It’s Humans Versus Cats In RISK: Factions

EA reveals the first two factions for its upcoming Xbox Live Arcade title RISK: Factions, with the humans and feline horde bringing an element of wackiness to the game than fans have not been missing for years. Silly factions do battle on the classic RISK map. On one side we have the stodgy, militaristic humans;…

Ken Levine Explains Irrational Switch, “Underwater Horse” Connection

Some time this year Ken Levine will finally let people know what game he and his studio are working on, the creative visionary behind BioShock told Kotaku today. Not yet. Today, he wanted to discuss the re-renamed Irrational Games. As reported earlier this week, 2K Boston, the lead development studio behind BioShock, System Shock, Freedom…

Surprise! Sonic Is The Only Playable Character In Project Needlemouse

Sega’s Project Needlemouse character reveal trivia contest is over, with Sonic the Hedgehog the last man standing, making him the only playable character in the game. The only thing that could make this news better is robot crabs. Sega kicked off a trivia challenge on Monday, with correct answers causing the names of potential playable…

Quantum Theory Screens

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

I’ll be basking in the soothing voiceover work of one Nolan North this weekend as I play an obscene amount of both Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Assassin’s Creed II. I have Game of the Year research to do, arguments about Demon’s Souls to make and opinionated Kotaku editors to debate. Having not had much…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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]

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…

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…

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.…

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…

Talk Amongst Yourselves

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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

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…

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.…

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

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…