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  Dylan Cuthbert: Game Funding Model Is “Fundamentally Broken”

  In an interview with Develop, Q-Games president Dylan Cuthbert discusses the “fundamentally broken” games funding model, saying it is geared towards “making publishers stinking rich.” Primarily working on the downloadable PSN PixelJunk series, Dylan Cuthbert doesn’t have much occasion to deal with the problems associated with the traditional relationship between publisher and developer, but that…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 15, 2010
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  Kane & Lynch Devs Were “Bystanders” To Gerstmann Review Fiasco

  Jeff Gerstmann, longtime game reviewer and one-time Kotaku podcast guest, is widely seen to have been fired from gaming site GameSpot in 2007 due to his negative review of Kane & Lynch. That game’s developers consider the episode “sad.” Blame GameSpot for firing a reviewer possibly due to the content of his reviews? Blame publisher…

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 15, 2010
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  Choose Your Own Just Cause 2 Adventure

  This choose your own adventure style trailer for Just Cause 2 showcases the different ways to tackle a mission in Eidos’ upcoming action-adventure. Clicking the video at the designated time will take you on a magical journey to YouTube, but don’t worry, we’ll be here waiting for you when you get back. That is, unless…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 15, 2010
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  Mega Man 10 Robot Masters Sprites Vs. Art

  Here’s a closer look at all eight of Mega Man 10’s evil robot masters, showing us how the dynamic concept art fared in its conversion to sprites. As you can see, some of the Robot Masters made out better than others during the journey from cartoon art to pixels. Sheep Man, Nitro Man, and Strike…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 15, 2010
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  Writer Identifies “The Pixar Of Video Games”

  It’s not Nintendo nor Insomniac. Reporter Jamin Brophy-Warren declares that The Maw and Splosion Man development studio Twisted Pixel has Pixar’s knack for creating memorable, unreal characters with which we can empathize. Argument here: The Pixar of Video Games [Slate]

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 15, 2010
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  When Capcom Says Gold Edition, They Mean Gold Edition

  Sheva gets bumped in favor of Jill Valentine on the cover art for Capcom’s Resident Evil 5 update, with a gold etched cover that leaves no room for doubt that this is indeed the Gold Edition. Ash posted the latest trailer for the Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition earlier, but it’s nowhere near as shiny…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 15, 2010
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  Gabe Newell Is 2010’s Game Developers Choice Pioneer

  Valve’s Gabe Newell joins the prestigious company of Ralph Baer, Alex Rigopulos, and Eran Egozy as the 2010 winner of the Game Developers Choice Awards Pioneer Award, honoring breakthrough figures in the game industry. Ralph Baer, winner of the 2008 Pioneer award, is widely considered to be the father of video games. Alex Rigopulos and…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 15, 2010
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  Teen Drops 150 Pounds With Video Game-Inspired Diet

  Taylor LeBaron weighed nearly 300 pounds when he was 14 and has lost half of that, thanks, he told the Today Show, due to a strategy he got from video games. LeBaron told the Today Show that he tackled his weight loss as if he was confronting a series of enemies in a video game.…

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 15, 2010
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  My Gaming Decade

  Numerous recent retrospectives showed that, from 2000-2009, video games changed. But how did you change alongside the games of the 00’s? I’ve compiled My Gaming Decade. You go next. 2000: A year removed from grad school, I bought The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, which would prove to be my favorite game ever. 2001: I…

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 15, 2010
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  Talk Amongst Yourselves

  Don’t let your week end without commenting here about video games. Confused about commenting on Kotaku? Read our FAQ.

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 15, 2010
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  When I Get To Friday…

  To: Crecente From: Bashcraft RE: Ashes to Ashes …my brain is fried. Sorry! When you get to Friday… What you missed last night Japanese Newspaper Denies It “Misinterpreted” Nintendo DS Successor Claims Rumor: Rockstar Responds To Allegations Of Poor Work Conditions Video Game Statistics At A Glance The Tekken Movie Trailer Does Not Disappoint

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 15, 2010
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  Quantum Theory Gameplay Looks Familiar

  Hrm, can’t quite put my finger on where I’ve seen this before. I’m pretty sure I’ve played something like this. Somewhere. Hrm. Besides a cover mechanic, an AI-controlled partner, dark and moody interiors, and big macho characters, Tecmo’s upcoming third-person-shooter Quantum Theory features a “shape-shifting battlefield” that changes form in real time. Will be released…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 15, 2010
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  There Are Over 100 Million Miis In Japan And America

  When the Nintendo Wii launched in 2006, it wasn’t only the motion controller that was revolutionary. The ability to make your own cute avatar called a Mii shook up console gaming. At a Nintendo seminar, company president Satoru Iwata revealed that between the United States and Japan, one hundred million players have their own Miis.…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 15, 2010
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  New Gran Turismo 5 Trailer Breaks Free From Its Wind Tunnel Prison

  Those Gran Turismo 5 screens didn’t come alone. Oh no. This trailer came along for the ride. Click to view

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 15, 2010
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  Napoleon: Total War Meets Its Waterloo Next Month

  Creative Assembly Announced today that Napoleon: Total War, sequel of sorts to the amazing Empire: Total War, will be out next month. “Napoleon: Total War will be released on 23rd February 2010!”, a message says on the company’s Twitter account. No word on whether that’s just in Europe or worldwide, but with the game being…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 15, 2010
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  Animal Crossing Over To Tissues

  To mark its 30th anniversary, Japanese tissue brand Elleair is collaborating with Nintendo’s Animal Crossing. Nothing says tissues quite like Animal Crossing. The tissues are limited edition and will go on sale from January 21 to March 31 in Japan. As children and families uses high number of tissues (kids are snotty!), cute character often…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 15, 2010
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  Gran Turismo 5 Screens Burn Some Rubber

  Toyota’s FT-86 G concept sports car will feature in Gran Turismo 5, which handily explains why it’s the star of these new screenshots

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 15, 2010
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  Japanese Newspaper Denies It “Misinterpreted” Nintendo DS Successor Claims

  Speaking with Japanese newspaper the Asahi Shimbun, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata was quoted about the DS handheld’s successor. Nintendo has since claimed that Iwata’s comments were “misinterpreted“. That newspaper has fired back, saying its reporting was indeed accurate. Nintendo took issue with the original reporting by the Asahi Shimbun, stating that the paper’s reporter ran…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 15, 2010
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  PAL PlayStation Store Update: *Crickets*

  Normally, despite the fact it’s often not as timely or as generous with content as its US counterpart, there’s always something to recommend on the PAL PlayStation Store. Not this week. No, a scan down the list of stuff available reveals that not only is this week’s update lacking in quantity, but also quality, with…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 15, 2010
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  Mega Man Zero Coming To Nintendo DS

  All the Mega Man Zero games in one place. On your Nintendo DS. Capcom has just announced the Mega Man Zero Collection, which is a compilation of all four Game Boy Advance games in the Zero series. Mega Man Zero was first released back in 2002 and praised for going back to the franchise’s original…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 15, 2010