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OpinionAsk KotakuHow Did Your Parents Feel About You Playing Video Games?
It’s Monday and time for Ask Kotaku, the weekly feature in which Kotaku-ites deliberate on a single burning question. Then, we ask your take. This week we Ask Kotaku: How did your parents feel about you playing video games? Brian My parents had no problem with video games. Granted, they did have a Pong machine…
By Alexandra Hall Published January 25, 2021 -
UncategorizedReggie Fils-Aimé, Jack Trenton, and Robbie Bach are getting together on Twitch to tomorrow to talk about the gaming industry’s past and future. The discussion between the former head Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox executives respectively kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET ahead of the 2021 New York Game Awards
By Ethan Gach Published January 25, 2021 -
Tips & GuidesIf You’re Excited About The Godzilla Vs. Kong Trailer, Watch Skull Island Immediately
Yesterday, Warners Bros. released a trailer for the upcoming film, Godzilla vs. Kong. It is utterly bananas, scoring an easy five out of five “holy shits” on the Ari Notis “Holy Shit, This Movie Looks Amazing” index. If you agree, allow me to make a recommendation: Watch Kong: Skull Island stat. Warner Bros. Pictures (YouTube)…
By Ari Notis Published January 25, 2021 -
OpinionImpressionsCyber Shadow Is Another Fantastic Homage To Classic NES Games
What 2D side-scroller Cyber Shadow is missing in personality it makes up for with amazing visuals and action sequences that challenge your timing and reflexes without ever feeling tedious or cheap. I’ve been loving my time with its pastiche of classic NES games, even if, so far, its story hasn’t measured up to everything else…
By Ethan Gach Published January 25, 2021 - Uncategorized
A report from GamesIndustry.biz details an abusive work environment at Montreal-based Scavengers Studio, developers of The Darwin Project and the upcoming Season. Sources for the story speak out about sexual harassment, a “‘boy’s club’ culture,” and a lack of action from management.
By Riley MacLeod Published January 25, 2021 -
CultureFirst Pokémon GO Player Hits Level 50 With A Boost From A Bug Fix
Since an update raised the Pokémon GO level cap from 40 to 50 late last year, players around the world have been racing to hit the new max. This morning, Twitch streamer FleeceKing became the first player to reach level 50, with a little help from a timely Niantic fix for a progress-wiping problem. Rather…
By Mike Fahey Published January 25, 2021 -
CultureThreat-Spewing UFC President Proclaims Victory Over Definitely Real Illegal Fight Streamer
If, in pre-covid times, you wandered into your local bar and found it packed to the brim with sweaty, feral UFC viewers, there were a couple reasons why: 1) comradery, but mainly 2) watching UFC events is expensive as hell. This weekend’s Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier card weighed in at a whopping $70, the…
By Nathan Grayson Published January 25, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsHitman 3 Is The Latest Game To Acknowledge Covid-19
Agent 47 isn’t the deadliest force of nature in Hitman 3. Covid-19 is. Yes, IO Interactive’s murdery sandbox is the latest video game to acknowledge the pandemic that has infected nearly 100 million people, killed more than 2 million, and upended life as we know it. In the game’s first level, the Dubai-set “On Top…
By Ari Notis Published January 25, 2021 -
CultureValve Founder Says Brain-Computer Interfaces Could One Day Replace Our ‘Meat Peripherals’
In an interview with New Zealand’s 1 News, Valve co-founder and president Gabe Newell talks about engineering a future where brain-computer interfaces create better-than-reality visuals and can actively edit who we think we are. You know, terrifying science-fiction stuff, only real. Why use your eyes and ears—which Newell sinisterly refers to as “meat peripherals”—to experience…
By Mike Fahey Published January 25, 2021 -
CultureCyberpunk 2077‘s Latest Patch Added A Game-Breaking Bug [Updated: CDPR Suggests Workaround]
Last Friday, CD Projekt Red dropped the first major update for its troubled open-world shooter, Cyberpunk 2077. “Major” is a relative term. While larger than previous updates, last week’s patch 1.1 focuses more on stability fixes rather than a wide-ranging overhaul. In fact, it may have even made the game worse—by introducing a potentially game-breaking…
By Ari Notis Published January 25, 2021 -
