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CultureSupport Palestine With This Massive Game Bundle
A new game bundle on itch.io is raising funds for the people of Palestine, who despite a recent ceasefire between Israel and Gaza continue to live as second-class citizens in their own homeland. With a contribution of at least five bucks, you’ll get Liyla and the Shadows of War, a survival game from Palestinian developer…
By Ian Walker Published June 4, 2021 -
CultureActivision Hires Yet Another Former Republican Big Wig
It seems that Activision has a type. After hiring former George W. Bush-era counterterrorism appointee Frances F. Townsend and controversial Trump administration member Brian Bulatao in March, the mega-publisher has now rounded out its ranks with a third ex-member of a Republican Presidential administration: former George W. Bush White House lawyer Grant Dixton. Activision disclosed…
By Nathan Grayson Published June 4, 2021 -
CultureYou (Or Someone, At Least) Can Win $5,000 For Being Really Good At Microsoft Excel
Been practicing your Excel macros? What’s your APM in Microsoft Office? If you’re the best of the best, you might just have what it takes to dominate in the world of competitive financial modeling. In fact, another international exhibition match is about to start. Microsoft just announced a “financial modeling battle” which will go down…
By Jonathan Lee Published June 4, 2021 -
CultureTwitchTwitch Drama Between Hasan And Dream Turns Into Reasonable Conversation
If there’s anything to be learned from being on the internet, it’s that things are always more complicated than they seem…on the internet. Yesterday evening, this played out in real time between two hugely popular streamers. It began with leftist streamer Hasan Piker browsing r/Livestreamfail—a Twitch-focused subreddit that streamers often mine for react-style content—and coming…
By Nathan Grayson Published June 4, 2021 -
CultureNewsReport: Quantic Dream Executives Cry, Ask If They Can Lie During Recent Court Appearance
Quantic Dream executives recently appeared in a Paris court as part of its ongoing defamation lawsuit against French publications Le Monde and Mediapart. But according to a May 31 report, things didn’t go smoothly for the studio behind games like Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human Independent French union Solidaires Informatique reports that co-CEOs David…
By Ian Walker Published June 4, 2021 -
OpinionImpressionsNecromunda: Hired Gun Will Be Fun Once It Runs Better
It’s hard being a mercenary in the Warhammer 40k universe. Even though you get a cool hound and can upgrade your powerful guns, everything you encounter is deadly and dangerous. Most things are covered in big spikes and probably packing some weapons too. But it’s even harder to be a hired gun in this world…
By Zack Zwiezen Published June 4, 2021 -
CultureD&D MMO Neverwinter Will Finally Let You Be A Bard
Loremasters, minstrels, tale-tellers, songblades—every adventuring party needs a bard. If there isn’t someone on your side fighting kobolds with a lute, what’s the point? I don’t know how a Dungeons & Dragons MMO has survived since 2013 without them, but the question will soon be moot, as bards are coming to Neverwinter in the game’s…
By Mike Fahey Published June 4, 2021 -
EsportsCounter-Terrorists Win: Valve Just Nuked Most Of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s F2P Features
Since 2018, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players could enjoy the entire game, more or less, without paying a cent. That’s now come to an end as Valve just announced the end of many CS:GO free-to-play (F2P) features in a blog post on the official CS:GO website. Since its original release in 2012 CS:GO has gone through…
By Jonathan Lee Published June 4, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsThe World’s First ‘Skateboating’ Game Looks Rad
Skateboarding is cool and all, but it’s been around for a long time. I’ve played plenty of skating games. I need something new. Something like Wave Break, a skateBOATing game that combines ‘80s era visuals, boat grinding, and animals into one rad-looking package. Wave Break is currently being developed by Funktroniclabs. Based on a trailer…
By Zack Zwiezen Published June 4, 2021 -
CultureReport: Balan Wonderworld Creator Yuji Naka Is No Longer With Square Enix
Yuji Naka, former Sonic Team head and recent creator of the platformer Balan Wonderworld, is no longer with Square Enix, according to reports in Sonic Stadium and IGN. He apparently departed the company in the twilight of April. Naka, of course, gained prominence in the 1990s and early 2000s, thanks to his work as a…
By Ari Notis Published June 4, 2021 -
CultureWhat Are You Playing This Weekend?
