit a classic Tatooine bar as we have in Star Wars Cantina for the iPhone. Star Wars Cantina puts you in the shoes and Dewback-sized beehive hairdo of Nia Adea, a drink-slinger at the…

  By Michael McWhertor Published April 15, 2010
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  Derek Jeter Loses Boxing Match, U.S. Stymied In Xbox 360 Tournament

  Four American gamers lost to non-Americans in the second annual Gillette EA Sports Champions of Gaming Tournament in New York City last night. But then, in a twist, two pro athletes beat two of the tournament-winning gamers. In round-robin competitions of FIFA 10, Fight Night Round 4, Madden NFL 10 and NHL 10, a handful…

  By Stephen Totilo Published April 15, 2010
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  See How Project Natal Will See You

  Look through the cute/creepy eyes of Project Natal and see how the Xbox 360 camera attachment will see you when launched later this year. This shaky cam-captured demonstration, via Next Gen News, is from Microsoft’s Think Next event that convened yesterday in Tel Aviv, Israel—home to Project Natal tech provider PrimeSense. In it, we witness…

  By Michael McWhertor Published April 15, 2010
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  Team Fortress 2 Finally Adds Severed Rabbit Heads

  While I believe that torn-off bunny parts are gifts reserved for more romantic occasions, Valve’s just handing out these severed rabbit heads as one of three bonuses for players buying the new Sam and Max game on Steam this week. Telltale Games has just launched The Penal Zone, the first episode of Sam and Max:…

  By Mike Fahey Published April 15, 2010
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  PlayStation Store Update: Cody & Guy & Haggar & Sam & Max

  Where will the North American PlayStation Store update take PS3 owners this week? To one of three locales, Metro City, Port Carverton and New York City. Do you know the games I’m talking about? If not you might want to check out the list of new downloadable additions awaiting PlayStation 3 and PSP owners. On…

  By Michael McWhertor Published April 15, 2010
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  T: shcrft Frm: Ttl R: f Crs, Jpn sn’t ll Th Sm! Frst! Lv th ntn tht y cn sy “bng” t smn n sk nd thy wll prtnd t b sht. Wndr f tht wld wrk n Nw Yrk Cty. Strs Y My Hv Mssd Hw Nt T Ply Gms n TV, Frm Smn…

  By Stephen Totilo Published April 15, 2010
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  NPD Instant Analysis: Things You Should Note

  If you are not careful, you will soon be cornered by some know-it-all who knows everything about U.S. video game sales in March 2010. Before walking away, drop some knowledge on them — might we suggest a few talking points? Fact: Four PlayStation 3 games were in the March top 10. Sony software hasn’t had…

  By Stephen Totilo Published April 15, 2010
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  Pokémon Helps Nintendo Walk To March Hardware Victory

  As it is wont to do, Nintendo dominated hardware sales in the United States in March, the Nintendo DS and Wii combining to move more than a million shiny new game machines last month. Topping the hardware list was the Nintendo DS with 700,800 units sold in March, no doubt thanks to impressive sales of…

  By Michael McWhertor Published April 15, 2010
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  God of War III, Pokemon & More Battle It Out For March’s Bestseller Crown

  March was a battle between one very pissed off Spartan, a girl named Lightning and too many Pokemon to count. Who came out on top in U.S. video game sales for the month of March? According to new figures from the NPD Group, God of War III was last month’s bestselling individual video game, moving…

  By Michael McWhertor Published April 15, 2010
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  Final Fantasy XIII PS3 ‘Nearly Doubles’ Xbox 360 Version In U.S. Sales

  First month figures for Final Fantasy XIII are in, with the North American version of Square Enix’s role-playing game epic moving more than 1.3 million copies in the United States. The vast majority of those were on the PlayStation 3. According to an early statement from Sony Computer Entertainment, the PS3 version of Final Fantasy…

  By Michael McWhertor Published April 15, 2010
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  Talesworth Adventure Proves Its Worth

  Only one idiotic adventurer has the power to run headlong into traps, pits, and other obstacles on his quest to save the riches of Talesworth from the evil red dragon. He could probably use your help. Talesworth Adventure Episode One is a nifty little flash game, in which you have to guide the creatively named…

  By Mike Fahey Published April 15, 2010