CultureThe Week In Games: I Got Friends On The Other Side
Supernatural horror game The Medium, developed by the folks behind Layers of Fear, releases later this week for Xbox Series X and S. I’ve always been a fan of creepy and scary games. I especially love when you reach that point in a scary game where you’ve learned its systems and limitations and can then…
By Zack Zwiezen Published January 25, 2021 -
CultureMorning MusicNier: Automata’s Soundtrack Is Real Sad-Girl Shit
Welcome to Morning Music, Kotaku’s hangout for folks who love video games and the cool-ass sounds they make. Today we’re back from our winter break, refreshed and ready to dive into Keiichi Okabe and co’s masterful soundtrack for Nier: Automata I was late to the party with Nier: Automata (playlist / longplay / VGMdb). I…
By Ash Parrish Published January 25, 2021 -
Kotaku EastJapanIn Japan, Pokémon Company Is Cracking Down On Sword And Shield Cheaters
The Pokémon Company issued a statement in Japan regarding cheats being used in Pokémon Sword and Shield, as well as in Pokémon Home In it, the game maker explains that a portion of players have been using “improperly altered data” while playing, and using both the aforementioned titles, which is causing issues for others and making…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 25, 2021 -
Kotaku EastJapanThe Japanese Government Could Change Cosplay Forever
Currently, anyone in Japan is free to dress as their favorite characters. But it might not stay free for them to do so. The Japanese government is proposing big copyright law changes for those who make money from cosplaying—and possibly, even for those who don’t. As writer and translator Matt Alt points out, the Japanese…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 25, 2021 -
Kotaku EastJapanHigh School Students Build A Back To The Future Monument
Students at Tanabe Technical High School in Wakayama, Japan have spent over four years making a DeLorean replica out of 2-millimeter-thick aluminum. The monument is located in front of the school, and four times a day during the week, it slowly spins around as the Back to the Future theme song plays, with the okay…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 25, 2021 -
Kotaku EastExhibitionist Cosplayer Fined And Sentenced For Exposing Herself In Public
Last year at the Fancy Frontier manga and anime expo in Taipei, a Taiwanese cosplayer got in trouble with the law for exposing herself in the cosplay area near the event hall while photographers snapped photos. She was arrested for violating the country’s Act on Offenses Against Sexual Morality. Note: This article contains content some…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 25, 2021 -
CultureThe Art Of Mike Nash
Australian artist Mike Nash, perhaps best known for his work designing robots for Horizon Zero Dawn and the film Chappie, has died. The news was announced by friends last week on social media. We first featured Nash’s work here back in 2011, and some of his more prominent creations—like the one below—have remained benchmarks for…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 24, 2021 -
CultureMicrosoft Wants To Build Chatbots Out Of Dead People’s Data
Black Mirror is satire. I thought we were all on the same page with this. As The Independent reports, Microsoft has been granted a patent on some tech that would allow the company to use people’s (or even fictional people’s) online footprint, looking for stuff like “images, voice data, social media posts [and] electronic messages,”…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 24, 2021 -
CultureCounter-Strike Pros Just Keep Getting Banned For Gambling
Only a few months after a number of professional Counter-Strike players received bans for betting on their own matches, the Esports Integrity Commission has issued sanctions “against 35 players for betting related offences.” These offences took place in Australia, North America and Europe, and the ESIC are working with police in each territory, particularly in…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 24, 2021 -
CultureSpeedrunners Are Beating Hitman 3‘s Dubai Level In Under 10 Seconds
Hitman 3’s opening level, set in a large tower in Dubai, is made up of various floors, rooms, and security measures. It’s a tricky stage for many players. But if you are quick, have a steady hand, and some luck, you can beat the whole thing in about nine seconds. As spotted by PCGamesN, some…
By Zack Zwiezen Published January 24, 2021