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  When NBA2K12 Hates Your Name

  Rich Funk is a glorious name. Rich Funk is not only a Kotaku (hi Rich Funk!), Rich Funk is also a NBA 2K12 owner. According to Rich Funk, “My legal name is Richard Funk. As I usually do with sports games, the day I got NBA 2K12, I created myself as a player in the…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 4, 2012
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  The Sins of The Naked Gun Are Visited Upon Frank Drebin’s Son

  White-haired action comedy hero Leslie Nielsen may have passed, but his legacy lives on in The Naked Gun: I.C.U.P., an episodic adventure series coming to iOS and Android devices in the next few months. Let’s check out the first trailer, shall we? Rather than spend the millions of dollars it would take to resurrect Nielsen…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 4, 2012
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  Mass Effect’s Newest Cast Member Kicks Off New Dark Horse Comics Series

  Thanks to previous mini-series, Mass Effect fans have been able to learn more about characters like The Illusive Man and Aria T’Loak. Now the fauxhawked soldier who’ll be running alongside your Commander Shepard gets the spotlight in the first issue of the new Mass Effect: Homeworlds series. You can take an exclusive look at issue…

  By Evan Narcisse Published January 4, 2012
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  From Fantasy to Fansubs: How Pirating Went Mainstream

  Allow me to chime in on something I knew nothing about until last night…this is the internet, after all, where people make a living spouting opinions disguised as fact. The topic is that Bandai Entertainment will be ceasing distribution of anime and manga in North America, and what it means to the rest of us.…

  Charlie Maib Published January 4, 2012
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  This Guy Modded a Real Gun

  Some people mod games, while other people mod computers. Garrett Hunter modded a gun. Hunter customized a Beretta so it resembled the Samurai Edge pistol from Resident Evil, complete with a S.T.A.R.S. Raccoon City Police Department engraved seal, a two-tone wood grip, a Wesker-style skeletonized hammer, and a nickel-plated barrel. In the above video, Hunter…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 4, 2012
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  Gary Oldman Screaming Call of Duty Orders on Conan

  Actor Gary Oldman has a long and lengthy resume with varied roles. But the one that concerns us today, and Conan O’Brien, is his work as Viktor Reznov from Call of Duty: World at War and Call of Duty: Black Ops In this Conan clip, Oldman voices some Reznov and talks about doing “battle chatter”,…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 4, 2012
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  Watch an Orderly Japanese Nerd Horde. It Will Blow Your Mind.

  Have you ever wondered what thousands and thousands of Japanese otaku (geeks) look like when they swoop on a single spot? They look like this. The above video starts slow, but stick with it (or skip to 1 minute and 25 seconds in), and then marvel at the crowd that formed over night and how…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 4, 2012
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  Zen Pinball Makes Its 3DS Debut Next Week

  After successful silver ball outings on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and iOS and Android devices, Zen Studios brings their plucky brand of video game pinball to the 3DS next week with the downloadable Zen Pinball 3D, complete with support for downloadable tables. It’s no secret that I am slightly in love with the way…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 4, 2012
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  Take a Look at the Guns and Gear that You’ll Get for Pre-Ordering Mass Effect 3

  Back when Mass Effect 2 was a single-player only experience, fancy armor and special weapons didn’t count for very much. Sure, they helped you in the game’s campaign mode but that was a finite, non-competitive experience. But, now that co-op multiplayer’s coming to BioWare’s sci-fi threequel, the usual slate of pre-order bonuses may give you…

  By Evan Narcisse Published January 4, 2012
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  Things Get a Lot Darker in These New Max Payne 3 Screens

  Some of the previous looks at Rockstar’s upcoming hard-boiled shooter showed off series hero Max Payne out in the sunny environs of Sao Paulo, vacation shirts and all. But these new screens put the night back in the franchise’s signature noir look, even if Max sports a Hawaiian shirt. You’ll see the former NYPD officer…

