Here’s to the video games that give you things for your birthday. Gran Turismo 6 is joining that too-short list with its latest digital title update, according to the PlayStation blog. What else is there? Animal Crossing? And? This is how the PlayStation blog describes GT6‘s new feature: Birthday Login Bonus An in-game car from…

If This Passes As A Werewolf Simulator, I Don’t Want Any Part Of It

It sounded so promising, a game where you get to be a werewolf. How could anyone pass up a chance like that? So I took to the wonky, not quite cell-shaded world of Guise of the Wolf with enthusiasm, but being a werewolf just isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The beginning of the…

The sub-boss battle music from Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is some of the most hilariously over-the-top JRPG battle music I’ve ever heard. From 1:50 to the loop-around, it’s… it’s like composer Revo built a giant robot out of DragonForce members, gave it a Red Bull and told it to perform three lead guitar parts at…

Could the PS4 emulate PS1/PS2 games? Eurogamer‘s Digital Foundry reports today that Sony is planning on it—and that they might add visual enhancements to those old games. No word on whether we’ll have to re-buy the ones we already own on PSN, if the rumor is true. (We’ve reached out to Sony for comment.)

See How Powerful Your Pokémon Are In X & Y

Not all Pokémon are made equal—one Magikarp may kick way more butt than other Magikarp, even if they’re the exact same level. That’s because every Pokémon has hidden stats called “IVs” attached to things like their “attack” and “speed”—and there’s a way to tell what these values are in-game. Pokémon X & Y have been…

EA Sports and the NFL “still have a number of years left on our agreements” to exclusively develop and publish video games, EA CEO Andrew Wilson told investors. “We have a number of games in development with the NFL” license, he added. Reports had suggested EA’s license to make NFL games would expire this year.

Angry Birds Maker: We Do Not Collaborate With Spies

The maker of Angry Birds, one of the world’s most popular video games of any type, today said it “does not share data, collaborate or collude with any government spy agencies.” The statement follows a report yesterday that said American and British spies have harvested data collected by the game. “Our fans’ trust is the…

It’s The Perfect Weather For LEGO Calvin And Hobbes Snowmen

It’s snowing in Atlanta, and I’d like nothing more than to go outside and create armies of snowmen doing horrible, horrible things. Alas, LEGO artist Tyler Sky’s Calvin and Hobbes tribute shall have to suffice. We are not used to snow in Atlanta, to the point where we hardly ever look out our windows, even…

​World of Warcraft‘s Impressive First Decade, By the Numbers

The numbers may be shrinking a bit in recent years but, when you look at it, the sheer aggregate of people who’ve made a toon, joined a raid or bought a pet in World of Warcraft is still mind-boggling. A lot of people have touched Blizzard’s hit online game in the decade since World of…

About Jewish Stereotypes And Video Games…

There aren’t a lot of Jews in video games. This is something I’ve always found interesting—considering the disproportionate number of Jews in the world of film and television—but not particularly unusual. Jews make up less than 0.2% of the world’s population, so it only makes sense that we’d be in less than 0.2% of the…

Final Fantasy XIV Named Most Disability Accessible Game Of 2013

You might have a hard time playing Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn if you’re new to the massively multiplayer online role-playing scene, but physical disability won’t get in your way. The AbleGamers foundation has awarded Square Enix’s well-received redux its Accessible Mainstream Game of the Year award. I felt Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm…

The Super Bowl Ends With a Safety, Says Tecmo Super Bowl

Yesterday Madden NFL 25 gave its prediction for Super Bowl Ex El Vee Eye Eye Eye, handing it to Denver, 31-28, on a field goal in overtime. Today, the guys keeping alive 1991’s Tecmo Super Bowl offered their own version of events: another OT game, with Denver winning on a goddamn safety You can see…

Google Sure Asks Great Video Game Questions

Google can be a treasure trove of information, both intentional and accidental. But nothing is weirder and more revealing about the world than the crowd-sourced questions that Google autocompletes in your search bar. Here are just a few of the most popular questions about video game characters (according to Google): But this isn’t over: If…

Cards Against Humanity, Simple Surround Sound, Steam Credit [Deals]

Finally. Cards Against Humanity is back in stock on Amazon, along with its second, third, and fourth expansions. Picking it up is probably the least horrible thing you’ll do all day. [Amazon] Show us your favorite card combos in the comments. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag $22 with code GFDJAN25 Several more Ubi games also…

Super Bowl Nerds Versus Video Game Nerds

With the Super Bowl around the corner, it seems important to put all the hype behind the big event into perspective—particularly if you think the average sports fan and video game fan have nothing in common. Enthusiasm and passion isn’t limited to a particular interest or hobby: everyone can be nerdy about something to an…

Broken Age, Act 1: The Kotaku Review

This is what you wanted from Double Fine Adventure: A cartoony stylized world, lovingly rendered in 2D and fractured in ways that only nonsensical combinations of random items can fix. What you’re getting in Broken Age, Act 1: All of that, but with a level of cuteness, humor and heartache that’s exceedingly rare in the…