The weekend is for dressing up in colorful spandex outfits and fighting crime alongside your besties. Failing that, you could probably just play a video game with the same premise. Yeah, I plan on digging into the Switch-exclusive DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power, the game based on DC Comics’ groundbreaking girl-positive superhero cartoon and…
By Mike Fahey Published June 4, 2021 -
OpinionImpressionsAnyone Could Be Struck By Lightning At Any Time
In VVVVVV developer Terry Cavanagh’s new Roblox game, Anyone could be struck by lightning at any time, anyone could be struck by lightning at any time. Your job is to not be. But you will. It’s inevitable. You can jump. You can run. You can swim. You can dress up in the weird pseudo-MAGA outfit…
By Mike Fahey Published June 4, 2021 -
CultureCosplayIncredible Dead Space Cosplay Even Animates Isaac’s Iconic Health Bar
A cosplayer on Reddit is being praised for their meticulously faithful Dead Space costume—right down to the glowing spine. Redditor SunlightofAstora, who goes by Johnny Goodwill in meatspace, posted a video of himself on the r/gaming subreddit clad in space hero Isaac Clarke’s iconic Engineer RIG hazardious environment suit. The video shows off the suit’s…
By Jonathan Lee Published June 4, 2021 -
Kotaku EastJapanCup Noodle Will No Longer Have Stickers Close The Lids
If you’ve ever bought Cup Noodle in Japan, you are familiar with the plastic sticker that’s used to close the lid after hot water is added. In Japanese, that sticker is called futa-dome shiiru (フタ止めシール) or “lid-stopping sticker” or better yet, “lid-fastening sticker.” Nissin, the company that makes Cup Ramen, will no longer use them…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 4, 2021 -
Kotaku EastJapanLife-Sized Slowpoke Plushie Going On Sale In Japan
Priced at 49,500 yen ($450), a life-sized Slowpoke will be available for pre-order later this month. Who wouldn’t want that? This is a Pocket Monster with its own messed-up theme song, postal truck, and mailbox. Everyone loves Slowpoke. As the official Japanese site explains, the plushie measures 25 inches high, 29.5 inches across, and 59…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 4, 2021 -
Kotaku EastJapanTaito Releasing Mini Arcade Cabinet Filled With 40 Games
Taito have unveiled a new mini arcade cabinet called the Egret II Mini, designed after Taito’s 1996 Japanese full-size cabinet. The mini version is packed with 40 games, dating from 1978’s Space Invaders to arcade titles from the 1990s. Have a look below at the games that have been announced so far. Ten more games…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 4, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsNike Has Made Some “Anime” Sneakers
Similar to the “Gamer” tributes from 2020, Nike is launching a new line of sneakers called Nike And The Mighty Swooshers, which is going to be based entirely around anime. The shoes won’t be specifically licensed; again, like the “Gamer” sneakers, they’ll just be inspired generally by Japanese animation, though look close enough (at things…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 3, 2021 -
CultureChaotic Scenes At Nvidia GPU Restock
A combination of pandemic-driven shortages and the planet’s increasingly gruesome fascination with crypto-mining means it’s hard getting your hands on a new graphics card at the moment. And if you were wondering just how hard, look at this line-up—and resulting crush of humanity—outside a Micro Center store in Dallas. The video below, captured by PrestonALewis,…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 3, 2021 -
CultureInjustice 2 Mobile Celebrates Pride By Having Players Beat Up A Queer Character
The mobile version of DC Comics’ fighting game Injustice 2 found itself in hot water earlier today after announcing an in-game challenge meant to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month. The problem was that the event tasked players with beating the shit out of Poison Ivy, a canonically bisexual character, hundreds of thousands of times. A strange…
By Ian Walker Published June 3, 2021