  By Evan Narcisse Published January 4, 2012
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  Japan’s Biggest Selling Cosplay Costumes of 2011 Were…

  Some cosplayers make their own outfits. Others shell out cash for them. Japan’s largest cosplay costume emporium is Cospa. And the retailer listed its biggest selling outfits of 2011. Westerners might not be as familiar with these costumes as many of them are from adult, Japan-only computer games, light novels, and anime. Some, however, should…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 4, 2012
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  The 2012 Year in Games… a Preview That Has My Jaw on the Floor

  Finish playing the best games of 2011. Then tape this to your refrigerator. This is a preview, of some of the biggest and/or most interesting games coming out in 2012 (with a heavy bias toward big-company consoles and handheld releases, since that’s what gets announced earliest). January brings us Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3, Xbox 360,…

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 4, 2012
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  Could This Country Muck Up Diablo III‘s Worldwide Release?

  In South Korea, the games of American developer Blizzard are huge. StarCraft is a national pastime, and the upcoming Diablo III is eagerly awaited. However, the country’s governmental Game Rating Board could rain on Diablo III‘s launch. It is reluctant to give the game the rating necessary for a South Korean release. According to The…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 4, 2012
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  What’s Wrong With Exploiting Design Flaws in Online Games?

  With players dancing their way out of trouble in BioWare’s Star Wars: The Old Republic, commenter Raso719 wonders what’s the big deal about taking advantage of sloppy programming to gain an advantage in today’s Speak Up on Kotaku Back in Star Wars Galaxy me and a friend use to kill level 80 Krayt Dragon as…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 4, 2012
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  Temple Run Hauls Ass like a Modern-Day Pitfall

  When you think back to Pitfall, the lead character in the classic Activision game didn’t seem like he was in that much of a hurry. Granted, the Atari 2600 didn’t create speedy animations but it seemed like Pitfall Harry was straight-up leisurely. I distinctly remember taking the time to line up jumps from alligator head…

  By Evan Narcisse Published January 4, 2012
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  Talk Amongst Yourselves

  Welcome, belatedly, to January. You may talk here about video games all you want. We’ve got a new lead image for this month. It’s George Stubbs’ Cheetah with Two Indian Attendants and a Stag, submitted by TAY all-star Pan1da7 What do you do with a new TAYpic? This: Please do your best—or your worst—and submit…

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 4, 2012
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  Is the 3DS Lite Coming Out Next Spring? Wonders a Japanese Magazine

  Japanese magazine Nikkei Trendy put forth a question that’s nagging us all: is Nintendo releasing a 3DS Lite? In a recent issue of the publication that looks at 2012, Trendy wrote, “To increase the 3DS’s install base, there’s a possibility for a lighter version that addresses the handheld’s weak points, the thickness and the battery…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 4, 2012
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  The Rebirth of Microsoft Flight Simulator Will be ‘Free’ on PCs this Spring [UPDATE]

  Microsoft’s rebirth of their hallowed Flight Simulator series, Microsoft Flight is finally coming out, over a year since we started seeing videos of it. It looks quite nice, it’s on PC and it’s free… kinda sorta. The official word is: After downloading “Microsoft Flight” for free, players can jump into hours of exciting gameplay on…

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 4, 2012
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  Throw a Tattoo (Sort of) On Your Xbox 360 Avatars

  Once the province of sailors and other burly he-man types, skin art’s gone mainstream. Even BioWare’s Greg Zeschuk got an Old Republic tat and that’s guy’s not edgy at all. Tattoos now get seen as just another component of personal style, albeit one that’ll be with you once you get wrinkled and cranky. So it…

  By Evan Narcisse Published January 4, 2012
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  How to Send a Star Wars Fan Insane

  BattleTroll 3 | If EA really cared about money, this would happen. Via Sex, Drugs & Pokemon There was a Famicom Game About the Leader of the Soviet Union You expect, and will find, old games for the Famicom where you play as a soldier. Or a pilot. Or an athlete. What you don’t expect,…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 4, 2012