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Activision Lays Off Shaba’s Ranks, Closes Studio [Update]
San Francisco-based developer Shaba Games is no more, according to a pair of Kotaku tipsters who wished to remain anonymous. The developer of Spider-man: Web of Shadows is said to have been shuttered by parent company Activision today. Sources claiming to have knowledge of the situation estimate that some 30 employees were laid off earlier…
By Michael McWhertor Published October 8, 2009 - Uncategorized
Left 4 Dead 2 Scavenge Mode Preview: Giving Multiplayer The Gas
Valve says the sole purpose of Left 4 Dead 2’s new multiplayer mode, Scavenge, is to provide the game “quicker, even more frantic gameplay” than the versus mode has to offer. That’s hard to imagine given the blinding speed at which us games journalists tore through the normal versus mode while waiting for the developer…
By AJ Glasser Published October 8, 2009 - Uncategorized
Next Bourne Game Titled ‘Ascendancy’?
Electronic Arts will be handling the next video game iteration of the Jason Bourne series, since the last one failed to deliver anything compelling, and a developer’s online resume briefly revealed its title to be “The Bourne Ascendancy.” Superannuation – yep, that guy misses nothing – spotted the LinkedIn profile of the audio director for…
By Owen Good Published October 8, 2009 - Uncategorized
The Most Handsome Game Company Exec In Japan?
Maaaaybe! Here at Kotaku, we often feature photos of really attractive females and really normal-looking dudes. That’s not fair, and by golly, we’re doing our best to be fair. For anyone with eyeballs, your average Japanese game company exec isn’t exactly a dreamboat. That’s okay, because it’s not their job to be dreamboats. Chiyomaru Shikura,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 8, 2009 - Uncategorized
Overseas Poormouthing Continues for PSPgo
Don McCabe of the U.K. retailer Chips is on the record with his disaffection for the PSPgo. But he’s ramped up his opinion from “not worth stocking” to “will fail miserably.’ Of that, McCabe is “99.9 percent certain,” he said to GamesIndustry.biz. It’s certainly not the kind of thing Sony wants to hear through its…
By Owen Good Published October 8, 2009 - Uncategorized
The Critters of Final Fantasy XIV
Raptors, antelopes, mammets, oh my! Square Enix has already unveiled the character races and classes. Now it’s time to have a look a the “beastiary”. “Whether procuring pelts for sale at the market, gathering ingredients for alchemic endeavors, or finding a tasty morsel to quell the incessant grumblings of one’s belly,” states the game’s official…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 8, 2009 - Uncategorized
The First Four Letters Say it All
Dumbbells – two pound dumbbells, to be exact. Your Wiimote is waiting to pump (clap) you up with this $20 “peripheral” available from Everlast, said to be compatible with a slew of exergaming titles. The listing says the weights don’t interfere with the IR capability so, hell, why not hook it up to Dead Space:…
By Owen Good Published October 7, 2009 - Uncategorized
Former Morning Musume Member Gets Her Blue Dragon On
No, that is not Blue Dragon creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. Sorry! That’s former Morning Musume leader Miki Fujimoto, who had to leave the group after it was discovered she was dating a comedian. But hey, she married that comedian! No big whoop. She was at the Tokyo presser for the latest Blue Dragon title, Blue Dragon:…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 7, 2009 - Uncategorized
Tekken, Fan-Made, Live-Action, Right Here!
