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  The First 30+ Games For Microsoft’s New Game Room

  Microsoft confirmed last night it was bringing the Game Room virtual hang out space to Xbox 360 and Games For Windows this year, an online arcade and—ahem—virtual console for your Xbox Avatar. What games will Xbox 360 owners get? Initially, the service will launch this spring with 30 original arcade and old school console games,…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 7, 2010
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  U.S. Xbox 360s Get IPTV Through AT&T Uverse This Year

  Three years ago, Microsoft unveiled its IPTV plans for the Xbox 360, offering a working preview of the service at CES 2007. And, finally, IPTV is coming to the Xbox 360 in the United States by way of AT&T Uverse. Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer announced at the company’s pre-CES keynote that, later this year, AT&T “will…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 7, 2010
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  Natal Recognizes 31 Body Parts, Uses Tenth Of Xbox 360 “Computing Resources”

  Project Natal knows when you’re holding your hand behind your back, according to a new report. But it also might require enough horsepower to limit its relevance to system-pushing video games. A reporter for the New Scientist was given a demonstration and some data regarding how Microsoft’s hands-free sensor-based Xbox 360 control system, Project Natal,…

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 7, 2010
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  The Rest Of Nyko’s New Products

  The Nyko Wand+ isn’t the only new product Nyko is introducing at CES 2010, with a quad induction charger for your Wii remotes and a couple of items aimed at making your PS3 Slim cooler, literally and figuratively. The Charge Base Quad IC is a new version of Nyko’s normal Charge Base IC, supporting four…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 7, 2010
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  Ford Lets You Have LAN Tailgate Parties

  LAN parties on the go could be coming to Ford vehicles this year, the company announced at CES today. Ford’s new MyFord Touch driver connect technology and second generation SYNC system features a WiFi signal receiver that gives passengers wireless internet access in the vehicle. The system lets you plug a compatible USB mobile broadband…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 7, 2010
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  Nyko’s Wand+ Has Wii Motion Plus Built Right In

  Nyko does what Ninten-didn’t with the introduction of the Nyko Wand+, a Wii remote alternative with Motion Plus support built right in. Debuting today at CES in Las Vegas, the Nyko Wand+ features Full Motion Technology, offering the same 1:1 movement tracking capability as the regular Nintendo remote with the Wii Motion Plus add-on attached.…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 7, 2010
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  The Harvard Lampoon Skewers Twilight, Sega

  In The Harvard Lampoon’s literary parody Nightlight, potential vampire Edwart Mullen warns the naive Belle Goose that he won’t always be around to protect her from Sega. Bookstore gift certificates are wonderful things. My older brother gave one of them to me for Christmas, which I used to purchase several fine publications. I picked up…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 7, 2010
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  Should Enemies Be Able To Surrender In Video Games?

  Game developer Andrew Doull recently asked reader of his blog whether players of his upcoming game should be able to get enemies to surrender. You seldom see this option, because, well, it’d be messy. Doull pondered how surrender would work in his game, Unangband, which is classified in the strategic genre of “roguelike”: I’m going…

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 7, 2010
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  Halo Legends DVD Release Dated And Detailed

  Halo anime anthology Halo Legends is coming to North American DVD and Blu-Ray on February 16th. Which of the three versions will you be picking up? The Halo Waypoint previews have come to an end, and now the only way to get your anime-style Halo fix is coming on February 16th in three different flavors.…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 7, 2010
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  Backbreaker Scores A Proper Trailer

  505 Games and NaturalMotion’s Backbreaker finally gets a proper trailer, complete with pulsing soundtrack and overdramatic voiceover. You’ve read AJ’s preview, now get a look for yourself at how far Backbreaker has come since those early demos wowed us back in 2007.

  By Mike Fahey Published January 7, 2010
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  GameStop Doesn’t Report Record Holiday Sales

  After years of record-breaking holiday sales, GameStop reports its second-highest holiday sales ever, citing economic weakness, item shortages, and winter storms as reasons for the lack of upward momentum. The 2007 holiday season saw GameStop sales up 35% over the previous year. In 2008, they were up 22%. This year, however, things remained relatively flat…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 7, 2010
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  The Bravest Game, Mistakenly Neglected

  This is the fourth in a series of posts labeled “Hindsight” that discuss games you may have thought we were done writing about. Last time: Wolfenstein. This time: Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. How often do gamers commend the bravery of the people who make games for them to play? A gamer might respond: How…

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 7, 2010
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  Talk Amongst Yourselves 3D

  As of today, Kotaku is now delivering Talk Amongst Yourselves posts in 3D. Put on your glasses, comment here about games and watch the replies pop right out of your monitor. We think you’ll agree this is a great innovation. Confused about commenting on Kotaku? Read our FAQ.

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 7, 2010
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  How Was Today? Let My Dinner Tell You…

  To: Crecente From: Bashcraft Mmmmm rice omelet. Was hoping that Mrs. Bashcraft would write a buncha hearts, but this message greeted me as I sat down to dinner. What you missed last night Report: Microsoft Drop Natal Chip Xbox 360: 39 Million Consoles Sold, Only Half Are On Xbox Live Shia LaBeouf: Video Games Will…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 7, 2010
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  What We Want From The Next Nintendo Handheld

  Yesterday, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata made the first public mention of the company’s plans for a successor to the wildly-popular DS handheld. So we know, vaguely, what Nintendo want from the console. That’s fine. Here’s what we want. But first, some caveats! This isn’t pure fantasy. We’re not going to be asking for HD graphics…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 7, 2010
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  Capcom (Try To) Back Away From Anti-Wii Comments

  Only a few days after Capcom France’s boss Antoine Seux made some decidedly anti-Wii comments to French website Gamekult, Capcom Europe’s had to scramble their public relations fighters in an attempt to make nice with the world’s top hardware manufacturer. A small, delicate statement issued by Capcom in the wake of Seux’s comments reads: Further…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 7, 2010
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  Heavy Rain…In Japanese

  This is the Japanese language trailer for upcoming thriller Heavy Rain. The voice acting seems synched up just right, and it looks like Sony and French developer Quantic Dream are giving the game the care and attention it deserves to ensure its a global hit. Heavy Rain is slated for release next month.

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 7, 2010
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  Mass Effect 2’s Action Figures Revealed

  While the first Mass Effect missed the action figure bus, the sequel is avoiding making the same mistake, with a line of figures due for release later this year. There will be four in the first series: Shephard, Tali, Thane and Grunt. All four will stand at around 6.75 inches, and should be out in…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 7, 2010
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  Report: Microsoft Drops Natal Chip

  Microsoft has dropped a chip from its upcoming Natal motion control hardware, reports website Games Industry. The chip processed data for Natal’s “bone system”. In its place, Microsoft will use a software solution. Back in late December, David Ellis and John Davison from the 4 Guys 1UP podcast mentioned that this is something Microsoft would…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 7, 2010
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  Giant LEGO Yoshi Is All Kinds Of Creepy

  Dirk, the same guy behind that enormous giant LEGO Mario, has just applied the finishing touches to an enormous LEGO Yoshi. And it’s gross! Not for the quality of craftsmanship, no, that’s exemplary. It’s because you can see Yoshi’s insides. Like Dirk has hunted Yoshi, captured him, cut him in pieces and is making some…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 7, 2010