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CulturePlayStation 5 Versus Xbox Series X: The Tech Specs
This week we learned the technical specs for the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5. How do the two consoles stack up so far? Despite only knowing what one of the two looks like, they are not so different, X and 5. Before we get into it, keep in mind these are just numbers…
By Mike Fahey Published March 18, 2020 -
UncategorizedThe Steam Game Festival Has Free Demos Of GDC Games
The Steam Game Festival: Spring Edition is live today through March 23. The special Steam page features indie games that were going to be showcased at this week’s Game Developers Conference, which has been cancelled to help reduce the spread of covid-19. Some of the games have been available for a while, while other upcoming…
By Riley MacLeod Published March 18, 2020 -
CulturePlayStation 5’s Backward Compatibility Won’t Arrive All At Once
PlayStation 5 will be backward compatible with PlayStation 4 games, but Sony said today to expect it to be a gradual rollout that needs to be tested on a per-game basis. “We recently took a look at the top 100 PS4 titles as ranked by play time, and we’re expecting almost all of them to…
By Chris Kohler Published March 18, 2020 -
CultureWhite House Doctor: We Need Millennials To Stay Healthy Because They Know How To Speedrun Video Games
During today’s White House press conference the Trump administration’s Coronavirus Task Force response coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx, called on millenials to take the threat of infection more seriously. Why? Because they are “part of that group that brought us innovation, particularly throughout all of their ability to look around corners and skip through games.” “I…
By Ethan Gach Published March 18, 2020 -
CulturePhysical Copies Of Final Fantasy VII Remake May Be Delayed Due To Pandemic
The current covid-19 pandemic has left many things uncertain. As businesses struggle to adjust to the situation, video game publishers are preparing players for unexpected disruptions to their gaming plans. Square-Enix is now cautioning players that while the Final Fantasy VII Remake will release as planned, physical copies might not reach everyone who ordered them.…
By Heather Alexandra Published March 18, 2020 -
UncategorizedPhantasy Star Online 2 Shows Its Age, But It’s Still Great
Phantasy Star Online 2’s open beta kicked off on the Xbox One last night. The loot-gathering, monster-bashing multiplayer game originally released in 2012 but never came to the West. How does it feel eight years later? A little clunky but oddly addictive. Phantasy Star, which started on the Sega Master System in the 1980s, is…
By Heather Alexandra Published March 18, 2020 -
CultureTwitchSatirical Twitch Streamer Kaceytron Suspended For ‘Insensitive’ Coronavirus Joke
While Twitch has not explicitly stated that dark jokes about covid-19 are grounds for an indefinite stay in the site’s purple-barred slammer, it’s now spoken with its actions. Popular satirical streamer Kaceytron has been suspended after making such a joke last week. Kaceytron (real name Kacey Caviness) was on an episode of reality show streamer…
By Nathan Grayson Published March 18, 2020 -
CultureMicrosoft Adds More Stuff You Probably Won’t Use To Game Pass Ultimate
Today, Microsoft announced it’s expanding the Game Pass Ultimate subscription to include “perks,” extra goodies like in-game currency and cosmetic packs for certain games available through the service. While it’s a small gesture, it’s part of the company’s ongoing attempt to make subscribers feel like they’re getting their money’s worth. The first set of games…
By Ethan Gach Published March 18, 2020 -
UncategorizedDominique “SonicFox” McLean and Jon “dekillsage” Coello have signed with esports team Evil Geniuses. These fighting game veterans, often considered two of the best Dragon Ball FighterZ players in the world, were previously part of Echo Fox. SonicFox is also the reigning Mortal Kombat 11 champion
By Ian Walker Published March 18, 2020 -
CultureHere Are The PlayStation 5’s Technical Specs
It might only have 10.28 teraflops to the Xbox Series X’s 12, but the PlayStation 5 is still a pretty powerful machine. Check out the hardware powering Sony’s next-gen console, including its custom AMD Zen 2 CPU and super-fast SSD. As PlayStation 5 lead system architect Mark Cerny does a deep dive into the engineering…
By Mike Fahey Published March 18, 2020 -
CultureOverwatch‘s Newest Hero Is Echo, A Long-Awaited AI Robot
Seven months after the release of its last new hero, Overwatch is finally getting a new one. Echo, who players of the popular team shooter have been salivating over ever since she made her cinematic debut in the 2018 trailer that introduced Ashe, will be playable “soon.” Today, Blizzard posted a trailer officially introducing Echo.…
By Nathan Grayson Published March 18, 2020 -
CultureHow’s It Going?: Books Edition
Good morning! We’re back with our daily open thread for you to share, vent, and celebrate the good you can find going on around you. Last night I texted the other people living in my building to let them know I’m around if they need anything. I’d put it off for a while because it…
By Riley MacLeod Published March 18, 2020 -
UncategorizedWhile the original MapleStory gets an official chair, the Japanese version of MapleStory 2 gets shut down. A post on Nexon’s Japanese website (via Siliconera) informs players the 3D sequel will be ending service on May 27, just short of a year after launch. The English version of the game is safe for now.
By Mike Fahey Published March 18, 2020 -
CultureThere’s An Official MapleStory Gaming Chair And It’s Precious
Everybody deserves a fancy gaming chair. That includes players of a 17-year-old side-scrolling 2D Korean MMO. Nexon America has partnered with gaming chair maker DXRacer to create this adorable $380 pink, purple, and white seating surface based on MapleStory’s Pink Bean. Think all gaming chairs look like they rolled off the same assembly line? The…
By Mike Fahey Published March 18, 2020 -
CultureHearthstone Adds First New Class Since Launch: Demon Hunters
After six years of card-battling Mages, Priests, Shamans, Warriors, Rogues, Hunters, Warlocks, and Paladins, Blizzard’s World of Warcraft-inspired trading card game finally gets some new blood. The Demon Hunter arrives on April 7 as part of the Ashes of Outland expansion. The first new class added to Hearthstone since its 2014 launch, the Demon Hunter…
By Mike Fahey Published March 18, 2020 -
UncategorizedToday in Kagawa, Japan, the local government passed a rule about underage gaming: For those under 18 years old, gaming is limited to sixty minutes a day. Minors can play for 90 minutes on holidays. The government cannot legally enforce this ruling but is asking parents to
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 18, 2020 -
Kotaku EastCapcom’s Human Anatomical Reference For Artists
Over 20 years ago, Capcom created an anatomical reference guide that is apparently still in use today when bringing characters to life. According to Gamasutra, Capcom art director Toshiyuki Kamei discussed the guide at GDC in 2017. (Capcom Japan published it online.) Kamei said that the guide dates back to the mid-1990s and was overseen…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 18, 2020 -
UncategorizedJapanese Idol Says Selling Bathwater Was Her Management’s Idea
In January 2019, pop group the Banana Monkeys offered their bath water for 100,000 yen ($930) online. It went under the listing “Leftover hot water from an idol bath,” and two members of the group appeared in a YouTube clip, fully clothed in the tub. Member Tenka no Chanyuki says this wasn’t the group’s idea…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 18, 2020
