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  A Not So Brief History Of Video Game Names

  How did Mario get his name? You may be familiar with the official story, that it was based on Nintendo of America landlord Mario Segale, but that may not be the whole story. It’s just the easy version. According to an impressive and exhaustive look at some of the more famous video game characters—and plenty…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 19, 2009
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  Gender Equality At Nike: Pac-Man Shoes

  Remember those sexy Ms. Pac-Man Nike Dunks from last month? This month, Nike is previewing their male counterpart. Though the shoes don’t bear Pac-Man’s actual likeness, they’ve got the same color palette as the classic arcade marquee. That means lots of yellow, lots of blue and not very much pink. As awesome as the shoes…

  By AJ Glasser Published June 19, 2009
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  Another Look At Midway Newcastle’s Necessary Force

  We got a brief peek at an early trailer for Wheelman developer Midway Newcastle‘s in-development title Necessary Force the other day, but the team, currently shopping the game and studio around, is lifting the veil further. The violent cop drama is said to be only a few months old, but currently playable, focusing on a…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 19, 2009
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  Happy Father’s Day!

  To: Ash From: Crecente Re: Hey Kids, Don’t Sleep In Your Contacts I’m heading off to the mountains tonight to spend the Father’s Day weekend with my family, including my son and my father-in-law. Should be quite a bit of fun. We’re having a cheese fondue tomorrow night. I’m psyched!!! Do you have any Father’s…

  By Brian Crecente Published June 19, 2009
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  Watch Bayonetta Kick Out Megaton Combos For Five Minutes

  .html PlatinumGames’ Bayonetta should give you ample combo perfecting practice, as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 action game lets players kick, punch and shoot during loading screens. Here’s an extended look at that feature. Anyone suspicious of the breadth and depth of Bayonetta‘s combo system should give the video a peek, as it shows…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 19, 2009
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  Dirt 2 Impressions Sans Porn Star

  Unlike E3, there were no stars of adult movies to distract us from focusing on Dirt 2 when the game showed up in New York this week. It’s muddy racing with some unexpected narrative touches. The developers had to make some big changes to the second Dirt, for both gameplay’s sake and due to real-life…

  By Stephen Totilo Published June 19, 2009
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  Ed Boon Says Mortal Kombat 9 Going For The M

  Despite financial turmoil at Mortal Kombat publisher Midway, the Chicago-based MK team is soldiering on with the ninth fighting game in the series, currently known only as MK9. Series co-creator Ed Boon says it will definitely be M-rated. Boon has been dropping small tidbits about the bloody fighting game sequel via his Twitter account, writing…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 19, 2009
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  Sony Spills More PS3 Motion Controller Details To Devs

  Sony Computer Entertainment reached out to its development partners today, getting them up to speed on the new PlayStation Eye-powered motion controller tech it showcased at E3 2009. It also expanded upon the details provided at the show. The PlayStation 3’s second motion control push is slated to launch in Spring 2010, Sony Computer Entertainment…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 19, 2009
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  iPhone: The Great White Hype?

  The iPhone has been heralded as the second coming of mobile games. But just how important a piece of the more than $5 billion dollar mobile game industry is it? Is the buzz surrounding Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch deserved or just the byproduct of a vocal, technophile few? While major mobile game developers like…

  By Brian Crecente Published June 19, 2009
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  Dead Woods: EA’s Surreal Dead Space Golf Cameo

  We’re all for these blatant attempts at cross-promotion, whether it’s Metal Gear Solid 4 in our LittleBigPlanet or Peggle in our World of Warcraft. And we’re especially for it when it’s Dead Space in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10. According to video from the official site, via 360 Sync, EA Sports’ latest Tiger Woods branded…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 19, 2009
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  ArmA II Launch Trailer Strikes Preemptively

  Bohemia Interactive‘s ArmA II isn’t due out in the states until next week, but it’s out today in Europe, so we’re stealing their launch trailer while they’re not looking. They’ve got to be much too busy dealing with the sad situation in the fictional country of Chernarus, where Western forces have been called in to…

  By Mike Fahey Published June 19, 2009
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  The Games We Leave Others

  Sometimes we move homes. Sometimes we change jobs. Sometimes we leave MTV for Kotaku and leave behind some gems for our successor. And they film the leftovers. Yes, MTV Multiplayer‘s Russ Frushtick, my superb successor at the MTV Multiplayer blog, has taken a break from writing posts to raid my many-times-raided-already cabinet of games I…

  By Stephen Totilo Published June 19, 2009
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  Wii, Xbox 360 See Weekly Boost In Japan

  Console hardware sales in Japan took a dip this week, as week-to-week sales slid on lower numbers for the Nintendo DSi and PSP. But a small boost in Wii and Xbox 360 helped ensure the week wasn’t a total loss. Maybe enough Japanese gamers were just holding out for the Wii remake of Nintendo’s Chibi…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 19, 2009
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  Drawn To Life: The Next Chapter Preview: Wii-Drawn

  Before they made E3 critical darling Scribblenauts, a group of developers made Drawn To Life, a DS game with a user-illustrated hero. Now another team is bringing a sequel to the Wii. The introduction of the Wii remote has birthed far fewer games that involve writing and drawing than we all might have expected when…

  By Stephen Totilo Published June 19, 2009
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  Colbert Mocks Project Natal, Debuts New Xbox

  Microsoft’s Project Natal has been getting some of the best mainstream coverage to come out of E3, thanks to “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” and, now, Stephen Colbert. He mocked the tech last night during his “Bears & Balls” schtick. But The Colbert Report’s teasing of the Xbox 360 motion-control camera tech wasn’t the most…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 19, 2009
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  Dead Kids, Nudity, Graphic Violence Hallmarks of Eden’s Nightmarish Myst

  Eden, a game based on Lars Von Trier’s controversial movie Antichrist, will be download only and hopes to present a sort of personalized nightmare take on Myst, the game’s director told MTV Multiplayer. Antichrist, starring Willem Defoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg, is a horror film set in cabin in the woods. The film’s outting at Cannes…

  By Brian Crecente Published June 19, 2009
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  What Are You Playing This Weekend?

  This weekend’s another busy one at Kotaku Towers West, as we plan for the move to a larger facility, rummage through the office supplies looking for something to sell and finish playing through Sega’s Let’s Tap for the Wii. Yes, my fingers and the cardboard box for EA Sports Active have been grinding through Sega…

  By Michael McWhertor Published June 19, 2009
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  World Of Warcraft Lights The Summer Flame

  Is it that time of year again already? Blizzard once again celebrates the coming of summer in World of Warcraft, with an icy new nemesis joining this year’s Midsummer Fire Festival festivities. The Midsummer Fire Festival is a great time to slip back into World of Warcraft for awhile, with plenty of activities easily accomplished…

  By Mike Fahey Published June 19, 2009
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  The Great Chain Interview, Part 5: Riccitiello To Reggie To You

  Today ends our weeklong Chain Interview, with EA’s chief defending his choice in cars and Nintendo’s president in the U.S. asking you a question. The previous chapter of this Chain Interview had concluded with a question EA Sports chief Peter Moore gave me during our Wednesday afternoon interview during E3 week in L.A. [This post…

  By Stephen Totilo Published June 19, 2009
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  You Got Resident Evil 3 In My Left 4 Dead!

  Here’s an excellent example of someone using the Left 4 Dead creation tools for their intended purpose – recreating Resident Evil 3’s Raccoon City. You’ll have to forgive the frame rate, as mod author Outatime is still ironing out the bugs for this faithful recreation of Raccoon City in Left 4 Dead, but it’s obviously…

  By Mike Fahey Published June 19, 2009