We know that Kill Bill’s Chiaki Kuriyama won’t be in that Tekken movie (whenever the heck it’s released), but we’re assuming that Hollywood will again crush our hearts and make us sad. This fan film on the other hand… The DIY folks at Quantumoptic Productions whipped this up for a G4 video game trailer contest,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 7, 2009 - Uncategorized
Mobigame’s “Edge” is Back on iTunes
Edge, the iPhone game that kicked off the latest and nastiest battle over over trademark rights to the word in video games, is back up on the iTunes App Store as “Edge by Mobigame.” Mobigame rebranded the game in the United States and United Kingdom markets specifically to neutralize any claim Tim Langdell‘s Edge Games…
By Owen Good Published October 7, 2009 -
UncategorizedDragon Age: Origins Gets Day One DLC
The Warden’s Keep, a downloadable add-on to Dragon Age: Origins that BioWare had been planning for some time, will be available as paid DLC the day the game releases, GameSpot reports. Warden’s Keep draws its name from the Grey Wardens, an ancient order involved in Dragon Age’s canon. The DLC delivers a dungeon-based adventure, new…
By Owen Good Published October 7, 2009 - Uncategorized
Cannon Fodder Set to Music, in Empire: Total War
If you’ve seen war, or if you’re a student of it, perhaps this will merely strike you as a well edited sequence of cutscenes from Empire: Total War. Others might find it strangely gripping, especially because of the music. Guess first-person combat in the 18th century didn’t include a firing-from-cover mechanism. The Perfect War –…
By Owen Good Published October 7, 2009 - Uncategorized
GameStop Promises Manuals, Covers for Used Games Bought Online
This might sound like extra credit for doing nothing, but hey, it’s a guarantee. Buy a used game online, GameStop supplies the art and the manual. No more generic game cases on your shelf. The wannabe-lawyer in me wants to note that they don’t say “case” and, as you know, there are variances in case…
By Owen Good Published October 7, 2009 - Uncategorized
So About Those Porn Stars And That Trailer…
A Playlogic representative has confirmed that the Ron Jeremy images we came across yesterday (no semen joke intended) are indeed from a promo trailer for Fairytale Fights. Adult film actresses Krissy Lynn and Andy San Dimas also confirm the images on their blogs and make appearances as Red Riding Hood and Snow White – the…
By AJ Glasser Published October 7, 2009 - Uncategorized
FATALE Preview: Alluring, Alarming and Totally Ambiguous
Tale of Tales isn’t the kind of indie dev to over-explain their artistic creations and I’m not the kind of person who reads the Bible. This combination creates the weirdest gaming experience ever. Don’t even bother telling me “You just don’t get it, it’s art!” because I’ve already accepted that as a foregone conclusion. Still,…
By AJ Glasser Published October 7, 2009 - Uncategorized
Looks Like Left 4 Dead 2 Is Coming To Australia
Australia’s long national nightmare of maybe not being able to play Left 4 Dead 2 may soon be over, as the government’s media ratings board has apparently issued the zombie shooter a rating of MA-15+. That would essentially mean an end to the “ban” on Valve’s PC and Xbox 360 sequel and translate into “good…
By Michael McWhertor Published October 7, 2009 - Uncategorized
Did I Mention My Other Dog?
To: Ash From: Crecente Re: Typhoon Incoming! I mentioned earlier this week that Littlefoot had orthopedic surgery on his leg to stop his leg from dislocating while he ran. But I didn’t mention that Lucy, our 15-year-old Border Collie, is now getting daily sub-dermal fluids via a needle from my wife every day to clear…
By Brian Crecente Published October 7, 2009 - Uncategorized
Gearbox Prez Lets Off Some Steam About Valve
Randy Pitchford, the man, trusts Valve, the company responsible for Steam. Randy Pitchford, the businessman and president of Gearbox Software, makers of Borderlands, may not. He calls the digital distribution service exploitative and a “money grab.” Why the harsh words? After all Gearbox and Valve have been tight in the past, with the former developing…
By Michael McWhertor Published October 7, 2009 - Uncategorized
This Week In Video Game Comics
This week, Kotaku brings you the Sony and Nintendo-themed comics hitting shops this week. Plus Sonic. Always, plus Sonic. Click the thumbnails for more details. Free Realms #1 (of 12) Written by J.S. Lewis. Drawn by Jon Buran. Summary Via Publisher Wildstorm Entertainment: SONY teams with WildStorm and best-selling fantasy author J.S. Lewis (the Grey…
By Stephen Totilo Published October 7, 2009 - Uncategorized
Forza Motorsport 3’s Full 400 Strong Car List
Forza Motorsport 3’s automotive stable may not feature the impressive overkill of the Gran Turismo series, but when the list approaches 400 unique cars from over 50 manufacturers, well, that’s when we start to tune out. But for those of you who consider 400 “a nice start,” developer Turn 10 Studios has revealed the official…
By Michael McWhertor Published October 7, 2009